Another tech update from Apple, it’s Snow Leopard. This time earlier than expected, Apple’s Mac OS X v10.6 Snow Leopard, that’s released today (August 28, 2009) from Apple’s retail stores and other Apple Authorized Resellers. Wanting to upgrade, you can!
Apple Inc says Snow Leopard is totally OS X innovation and success with hundreds of refinements over the OS elements and new core technologies. Bertrand Serlet says they are cherished that Snow Leopard is released earlier than expected and going to be the most successful operating system ever. Bertrand Serlet is a senior vice president of Software Engineering in Apple.
Obviously, Apple wants the icon “The Fastest and most successful Operating System Ever” from this release of Snow Leopard. For just Rs.1,800, Leopard users get a smooth upgrade to the only operating system with built in Exchange support
To create Snow Leopard, Apple engineers refined 90 percent of the more than 1,000 projects that make up Mac OS X. Apple claims users can expect a more responsive Finder; Mail that loads messages faster; Time Machine with an up to 80 percent faster initial backup; a Dock with Exposé integration; QuickTime X with a redesigned player that allows users to easily view, record, trim and share video; and a 64-bit version of Safari 4 that is up to 50 percent faster and resistant to crashes caused by plug-ins. Snow Leopard is half the size of the previous version and frees up to 7GB of drive space once installed.
For the first time, system applications including Finder, Mail, iCal, iChat and Safari are 64-bit and Snow Leopard’s support for 64-bit processors makes use of more RAM, increases performance and improves security while remaining compatible with 32-bit applications. Grand Central Dispatch (GCD) provides a revolutionary new way for software developers to write applications that take advantage of multicore processors.
Also Snow Leopard is the only desktop operating system with built in support for Microsoft Exchange Server 2007, and it allows you to use Mac OS X Mail, Address Book and iCal to send and receive email, create and respond to meeting invitations, and search and manage contacts with global address lists. Exchange information works seamlessly within Snow Leopard so users can also take advantage of OS X only features such as fast Spotlight searches and Quick Look previews.
Pricing & Availability
Mac OS X version 10.6 Snow Leopard will be available as an upgrade to Mac OS X version 10.5 Leopard within four weeks through Apple Authorised Resellers. The Snow Leopard single user license will be available for a maximum retail price of Rs. 1,800 and the Snow Leopard Family Pack, a single household, five-user license, will be available for a maximum retail price of Rs. 2,900. For Tiger users with an Intel-based Mac, the Mac Box Set includes Mac OS X Snow Leopard, iLife ’09 and iWork ’09 and will be available for a maximum retail price of Rs.10,000 and a Family Pack is available for a suggested price of Rs.13,500.
The Mac OS X Snow Leopard Up-to-Date upgrade package is available to all customers who purchased a qualifying new Mac system from Apple or an Apple Authorised Reseller between June 8, 2009 and the end of the programme on December 26, 2009, for a product plus shipping and handling fee of $9.95 (Rs. 500 approx.). Users must request their Up-to-Date upgrade within 90 days of purchase or by December 26, 2009, whichever comes first. For more information please visit www.apple.com/in/macosx/uptodate/ . Snow Leopard requires a minimum of 1GB of RAM and is designed to run on any Mac computer with an Intel processor. Full system requirements can be found at www.apple.com/in/macosx/specs.html
