Snow Leopard was announced several months ago by Steve Jobs. He says that it is the next OS update (10.6) for the Mac platform. According to him, it will only be some additional features plus a massive security overdrive of the whole OS. This makes sense because Apple’s current OS release (Leopard, 10.5) was released with over 300 new features and is extremely popular. Macs are getting much more attention than ever, so hackers are going even harder at Apple (Microsoft has a ton of viruses because of a subpar security interface and the fact that around 90% of the market is Windows, making it the ideal victim). However, Apple is known for releasing cutting edge technology and I hope that these features are included within Snow Leopard.
Blu-Ray Support
This seems like a gimme. Apple announced that they would not take on a new disc until either HDDVD or BluRay surrendered to the other, which as we know, BluRay prevailed. Apple should add BluRay for 2 reasons: the media market is for BluRay and Apple still lacks picking up a high definition disc for it’s iTV platforms. And since Apple is so big into media, and several producers use Macs to make movies, they need to have support for BluRay else their apps like Final Cut will be useless in today’s market.
Better iSync
I want to sync my iPod touch wirelessly. This is one of the main problems with the touch because you have to plug it in (what a drag), wait for iTunes to open, then wait for the sync. If I’m on the go, just clicking a button on my touch to sync is much much easier. This doesn’t just apply to iPods, phones could work as well (sync your iCal, Mail, Contacts, etc to your phones).
Security Interface
Apple already said that their main focus was to revamp the whole OS to be better working and more secure. Being more secure means a more intuitive security interface allowing me to enable and disable security features to my liking. The current Security panel only has options for requiring a password, File Vault (which if you don’t know is basically an encryption setting for your computer), and a firewall.
Guest Lock
This is something I believe that anybody who uses a Mac in a public place should have use of (office or school, not like at an airport). Let’s say you’re working on a file when somebody asks “Hey, can I check something real quick?” You have to go to the bathroom anyway, so you say sure. When you come back, you sneak back behind him and see he’s viewing your personal files. Guest Lock would allow you to click a link in the menu and Guest Lock your computer only allowing someone to use that application and nothing else. That would prohibit them from accessing the menus, the dock, your bookmarks/cookies/saved info (in Safari), prohibit Finder, unless you unlock it with the password.
Unit Control
There are several downloadable applications that do this, yet I still want it incorporated by Apple. Unit Control basically means allowing me to limit RAM use, increase/decrease fan speed or temperatures to activate fan, limit hard drive use (leave extra just in case, etc), and other similar core processes. Not for use by people who don’t know what they’re doing, but is extremely useful to those who want their Mac to run certain ways. There should be the option of returning to Default, and if something goes wrong or something is getting too hot, the system will override the user defined variables.
Deleting Applications
Apple, come on. Windows had this ever since it was possible to install programs. You are yet to create a feature that lets you delete applications. This has to be implemented, there really is no choice. I hate to say it, but Macs kind of have a user base that aren’t the most computer saavy (even though there are a ton of very saavy users, I’m not saying Mac users are stupid), going through and finding all the files that are related to the application, deleting the folder, emptying the trash, yadda yadda. In Windows, you press uninstall and after a small few prompts making sure you want to, it’s gone. Developers have made it, but finding one that works well (and doesn’t cost anything) was hard to come across. I finally found one called AppTrap whereupon you just drag the application to the trash and it asks you if you want to delete the application.
Rework Default Applications
There’s nothing really wrong with any of the current applications, but maybe revamping TextEdit, Calculator, Contacts, and iCal. Possibly combining Contacts, iCal, and Mail together would be in line, so it’s all launched together (they already work together pretty well, I think it’d be even more awesome to have them all open together).
October 9th, 2008 at 7:56 pm
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