Apple Does it Again

Steve Jobs gave 3,500+ attendees at Apple's WWDC 2004 an eye-popping preview of the next major OS X release, version 10.4 "Tiger". A streaming video of the presentation can be found here here (highly recommended).



I've only been a Mac user since late September 2003, and I'm stunned at what the Windows user community is missing. Apple is really pushing the innovation envelope. Examples include:

• Incorporating new Spotlight search technology throughout the OS, making it incredibly easy to find your files.
• Revamping the the AOL IM-compatible IChat AV to allow videoconferencing with up to three other people.
• Significantly improving Safari with the ability to receive and aggregate RSS news feeds.

A more comprehensive feature overview can be found here.



The new OS X release is not without controversy. The Dashboard widget-based feature is very similar to a product offered by Konfabulator. Accordingly, the Konfabulator folks are making fun of Apple's sloganeering at WWDC 2004. "Redmond, start your photocopiers" has become "Cupertino, start your photocopiers." Turnabout is fair play, I suppose.