The next big cat is out, but sadly only for those with Macs running on an Intel processor, meaning if you bought your Apple computer before 2006, you’ll need to sit this one out. Reaching stores today for the pleasantly low price of $35, Mac OSX version 10.6, or “Snow Leopard” will update current Mac computers to perform faster, deliver more hard drive space, offer built-in support for Microsoft Exchange, better support for Chinese input, and key new features for those with vision impairments.

 

If the price is reflective of anything it’s that Apple has chosen to focus on delivering a multitude of enhancements rather than any major revolutions. More advanced features can add to the confusion, so the new philosophy is that it’s better to improve the existing ones. More often than not, it’s the little things that can have the biggest impact.

Apple’s website lists over a hundred such little enhancements, some may be really important to you, most may not, but there are some key additions that really stand out.

7 GB of extra hard drive space is one of the most immediate benefits. When the update replaces the existing software, it will eliminate a sizeable chunk that’s not needed, clearing up a lot of memory for you to use on your hard drive.

Speed is another bonus as simply booting up, browsing the web, and opening your mail are now all tasks that operate seconds faster than before.

Several features have been re-written or tweaked to support 64-bit systems (that run faster) as well general improvements. Finder, for example, has been rewritten for faster performance, larger icons and views, and more customized Spotlight searches.

The Dock itself has been tweaked so you can better sort through stacks (something many users were not doing) and access Expose, which lets you see your open in windows in a grid, directly from the Dock itself.

Quicktime X delivers a new multimedia player including the “Trim” video-editing system and the option for direct upload to YouTube, both features included earlier with the iPhone 3GS. Another enhancement includes the ability to record video screen captures, ideal for making tutorials.

Apple has taken the opportunity to fix a few things too. Finder will no longer give you a hassle when trying to eject USB thumb drives, a new version of Safari is more resistant to flash-enabled crashes allowing the website to stay open when the plug-in fails, and, much like a cellphone, the clock will now change automatically when you travel across time zones.

Snow Leopard also continues Apple’s efforts to make Macs friendlier to Windows users. Support for Microsoft Exchange is now built-in. This means if your work uses Microsoft Exchange Server 2007, you can use your Mac for e-mail, calendar, and contacts on the same system as your co-workers, even though you’re using Apple’s Mail, iCal, and Address Book applications.

Windows users will also be happy to see that the Trash now has a “Put Back” feature similar to the “Restore” in the Recycle Bin on Windows and those who are also running a version of Windows on their Mac thanks to Boot Camp or other software can now access files on the Mac side of their computer.

Chinese language support has been improved with a new feature that uses the multi-touch trackpad. Users can now draw Chinese characters using the trackpad into documents. The software will display a selection of characters based on your movements and you merely choose the one that fits.

Accessibility has been a major goal for Apple this year and following new enhancements added to the iPhone 3G S, Snow Leopard includes several input systems for those with impairments.

This includes improved Braille support including Bluetooth add-on devices, VoiceOver control where users navigate with the touchpad as if it were the screen, guided by audio prompts and a computer voice. This same voice can be used to read web pages. Web Spot is a system that will allow your web browser to automatically centre in on the most important parts of a web page, so that those navigating with alternate input systems aren’t forced to go through every element of a page.

As with all operating system updates, there will bound to be conflicts initially as major programs now have to adjust to the update itself. Already reports are coming in on issues, you can see a list of them at snowleopard.wikidot.com, most of which will be resolved as the creators of affected software released their own fixes.

In the world of consumer electronics, new can often mean expensive, and so it’s nice to have a reasonably priced offering that still has the potential to make a difference.