ABOUT THE DETAILS OF LATEST OS IMAC G5

               


Apple has unveiled a new iMac G5 line, with faster 2.0 GHz PowerPC G5 processors, built-in AirPort Extreme and Bluetooth wireless connectivity and Mac OS X version 10.4 “Tiger,” the latest version of the world’s most advanced operating system. The new iMac G5s also include faster graphics, a new 8X SuperDrive with double-layer support, built-in Gigabit Ethernet for faster networking, and 512MB of memory across the line. Every new iMac G5 comes with iLife ‘05, Apple’s award-winning suite of digital lifestyle applications, making it the ultimate consumer desktop for today’s digital lifestyle.

“Reviewers have called the iMac G5 ‘the most elegant desktop computer in the world’ and now it’s getting even better,” said Philip Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Product Marketing. “With a faster processor, built-in wireless networking, Tiger and iLife ’05, the new iMac G5 offers the best consumer desktop computing experience in the world.”

The iMac G5 makes the ultimate statement in design simplicity with the entire computer, including the power supply and slot-load optical drive, built right into a two-inch thin display. The new iMac G5 offers gorgeous widescreen displays including a 20-inch model with 1680-by-1050 pixel resolution or a 17-inch model with 1440-by-900 pixel resolution. With built-in AirPort Extreme 802.11g and Bluetooth 2.0+EDR (Enhanced Data Rate) wireless modules, it’s even easier to reduce cable clutter with the optional Apple Wireless Keyboard and Apple Wireless Mouse.

Featuring the breakthrough performance of the PowerPC G5 processor and offering up to a 667 MHz front-side bus, the new iMac G5s include 400 MHz DDR memory expandable to 2GB and storage capacity up to 400GB. All new iMac G5s offer the ATI Radeon 9600 graphics processor with 128MB of dedicated video memory to deliver high-performance graphics and effects for next-generation games and provide ultra-fast, pixel-accurate image processing when combined with the graphics capabilities of Tiger.
                                                                
Offering the latest high-performance I/O, the new iMac G5s include built-in 10/100/1000BASE-T Gigabit Ethernet for high-speed networking, built-in AirPort Extreme for fast 54Mbps wireless networking*, built-in Bluetooth, a total of five USB ports (three USB 2.0) and two FireWire 400 ports for easy plug-and-play connections to popular peripherals such as Apple’s market-leading iPod digital music player, digital video camcorders, digital still cameras and printers.

Every new iMac G5 includes Tiger, the fifth major release in four years of the world’s most advanced operating system. Tiger delivers more than 200 new features and innovations including Spotlight, a revolutionary desktop search technology that lets users instantly find anything stored on their Mac, including documents, emails, contacts and images; and Dashboard, a new way to instantly access important information like weather forecasts and stock quotes, using a dazzling new class of applications called widgets.

The new iMac G5 includes iLife ‘05, Apple’s award-winning suite of digital lifestyle applications featuring iPhoto, iMovie, iDVD, GarageBand and iTunes, the world’s number one online music store. iLife ’05 continues to lead the industry with the most innovative and comprehensive suite of software for organizing, editing and sharing digital photos; creating stunning digital movies and DVDs; and purchasing, managing and creating digital music.

A collection of productivity and entertainment titles is included with every iMac G5, including AppleWorks, Quicken 2005 for Macintosh, 2005 World Book Multimedia Reference Suite, Nanosaur 2 and Marble Blast Gold.

Pricing & Availability

The new iMac G5 line is available immediately through the Apple Store (www.apple.com), at Apple’s retail stores and Apple Authorized Resellers.

The new iMac G5, for a suggested retail price of $1,299 (US), includes:

    17-inch widescreen LCD with 1440-by-900 pixels;
    1.8 GHz 64-bit PowerPC G5 processor;
    512MB of 400 MHz DDR SDRAM;
    24X Combo (DVD-ROM/CD-RW) optical drive;
    ATI Radeon 9600 graphics processor with 128MB video memory;
    Built-in AirPort Extreme wireless networking and Bluetooth 2.0 +EDR;
    10/100/1000BASE-T Gigabit Ethernet networking, 56K V.92 Modem;
    160GB Serial ATA hard drive running at 7200 rpm;
    Two FireWire 400, three USB 2.0, two USB 1.1 ports; and
    Built-in stereo speakers and microphone.

The new iMac G5, for a suggested retail price of $1,499 (US), includes:

    17-inch widescreen LCD with 1440-by-900 pixels;
    2.0 GHz 64-bit PowerPC G5 processor;
    512MB of 400 MHz DDR SDRAM;
    8X SuperDrive (DVD+R DL/DVD±RW/CD-RW) optical drive;
    ATI Radeon 9600 graphics processor with 128MB video memory;
    Built-in AirPort Extreme wireless networking and Bluetooth 2.0 +EDR;
    10/100/1000BASE-T Gigabit Ethernet networking, 56K V.92 Modem;
    160GB Serial ATA hard drive running at 7200 rpm;
    Two FireWire 400, three USB 2.0, two USB 1.1 ports; and
    Built-in stereo speakers and microphone.

The new iMac G5, for a suggested retail price of $1,799 (US), includes:

    20-inch widescreen LCD with 1680-by-1050 pixels;
    2.0 GHz 64-bit PowerPC G5 processor;
    512MB of 400 MHz DDR SDRAM;
    8X SuperDrive (DVD+R DL/DVD±RW/CD-RW) optical drive;
    ATI Radeon 9600 graphics processor with 128MB video memory;
    Built-in AirPort Extreme wireless networking and Bluetooth 2.0 +EDR;
    10/100/1000BASE-T Gigabit Ethernet networking, 56K V.92 Modem;
    250GB Serial ATA hard drive running at 7200 rpm;
    Two FireWire 400, three USB 2.0, two USB 1.1 ports; and
    Built-in stereo speakers and microphone.

Build-to-order options and accessories include up to 2GB of RAM, 250GB and 400GB hard drives, AirPort Express and AirPort Extreme Base Station, Apple Wireless Keyboard and Apple Wireless Mouse and the AppleCare Protection Plan.

The new iMac G5 line is also available to education customers in the US and Canada through the Apple Store for Education at www.apple.com/education/store or by calling an Apple education sales representative at 800-800-APPL.

*Actual speed will vary based on range from the base station, environmental conditions and other factors.

Read more »

ABOUT THE DETAILS OF MAC OS

 


Mac OS X 10.3 has now a GUI in metallic scheme and the optimized Finder. The use and access in heterogeneous networks was further simplified. Files can be provided with etiquettes, the compression format ZIP is now directly supported. 12 million MacOS X user were counted in October 2004.

According to Apple Mac OS X 10.4 brings more than 200 new features. Features are the fast, system-wide and index-based search function named Spotlight, the Dashboard for easy access to small programms (Widgets), the Automator for the simplified composition of Applescripts for the automation of tasks. The Web browser Safari in version 2.0 now contained RSS support, the QuickTime software was updated to version 7 with support for the H.264 video codec. Further novelty is the delivery at a DVD medium, an installation of CD-ROM is no longer possible.

First since the 10th January 2006 is MacOS X 10.4.4 next to the PowerPC version available for Intel based Macs. On the 6. June 2005 Steve jobs announced at the WWDC the switch to Intel processors. As further details became known that Apple had developed Mac OS X since 2000 internally also for the Intel platform.

Apple released the successor MacOS X 10.5, Leopard at the 26.10.2007. With more than 300 innovations MacOS offers the user an enhanced user interface with virtual desktops, a fast file preview and Dock with 3D effect. The Finder was revised, the expansion "Boot Camp" for the installation of Windows on Intel-Macs is an official component now. As a file system ZFS is optionally available. For the surfing on the Internet the Apple Safari 3 Web browser is included. Backups can be made, managed and restored in a simple way with "Time Machine". Time Machine makes every hour the day automatically a file backup and every day a snapshot for the duration of a complete month. Lost files are recovered easily over the display of a dynamic time line of those snapshot. The security of the operating system and applications is improved by 11 enhancements. This are beside others the application-based firewall, signed applications, the use of ASLR (Address Space Layout Randomization) and Sandboxing for applications.

Open Group certified MacOS X 10.5 according to the standard UNIX 03 in November 2007. MacOS X is the first free BSD derivative with such certificate to bear the name UNIX officially. The certification guarantees the use of UNIX standard implementations to porting UNIX applications easily.
                                                       
The first update with bug fixes was released with Mac OS X 10.5.1 by Apple on November 15th, 2007. It contains general bug fixes for the operating system to improve stability, better compatibility and safety. Mac OS X 10.5.2 cames with 125 bug fixes and smaller optimizations on January 24th, 2008.
Mac OS X 10.6 is a Mac computer with Intel Core 2 Duo processor with at least 1 GB memory and 5 GB free space ahead. This operating system no longer exists as PowerPC execution. Apple placed the focus development on performance and stability. It supports up to 16 TByte memory, it is optimized for multi core processors, and is a pure 64-bit operating system. With the technology OpenCL graphics processor can speed up in specific applications calculations.

Read more »

ABOUT THE DETAILS OF ANDROID SOFTWARE

                                      

Android 3.0 the latest software update for the popular mobile operating system owned by Google, is reportedly set to launch in January 2011. Phone and tablets running the operating system have experienced an enormous boom within the past years, leaving consumers and developers’ alike hungry for a new release of the Android operating system.

The newest version of the platform, which is code-named “Gingerbread,” is set to upgrade the existing OS in multiple ways, including new video capabilities and rumored features that incorporate Google TV.

The popular operating system is currently being run by mobile phones built by a variety of different companies, including Samsung, Acer, Motorola, and HTC. Furthermore, Android is now one of the most popular operating systems for new tablet devices. Presently, Google has yet to comment on its upcoming Gingerbread release, though the company has confirmed that the release will be occurring within the next few months. Many have speculated that such a release could be announced at the CES 2011 conference, at the beginning of January.

In spite of all the speculation, some of the features of the new version are widely known. One such addition is video chat, which will support the protocols used by Google Talk. Furthermore, the OS will have the ability to receive Google Talk calls over a Wi-Fi connection. Such features directly challenge similar features in the Apple iPhone 4.0, which was released this past summer.

Additional video capabilities in the new generation of devices include the capability to link the mobile phone with Google TV products. The new operating system will reportedly allow users to control such products with their phone, which essentially operates as a remote control. These rich video and chat features are expected to continue the accelerating market share of Android devices.

Beyond the popular features recognized by casual users of Smartphones and tablets running Google’s operating system, the new Android release is expected to incorporate several features that translate into a faster end-user experience. For example, the new software is reported to have enhanced CPU performance, meaning shorter response times for users. In general, the OS is expected to experience a boost in overall speed, and should offer more power in the hardware department.

Regardless of which details of the new operating system ultimately prove to be speculative or true, one thing is certain: Google has effectively built an operating system that is consistently finding new adopters and fans. In fact, since its initial release in 2008, the operating system has found its way into the hands of users across the globe. According to current estimates, Android could potentially be in second place in the race for market share, as early as 2014. Current figures show market share to be constant at just over 16%, though analysts expect that figure to skyrocket more than 50% to 24.6% in the next four years. This surge in market share is attributed to many factors, including the lower price points of devices running on Android, and the presence of the Open Handset Alliance.

Android on the other hand, while having far less applications to offer, is open sourced and many of these Android apps are free to users. This also means that users can download apps from anywhere, which appeals to those who find a large part of the appeal of owning an iPhone, or Android the applications.

Customers are offered a variety of Android based phones, more than a dozen in fact, whereas Apple offers the iPhone 4G and 3G, with the 3G likely to be obsolete as the 4G becomes the signature phone of Apple. The variety of Android phones allows customers a choice which affects their wallets in a positive way; phones range from about $100 to as much as $500, whereas the iPhone 4 is priced at one price and there are no other options.

This difference in pricing obviously favors the Android and it is showing in sales. Not to mention that even a more cheaply priced Android phone still shares features with more expensive ones, such as Google Apps and a 3.2 megapixel camera. Android is also featuring all the attributes of a true Smartphone, like the iPhone 4 and is able to cover the whole of the market from the bottom to the top of the line.

After Apple’s new iPhone 4 found itself facing a large amount of criticism soon after it’s release, Google’s Android-based phones showed an increase in sales. Apple has gone on to claim that sales have not been deeply affected (their main complaint was reception issues) and it seems its competitor is slowly catching up.

One thing that’s really put the Android OS ahead of the game is the allowance of many different manufacturers to create smart phones that are designed to run the Android OS. Recently, a new company has stepped into the lineup with its release of the ‘Zeus’ Android Phone.


Videocon, a company with influence all across the world (but based in India), is the manufacturer of this new phone – the V7500. Thanks to Videocon, the Android market will be even more easily accessible to most of Asia and more affordable to local consumers too.

The ‘Zeus’ is a 3.5G phone. It sports a Qualcomm 600 MHz micro-processor along with a 3.2 inch multi-touch screen. It has a flash-enabled 5-megapixel camera attached, capable of recording 24 FPS (frames per second). The actual resolution of the HVGA display is 320×480 pixels, which is noticeably clearer than other Android phones currently available from multi-national manufacturers.

It comes with an 8GB micro-SD memory card but its internal memory (which starts at 512 KB) is expandable up to 32 GB. It also includes Bluetooth, Wifi, and Push Mail capabilities. Something interesting worth noting is that the package comes with two 1230 mAH batteries – not just one. Very few phones come with more than one battery.

Read more »

MICROSOFT SHOWS OFF NEW 'WINDOWS 8' OPERATING SYSTEM

                                         
Microsoft Corp showed off a version of its next operating system, highlighting touchscreen features optimized for tablet computers, at the All Things Digital technology conference on Wednesday.

The world's largest software company is expected to launch the new system, code-named Windows 8, in the next 18 months, as it races to catch up with the success of Apple Inc's iPad, which went on sale over a year ago.

In a demonstration at the D9 conference in Palos Verdes, California, a Microsoft executive showed a starting page that resembles Microsoft's latest phone software, with live 'tiles' manipulated by pressing and swiping the screen.

The head of Microsoft's Windows unit, Steven Sinofsky, said the product did not yet have a name, and did not say when it would be available.

The release date is a "Defense Department secret", joked Sinofsky, adding that it would not be this autumn.

Microsoft typically aims for 24 to 36 months between major Windows versions, suggesting a launch date for the next Windows between October 2011 and October 2012.

Sinofsky, who said Microsoft was "not out of the game" in tablets, promised more details at a developers' conference in September.

He did say Microsoft is working to integrate Internet telephone service Skype into the new system, following its agreement to purchase the company last month.

The demonstration shows Microsoft is making progress toward the new operating system, which it promises will run on a range of hardware devices from traditional PCs to laptops and tablets, using both touchscreen and mouse and keyboard commands.

Five months ago, Sinofsky showed off a crude version of the new Windows system working on ARM Holdings chips -- which work better on mobile devices due to their low power requirements -- at the Consumer Electronics Show in January.

That signaled a change in emphasis for Microsoft toward mobile devices, although the new Windows will still run on chips made by traditional partner Intel Corp.

Windows 8 is on its way, and it'll be a departure from the Windows we know and love today. That was the message Microsoft sent Wednesday afternoon at the annual D: All Things Digital Conference, taking place near Los Angeles.

                                  

At the conference, Microsoft presented a radically redesigned Windows interface: Instead of the traditional desktop with windows, the taskbar, Start menu, and so on, Microsoft demonstrated an interface that looks reminiscent to Windows Phone 7, its smartphone operating system--complete with touch-friendly live tiles.

Microsoft also discussed features of the Windows 8 operating system at the Computex tech conference in Taiwan.

Microsoft also posted a video that shows some of the new features. Most notably, the company says that it's designed for not only laptops and desktops, but for tablets as well (which makes sense, given its big, touch-friendly buttons and visual style). The new tile-based interface replaces the traditional Start menu, according to Microsoft.

Macworld's Jason Snell notes on Twitter that "Windows 8 will run standard Windows apps, support standard Windows peripherals." Microsoft's video shows regular Windows apps running in a separate, traditional desktop mode that you can switch to with the press of a button.

Apps made specifically for Windows 8 will be a bit of a different beast--they'll "use the power of HTML5, tapping into the native capabilities of Windows using standard JavaScript and HTML," the company says. It remains to be seen if this means that Windows 8-specific apps will be based solely on HTML5, JavaScript, and other Web technologies, or if they'll be some tie-ins to more traditional app development tools that Microsoft offers.

What's interesting about Windows 8 is that it's another step in PCs becoming more tablet-like. Apple is moving toward making Mac OS X more iPad-like with Lion's various iOS-inspired features, although Windows 8 seems to go one step further with merging the tablet and the PC. There will probably be some resistance to these changes, and we'll have to wait and see how it all works out in practice, but the writing's on the wall.

Here's some rough video of Michael Angiulo, corporate vice president of Windows planning, hardware and ecosystem at Microsoft, showing off some of the operating system's features at the conference.

Read more »