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Leopard off the leash

Apple’s new system knocks spots off the competition, says linton chiswick
.

The first upgrade to Apple's operating system in two and a half years was released on Friday. It's called 'Leopard', and it replaces 'Tiger' (since 2001, Apple have named each release after a toothy cat).

Predictably, the hardcore queued outside Apple stores. They were rewarded with free Leopard t-shirts and an operating system that's really a collection of enhancements rather than a radical rewrite. But

then Tiger was already very, very good.

So what do Mac-users get for £85, beyond many subtle
 

cosmetic changes?

The basic 'Finder' window (where you find your files and applications) now features 'Cover Flow', the ultra-pretty 3D 'flick-through' interface familiar from iTunes and the latest iPods. That's nice, but combined with something they're calling 'Quick Look' it's revolutionary.

Motorstorm image

Quick Look lets you see the contents of any file – Word document, Quicktime movie, spreadsheet, PDF etc - without opening it or even launching

the application. Over the course of a working week, this will save clicks, time and hassle.

'Time Machine' is a foolproof

 

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