Inside Leopard: Macworld's OS X 10.5 preview

The latest version of OS X boasts 300-plus features—we explore them all

OS X 10.5—also known as Leopard—has been a long time in the making.

Apple first unveiled the successor to Tiger in August 2006 at its Worldwide Developers Conference. Then, its original spring 2007 ship date was pushed back to October as Apple directed its resources towards getting the equally-anticipated iPhone on the shelves.

October has arrived, and so has Leopard. And it’s one of the most significant upgrades to Apple’s Unix-based operating systems in many years.

We’ve had a chance to use Leopard, to explore its new features and returning favorites, and we’re ready to report on what you’ll find in OS X 10.5. Each of the following articles explores different elements of the new OS—from new features like Time Machine and Spaces to under-the-hood changes to Terminal. We’ll tell you what’s new, what’s improved, and whether Leopard lives up to hype.

Inside Leopard: Macworld's OS X 10.5 preview

The latest version of OS X boasts 300-plus features—we explore them all

Inside Leopard: Safari and Automator

Many of the changes in Safari 3 have been known since Apple released a beta of the browser in June. Many of the changes in Automator 2 have been overshadowed by other additions and enhancements in Leopard. Rob Griffiths evaluates both OS X mainstays, looking at what's new with each app.
Inside Leopard: Spotlight

Spotlight was the star of the show the last time Apple released a cat-themed OS X upgrade. Christopher Breen looks at the Leopard edition of this search tool and finds many significant—and welcome—changes.
Inside Leopard: Time Machine

It's no mistake that the same cluster of stars appearing on the box that contains Leopard appear throughout its Time Machine feature. OS X 10.5's built-in backup system is the signature addition in this operating system update. Rob Griffiths takes Time Machine out for a spin and determines whether this new feature is worth your while.
Inside Leopard: Finder and Dock

The Finder is probably the single-most used program in Mac OS X and the public face of the operating system's interface. That public face gets a transformation in Leopard with some often-suggested features and a new look. Rob Griffiths looks at how the changes will affect your use of OS X.
Inside Leopard: Spaces

Spaces is OS X's version of popular-on-Unix, decades-old concept of virtual desktops, allowing you to create workspaces containing specific apps and files. Does it deliver on its promise? Dan Frakes examines Leopard's virtual desktop feature.
Inside Leopard: System Preferences

System Preferences have undergone plenty of changes in OS X 10.5. Dan Frakes walks you through what's new, including an extended look at the beefed-up Parental Controls in Leopard.
Inside Leopard: iChat, Mail, and others

OS X updates don't just add new programs; they also update the existing apps with new features and enhancements. Leopard is no exception, adding across-the-board changes to iChat, Mail, and other applications.
Inside Leopard: iCal

The big change in Leopard's version of iCal is the addition of a group scheduling feature to OS X's built-in calendaring app. But Dan Miller discovers there's a catch to getting the most out of this update.
Inside Leopard: Under-the-hood

We wrap up our look at what's new with OS X 10.5 by examining the changes to Terminal, X11, and Disk Utility.