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One of the things that amazes me most about operating system upgrades is the contrasting pricing structures. Apple has kind of got a reputation for making the more expensive computers but on the flip side they typically sell their operating system much cheaper than Microsoft does. While I am admittedly critical of Microsoft for being slower to release new versions of operating systems, I think that Apple takes it to the other extreme.

MacRumors reported this past Saturday that Amazon has a pre-order available for Mac OSX 10.6. At first my reaction to this report was the same as most people’s in that I was excited to see this new release from Apple nearing the finish line. With a sale price of only $29 it is not exactly an expensive update so this should make me happy, right?

The real question is, “Why should users pay $29 for what should be free?”. Microsoft has been asked that same question regarding Windows 7 but the difference is that Microsoft did a lot more work than just service pack Windows Vista and sell it as Windows 7.

Mac OS X 10.6 Changes and Improvements

• Stacks will allow viewing a subfolder without launching Finder. Stacks have also been modified to include scroll-bars for folders with many files.
• Contextual menus which come out of Dock icons now have more options and have a new look, with a semi-transparent charcoal background and white type.
• Exposé can now display all windows for a single program by left clicking and holding its icon in the dock.
• Faster PDF and JPEG Icon refreshes.
• Selection of columned text in PDF documents by analyzing the page layout.
• Faster startup, shutdown, installation, Time Machine backup and connection establishment.
• Smaller OS footprint on disk
• Microsoft Exchange support out of the box
• Built-in applications have been rebuilt to leverage the 64-bit addressing space (excluding iTunes and DVD Player applications)
• Quick Time X
• Grand Central dispatch has been added to help utilize multiple processors and increase efficiency
• Open Computing Language (OpenCL) for graphics processing units (GPU) can be utilized in any application now, not just 3D or graphics intense applications.

Maybe it is just me but nothing there looks really ground breaking, or worth $29. Of course maybe it takes a Apple Addict to really appreciate paying for operating system updates.

Check It Out> MacRumors, Amazon, Wikipedia

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Some MacBook users are finding out that sometimes the cure really is worse than the disease. There were widespread reports of reduced speeds from SATA drives with a previous update that Apple then hastily decided to fix. Unfortunately their “fix” has the side affect of no longer recognizing many third-party hard drives.

Thankfully the hard drives most susceptible to this problem are SSD’s (Solid State Drives) that are installed by the user. Having said that, maybe Apple was just upset that a user decided there was a way to improve upon a MacBook. Making them not work altogether is a good way to tell your customers that you dislike their meddling with your products.

Check It Out> Gizmodo

Despite Apple ripping on Netbooks and claiming that they suck, the new OS X update 10.5.7 may actually make Hackintosh Netbooks have better battery life.  There were several improvements to battery life with this new update from Apple but not everyone is happy with it.  Some MacBook users are reporting a decline in battery performance and inaccurate battery levels.

Whether or not it was intentional to give Hackintosh Netbook users better battery life, it does erase one of the biggest complaints of using OS X on a Netbook.  After installing any battery specific update make sure you re-calibrate your battery to help prevent poor performance.

Check It Out> Apple Forums, MSI Wind Forums via Gizmodo

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Almost everyone has heard about Tim Cook’s statements regarding Apple’s stance on Netbooks but for those that haven’t:

“For us, it’s about doing great products,” Cook said during today’s call discussing Apple’s (surprisingly strong) second quarter earnings. “When I look at netbooks, I see cracked keyboards, terrible software, junky hardware, very small screens. It’s just not a good consumer experience and not something we would put the Mac brand on. It’s a segment we would not choose to play in.” – Venture Beat

I can agree with some of what Mr. Cook says but as someone who is not a Apple Fanboy, I am really confused. Anyone that designs a product or even has an idea for an invention strives to create something better.  They do not say to themselves “Netbooks have cracked keyboards, terrible software and junky hardware.  In order for me to make a Netbook it must have each of those things”.

It is not just Apple Fanboys that want them to make a Netbook, it is consumers in general!  For them to make a Netbook a few things are anticipated:

• Expensive
• Beautifully designed
• Run OSX
• And most important, raise the bar for others

No one expects for Apple to make a Netbook and then fit it into the $400 price range.  Even Sony decided to shoot way above the others and make a product that people would talk about regardless of the price.  They ended up making a product that despite it’s price, has been well accepted.

Hopefully Steve Jobs does not share the same feelings as Tim Cook and can knock some sense into Apple.

Do you remember the infected copy of iWork ’09 that leaked to the Internet via Torrent sites earlier this year?  Well it looks like now those that downloaded and installed it are part of a Botnet.  According to a paper posted in the Virus Bulletin by Symantec researchers Mario Ballano Barcena and Alfredo Pesoli there is a Mac OS X botnet on the rise.

What makes this interesting was the Trojans delivery method, infected copies of iWork ’09 and Photoshop CS4 which were posted to Torrent sites.  Overly trusting Mac users downloaded the applications and then installed them, granting administrative privileges to the applications and the Trojans.

This Botnet marks the beginning of a new marketing opportunity for antivirus makers and I expect that very soon we will see the “buy our product or watch your Mac be like Windows” advertisements.  Then this can open up the door to fake antivirus programs and begin the cycle of fear all over again.

Check It Out> ZDNet, Virus Bulletin