Weekend review: this week's software for 8-13-06

This was quite a week for software updates, e ecially since A le finally released some details and demos of the upcoming Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard. While the OS ha 't technically been released for co umer co umption, we figured we'd include our coverage of this week's Leopard-related events in today's software review since it's a big part of A le's bread and butter.

So here we go boys and girl I hope you brought a big cup of coffee, as this week's review is a doozie:

Mac OS X Leopard

• WWDC Keynote Coverage - our play-by-play coverage of Monday's big event
• Steve previews the big 10 - major new features coming in the next Mac OS X i tallment. Remember: each version thus far has boasted 150 'major' new features, so we have a lot more to see come ring
• The real Leopard show-sto ers - developer goodies that weren't on stage
• WWDC 2006 tidbits roundup - interesting details they didn't exactly show us on stage
• WWDC 2006 tidbit roundup part 2 - more juicy details tracked down from you readers and around the web
• Xcode 3.0 - major update to A le's coding utility
• Leopard Server - it wa 't in the otlight on stage, but A le couldn't leave the server folk hanging
• Leopard server monitor - keep an eye (next ring) on your server from the Dashboard

Shareware and Commercial

• SyncBridge - Why wait for Leopard? Sync, share and collaboratively edit iCal calendars
• HistoryHound - full-text search of virtually every Mac OS X browser's history, as well as R a like Pulp Fiction and NetNewsWire
• Parallels Desktop beta - more better U , improved performance and integration
• Voice Candy 1.1 - voice altering program gets voice memo management and real-time effects
• Virtual PC gets the axe from Microsoft - yet another 3rd party beat them to doing something better on their own home turf
• VMware a ounces pre-registration for Mac client - like we were saying...
• NetNewsWire 3.0 pre-beta - definitely a pre-beta, but a solid preview of what's to come

Freeware

• Hey Folders! - extend the Finder's color labels to the folder ico themselves

Donationware

• Yasu - maintenance utility for grou of systems
• Quicksilver alpha build B50 - we couldn't find much new (though the QS team often works in mysterious ways)
• VirtueDeskto - Why wait for Leopard? Get a full-featured and highly customizable virtual desktop manager ( aces) now
• PicturePo ro - powerful Finder plugin for viewing, managing images

Open Source

• A le releases the Intel Mac OS X kernel
• Shiira 2.0 beta - killer browser built on WebKit with a lot of unique and creative features

Universal Binary

• Flash Player 9 - Macromedia Adobe releases an Intel Mac-friendly Flash player
• Soundflower - free inter-a audio routing utility
• Quark 7.1

Widgets

• MultiDash - virtual work aces meets Dashboard
• Dash Cli ings - Why wait for Leopard? Get a web cli ing widget now

Software Update

• Expre Card Update 1.0 - for MacBook Pros (15 and 17-inch)

Also of note are the ADAs (A le Design Awards) released this week at WWDC.