If operating systems are your thing, it's time to start getting excited as Apple beta testers have themselves claimed that Mac OS X 10.4.8 is bug-free and very much ready for release. For those of you that aren't keeping track, the Mac OS X 10.4.8 Update will be the  eighth maintenance release issued to users of the operating system named 'Tiger' since its launch in April 2005. It has been said that Apple has addressed issues with Image RAW, ImageIO, ColorSync, Xsan, Xsan File Manager, CoreImage and web images in the latest update for both traditional and Intel-based Macs.

According to reports across the internet, the Mac OS X 10.4.8 will also introduce improvements to AFP, DVD Player, Graphics and Graphics applications, iCal, iPhoto, Mail, Microsoft Word & OpenType fonts, Modem usage, Networking, Printing, Safari and USB, as well as stability and performance updates. This latest release is also likely to include support for new lines of Core 2 Duo-based MacBook and MacBook Pro notebooks that are due for release in November.

Since its announcement, Apple fanatics - and video enthusiasts in general - have been entranced by what Apple is currently calling its iTV video extender. Speculations,  rumors, and various what-have-yous have surrounded this little doodad, mostly regarding its technical and hardware aspects. We've also done our part in bringing these speculations and rumors into the light (who hasn't, really?) and now, just for some balance, we'll be taking a look at an opinion/analysis piece that deals with Apple's business strategy for the home entertainment market.

On his PBS blog, Robert X. Cringely has written a piece that seeks to cast some light into Apple's strategy for the iTV. He touches on topics such as the lack of a Blu-Ray player bundled with Apple computers and that little USB port on the back of each iTV box ("It's not for a USB hard drive, that's for sure"). Wanna know what he reckons it's for? An Apple iSight camera. This is why Cringely dubs Apple's strategy, "iChat on steroids."

Says Cringely:

"This is the heart of Apple's emerging communication strategy. I was tempted to write "voice-over-IP strategy," except that wouldn't have been correct. For Jobs, this particular road less traveled is about video conferencing, not voice. VoIP is not grand enough, not experiential. If eBay can dominate it, Apple doesn't want to be a part of it, and won't be. Jobs will be much happier enabling a smaller audience to do multi-person chats on their HDTVs."

Cringely doesn't only talk about the iTV. He also throws in a little Leopard into the mix: "All of this comes together with Leopard, the next version of OS X, which will ship in January. iChat, which started back in 2003 as a simple real-time chat client to keep Macs from being frozen completely out of AOL Instant Messenger (AIM), has grown a lot since then. iChat now has H.264 video support, and with Leopard it will integrate all the iLife (iPhoto, iCal, iMovie, etc.) functions into a system that can support remote users. So you'll not only be able to see and talk with Grandma, you'll be able to show her pictures and home movies. If Grandma's a corporate executive, you can show her a marketing presentation, too."

Check out the piece. The man has put quite a lot of thought into the topic and puts forth some very good ideas. If you're interested, click on the 'read' link below for the full article.

As usual, this WWDC is generating a minor controversy (for Apple newbies, the WWDC is the World Wide Developers Conference where Apple shares some love with developers and the media).

Apple announced that it has opened its kernel source for the OS X Intel build to developers. For those not in the know, the kernel is the core of most operating systems like OS X, Windows, Linux, or Unix; the kernel "sits in the middle" and manages the back-and-forth between hardware (especially the CPU), software, and the system's resources; in short, the kernel is very, very important.

The source that Apple is opening up to developers is not the source of the entire OS X. The source is only for the kernel of Mac OS X 10.4.7, but this is still big news for developers. Why? Because looking at the kernel for the Intel version of the OS X will allow software developers to make more stable programs for the OS X Intel version. The kernel source for the OS X for the PowerPC was made available a while back, but the source for the Intel version wasn't made available (even though Apple started switching to Intel processors after the transition to Intel was announced last June, 2005).

What's the controversy? Well, it's only a minor one. We just notice that this news reopened the debate in various forums between those who like open source and those who fear that this will lead to a whole slew of crappy software that will just end up crashing the OS X. And since the "crash-proof-nessity" of the OS X is a major selling point against Windows, the anti-Windows faction fears that this will make the OS X into "another Windows." In my humble opinion, while this may be a valid concern, history has shown the opposite to be true: everyone ends up happy with the resulting software, software sales increase (or at least remain stable), and people become happier with all the alternatives and software that become available for the OS (of course, that's just my opinion of the general nature of things; please don't hunt me down if you disagree, ha ha, but feel free to flame me, ho ho).

There's more big news: Apple announced the next major OS X release: Leopard, scheduled for 2007. It looks like Apple is looking forward to how opening the open source will boost development. However, there's not much more we can say about the Leopard because Steve Jobs is keeping all the important details secret.

And a bit more open source news: Apple has launched Mac OS Forge, a website that should allow Apple developers to work more closely together. You can find the kernel sources there. In fact, Apple is so behind this idea that they even included the instructions on how to build from the kernel sources. And the really geeky Apple fans will be glad to know that Apple is releasing the sources for iCal Server, Bonjour, and Launchd.

Let's see how it all works out! Check back for us for more details!

Somebody's been poking around Steve Jobs' computer and got a hold of the features of the upcoming Mac OS 10.5 Leopard. The information is not confirmed but that won't stop us from posting it. This is after all the Leak Department. According to the leaked documents (which will put the Mac security system in bad light if proven genuine) the major MacLeopard changelog will be seen in the following:

• Spotlight 2.0
• Dashboard 2.0
• Safari 3.0
• iChat 4.0
• Automator 2.0
• QuickTime 7.2
• Mail 3.0
• iCal 3.0
• Address Book 5.0

See the details of the "supposed" Mac OS changelog after the jump!

This program is billed on its website as being, "made by Mac users for Mac users." Considering the fact that at one time there was no easy method, other than emulation maybe, that would allow a Mac user to sync and transfer files between his machine and his Windows Mobile device, any Mac user who finds him or herself in the unfortunate situation of being stuck using a Windows Mobile portable device will find this piece of software indispensable.

Given high ratings by critics, The Missing Sync will make your Mac and Pocket PC play nice together. Along with the basic functions like transferring files between your Mac and your mobile, The Missing Sync lets you use a variety of different software from desktop productivity to mirrored tasks and events in iCal and Entourage. Whenever manufacturers (like Microsoft and Apple) neglect to provide solutions that bridge the final gap and fill a consumer want or need, someone else inevitably will do so, and usually rather quickly too.

Mark Space, the company that is selling The Missing Sync, is a company that specializes in Mac synchronization products. Specifically, Mark Space provides Mac synchronization software for the Sony PSP, Windows Mobile devices and Palm Operating System devices, along with a variety of small hip top smartphones as well.

I don't know about you, but sometimes I find myself not knowing what the exact date and day is already, most especially after til-the-crack-of-dawn parties or when I'm working that new layout for my blog (that currently doesn't look right in IE), these things tend to be a little distorted in my memory.

And for someone that doesn't have half the mind to remember, I place my trust on tech devices, that don't go to til-the-crack-of-dawn parties or that work on a new blog layout. Unfortunately for Mac users, their little device called the iCal has failed them time and again. But, no it has redeemed itself, and displayed the correct date for once - July 17.

JohnnyGizmo has finished his program "getCals 0.2 beta" which allows you to download and convert iCal files to Outlook CSV format. It also allows you to add a separate location for them. The Beta is still a little buggy but hopefully those issues will be fixed before long. And no, that isn't Johnny in the picture...

Download: [getCals 0.2 beta]

ZappTek has just released iPod It v2.5, an OS X application that allows the transfer of PIM data (from Entourage, Stickies, Mail, Address Book, and iCal) to your iPod for easy, on-the-go access. With this application, downloaded weather forescasts and news headlines can also be stored directly on your iPod. iPod It supports all s of the iPod with firmware v1.1 or better with varying levels of functionality/mode.

New in this release:

• Adds RSS feed support
• Revamps iCal support to provide greater control over your calendars (including things like not transferring completed To Do items)
• Improves Mail processing
• Various other enhancements

You can get it in our iPod Download section.