WWDC Recap :: Snow Leopard Preview

Today, I conclude my look back at the big news items announced at Monday’s WWDC with a closer look at OS X 10.6, better known as Snow Leopard.  Some of its key features include:

• The installation process has been streamlined – installing 45% faster and occuping 6 GB less space than Leopard
• Exposé is now integrated in the Dock, and by simply clicking and holding an application icon in the Dock, all the windows for that application become visible.
• Snow Leopard makes Time Machine backups up to 50 percent faster.
• Your Mac will wake from sleep up to twice as quickly, shut down up to 75 percent faster, and join wireless networks is up to 55 percent faster.
• Microsoft Exchange support is built into Mail, Calendar and Address Book in Snow Leopard, and you can search for Exchange messages located on the server using Spotlight.
• QuickTime X includes a completely new QuickTime Player with a new trimming interface, easy uploads to YouTube and MobileMe, HTTP-based live streaming, and greater color accuracy.
• The multitouch trackpad now allows handwriting recognition, enabling users to write words and letters with their fingers.

Snow Leopard is scheduled to be released in September, and it will be very reasonably priced, with the upgrade being only $29 for Leopard users and $49 for a five user family pack.