Just as we all expected, Mac OS X 10.5.6 for both workstation and server arrived, and this sixth major update to Mac OS X Leopard improves a lot of features, as well as fixing some problems encountered in previous version. The download is pretty large, with 373MB/668MB for those updating the client software running version 10.5.5/earlier, and 469MB, for those running Mac OS X 10.5.5 Server/earlier, so while you're downloading the file you need, why don't you check the list of enhancements below?

Mac OS X 10.5.6 Enhancements(Client)

Address Book
Improves reliability of Address Book syncing with iPhone and other devices and applications.

AirPort
Improves the reliability of AirPort connections, including improvements when roaming in large wireless networks with an Intel-based Mac.

Client management
Improves reliability of synchronizing files on a portable home directory.

Fixes an issue in Mac OS X 10.5.4 and 10.5.5 in which managed users may not see printers that use the Generic PPD.

Client computers that use UUID-based ByHost preferences now respect managed Screen Saver settings.

iChat
Addresses an issue that could cause an encryption alert to appear in the chat window.

Setting your iChat status to "invisible" via AppleScript no longer logs you out of iChat.

Resolves an issue in which pasting text from a Microsoft Office document could insert an image rather than text.

Graphics
Includes general improvements to gaming performance.

Includes graphics improvements for iChat, Cover Flow, Aperture, and iTunes.

Includes fixes for possible graphics distortion issues with certain ATI graphics cards.

Mail
Includes overall performance and reliability fixes.

Improves Connection Doctor accuracy.

Fixes an issue that could cause messages identified as junk to remain in the inbox.

Fixes an issue that could cause Mail to append a character to the file extension of an attachment.

Addresses an issue that could prevent Mail from quitting.

Improves reliability when printing PDF attachments.

MobileMe
Contacts, calendars, and bookmarks on a Mac automatically sync within a minute of the change being made on the computer, another device, or the web at me.com.

Networking
Improves Apple File Service performance, especially when using a home directory hosted on an AFP server. Important: If you are using Mac OS X 10.5.6 (client) to connect to a Mac OS X Server 10.4-based server, it is strongly recommended that you update the server to Mac OS X Server version 10.4.11.

Improves the performance and reliability of TCP connections.

Improves reliability and performance for AT&T 3G cards.

Updates the ssh Terminal command for compatibility with more ssh servers.

Printing
Improves printing for the Adobe CS3 application suite.

Improves printing for USB-based Brother and Canon printers.

Parental Controls
Addresses an issue in which a parentally-controlled account could be unable to access the iTunes Store.

Includes general fixes for time limits.

Resolves an issue that prevented adding allowed websites from Safari via drag and drop.

Time Machine
Fixes issues that could cause Time Machine to state the backup volume could not be found.

Improves Time Machine reliability with Time Capsule.

Safari
Improves compatibility with web proxy servers.

General
Includes Mac OS X security improvements. See this website for more information.

Addresses inaccuracies with Calculator when the Mac OS X language is set to German or Swiss German.

Improves the performance and reliability of Chess.

Improves DVD Player performance and reliability.

Performance improvements for iCal are included.

Fixes an issue when running the New iCal Events Automator action as an applet.

Adds a Trackpad System Preference pane for portable Macs.

Improves compatibility with smart cards such as the U.S. Department of Defense Common Access Card.

Updates time zone data and Daylight Saving Time rules for several countries.


Mac OS X 10.5.6 Server Enhancements

File Services
Improves performance and reliability of Apple File Service.

Spotlight provides more reliable results when remote users search a server volume with Spotlight searching enabled. Important: This change takes effect when you enable Spotlight searching on a sharepoint. In order to take advantage of this improvement on a sharepoint where you have already enabled Spotlight searching, disable Spotlight searching, save, re-enable Spotlight searching, and save again. The sharepoint will remain online during this process, but Spotlight searching will be unavailable for a short time while the index is rebuilt.

Fixes an issue that could make NFS exports unavailable at server startup.
Podcast Producer
Podcast Producer now supports Digest-MD5 authentication, for improved compatibility with Active Directory users, and Kerberos authentication for single sign-on.
Note: In order to use Single-Sign On in Podcast Capture, you must explicitly select that Authentication Type option in Preferences. For more information about enabling Single-Sign On for the Podcast service in an Open Directory environment, click here. For more information about enabling and disabling authentication methods on the server, see this article.
Improves reliability of camera connections.
Password Server
Improves performance of Password Server replication.
System Imaging
When deploying a system image created from a volume, the target computers will no longer have identical local KDC files. For more information, see this article.

Added NetBoot/NetInstall model filters for recent MacBook, MacBook Pro, and MacBook Air computers.
Server Admin
Fixes an issue that could cause Server Admin to stop responding when propagating permissions on a folder which is on a volume other than the boot volume.
System Performance and Reliability
Improves overall system reliability.

Improves performance and reliability of TCP connections.

Fixes an issue that could occur when ejecting a volume on a Promise VTrak RAID.

Improves reliability of RAID Utility.

Addtional improvements
Improves Mac OS X Server Security. For more information about the security content of Mac OS X Server 10.5.6 see this article.

Mac OS X Server 10.5.6 also includes all other improvements delivered in the Mac OS X 10.5.6 Update (client) mentioned above.

At last, it should also be mentioned that security updates for Mac OS X 10.4.11 Client and Server have become available, adding 72MB/133MB(PowerPC Client/Server updates) or 163MB/133MB(Intel Macs Client/Server) to your amount of data to download...

I don't know about you, but I would think more than just twice when facing that big decision for any iPhone owner - to go forward with iPhone unlocking, or not, and the reason for saying this is obvious. Just think about unlocking your iPhone, then updating your software, and losing all your precious data!

While that doesn't happen every day, even seeing that you can't update your software and keep it working on your jailbroken device can be a big frustration, but it all seems to finish nicely once again, as we're going to see right away...

...as we're turning back to the now notorious iPhone Dev-Team, and their Christmas & New Year promise: a pwnage tool ready to crush the protections of the iPhone 3G, "a few days after Christmas."

One team member said "Right now for 02.11.07 we have some untested ideas. Ideally we'd have something solid by the end of next week, but if we don't then it would be a staged release, with 01.45.00 first out of the gate," so the firmware 2.0 of the iPhone 3G should be the first one to fall. Other than that, patience is all we need, since this team managed to jailbreak the iPhone properly a few times so far, and I have no doubt they'll do it again.

At last, one personal opinion - as Apple starts to allow more and more apps into its App Store, jailbreaking an iPhone/iPod Touch may soon become useless, but that's one more thing we need to wait and see for ourselves...

See? Have I told you or not? Sooner or later, Apple will have to switch to PowerPC or another "exotic" processor once again or - more likely - to make things right and sell manufacturing & marketing rights for Mac computers to third parties. Obviously, I am talking about Mac compatibles PCs or - as we all know them already - "Mac clones."

Now, the clones are returning to the US in full force, since EFi-X USA is planning to offer a very powerful computer able to run Mac OS X, not just another Core 2 Duo system with a cheap case and some average hardware parts, as it happened with most clones so far.

Just look at these hardware specs of the EFi-X USA Millennium 4(via AppleInsider):

- Core 2 Quad processor overclocked to at least 3.8GHz
- 4GB of memory
- GeForce 8800 GTS video card
- some high-speed disk combination of a 150GB, 10,000RPM boot drive and a 1TB, 7,200RPM secondary drive for data storage
- two DVD rewriters

Even more, faster models based on Xeon hardware, namely the Millennium 8, 16 and 24 (the numbers coming from the two, four, and six quad-core processors, they pack) are coming in about 2 months. Just think about the Millennium 24, with its six 2.13GHz Xeon L7455 chips!

The most interesting part is that EFi-X is not marketing these computers as Mac clones, since they need a small USB module, called "the EFiX," and that one is not coming with the computers mentioned above, so - basically - you'll get a very capable Mac computer... unable to run Mac OS X out of the box! ;)

For me, the best laptop computer is... my desktop PC, but I can't deny the fact that, overall, people are moving from desktops to laptops. This is evolution, after all, and no matter how much we like it or not, things must move on, so today I won't complain about the various problems a laptop is likely have, and a desktop usually doesn't, but I will tell you about the best laptop computer for all - the MacBook!

No, no, no! Don't get me wrong, I am not one of those who are simply writing some paid articles, because this is far from my intention - I just spotted an interesting article on Freep.com, entitled "MacBooks: The notebook for all platforms," and I thought this is a good reason to write about the same topic. Why? Not because I fully agree with that article, but because I disagree with most of it!

Why disagree? Just look at the first paragraph - "When it comes to a notebook computer with power that rivals a desktop and portable convenience that can do just about anything on any operating system platform, I have one suggestion that I truly believe fits everyone: Get a Mac."

Sure, but what about buyers on a budget? What about those who check their email, chat with some friends on the other coast a few hours per month and store their digital photos on CD/DVD discs, and nothing more?

Of course, those already used with various Windows applications could run Windows with Boot Camp or using Parallels, but it's not the same as the real thing. Just think about driving a race car on the deck of a carrier, and you get the picture or Windows on a Mac...

OK, OK, we all know the advice a bunch of so-called "specialists" are giving away for free - "buy a Mac," but I only have to tell you this - if you're looking for the best laptop computer for your needs, be sure to evaluate your needs properly, and you'll get your answer. After all, sometimes a tiny Asus Eee PC could be just as good for browsing and messaging, and a few times cheaper, so... feel free to drop a comment below and tell us what's the best laptop computer for your needs, will you?

As usual, I will tell you my secret - for now, my best laptop computer is the Lenovo ThinkPad T500, especially since the bargain price you can get it now for (only $999.00) makes it a better deal than a bunch of notebooks priced a few hundred bucks higher!

If you hear about "Mac OS X 3D," first thought that should pop up into your mind is that its current interface has a very well done 3D look, but sometimes, it's more to a "3D OS" than just that. The interesting part is that, at least in theory - for now, Apple is taking user interfaces into the Sci-Fi realm, with a real "Mac OS X 3D" that allows you to move icons around back and forth, not only on the screen, but in the 3D space around you!

In a recent report by AppleInsider, it is said that "A series of Apple patent filings published this week reveal the Mac maker has spent a considerable amount of time outlining a new multi-dimensional interface for Mac OS X that would make better use of screen real estate by increasing the number of virtual surfaces capable of housing application and interface elements."

The most interesting part is a filing labeled "Multi-Dimensional Desktop," showing a 3D interface with walls, top, and floor protruding from a back surface - probably the screen of a future "3D display," since I don't think we're going to see 3D holografic interfaces that soon...

What I like about all this is that, being given the current looks of Mac OS X, Apple's future "Mac OS X 3D" may turn into the first real 3D desktop environment, since Vista's current interface has, in my opinion, a "forced" 3D design, while Leopard looks extremely natural.

Credited to Apple employees Imran Chaudhri, John Louch, Christopher Hynes, Timothy Bumgarner, and Eric Peyton, this 54-page filing I mentioned above may be the foundation of a whole new age in desktop computing, but nobody can say "when" just yet, so would you like to try an give it a guess? I will start by telling that Apple will give us Mac OS X 3D before the end of 2015.