If last time I was "a bit wrong", now it's for real - Apple's Mac OS X 10.5 "Leopard" finally got its update, bringing the current version number up to 10.5.2! Of course that any useless chatter has no space to fit in here, so let's get straight to the new features and fixes, shall we?


The general description of the update says "The 10.5.2 Update is recommended for all users running Mac OS X Leopard and includes general operating system fixes that enhance the stability, compatibility and security of your Mac.", but that's not enough, I bet you think exactly the same, so let's dig in...

If you didn't apply the 10.5.1 update, then you should know that 10.5.2 also includes those, but let's see the highlights of the last version now, shall we?

This is what Apple says:

- Addresses issues which could hinder or prevent binding Mac OS X 10.5.x clients to Active Directory domains.

- Adds a menu bar option for accessing Time Machine features (the menu extra can be enabled in Time Machine preferences).

- Improves backup reliability when computer name contains slash or non-ASCII characters.

- Fixes an issue in which the backup disk displayed in the Finder may be out of sync with the disk chosen for Time Machine.

- Addresses issues in which some external drives are not recognized by Time Machine.

Apart from the above, there is a pretty long list of fixes and improvements, which can be checked here. Also, you may want to check the Mac OS X 10.5.2 Fixes, Bugs and Problems guide, and that's all, because I am sure you know how to use the Software Update tool...

This time, I am waiting for good news from you!

Data loss is a problem that we have to fight sometimes, but best thing to do is backup your data on a regular basis so you won't have to do it. Anyway, when vital data seems to be lost forever, there are some things to try, before taking your computer to a specialized data recovery lab and pay a few times the value of the defective hard drive. On the Mac, one of the most notorious data recovery and file repair utility is DiskWarrior, and its latest version brings full Leopard compatibility.

Produced by Alsoft, DiskWarrior just reached version 4.1. According to the official site, the new version "offers additional repair capabilities including the ability to repair damaged directory hard links (a new feature of Leopard for Time Machine backups)", being "the only utility that can repair damaged links, directory loops and other problems that can happen with directory hard links" at this time.

This application supports any Mac OS HFS or HFS Plus disk, including RAID setups, FileVaults, Time Machine backups and iPods, and if you have a Mac capable of running Leopard, that should be more than enough, regarding the system requirements part.

Unfortunately, there's no trial version available (or maybe I didn't search properly, but I doubt it), so if you're interested in keeping your data safe, visit this page to find out more about pricing and availability in your area. Good luck and stay safe!

If you want to use your Mac for video editing at a higher level than simply merging movies, cutting some frames or adding various subtitles, then Adobe's After Effects is a choice worth being considered. Primarily used in film and video post-production, Adobe After Effects uses a system of layers organized on a timelineto create movies using video footage or still images. Less than a day ago, Adobe announced an updated version to provide full Leopard support...

This latest version, labeled 8.02, can be installed in an instant using the Adobe Update Manager, if you already have Adobe After Effects installed on your computer. Anyway, some people may find it easier to download straight from a website, rather than using a download manager like the one from Adobe, so here's the link. OK, so we know how and from where to grab it, but what's new?

Well, there isn't anything new that's going to blow your mind included, but you get support for Mac OS X 10.5, P2 support in After Effects CS3, to complete the Panasonic P2 tapeless workflow in Production Premium CS3. From now on, After Effects users using a Mac will be able to import native P2 media and share it without any problem between Premiere Pro CS3 editing and After Effects CS3 composition and effects, via Dynamic Link, and all is going to happen without transcoding.

At the same time, Adobe InDesign and Adobe InCopy for Mac were also updated, to include various fixes and minor enhancements.

While Windows Vista struggles to have the first service pack released, Apple's Mac OS X "Leopard" got very close to its second update. According to various sources from inside the company, Mac OS X 10.5.2, the second update to Mac OS X "Leopard", is going to be the most significant update Apple ever released to Mac OS, so let's see what do we know about it at this time...

Rumors started to flow about the fact that this update to Leopard will include over 100 new features, and the most important of them should be the ability to share DVD/CD drives, as it was seen on the new MacBook Air, Time Machine's capability to use a disk connected to the Airport Express as a backup location (finally!), a drop down menu for Time Machine in the menu bar, the reintroduction of the backup to network drive feature to the same Time Machine, an option that allows you to turn on menu bar translucency in Desktop Preferences, as well as a bunch of other improvements and tweaks.

Pretty impressive, isn't it? Well, we'll have to wait and see how the new Leopard is going to look and feel for ourselves, and the good news is that the release of this update may happen in any moment, according to certain sources. Unfortunately, these sources are not official, and Apple doesn't say anything about the subject, as usual, so I wouldn't bet my life on seeing Leopard updated this week, or even this month. Anyway, no matter when this is going to happen, we'll keep you informed!

I am sure most of you didn't heard about Zimbra so far. Don't worry, today I heard of them for the first time, too. Zimbra is a division of Yahoo!, and I am writing about it here because they recently expanded their support to various Apple products, such as Safari 3 or CalDAV for Mac OS X. To find out more about this, read on...

<-120x240 Vertical Banner - left->The flagship product of this Yahoo! division is Zimbra Collaboration Suite, and this application suite's current version is labeled 5.0. The Collabortaion Suite package includes email, contacts, a shared calendar, VoIP, as well as online document authoring, with the help of a rich browser-based interface.

Now, getting back to Zimbra and Apple, you should know that the new Zimbra Collaboration Suite fully supports Safari 3, so now you can take full advantage of this browser while working with your Zimbra Documents. Even more, the CalDAV, a key feature for iCal 3 users using Mac OS X Leopard, is also supported, so they should now be able to easily sync and browse their free/busy time and appointments schedule with both public and personal calendars.

At last, if you have an iPhone, things look even better, because the Collaboration Suite is also available for Apple's mobiles, via the Zimbra Mobile HTML client. After the latest enhancements to the product, Zimbra Connector for Apple iSync allows easy sync of email, address books and calendars between Apple computers and mobile phones.

At this time, there are two versions of the suite available - the Open Source Edition, freely available, and the commercially supported Network Edition, available for a 60-days free trial. For more details about pricing, visit this page.