Leopard's pouncing on October 26

Apple has confirmed that Mac OS 10.5 will be released on October 26. Mac OS 10.5 Leopard is the sixth version of the Mac OS X platform. New enhancements and features make Leopard a shinier cat. Find out what's new with Leopard at Apple's Mac OS X page. 

Notable improvements and additions include:

• Stacks: Stacks is a Dock item for applications and folders. Click on a Stack and the files within it with spring out in a fan or a grid. Sure to help de-clutter your desktop.

• Finder: Sidebar's been revamped with files and folders arranged according to category. Cover Flow let's you flip through documents and files just like flipping through songs and albums in iTunes.

• Quicklook: This new feature lets you view files without opening them. Flip through multipage documents, watch videos and view Keynote presentations without having to open an application.

• Time Machine: Backing up has never been this easy. Aside from backing up your Mac's data, Time Machine will also keep older versions of files that you have edited or changed. You can go back in time and grab the clean, unedited version of a document, photo, or video. An external hard drive is required. 

• Mail: Mail's been beefed with the addition of notes, to-do lists, and a tighter integration with iCal. You can now also search for email using Spotlight.

• Spaces: Spaces is virtual desktops Mac style. By grouping applications or tasks into groups, Spaces allows you to manage your workflow better.

• Boot Camp: You can now run Windows on your Mac with Boot Camp. Boot Camp is built into Leopard and setting things up is easy as pie. 

These are just a few of the more than 300 new features and additions available in Leopard. Go to AppleInsider for a brief description and list of these new features and get the lowdown on system requirements and upgrade options before pulling the cat out of the bag.