Apple has unleashed .Mac version 3, integrating a host of Mac OS X 10.4 'Tiger' synchronization features.

Subscribers to Apple's online services suite who upgrade to Tiger will be able to access new features, signalling the tighter integration between the OS and .Mac. The .Mac online interface has also been changed.

Such features include Mac-to-Mac syncing of keychains and Mail settings, such as accounts, rules, signatures and Spotlight-driven Smart Mailboxes. Apple will also soon offer a series of .Mac-exclusive Dashboard widgets.

A new Address Book sharing feature lets users turn on sharing within Tiger's Address Book Preferences in order to add other .Mac members and choose whether to allow them to edit contacts.

The company is also offering an extensive selection of tutorials to help users get to grips with Apple products, with information and advice available pertaining to: Tiger, iLife, iWork, Final Cut Pro, DVD Studio Pro, Shake and Logic.

Welcome QuickTime 7, the latest release of Apple’s comprehensive digital media platform. New features include user-friendly controls and support for pristine H.264 video. Chosen as the industry-standard codec for 3GPP, MPEG-4, HD-DVD and Blu-ray, H.264 represents the next generation of video for everything from mobile multimedia to high-definition playback. Also available is QuickTime 7 Pro, a powerful application that’s ideal for creating high-quality audio and video content.

Apple Computer will unveil its new operating system, “Tiger,” on Friday, in an attempt to stir interest in its personal computers.

Apple is in fifth place in the U.S. PC market, with a 3.7 percent share. For Apple, which now relies heavily on its iPod music player for revenue, Tiger represents a small step back toward the company’s roots as a premiere personal computer maker.

Apple declined to provide sales goals for Tiger, although analyst Gene Munster of Piper Jaffray said, “There’s potentially more than $1 billion revenue,” if the 8 million current Macintosh owners all decide to upgrade to Tiger at $129 a pop.

Tiger may not be a deal-maker. “It’s not going to be a game-changer for someone who wants to make the switch from PCs to Macs,” said Mr. Munster. “It appeals to the core base of Mac users.”

Mark Stahlman of Caris & Company said he doesn’t believe Tiger will have any real impact on sales.

Q: What do you say when Apple says it's offering features in its new Tiger operating system that you won't have until next year in Longhorn?

Allchin: I think Apple is a very innovative company, first comment. I think they do a lot of good stuff. I do believe they became fixated on Longhorn after we did the PDC (an October 2003 conference where Microsoft initially showed Longhorn capabilities, including fast file searching).

It's actually fairly nice to see, because in this particular case I think they saw something that we were doing that was pretty cool. I think Steve (Jobs, Apple's CEO) would also say this thing about fast user switching, when he saw that in Windows XP, he said, ahh, that was pretty nice, and they ended up adding that. They did it in a nicer visual way than what we did but we put the concept in there first. I think Tiger is a very nice system, and I think what they're doing is very nice integrated search, and that's pretty much what we had shown at the PDC in 2003.

We've learned a little bit more that you have to slice and dice the data, and seeing visualizations of the data is really important. But frankly it's only one little piece of what's in Longhorn. ... We didn't show any of the security stuff, the safety stuff ... There is a question of how much we should show, so that they can try to copy again.

Q: Is that a concern?

Allchin: Oh, a little bit, a little bit.

RealNetworks has re-established software compatibility with iPod devices, renewing a technology battle with Apple that dates back to 2004.

Last year, the software firm released a technology that enabled copy-protected songs bought from stores other than Apple's iTunes to play directly on the iPod. The so-called Harmony technology, which independently mimicked the anti-piracy tools used by Apple, was the first of its kind.

RealNetworks chief strategy officer, Richard Wolpert, said: "Harmony now supports all shipping iPods, including iPod Photo."

On Friday, Apple Computer will pull back the curtain on the latest major upgrade to Mac OS X. In keeping with its penchant for playing major product launches close to its vest, few outsiders have seen a working version of Tiger, as Mac OS X 10.4 is known. Even most employees have had to wait.

But I knew someone with a copy and managed to finagle an unofficial demo. So after playing with Tiger for the better part of an evening, I can say it's full of welcome surprises.

I think it's a success. I'm relatively new to Macs -- I switched only last fall after a lifetime on Windows machines -- and I'm not an OS X power user. But I can already see how this upgrade is a definite step up from the previous version of OS X, known as Panther.

The feature I'm most jazzed about, and the one that will have the biggest impact on how I interact with information on my Mac, is Spotlight.

Ultimately, I think Tiger is well worth its $129 sticker price, but I don't think I'll be waiting in line to buy it the minute it hits store shelves.

Professionals need superior tools to produce designs, music, high-definition video or the next scientific breakthrough. The new Power Mac G5 line extends as far as you require. Two 64-bit G5 processors reaching top speeds of 2.7GHz, room for up to 8GB of main memory, pro performance graphics cards and ultrahigh-bandwidth system architecture will give you more results than systems costing twice as much. Dual processing starts at $1999.

The Power Mac G5 offers 2.0GHz, 2.3GHz and 2.7GHz dual-processor models with a speed boost at the top of the line. The dual 2.7GHz model packs so much power into tight quarters that Apple designed a liquid cooling system for it.

Apple® today unveiled the fastest, most powerful Power Mac® G5 desktop line ever, featuring dual 64-bit PowerPC G5 processors running up to 2.7 GHz and including Mac OS® X version 10.4 “Tiger,” the world’s most advanced operating system. The new Power Mac G5 line delivers higher performance graphics options with more memory and built-in support for Apple’s breakthrough 30-inch Cinema HD Display on the 2.7 GHz model. The new line also includes larger hard drives, a faster 16X SuperDrive™ with double-layer support and 512MB of memory across the line.

Powered by dual 64-bit PowerPC G5 processors, the Power Mac G5 provides a 128-bit memory architecture, delivers expansion of up to 8GB of fast 400 MHz DDR SDRAM and supports graphics cards with up to 256MB of video memory. The top model features two 2.7 GHz processors, each with an independent 1.35 GHz front-side bus for an amazing bandwidth of up to 21.6 GBps.

RealNetworks has quietly renewed its iPod technology battle with Apple Computer.

Last year, RealNetworks released a technology called Harmony that for the first time let copy-protected songs from a music store other than Apple's iTunes play directly on the iPod. RealNetworks had independently mimicked the antipiracy tools used by Apple and hadn't gotten Apple's permission first.

Apple called the company's actions "hacker tactics" and a few months later changed its software to break the compatibility, at least on iPod Photo devices. On Tuesday, a RealNetworks executive said his company had re-established compatibility with all iPods.

"Harmony now supports all shipping iPods, including iPod Photo," said RealNetworks Chief Strategy Officer Richard Wolpert.

The technology tussle, which focuses on a relatively small portion of RealNetworks' music business, nevertheless aims at the heart of one of the most controversial issues in online music.

Are we all victims of Apple's subtle marketing and clever language, tricked into believing that we need Tiger?

When Tiger hits hard drives, new Mac adopters will undoubtedly be blown away, but we Puma, Jaguar and Panther users might not see much of a difference.

When you add it up, we’ve paid $545.95 (plus applicable taxes and shipping costs) to migrate through OS X since the Public Beta was released on Sept. 13, 2000. Sure, it's come a long way, from the early days when we were lacking a DVD player to the breakthroughs of Expose and iChat, and now Dashboard and Spotlight, but sometimes, it feels a bit like paying dues to be part of an exclusive club.

We clamor and wait and clasp our hands in anticipation, and scoff at columns such as this. We spout venom at the writers and sing the praises of Tiger without really looking at what we’re getting.