OS X Leopard: 64-bit, new features abound

Mr. Jobs has been telling us for some time now that there will be some as-yet-unknown new features in OS X Leopard and as it turns out, he wasn't pulling our leg. First and foremost, Leopard will be 64-bit "top-to-bottom." "Not only does it have 64-bit underpinnings in Unix, but we've taken it all the way up through Cocoa," Jobs told developers during his keynote at WWDC in San Francisco today. "This is the first time 64-bit will be mainstream in the PC world. One version of Leopard will run 32-bit and 64-bit apps side-by-side. We do not have two versions of Leopard and that's why this is going to be the first time 64-bit goes mainstream," he added, taking an obvious swipe at Microsoft.

Additionally, Jobs demoed a number of other features that will come packed-in with the new OS, including a new desktop, a new Finder (at last!), built-in Boot Camp functionality and an update to Core animation. The new version of the Finder is especially notable, bringing the iPod's "coverflow" onto the desktop, as well as new features like "Quick Look" (preview any file without opening its associated program) and "Stacks" (for organizing large groups of files in the dock). Tune in tomorrow for a more in-depth look at OS X Leopard.

For more on OS X Leopard:
- see Apple's website

This just in: Apple has announced that v3.0 of its popular Safari web browser will be coming to Windows. Check back in tomorrow for more details.