Attention Mac users: Drop whatever it is you’re doing and run Software Update, because OS X 10.6.2 has been released by Apple. Coming in at a rather large 499.9MB, the update contains a considerable amount of bug fixes with the most notable righting the big ol’ scary guest user bug that threatened to delete your precious data.  We’ve got the entire change log after the break, but let’s not kid one another; you’re gluttons for punishment and will install whatever updates your system tells you to.

General operating system fixes provided for:

• an issue that caused data to be deleted when using a guest account
• an issue that might cause your system to logout unexpectedly
• Spotlight search results not showing Exchange contacts
• the reliability of menu extras
• an issue in Dictionary when using Hebrew as the primary language
• shutter-click sound effect when taking a screenshot
• an issue with the four-finger swipe gesture
• an issue adding images to contacts in Address Book
• an issue in Front Row that could cause sluggish or slow frame rates while watching videos
• creation of mobile accounts for Active Directory users
• reliability and duration of VPN connections
• general reliability improvements for iWork, iLife, Aperture, Final Cut Studio, MobileMe, and iDisk
• overall improvements to VoiceOver performance
• this update addresses video playback and performance issues for iMac (21.5-inch, Late 2009) and iMac (27-inch, Late 2009) computers that may occur in some situations while AirPort is turned on

Fonts fixes provided for:

• an issue with font spacing
• an issue in which some Fonts are missing
• font duplication issues
• an issue with some PostScript Type 1 fonts not working properly

Graphics fixes provided for:

• an issue when connecting monitors to DVI and Mini DisplayPort adapters
• an issue in which the brightness setting may not be remembered on restart
• addresses functionality with specific display models
• general reliability and performance improvements when using some applications

Mail fixes provided for:

• a situation in which Mail’s unread count may not update properly as messages are read on another computer
• an issue in which deleted RSS feeds may return
• an issue in which Mail cannot preview or Quick Look attachments when composing a new message
• an issue that can cause Address Book and/or Mail to stop responding when opened
• an issue in which email messages received from an Exchange Server are not formatted correctly
• an issue in which Mail reports “Account exceeded bandwidth limits” for some Gmail accounts

MobileMe fixes provided for:

• performance when accessing files from iDisk via the Finder and syncing iDisk files
• an issue in which syncing iDisk files does not proceed beyond “checking items”
• reliability and performance when syncing contacts, calendars, and bookmarks with MobileMe (syncing with iTunes and iSync are also improved)
• an issue that prevents some users from logging into MobileMe via the MobileMe System Preference pane

Network file systems fixes provided for:

• compatibility with third-party AFP servers
• file synchronization for portable home directories

Printing and faxing fixes provided for:

• automatic printer updates improvements
• Print dialog allowing you to enter and send to more than one fax recipient

Safari fixes provided for:

• a graphics distortion issue in Safari Top Sites
• Safari plug-in reliability

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Sure Apple’s latest OS just found its way to market but according to rumor, Cupertino is already hard at work on the first revision. According to AppleInsider, Snow Leopard 10.6.1 was seeded to developers participating in the invitation-only AppleSeed program on September 1st — a mere four days after 10.6 launched. No word yet on what fixes/features 10.6.1 is sporting but there are several reported issues out there that could use some tending to. As to when 10.6.1 might see the light of day, speculation suggests a few weeks at most.

UPDATE: According to a tip we just got, here’s some of the 10.6.1 release notes:

“The 10.6.1 Update is recommended for all users running Mac OS X Snow Leopard and includes general operating system fixes that enhance the stability, compatibility, and security of your Mac, including fixes for:

• compatibility with some Sierra Wireless 3G modems
• an issue that might cause DVD playback to stop unexpectedly
• some printer compatibility drivers not appearing properly in the add printer browser
• an issue that might make it difficult to remove an item from the Dock
• instances where automatic account setup in Mail might not work
• an issue where pressing cmd-opt-t in Mail brings up the special characters menu instead of moving a
  message
• Motion 4 becoming unresponsive

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At this point we would be hard-pressed to find anyone who still doubts the impending release of an Apple tablet — or even several Apple tablets — but a little more supporting evidence never hurt anyone. Cult of Mac spent some time compiling a collection of conjecture surrounding Snow Leopard and the variety of new touch-friendly features found within. While none of this is concrete proof of the Apple tablet’s existence, combining these tidbits with the plethora of existing evidence leads us to believe that Snow Leopard will be Apple’s tablet OS of choice rather than the iPhone OS as had been rumored. Starting with the most in-your-face evidence, the OS X soft keyboard has gotten a touch-friendly overhaul. As you can see above, the tiny on-screen keyboard from Leopard has been replaced with an expandable board that should end up being very finger-friendly. To see it for yourself, hit System Preferences > Keyboard and then click on “Show Keyboard & Character Viewer in menu bar”. Now just click on “Show Keyboard Viewer” under the menu bar icon and enjoy. Other UI tweaks, such as a new scrolling layout for dock stacks that features nice big icons just begging to be touched, further support the claim that 10.6 will likely find its way to a tablet in the coming months. So boys and girls, any interest in a $700-$800 Macblet running snow cat?

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What better way to start off a work week than to completely ignore all of your responsibilities and order up a new OS for your computer? That’s right ladies and gents; tips came in droves earlier this morning to let us know that the Apple Store went down in the wee hours. Well it’s not yet back in action but Apple’s Mac OS page is up and it now bears info on the OS upgrade Mac users have been clamoring for… OS X 10.6, a.k.a. Snow Leopard. It was due to arrive in September but the final beta was issued way ahead of schedule so Apple apparently decided to launch it early. It’s definitely a smart move if you ask us — allow students to upgrade just before the new semester starts, as opposed to a week or two into their term when the panic finally sets in. Snow Leopard can be pre-ordered now and it will begin shipping this Friday, August 28th. The new OS will run you $29, as we’re sure you recall, and Family Packs run $49.

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Always mindful of its competition, Apple comes right out of the gate saying that Windows 7 is just Microsoft’s tool to get them out of a hole — that it’s nothing more than just a new version of Vista. Ouch. Pot shots aside, Snow Leopard is on today’s menu and it doesn’t look to disappoint. For starters, Exchange support can now be found in Mail, iCal and Address Book. The indispensable Finder is still the same, but with slight tweaks for speed and more seamless navigation. Expose is now built right into the dock to help keep you organized and all your windows can be viewed through that single icon on the dock making viewing and navigation a little simpler than before. Application installations are also 45% faster than before — not too shabby for those of us with little to no patience. Snow Leopard will also feature handwriting recognition for the trackpad, which is pretty intense. Hit the jump for more.

Safari 4 is getting a lot of attention is this new OS X build, and Apple claims it’s now 7.8x faster than IE8. The major change comes along with 64-bit JavaScript performance which is 50 percent faster than before. It’s also crash resistant! Apple says that crashes are caused mainly by plugins, but now if a plugin should crash, all your windows remain in tact; all you have to do is refresh the page and all is saved. One of the biggest updates to Safari is history search: If you click on the lower right corner, your entire history is shown as a cover flow of web pages instead of just a boring list. On the Quicktime front, along with a new logo it’s getting an aesthetic upgrade along with a new technology called HTTP streaming.

So how much to upgrade from Leopard? $29 once it becomes available in September. Awesome. There will also a family pack available for $49.

We admit, this seems a bit unlikely, but TUAW is reporting that the next iteration of Apple’s OS X operating system could debut as early as next week. According to the site, Apple is preparing to seed developers with an early version of the new OS. 10.6 will reportedly focus “solely on security and stability”, with little to no emphasis placed on groundbreaking new features. The early seeding would apparently place 10.6 on track for a January ’09 public launch, concurrent with Apple’s annual Macworld Expo. This will be Apple’s first Intel-only operating system, placing another nail in the PowerPC coffin.

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