Apple preparing to unleash Tiger update

The second and most significant update to Apple Computer's recently released Mac OS X 10.4 Tiger operating system is expected to hit the company's public distribution servers this week, AppleInsider has learned.

The free maintenance release, labeled Mac OS X 10.4.2, is rumored to pack nearly one hundred bug fixes and enhancements aimed at improving the overall stability and reliability of the Tiger operating system.

Mac OS X 10.4.2 will also deliver several enhancements to Tiger's Dashboard widget interface, according to tipsters. Specifically, Apple is said to have improved Dashboard's widget memory management and rectified inconsistencies related to widget graphics.

In addition, rumor has it that Mac OS X 10.4.2 will mark the debut of an entirely new Dashboard "Widget Manager." Similar in appearance and functionality to a widget itself, the Widget Manager will let users easily manage and sort their entire widget collection from a single floating window.

Apple is expected to release both a client and server version of Mac OS X 10.4.2 at relatively the same time. Both versions were approaching gold master status late last week.