Apple is surging. The once-underdog computer manufacturer has seen a boom in popularity thanks to the halo effect of the iPod and iPhone, a switch to speedy Intel processors, and a reputation for crafting sturdy machines accompanied by the fun and complete iLife software--not to mention a secure operating system, Mac OS X.

According to data accumulated by research firm IDC, Apple's sales skyrocketed by 42 percent between the second quarter of 2006 and the second quarter of 2007 for the worldwide portables market, and the company holds a solid 8.8 percent of the overall U.S. notebook market.
 
Steve Jobs and company expect this growth to continue with the release of Mac OS X Leopard, Apple's much-anticipated upgrade to Mac OS X Tiger, which we pit against Vista back in May. But even more so than Tiger, Leopard's slick new user interface, enhanced Search, and Time Machine data-recovery system (among other features) could potentially sway consumers from OS X' biggest competitor, Microsoft Windows Vista, which has received a lukewarm reception from businesses and consumers.
 
We won’t be able to bring you a full review of Leopard until after Oct. 26, but based on our experience with Vista and what we've learned about Apple's latest effort, we fully expect Leopard to attract a heck of a lot more potential switchers.

 

Here are eight reasons why:

1. Revamped Desktop

2. File Previews

3. Searching and Remote Access

 

4. Managing Windows

 

5. Multimedia Fun

 

6. Widgets

 

7. Data Backup and Recovery

 

8. Enhanced Graphics, More Games

 

Plus! Three Ways to Run Windows on a Mac and Analysts on Leopard's Hype

Don't Miss: Your Complete Guide to Mac OS X Leopard