Among the many interesting changes brought by this new operative system, there is certainly the new iChat application, the renewed version of Apple's instant messenger.
Mac users are now enabled to take full advantage of screen sharing capabilities, share video backgrounds, set up video effects with Photo Booth and share photo slideshows and presentations while using their instant messenger.
You can check out the new iChat and its full set of features in the following videoclip:
Let's now review briefly all the capabilities that characterize the upcoming version of iChat:
The most impressive characteristic of iChat Leopard is the integrated screen sharing feature, which allows you to watch and control a single desktop via iChat, making it easy to collaborate with other people online. You can share your own desktop or share your buddy's one - you both have complete control at all times. Whenever you start a screen sharing session, iChat automatically initiates an audio chat.
Also, the new iChat lets you set either animated or static backgrounds (called "Backdrops") in your chat window. You simply need to drag and drop a picture or video from your iPhoto or iMovie libraries, or even from the Finder into the video preview window to create a new backdrop. Even buddies who don't have Leopard will see your background scene.
Another interesting feature enables you to modify your iChat video using the effects introduced in Photo Booth, which is a small software application for taking photos with an iSight camera - now a new standard feature in Leopard.
With Mac OS X Leopard, you can share photos and presentations over a video chat with iChat. You simply need to use the iChat Theater feature to present photos from iPhoto, slides from Keynote, or content from any iChat-enabled application with any iChat or AIM buddy.
Additionally, thanks to iChat new tabbed interface, you can pull all your chats (even group ones) into one simple window, then toggle between them using tabs that display your buddy's screen names. Text bubbles alert you when someone is typing.
iChat Leopard is going to set a new standard for instant messaging: the availability of the screen sharing feature (although it is available only for Mac users) represents a great step towards the integration of all the most powerful collaboration tools in one single application.
