For obvious reasons, Apple has touted the latest version of its OS X operating system (OS), Snow Leopard, which launches in Canada today. And while it is expected to be a nimbler, leaner upgrade of the previous OS X Leopard, it isn't likely to have a bevy of new features.

It may not be a great leap forward, but Apple has trimmed enough fat to make Snow Leopard run faster, even though it uses roughly half the hard drive space that Leopard took up. Part of the reason why this is possible is because Apple has designed the updated OS specifically for Intel processors. Older Macs use PowerPC processors until Apple switched to Intel ones back in early 2006. As a result, Snow Leopard marks the end of the line for Mac owners running PowerPC chips.

Indeed, in order to even upgrade to Snow Leopard, you need to be using an Intel-based Mac and have Leopard already installed, which is why Snow Leopard can be described as an extension of Leopard. The install DVD costs just $35, and a family pack of five licenses is $59.

Most of what Snow Leopard will offer is based on performance improvements, but there are a few notable feature upgrades that are worth noting. The most prominent of these is that Apple's iCal, Mail and Address Book applications will fully integrate with Microsoft Exchange Server, which is the IT backend most companies use. This should make it a lot easier to get work email without the need to use a PC or even Entourage or Outlook, Microsoft's own email programs. It also signals the strong possibility that Macs will be able to work more seamlessly in PC-dominated work environments.

Snow Leopard will be the first version of Apple's OS X that can run in 64-bit. That means that everything from Web browsing, opening documents and photo-editing should be faster. The only catch is that software applications also have to be developed in 64-bit in order to fully take advantage of the feature. Still, for basic things that you do within the OS, processing data in 64-bit will create a noticeable difference compared to the previous 32-bit processing. Needless to say, though, the 64-bit factor is a longer-term feature, as you won't be able to utilize it very much in the short-term.

A new version of Apple's QuickTime video-player software will be included, and it has been overhauled to allow users to convert video files to play on the iPod and iPhone, or even upload them directly to YouTube. Some basic editing has also been thrown in, including trimming, making it easier to create your own clips.

Basic nuanced improvements include the ability to change the size of thumbnails when viewing them in a folder or on the desktop, right-clicking in a window displays more options and you can preview any document or file by simply mousing over it. Ejecting disks, which can get annoying when OS X thinks that it's still in use, has been altered so that you know why it doesn't want to let it go. That should help you determine what you need to do to free it without potentially damaging it.

Using OS X's Exposé feature, you can mouse over an application's icon on the dock and see all the files that are open in that app side-by-side in a tiled format. Apple even included a malware check, so that you can be apprised of any viruses that are lurking out there targeting Macs. But even if Snow Leopard finds a virus on your machine, there is nothing built into it to expel it from your Mac. You will need third-party virus protection software for that.

And that's pretty much the gist of it for now. More tweaks and updates will likely come as users spend more time with Snow Leopard, but as is, this isn't a huge move forward for the OS, just an upgrade that betters OS X in the longer run. If you can afford to wait before upgrading to Snow Leopard, then you should be fine, as there aren't many feature-rich options to change your day-to-day experience. But if you want to stay on top of it all, or some of the new tweaks can make a difference for you, then spend the $35 and take the plunge.