Ahead of the release of Mac OS X v10.4 "Tiger" today, Apple has updated its .Mac subscription-based suite of utilities with features that take advantage of the added functionality found in the new operating system. For example, Tiger enables .Mac users to not only sync calendars and Safari bookmarks but also Keychain passwords and Apple Mail preferences, including Smart Mailboxes set up with the enhanced search feature Spotlight.
On the page set up to explain whatis new in .Mac, Apple also promises that "a members-only selection of Tiger Dashboard widgets" is coming soon. Unfortunately, Virex, the antivirus software that Apple used to provide with .Mac, is no longer listed as a feature of the service. The company does not acknowledge its absence anywhere on the .Mac Web site. .Mac is US$99 per year, or $179.95 for a Family Pack that includes one master account and four sub-accounts.