Mac OS X Leopard will jump-start a new era in the way desktop applications are designed. With technologies like Core Animation, we're going to see extremely dynamic and powerful user interfaces in the not-so-distant future.

Doesn't this mean we're instead going to see ugly bloated software? It's a common misconception among consumers, who are used to seeing bloat. Here are some great examples proving that it's just the opposite.


Time Machine is the perfect example of this new blend of rich user interface design. Backup/Restore solutions have always had weak UIs. When Time Machine is activated for an application though, you can actually see the state of the windows from past to present, and sort through them in 3D as if you were traveling through dimensions in space. It uses Core Animation to accomplish this.


Nintendo's Wii shows that rich user interfaces are appearing everywhere, even outside the Mac world. The newly released News Channel has an absolutely stunning user experience (Video). It's a way no one has ever done news before, and only made possible with modern technology.


iPhone. Even mobile phones are learning from this development. Of course, you can leave it to Apple to be the first to actually do it. The iPhone is another great example of rich applications using animation through transitions and notifications. After watching a few demo videos on Apple.com, you'll know what I mean.

We saw the start of rich applications in the original release of Mac OS X, and this trend is definitely going to continue. I imagine in a few years, present day Mac apps will feel like Mac OS 7 apps do today.

Overall, these new developments prove that animations are far from "bad things" that developers should avoid. When done right, the resulting applications can be much more enjoyable and easy to use. And new technologies are making this easier than ever for developers to adopt. It's a really great thing.