Hackint0sh netbooks seeing battery boost under OS X 10.5.7

By Chris Davies/May 15, 2009 3:12 am EST

Apple's recently released 10.5.7 update for OS X seems to have backfired, with some MacBook users reporting sluggish performance and hardware issues, while owners of Hackint0sh netbooks have found their battery life much improved with the new software. The change has led to suggestions that Apple is readying OS X for better power management on netbook-style hardware, such as might be used in a 10-inch Mac touchscreen tablet/UMPC.

The change in runtime has been observed in the MSI Wind forums, where owners have found the Atom-based netbooks ideal for modification into unofficial Mac ultraportables. WiFi card manufacturer Realtek even released OS X drivers for the Wind, making the hack even more straightforward.

Meanwhile, some owners of authentic Macs are claiming that the update reduces system stability, impacts performance or even disables sound output. Apple are yet to comment on the issues.

[via GottaBeMobile]