Apple today released Mac OS X 10.5.6 which is recommended for all users running Mac OS X Leopard and includes general operating system fixes that enhance the stability, compatibility and security of your Mac.

What’s new:

• Address Book
– Improves reliability of Address Book syncing with iPhone and other devices and applications.

• AirPort
– Improves the reliability of AirPort connections, including improvements when roaming in large wireless networks with an Intel-based Mac.

• Client management
– Improves reliability of synchronizing files on a portable home directory.
– Fixes an issue in Mac OS X 10.5.4 and 10.5.5 in which managed users may not see printers that use the Generic PPD.
– Client computers that use UUID-based ByHost preferences now respect managed Screen Saver settings.

• iChat
– Addresses an issue that could cause an encryption alert to appear in the chat window.
– Setting your iChat status to “invisible” via AppleScript no longer logs you out of iChat.
– Resolves an issue in which pasting text from a Microsoft Office document could insert an image rather than text.

• Graphics
– Includes general improvements to gaming performance.
– Includes graphics improvements for iChat, Cover Flow, Aperture, and iTunes.
– Includes fixes for possible graphics distortion issues with certain ATI graphics cards.

• Mail
– Includes overall performance and reliability fixes.
– Improves Connection Doctor accuracy.
– Fixes an issue that could cause messages identified as junk to remain in the inbox.
– Fixes an issue that could cause Mail to append a character to the file extension of an attachment.
– Addresses an issue that could prevent Mail from quitting.
– Improves reliability when printing PDF attachments.

• MobileMe
– Contacts, calendars, and bookmarks on a Mac automatically sync within a minute of the change being made on the computer, another device, or the web at me.com.

• Networking
– Improves Apple File Service performance, especially when using a home directory hosted on an AFP server. Important: If you are using Mac OS X 10.5.6 (client) to connect to a Mac OS X Server 10.4-based server, it is strongly recommended that you update the server to Mac OS X Server version 10.4.11.
– Improves the performance and reliability of TCP connections.
– Improves reliability and performance for AT&T 3G cards.
– Updates the ssh Terminal command for compatibility with more ssh servers.

• Printing
– Improves printing for the Adobe CS3 application suite.
– Improves printing for USB-based Brother and Canon printers.

• Parental Controls
– Addresses an issue in which a parentally-controlled account could be unable to access the iTunes Store.
– Includes general fixes for time limits.
– Resolves an issue that prevented adding allowed websites from Safari via drag and drop.

• Time Machine
– Fixes issues that could cause Time Machine to state the backup volume could not be found.
– Improves Time Machine reliability with Time Capsule.

• Safari
– Improves compatibility with web proxy servers.

• General
– Includes Mac OS X security improvements. See this website for more information.
– Addresses inaccuracies with Calculator when the Mac OS X language is set to German or Swiss German.
– Improves the performance and reliability of Chess.
– Improves DVD Player performance and reliability.
– Performance improvements for iCal are included.
– Fixes an issue when running the New iCal Events Automator action as an applet.
– Adds a Trackpad System Preference pane for portable Macs.
– Improves compatibility with smart cards such as the U.S. Department of Defense Common Access Card.
– Updates time zone data and Daylight Saving Time rules for several countries.

Mac OS X 10.5.6 is available via Software Update and also as standalone installers.

More info and download links:
• Mac OS X 10.5.6 Combo Update – 669MB
• Mac OS X 10.5.6 Update – 372MB
• Mac OS X Server Combo 10.5.6 – 883MB
• Mac OS X Server 10.5.6 – 469MB