Mac OS X 10.5.3 9D29, May be the FINAL Version for users. =)

Apple's latest Mac OS X 10.5.3 build (9D29) was released to developers last week. The ongoing developer seeds addressed a number of new bug fixes while we await the final code for release. There had been some hints that this latest build might become the final release for consumers, but we have not heard any further confirmation on that.

The bulk of the changes to the 10.5.3 update appear to include bug and stability issues, but one new Time Machine option was noted by AppleInsider that allows laptop users to initiate Time Machine backups even on battery power. In the current public version (10.5.2), Time Machine backups are suspended while on battery power. The option appears to default to "off" in the latest build.

Apple is continuing to test Mac OS X 10.5.3 with developers, but will be released as a free upgrade to existing Mac OS X 10.5.2 users in the near future.