As the executives and marketroids did their thing in San Francisco, Apple’s network engineers and software update team were hard at work posting several new packages to the SWU servers.

The brand new software update packages include:

• iTunes 7.6 (44.7MB 10.5/Intel) — Support for the new HD movie rental service, many changes to the iTunes Store, and support for AppleTV firmware 2.0
• QuickTime 7.4 (57.9MB 10.5/Intel) — “Numerous bug fixes,” support for AppleTV 2.0
• Front Row 2.1.2 (17.4MB 10.5/Intel) — Bug fixes, “improved iTunes compatibility,” presumably for the new v.7.6.

All in all, this has been a very exciting start to a Macworld which has also seen far more vibrant third-party offerings and attendance by major players in countless segments of the Mac economy — including, most particularly, many companies who just last year didn’t consider themselves part of the Apple/Macintosh economy at all.

The switch to Intel has brought us many benefits….these being only the most obvious. Over the next few months we expect to see a pace of updates to both hardware, software, and network services that dwarfs what we have seen from Apple in previous years — even a 2007 which shattered all expectations.

Stay tuned to Rumors for live streaming coverage of Macworld San Francisco all week long and the hottest dirt all day every day! 2008 is going to be one hell of a ride and we are excited to be on the roller coaster right along with you!