Sherlock 2 keeps your channels up-to-date automatically, adding search sites and e-commerce sites as they come online, to help you get the latest news and information. Mac OS 9.0.4 also performs voice analysis, so you can log in without using your keyboard. With its voiceprint password feature, your voice is your password. The personal Keychain built into Mac OS 9.0.4 stores all your passwords and user IDs securely and lets you unlock them all with a single password. And the OS uses the Internet to download (and install) the latest updates, drivers, and other system enhancements from Apple automatically. You can also set Mac OS 9.0.4 to check Apple's server periodically and automatically download and install updated software for yourself.

File sharing works over the TCP/IP protocol, so you can share your files, folders, and disks with other Macintosh users at home, school, or work. The network browser feature lets you see servers on TCP/IP networks the way you're able to see AppleShare servers on AppleTalk networks listed in the chooser. The Mac OS 9.0.4 network browser supports SLP--the industry-standard protocol for "ad hoc" networks--so you can find other computers on your local area network.