  We propose a novel quasiparticle interpretation of the equation of state of
deconfined QCD at finite temperature. Using appropriate thermal masses, we
introduce a phenomenological parametrisation of the onset of confinement in the
vicinity of the phase transition. Lattice results of bulk thermodynamic
quantities are well reproduced, the extension to small quark chemical potential
is also successful. We then apply the model to dilepton production and charm
suppression in ultrarelativistic heavy-ion collisions.
