According to The Loop, Apple today issued invitations to a media event next Wednesday the 2nd. The event, which will be held at the Yerba Buena Center in San Francisco, is widely speculated to mark the introduction of updates to Apple’s iOS platform and potentially the iPad. The not so subtle imagery accompanying the invitation […]
On November 18, we’re teaming up with Apple to present a free seminar on adding a Mac to your business, as well as how to get the most out of using a Mac for work. It runs from 1:00 to 5:00 in Manchester with an intermission. Read more and register for free by clicking here. […]
When the image popped up on the web for the Back to the Mac event, the cat behind the Apple was easily recognizable, prompting the accurate speculation that the next incarnation of OS X would be branded “Lion.” Today, Steve announced that 10.7 is indeed on its way, slated for release in Summer 2011.
Lion boasts dozens of new features, including the Mac App Store, Launchpad, Full-screen apps and Mission Control. Here’s how Apple describes it:
“We took our best thinking from Mac OS X and brought it to the iPhone. Then we took our best thinking from the iPhone and brought it to iPad. And now we’re bringing it all back to the Mac with our eighth major release of the world’s most advanced operating system.”
Mac App Store
Inspired by the success of the App Store for iPhone and iPod touch and available in 90 days from today, the Mac App Store will allow you to purchase, download and install apps from the store itself—no packaging required! Developers will be able to submit apps for approval as soon as November. We’ll have more on this shortly, since this is a big change from how you’re used to getting apps on your Mac.
Launchpad
As Apple puts it, the Launchpad “gives you instant access to your apps—iPad style.” When you click the Launchpad icon in your Dock, your windows will “fade away,” leaving a full-screen view of all of the apps on your Mac. From there, you swipe your fingers to see multiple pages, bringing the functionality of Spaces. If you have just downloaded an app from the Mac App Store, it will automatically appear in the Dock, ready to launch.
Full-screen apps
This is a great way to tune out the distractions. Apps can now go full-screen natively, something people have been asking for for a long time (I used to get this question all the time from people who were switching from Windows). You will be able to bring an app to full-screen with one click, switch to another with a swipe, and then back to the desktop with another swipe.
Mission Control
Mission Control gives you a “bird’s-eye view of everything” all in one place. Apple describes it thusly: “With a simple swipe gesture, your desktop zooms out to Mission Control. There you can see your open windows grouped by app, thumbnails of your full-screen apps, Dashboard, and even other Spaces, arranged in a unified view.” Anything in Mission Control is accessible with one click.
No word yet on the price tag of Lion, nor a firmer release date. We’ll be keeping you up-to-date on Lion news as we get it!
UPDATE – Various sources have reported that Apple is set to live stream their media event this morning at 10:00 AM PDT (1:00 PM EST). Utilizing the same HTTP streaming technology introduced at last month’s music event, viewers must have either a Mac running Snow Leopard or an iOS device with iOS 3.0 or later. […]
As the rumor mills begin to churn faster and faster, Wednesday’s Apple event is creeping to the forefront of many Mac enthusiasts’ minds. Though we’ll be doing our best to provide up to date coverage, event attendees live blogging the proceedings are often the best immediate news source. Apple has yet to announce any plans […]
Apple today announced that they will hold a media event next Wednesday the 20th. Dubbed “Back to the Mac,” invitations to the event feature a 3D Apple logo with the image of a lion hidden behind it. Reports from Engadget and MacRumors indicate that the event will occur at 10:00 AM PST on Apple’s campus […]
*iOS 4.1*
Today, Apple introduced iOS 4.1. Steve Jobs noted a lot of fixes and new features, including:
* various bug fixes for Proximity, Bluetooth and iPhone 3G
* High Dynamic Range photos
* HD video upload over Wi-Fi
* TV show rentals
* Game Center
High Dynamic Range photos consist of essentially three separate images so that it will gather midranges, shadows and highlights effectively. As I mentioned earlier, HD video uploads and TV show rentals, and Game Center–a hub for multiplayer games.
iOS 4.1 will be available next week for iPhone and iPod touch. More on this then!
*iOS 4.2 for iPad*
The iPad should feel special, because it’s getting its own (i)OS update. iOS 4.2 is all about the iPad.
This is why it’s hot:
* wireless printing for iOS on your iPad
* AirPlay to stream video and audio over Wi-Fi from your iPad
* add apps to folders, just like iPhone, as well as multitasking
The update will be available in November, and it’s free for iPad users. We’ll be writing more on this as soon as we get our hands on it.
…in a good way. Today’s Apple Music Event yielded some pretty cool things, one of which was a welcome update to the Apple TV.
Here’s what’s new:
* new matte black color
* 1/4 of the size (it’s been compared to a hockey puck!)
* added HDMI (YES!) and digital audio outputs
* NO internal storage–only rentals from the iTunes Store
* day-of-release HD movies rent for $4.99; HD TV shows rent for $.99
* $99 price tag
* includes a remote
On the lack of storage–one of the major changes that surprised me–Jobs noted that people “don’t want to manage storage… they just want to watch movies and TV shows.” And of course, that whatever hardware we have has to be “silent, cool and small.”
Subscribers to Netflix’s streaming service (at $8.99/mo. or more) will have access to streaming content on the new Apple TV for no additional charge. In addition, Apple TV users will also be able to stream content from MobileMe, YouTube and Flickr.
Also new in this announcement is AirPlay, which replaces AirTunes (more about this coming up in the iOS4 update article). AirPlay allows streaming from one device to an Apple TV–say, from your iPhone or iPad to your new Apple TV. Jobs demonstrated this by streaming a movie from his iPad to an Apple TV using the venue’s Wi-Fi.
Notable tidbits: At launch, only ABC and Fox will offer their HD shows for rental at the $.99 price. The Apple TV will be available in roughly four weeks–the beginning of October–and it’s “available for preorder now.”:http://www.smalldog.com/product/76960/apple-tv-2010
Along with all the other major product updates on Tuesday morning, Apple also introduced a new (very cool looking) AA battery charger that ships with six high-performance AA rechargeable NiMH batteries. That’s two batteries for your keyboard, two for your mouse or trackpad and two for charging. The batteries have up to a 10-year lifespan, […]
