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Mountain Lion Developer Preview 2 hits Apple's Developer website, brings more roar to your Friday
Exactly one month ago, Apple pulled back the kimono revealing its next Mac OS release would be called Mountain Lion upon its debut this summer. It also let eager developers registered in the Mac Developer Program partake in the fun a little early. For the latter camp, Cupertino's back with a second helping today, aptly named Developer Preview 2. No word yet on what's changed in build 12A154q -- a scant twenty-six builds from the 12A128p original -- as the accompanying release notes have yet to be updated. But rest assured we'll circle back with anything of interest when they do.
Switched On: Think form factors, not PCs
Each week Ross Rubin contributes Switched On, a column about consumer technology. The iPad, launched in 2010, kicked off the post-PC era. The combination of a multitouch display and keyboard-less design enabled mobile computing in a way not done before. On the other hand, maybe the IBM Simon, launched in 1992, kicked off the post-PC era. Widely considered to be the first smartphone, it enabled mobile computing in a way that was not done before. Then again, maybe the Osborne I, launched in 1981, marked the beginning of the post-PC era. After all, it was widely considered to be the first portable computer, enabling mobile computing in a way that was not done before.
Visualized: iOS 2011 sales smoke 28 years of Mac
Love it or hate it, Apple had a pretty stellar 2011. According to crunched numbers from Asymco, between its iPhone, iPad and iPod touch, the Cupertino outfit sold some 156 million iOS devices in 2011, marking a grand total of 316 million in the mobile OS' short history. What's most interesting here, however, is the fact that last year's digits alone have completely blown past the 122 million units daddy Mac has managed in its 28 years of existence. It's no wonder the company borrowed a few tricks from iOS for its latest desktop operating system.
Apple drops the 'Mac' from OS X Lion, Mountain Lion (update: began at WWDC)
Clearly, cats are in. But Mac, it seems, is out. Apple has quietly dropped the Mac name from its latest OS X Mountain Lion operating system, while also retroactively changing the Lion branding on its website. While it's clearly a marketing move and won't affect the user experience, it looks like Cupertino is further defining the line between hardware and software -- Mac is hardware, OS X is software, and that's the end of that. Apple purists will need to download the developer preview of Lion to see the change reflected on the OS side of things, though that could always change with 10.7.4. Hit up the source link to see for yourself.Update: After reviewing our WWDC coverage, it looks like Apple began referring to its latest operating system as "OS X Lion" last summer, as you can see in the banner just past the break.
Apple unleashes OS X Mountain Lion Preview to Mac Developer Program
You may still be purring your way through our in-depth preview, but Mountain Lion is now officially out of the bag, with Apple releasing a preview version of its latest OS X to the members-only Developer Program. If you're up to date on those $99/year dues, you can head on over to the Member Center to get your OS 10.8 fix, and start checking out those shiny new Messages, Reminders, Notes and Notification Center apps. Or kick up your feet and bring your desktop to the big screen with AirPlay Mirroring. If you have the Apple-approved credentials to proceed, you can find all that and more by making your way over to our source link just below.
Sony announces firmware update for PS Vita, maps and video apps coming this week
Sony announced a pretty significant firmware update for the PlayStation Vita today, bringing mapping, video and added Mac support to its new console. Perhaps the most notable feature of the version 1.6 update is its new Map app, featured on the Vita's home screen. The application offers much of the functionality you'd expect to find in similar tools, including walking and driving directions, as well as satellite imagery. Previously capable of taking only static shots, the Vita's camera app will now support video as well, which seems only logical. Alongside this update is a new Content Manager app for Mac OS, which had previously been available for Windows only. The update will begin rolling out on February 8th, but you can get a preview of some screenshots at the source link below.
Apple acquired NeXT 15 years ago, Jean-Louis Gassée still dreaming of what could've been
It might be hard to picture now, but back in the mid-nineties, the threat of bankruptcy was very real for a company headquartered in Cupertino. That would all change with the purchase of NeXT on December 20, 1996 -- a move that gave the fledgling computer maker a modern OS, but more importantly brought one of its founders, Steve Jobs, back into the fold. The rest is history, as Jobs eventually secured the helm, forming a team that would go on to birth products like the iMac, iPod, iPhone and iPad. But hardware innovation aside, ultimately that comeback wouldn't have been possible without OS X -- an OS which arose directly out of the ashes of NextStep. Sure, there was the occasional misstep along the way -- G4 Cube and hockey-puck mouse be damned -- but frankly we can't think of any turnaround as epic, nor relevant. Can you?
DevilRobber now "improved", still nasty malware threat
We previously told you about DevilRobber and what sort of unsavory things it can do to (and with) your Mac. (In case you don't click over to read the article, here's the scoop: it's bad. Real bad.) Back in the day (November 1st), it was a Trojan horse and sent a little of your personal info off to some far flung servers. But CNet is reporting the new version has mutated, and now it tries to grab your Terminal history and system logs. This new "improved" version can be picked up by downloading Pixelmator from someplace that is not the Mac App Store (currently the only place to legitimately get a copy). But the fun doesn't end there! It also tries (but does not succeed at) making off with information stored in your 1Password data file. CNet's story makes it sound like DevilRobber can actually do something with that file, but in reality that data is safe, as confirmed by Agile themselves. They have a nice writeup on their site about all of this and the steps you can take to make extra super sure your data is safe. This is also another of those opportunities we here at TUAW occasionally take to remind you that malware is bad but real, and you DO need to protect yourself. Remember "Macs don't get viruses" is just as accurate as "Macs don't have any good games" (which is to say not accurate at all), and protection is ridiculously easy. Get yourself a nice antivirus utility and spend a little time with Little Snitch to make sure nothing suspicious is being sent from your machine, and that should help you avoid a lot of problems.
Stable release of Chrome 14 out now, brings a few upgrades for Lion users
The very latest software goodness from Google has arrived, with Chrome hitting its 14th iteration (celebration, anyone?). This one gives Mac OS X Lion users a little something extra, with access to overlay scrollbars within the browser. Chrome can also can also upsize itself now -- accessible with a tap of the full-screen button or the more conventional Ctrl+Shift+F. The new web audio API gives developers the ability to add fancy sound effects and adjustments, whilst native client is an open-source addition; though this only supports apps in Chrome's web store, it allows C and C++ code to be executed within the browser. Google adds that there's been the usual bug clear-out, with the whole thing benefitting from a bit more polish -- gotta keep up with those pesky web apps! If you're already running Chrome, the automatic update should have kicked in, and new users can nab the download from the source below. If it's good enough for Gaga... [Thanks, Michael]
Apple updates Migration Assistant for Leopard-to-Lion compatibility
Apple previously updated its Migration Assistant app for compatibility between Lion and Snow Leopard, and now here's the original Leopard update. The Migration Assistant Update for Mac OS X Leopard smooths out the transfer from a Leopard Mac to one running with the newest Lion OS, making sure your data, settings, and apps all make the trip over. Yes, it's not exactly groundbreaking. But if you've got a Leopard Mac sitting around and have been planning on picking up a new one complete with a Lion install, this will definitely be helpful in the transition. The update is of course free, and can be picked up from Apple's site. [via MacRumors]
Apple iCloud and iWork beta for iOS hands-on
We've had a few weeks to get accustomed to iOS 5 and Mac OS X Lion, but one headlining feature has been notably inaccessible since it was unveiled earlier this summer. During his WWDC keynote, Steve Jobs touted iCloud as a service that will sync many of your Apple devices, for free. Macs, iPhones, iPads, and even Windows computers can synchronize documents, contacts, calendar appointments, and other data. You'll also be able to back up your iOS devices remotely, use an Apple-hosted email account, and store your music in the cloud. Well, this week Apple finally lit up its cloud-based service for developers, letting some of us take a sneak peek at the new service. Apple also announced pricing, confirming that you'll be able to add annual subscriptions with 10GB ($20), 20GB ($40), or 50GB ($100) of storage 'atop your free 5GB account. We took our five gig account for a spin, creating documents in Pages, spreadsheets in Numbers, and presentations in Keynote, then accessing them from the iCloud web interface to download Microsoft Office and PDF versions. We also tried our luck at iOS data syncing and the soon-to-be-controversial Photo Stream, so jump past the break for our full iCloud hands-on.%Gallery-129793%
Poll: Did you download Mac OS X Lion (10.7)?
Apple confirmed Lion's big day during the company's Q3 earnings call this week, and Mac OS 10.7 hit the App Store right on schedule yesterday morning, allowing us to give Snow Leopard the boot and make room for the king of the jungle. We've already installed Lion on a half-dozen of our own systems, testing the new operating system with a variety of configurations for our review. But we want to know about your experience. Did you pull an all-nighter on Tuesday, backing up files, reformatting drives, and updating to 10.6.8? Are you still rockin' dial-up and waiting for the $69 flash drive version to ship next month? Or perhaps you're a PC user, holding out for Windows 8? Let us know in the poll below, and feel free to expand on your decision in the comments as well.%Poll-66596%
Apple Mac OS X Lion available now in the App Store
For 'developers' willing to shell out $99 for an annual membership in Apple's group of Mac OS app creators, Lion is old news already. But the rest of you can finally download Apple's latest operating system -- Mac OS 10.7 -- by hitting up the App Store on your Snow Leopard (10.6.8)-equipped Mac, assuming it's powered by an Intel Core 2 Duo, Core i3, i5 or i7 processor. From our experience with the pre-release version, the 4GB download could take over an hour, even on a high-speed connection, but once you have the installer in hand the upgrade process itself should be complete in about 20 minutes. As Apple previously announced, those with slower connections can also download Lion at an Apple retail store, and the company's also now revealed that it will be offering it on a USB thumb drive as well, which will be available through its online store later this August for $69 (yes, that's a $40 premium). We'll be posting a full review of Lion later this week, but you can check out our hands-on preview for a sneak peek at Apple's latest consumer OS in the meantime.
Apple: Mac OS X Lion to hit the App Store tomorrow
Well it looks like the cat's finally out of the bag virtual box. Apple CFO Peter Oppenheimer just confirmed during today's earnings call that Mac OS 10.7 is due to hit the Mac App Store tomorrow, making Lion available as a 4GB download for $30. The new operating system packs 250 new features, including an iOS-like app launcher, multi-touch gestures, AirDrop for direct file sharing, and system-wide Resume. More enhancements that will feel particularly familiar to iOS users include a new version of Mail with conversation view, and reverse touchpad scrolling. We'll have a full review of Lion later this week, but check out our hands-on preview for our initial impressions. Want to collaborate on projects with multiple machines? Lion Server will also be available as a $50 download -- for those of you that need to support an entire pride.
Everything is a Remix 3 features Apple, Macintosh history
If you haven't been watching Kirby Ferguson's video series, Everything is a Remix, go watch it now. The highly intelligent and well-researched series challenges modern views of creativity by pointing out that nearly all critically-lauded works are built upon the foundations of works that preceded them. For the third video in the series, Ferguson offers up a great modern-day example: the Mac. It's a well-known bit of computing lore that much of the innovations of the original Mac OS drew inspiration from work done at Xerox, but Ferguson goes one step farther and points out the inventions and ideas that laid the foundation for Xerox's fledgling OS in the 1970s. Ferguson's thesis is that truly revolutionary ideas never spring fully-formed from the ether, and his example of the original Macintosh reminds us that all the gadgetry we use today, whether we take it for granted, complain about it breaking or accuse one company or another of ripping off the other's ideas, is a product of a steady stream of evolutionary steps rather than revolutionary thinking. Whether you're talking about Mac OS X Lion, Windows 8, iOS 5 or the latest sugary snack-named version of Android, all of them are simply remixes of what came before when it comes down to it.
Apple updates 2011 MacBook Pro firmware to v1.4, fixes stability, Thunderbolt, and Turbo Boost issues
In spite of the "Pro" in its name, Apple's 2011 MBP got off to a bit of a bumpy start for many users. Some encountered problems when outputting video through the Thunderbolt port to their Cinema Displays, while others found the new MacBook Pro freezing up when processing loads got that little bit too intense. The good news is that Apple now has a software update geared to remedying all these maladies, with changes specifically designed to improve graphics stability, 3D performance, and support for external displays and Thunderbolt devices. You can grab the download at the source link below or use Mac OS' built-in Software Update utility to freshen up your laptop with the latest code. [Thanks, Mats] Update: A separate EFI Update (version 2.1) has also been rolled out. This one fixes the perplexing issue some reviewers had reported of seeing Intel's Turbo Boost disabled on some machines. Turns out the problem was related to Boot Camp and Apple has now resolved whatever was causing it. Click below for more info. Thanks, Francesco!
Mac OS X turns X years old today
Whether it changed everything, made you think different, or was just a sideshow to the Windows centerpiece of your life, there's no denying version X of Mac OS has been the most successful and enduring piece of software Apple has ever produced. It is turning 10 years old today, so we thought we'd spare a moment to say congratulations and to dust off an image of our favorite logo of the bunch. And who knows, with the next iteration being dubbed Lion and the lack of any more senior big cats available, maybe this will be the last big anniversary before Apple takes the leap into version 11. [Thanks, Robert]
TUAW TV Live: How would you improve the Mac OS?
Today on TUAW TV Live it's all about the chat. I've sent out a tweet requesting input on what people think are features that are ripe for improvement in the Mac operating system, and we'll be bashing around some of those ideas in a free-for-all discussion about our favorite OS. As usual, I have some fun new apps and accessories to show you as well, so we'll have a fast and furious hour together. From your Mac or PC, go to the next page by clicking the Read More link at the bottom of this post, and you'll find a livestream viewer and a chat tool. The chat tool allows you to participate by asking questions or making comments. If you're driving somewhere and would like to watch TUAW TV Live while you're stuck in traffic, please don't -- keep your eyes on the road! However, if someone else is doing the driving, you can watch the show on your iPhone and join the chat by downloading the free Ustream Viewing Application. If you're on an iPad, you should be able to use the Skyfire Browser to watch the stream, although you will not be able to participate in the chat. We'll start at about 5 PM ET, so if you're seeing a prerecorded show, be sure to refresh your browser until you see the live stream. For those of you who are not able to join us for the live edition, you'll be able to view it later this evening on our TUAW Video YouTube channel and as part of the new TUAW TV Live podcast viewable in iTunes or on any of your Apple devices.
TUAW TV Live at 5 PM ET: Dissecting the future of Mac OS
Mac OS X is now over 10 years old, and we're already beginning to see signs that Apple might merge the desktop operating system with the fledgling mobile OS -- iOS. We'll see some evolutionary changes in Mac OS X later this year when version 10.7 "Lion" hits the Mac App Store, but there are a growing number of people who think that Apple needs to make a revolutionary leap to a new computing paradigm. Today on TUAW TV Live, we're not going to try to design a future operating system, but one of the topics will be a discussion of things you'd like to see Apple take on in the near future. If there's an area in the Mac operating system that you think could use a major improvement, let me know before the start of the show by tweeting me at @stevensande. As usual, I'll have some fun demonstrations of new or revised apps, and you can expect to see some new goodies that have arrived here from some of the top Apple accessory manufacturers. You can join in on the live streaming video and chat here at TUAW at 5 PM EDT / 2 PM PDT / 9 PM GMT. I'll see you then. If you can't join us this afternoon, be sure to subscribe to the TUAW TV Live podcast through iTunes.
Making custom alert sounds for your Mac
When you're fed up with your Mac telling you it's not about to open the pod bay doors and wondering if, Dave, you really want to do that, you may want to think about making some custom sounds for it yourself. And as luck would have it, there's a great tutorial on how to do just that over at Macworld. The article looks at both recording your own sounds and using GarageBand to convert your sound files, and how to add the resulting sounds to your system. The article walks you through capturing your own sounds using a microphone and QuickTime Player in Snow Leopard, including how to get rid of initial pauses and the sound of you clicking your mouse at the end of the recording. It goes on to discuss how to convert your recordings to the AIFF format needed for system sounds in OS X using iTunes or GarageBand, and then it explains how to insert the sounds into your system and attach them to specific events. Again, it's a nice tutorial that we recommend you check out. Have fun.
