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Apple unveils Mac OSX Mountain Lion for developers
Apple Inc. has taken the wraps off its latest OS X operating system for desktop and laptop computers: Mountain Lion (10.8).
Developers are getting first crack at the new OS, whose developer preview was released Thursday, tech site Mashable reported.
"Bottom line? It’s a few more vital steps closer to fully connecting the experience you have on the Mac with the world of the iPad and the iPhone — dumping iChat in favor of iMessage and Twitter, to take the most radical example. It’s almost as if it makes your Mac moonlight as an iPad," it said.
Mashable said Mountain Lion may have borrowed many elements from iOS, Apple's other operating system used to power mobile devices like the iPad and iPhone.
It added the latest OS X may have been influenced by the success of the iPad, which runs on iOS.
"Coming in the wake of the iPad, it was clearly influenced by the success of the device. It introduced such iOS-like features as multitouch gestures on the trackpad and a 'launchpad' of apps that looked just like the iPad’s home screen," Mashable said.
New features
Mashable said the next OS X may throw out bouncing icons in the Dock in favor of Notifications that appear in "classy banners" down the side of the screen.
Also gone is the antique Instant Message software iChat, in favor of iMessage, a seamless texting replacement.
Airplay can seamlessly mirror one's desktop on an HDTV, while a separate Notes app lets one attach notes to the desktop like stickies?
Game Center promises cross-device play, it added.
On the other hand, a “share sheet” effectively means developers are going to be able to put Twitter buttons everywhere?
Tweeting
Mashable said Mountain Lion will already let you tweet from all standard OS X apps such as Safari and Photo Booth.
"That means you can sit and take photos of yourself and instantly tweet them, to your heart’s content. It’s a boon for Twitter users (Twitter readers, not so much)," it said.
Developers
Mashable said developers may have to make two separate versions of apps they want on Mac and iOS for some time to come.
Marrying iOS, OSX
A separate article on CNET said Mountain Lion brings iOS and OS X a big step closer.
It said the update brings many of the features born in iOS 5 and plants them on the desktop, such as Notes, Reminders, and iMessage.
But it added Mountain Lion also has a new security feature that keeps Apple at the forefront of malware protection. — TJD, GMA News
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