Apple have announced the first developer preview of Mac OS X Lion on their website. They have also launched a preview site outlining the features users can expect from Lion when it becomes available in the summer.
Apple today released a developer preview of Mac OS X Lion, which takes some of the best ideas from iPad and brings them back to the Mac for the eighth major release of the world's most advanced operating system. Lion features Mission Control, an innovative new view of everything running on your Mac; Launchpad, a new home for all your Mac apps; full screen apps that use the entire Mac display; and new Multi-Touch gestures. Lion also includes the Mac App Store, the best place to discover, install and automatically update Mac apps. The Lion preview is available to Mac Developer Program members through the Mac App Store today, and the final version of Lion will ship to customers this summer.
Among the new features outlined on MacRumors include:
- Mail, a new version of Mail, with an elegant, widescreen layout inspired by the iPad; Conversations, which automatically groups related messages into one easy to read timeline; more powerful search; and support for Microsoft Exchange 2010;
- Versions, which automatically saves successive versions of your document as you create it, and gives you an easy way to browse, edit and even revert to previous versions;
- AirDrop, a remarkably simple way to copy files wirelessly from one Mac to another with no setup;
- Resume, which conveniently brings your apps back exactly how you left them when you restart your Mac or quit and relaunch an app;
- Auto Save, which automatically saves your documents as you work;
- the all new FileVault, that provides high performance full disk encryption for local and external drives, and the ability to wipe data from your Mac instantaneously; and
- Mac OS X Lion Server, which makes setting up a server easier than ever and adds support for managing Mac OS X Lion, iPhone, iPad and iPod touch devices.
Apple are aiming to bring some innovations found in the iPhone and iPad, and bring them back to the Mac. One of of the new features is multi-touch, so Apple is bringing multi-touch to Mac OS X Lion. Apple has tried long to bring multi-touch to the Mac through trackpads and mouse.
The App Store will also be making an appearance on Mac OS X Lion. With downloadable apps, like Angry birds, you'll be able to play games, browse apps, read books and many more. The Mac App Store will be separate from the iPhone, iPod and iPad store, but will be used just like it.
Lion will also include home screens, just like the iPhone and iPad. Having a few different desktops with icons across your home screen, so you can access your apps. The App Store will feature top paid, top free and many other categories like the mobile App Store has.
Lion will bring full screen apps to the desktop, just like in iPhoto, so you can focus on what you're reading or playing. With full screen mode, you want to find your apps and screens easier, well Lion is bringing a new feature called "Mission Control", where you can view all your opened screens with a single click, making it easier to open or browse through screens.
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