Good news for Apple fans came out of San Francisco over the weekend, with the company unveiling its new MacBook Air and MacBook Pro laptops, as well as the latest version of OS X Mountain Lion, which delivers iCloud integration and built- in social media functionality.
Revealed at the Worldwide Developers Conference in San Francisco, Apple CEO Tim Cook launched the company’s latest operating system, OS X Mountain Lion, which will see the replacement of previous programs and the introduction of over 100 new apps and features.
So, what does it all mean for Mac users?
OS X Mountain Lion unveiled
The new in-built Notification Centre will work similarly to the iOS notification system on the iPhone and iPad, providing easy access to alerts from mail, calendar, messages, reminders, system updates and third party apps. Built-in social media features will provide users instant access, updates and notifications for sites such as Facebook and Twitter.
Replacing iChat is the Messages app, which allows users to send unlimited messages, high quality photos and vides direct from one user to another through Mac or iOS devices. A Dictation program will also be introduced for the first time, allowing users to literally talk and type hands free.
Mountain Lion will also see the first integration with iCloud, making it easier to access documents across all Apple devices. The new PowerNap feature will keep Macs updated even when they’re on power save mode, allowing them to perform other functions such as install updates, back-up files as well as receive notifications.
The software also introduces Gatekeeper security, a new security feature for Mac users that will protect against potentially malicious software by giving users complete control over what apps are installed on their computers.
OS X Mountain Lion will be available to download from July, for $19.99.
Macbook Pro and Macbook Air
Apple’s new MacBook Pro has been designed to be more compact – making it the thinnest and lightest MacBook Pro ever launched. Weighing only 2kgs and featuring a 15.4-inch screen, the notebook is able to display images at a resolution of 2880 x 1800 pixels. The new MacBook Pro will have highest resolution display of any notebook in the world, with Apple incorporating its Retina Display technology of more than 5 million pixels.
“You want a next-generation MacBook Pro to have a killer new display. You want it to have an architecture built for the future and of course you want it to be bold and discard the old legacy features. The next-generation MacBook Pro is the most beautiful MacBook we’ve ever made,” Apple worldwide marketing vice-president Phil Schiller said.
For the first time, the MacBook Pro features a HDMI connection, a thinner power connection, two USB 3.0 ports, and the latest hardware updates including new third-generation Core i7 processor, FaceTime high-definition camera and up to 16GB RAM.
The MacBook Pro will be available in Australia from $2499. Apple has also updated its original 13 and 15 inch MacBook Pros, with the 13-inch starting from $1,199 and 15-inch from $1799
The MacBook Air has also been updated to include Intel’s latest dual-core Core i5 processor and a USB 3.0 port. The new Air will support up to 4GB of memory and up to 512GB of flash storage. An 11-inch MacBook Air with a dual-core Core i5 1.7GHz processor with 4MB of RAM and 64GB flash storage, will start at $999. With 128GB flash, the laptop will be $1099. The 13-inch MacBook Air will start at $1,199.