Tag: Lion »

This week at 148Apps.com, we pined for the release of the newest version of Mac OSX, named Mountain Lion. Brad Hilderbrand writes, "Apple shocked the world today by announcing a brand-new operating system for desktop devices, less than a year after the launch of OS X Lion. Codenamed Mountain Lion, the latest update further blurs the line between home computers and tablets, bringing a host of features that make your MacBook or iMac run more like an iPad.

Read about all of the new features on 148Apps.

Our GiggleApps compatriots were busy this week as well, reviewing the latest apps for kids. Amy Solomon reviewed David and Goliath for the iPad (the MVP Edition), and had this to say about it: "The quality of this application is undeniable. Although I am not always a fan of computer-generated animations and the use of 3D effects, the look of this app is impressive, with vivid colors and a thoughtful use of pitch-perfect music that creates an incredibly rich experience. I love the details found throughout from the clouds in the sky and other details of nature as well as textures found within, seen in the tents used often-times as backdrops for these characters. There are also some interesting moments of silhouetting characters for a nice effect that I enjoy."

Read the full review on GiggleApps.com.

Finally, 148Apps.biz kept a brisk pace this week as well. Jack-of-all-trades Brad Hilderbrand reported on the success of Apple's iPhone 4s, saying, "Anyone still wondering if the iPhone 4S was enough of an upgrade to help Apple maintain industry dominance can stop pondering, as a recent report from Gartner claims that Apple has officially surpassed Samsung as the maker of the world’s most-wanted phones. According to the numbers, Apple moved 35.5 million smartphones in Q4 (primarily driven by the iPhone 4S), while Samsung trailed with 34 million. Not only have these numbers allowed Apple to become the dominant force in smartphones, but the company has also surpassed LG to become the third biggest vendor of all mobile devices, period."

Read the full report on 148Apps.biz.

Another week is in the bag, but that doesn't mean we're done. No, sir, it doesn't! Follow us on Twitter or Like us on Facebook to get the latest updates on news, reviews and contests. It really is that simple. See you next week, web-heads!

Apple announced a ton of info today at the WWDC keynote. Like that there are now 200 million iOS devices out in the wild. And that there are 425,000 applications available for iOS. Oh yeah, and iOS 5, Lion, and iCloud are coming very soon.

Rather than just go down the feature list, we're going to post some thoughts on the new features and point you to places you can see full details on the new stuff.

First, we just posted about what is one of the largest features mentioned, that got very little attention. Apple is now firmly in the game console business by allowing iOS 5 games to be displayed, wirelessly from your device to your TV via the Apple TV. It will be huge.

iOS 5 New Features Look Familar...

The biggest new features shown of iOS 5 all looked more than a little familiar. There were many features in the new Camera app that looked like they could have been borrowed from Camera+. There's a new todo application called Reminders that could be any number of todo apps in the store. The updates to the Message app, now called iMessage, match the features of the Blackberry Messenger app (BBM), that we're shocked. Even the method for pulling down the notifications list comes straight from Android.

Now to be fair, these other platforms have "borrowed" from iOS as well. So all's fair I guess. And I'm still looking forward to the new features, they look fantastic. And will be nice to have some of the baked into the OS.

200 New Features in iOS 5
Some of the new features that stick out in my head most include photo editing features, Twitter integration (single sign on built into the OS), greatly improved notifications / widgets available anywhere, great new mail features, PC-free setup, and apparently 200 more.

For a full list of new features, check out the official list at Apple. It's got a good roundup and includes a lot of screens and details not mentioned in the keynote.

iOS 5 should be available for all devices in beta, for developers today. It will ship to consumers in the fall.

Video!
Apple has posted a slickly produced video highlighting some of the new features of iOS 5. Or, you can watch the recorded version of the keynote right on the Apple site.

iCloud, Too!

Oh yeah, and there's iCloud. This turned out to be a much greater solution than we were originally expecting to see. Full wireless syncing of your app data, calendar, contacts, email, todos. Even music, photos, and we assume videos (which weren't mentioned) as well. And even bigger, apps! Download a new app on your iPad and, if you turn the feature on, it will also be downloaded to your iPhone.

Besides data syncing for built-in iOS apps, what this means is that, once fully developed and supported by developers, you'll be able to sync data between devices for apps as well. Finish a level on Angry Birds on your iPhone at lunch, that level status will be synced to Angry Birds on your iPad when you get home.

There's a lot more to this than we can cover in this wrap up. Apple has posted a few more details on iCloud on their site.

iCloud will be free for up to 5 GB of data. We assume there will be a way to pay for more storage, but this wasn't announced.

iTunes in the Cloud

The iCloud music features, labeled iTunes in the Cloud, let you sync you iTunes purchases on up to 10 devices. Apple also made available a paid service, iTunes Match, for $24.99 per year. This service will match songs you have ripped from other sources like CDs, Amazon.com, etc. and enjoy them in iTunes and it's 18 million downloadable tracks. All upgraded to 256k AAC. Very nice, and a great deal for $24.99 per year.

Summary

There was a ton announced today. An amazing number of new features for iOS, Lion, and iCloud. So many that they are still digesting. I can't wait to get my hands on these features.