Just 7 months after releasing OS X Lion, Apple is already preparing to release their next full operating system update, dubbed “OS X Mountain Lion.” Lion (10.7) was a huge change from the previous “Snow Leopard,” in regards to new features like Launchpad, multiple desktops, and pinch to zoom, along with about 250 other various improvements, and Mountain Lion will even further the progression of the “World’s most advanced operating system.”
Some of the key features and upgrades of OS X Mountain Lion include:
- Twitter integration
- iOS style Notification Center
- Game Center
- Gate Keeper (anti-malware)
- Full iMessage support
Image courtesy of Apple.com
Gate Keeper?
Something that kind of scares me is the need for Gate Keeper, the anti-malware install guard. It’s great that Apple is protecting their customers against malware threats, but it kind of suggests that more malware is being developed for OS X. It makes sense, as more and more people are switching over from the PC, but that’s the reason a lot of people like mac, I think; the risk of obtaining a virus is much smaller than if you’re using Windows. I’m probably just being paranoid, but I really hope Apple isn’t turning into another Microsoft.
Notification Center
Provides integrated access to e-mail, calendar, iMessage, reminders, and pretty much any other notification you can think of. I like the concept of having every notification integrated within one program; it can get frustrating switching between the mail app, calendar, or whatever else you may be expecting notifications from, as they all have a separate window and their own hoops to jump through in getting them to push notifications to your desktop.
Twitter Integration
Twitter is becoming the standard for social networking, and it seems like a lot more people are favoring it over Facebook and the ancient MySpace.
From Apple’s OS X Mountain Lion Sneak Peek:
“Tweet right from your apps. OS X Mountain Lion keeps you on top of all things Twitter. Sign in once and you’re all set to start tweeting — and you don’t have to leave the app you’re in. Tweet links and photos directly from Safari, iPhoto, or Photo Booth with the new Tweet Sheet. Tweet comments and add locations. And when someone mentions you in a tweet or sends you a direct message, you’ll get a Twitter notification right then and there.”
All in all, the Twitter integration sounds like a great app if you prefer Apple software exclusively, but I’ll stick with TweetDeck.
Game Center
I think bringing Game Center from iOS to OS X sounds like it could be pretty fun. I’m not too familiar with the iPhone, so I don’t know too much about Game Center, but it sounds similar to OpenFeint, which allows you to gain achievements, share your high scores, and overall provides a social network interface for mobile gaming. OSX Mountain Lion’s Game Center will be compatible with select games from the app store.
For more information on OS X Mountain Lion, visit http://www.apple.com/macosx/mountain-lion/
