Mountain Lion brings several new features from iOS to OS X, including Notification Center, GameCenter, Dictation, and Safari improvements. It also expands iCloud integration and introduces Gatekeeper and AirPlay Mirroring. The update aims to make Mac computers work more seamlessly with iOS devices by syncing content and allowing cross-platform functionality. Mountain Lion was released in July 2012 and saw strong initial sales.
2. A Quick Look at new features of OS X 10.8 Mountain Lion
• iCloud: Add document in the iCloud, as well as Contacts, Mail, Calendar,
Messages, FaceTime, and Find My Mac.
• Notification Center: Notification Center ported over from iOS.
• GameCenter: Game Center allows games to be played between Mac and iOS
devices
• Dictation: Users can now speak and OS X will convert spoken words to text
in any application.
• Safari: Mountain Lion brings two-finger swiping to Safari to navigate back
and forth between websites.
• AirPlay Mirroring: Full AirPlay support with up to 1080p HD resolution.
• Gatekeeper: A new way for developers to sign their work with Apple, and
users can choose whether to install only trusted apps.
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3. Introduction
Mountain Lion is the latest major update to Apple’s OS X operating system,
replacing Lion and bringing with it a comprehensive range of iOS-inspired
features and applications. The new software narrows the gap between the PC and
phone software packages, making Mac personal computers work more like
iPhones. Mac OS X Mountain Lion will be publically available later this summer.
4. OS X 10.8 Mountain Lion - iCloud
iCloud is integrated heavily with Mountain Lion, with Notes, Reminders, Game
Centre and Messages all syncing with each other and every Apple device you
own to keep everything up to date. Documents in The Cloud support is open to
third-party apps (some, like ByWord make great use of it) and hopefully
Mountain Lion will expand on this support.
5. OS X 10.8 Mountain Lion - Notification Center
Notification Center for
Mountain Lion can be
configured to display
messages from many apps
includes email, iMessages,
reminders, Twitter mentions,
FaceTime invitations, Game
Center and more.
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6. OS X 10.8 Mountain Lion - GameCenter
Apple is bringing GameCenter support to OS X with Mountain Lion. Users can
use the same account they use on iOS devices, and the Mac version will support
turn-based and head-to-head gaming in GameCenter on OS X, and it will also
support cross-platform gaming between iOS and OS X devices.
7. OS X 10.8 Mountain Lion - Dictation
Apple’s effective Voice Dictation technology enables you to dictate notes,
articles, and messages to your computer using your voice, essentially
allowing the computer to type as you talk. Voice Dictation is built into
the heart of Mac OS X Mountain Lion and will work with any app or
program.
8. OS X 10.8 Mountain Lion - Safari
Mountain Lion has a tweek to see website addresses adjust to
highlight. It includes the fastest javascript engine ever, and the URL
and search boxes have been unified. Apple also announced iCloud tabs,
which syncs open tabs across each of a user’s OS X and iOS devices.
9. OS X 10.8 Mountain Lion - Gatekeeper
• Gatekeeper is a security system that
allows you to download your desired apps
from anywhere. By default, you are allow to
download apps from Mac App Store but
you can change the store at your will.
• On the other way, Gatekeeper is also a
way to force developers into using Apple’s
App Store rather than their own servers to
protect users from installing dubious
software.
10. OS X 10.8 Mountain Lion - AirPlay Mirroring
Another great feature from iOS that’s made its way over to Mac OS
X is AirPlay Mirroring. You can now display what is on the screen of
a Mac on another AirPlay device (such as the Apple TV) using Home
Sharing. This will be great for making presentations as well as
watching online services such as BBC iPlayer.
11. Conclusion
• Mac OS X Lion is the new operating system installed by downloading via
Apple’s App Store. Now a lot of features found in Mac OS X have found there
way over to Mac OS X in Mountain Lion including Notification Center, Contacts
and Calendars, Gatekeeper AirPlay Mirroring, etc. Apple has made OS X a more
welcome place for those new to Macs to start out.
• OS X 10.8 Mountain Lion was released on July 25,2012 and sold 3 million
units within 4 days,making it the most successful release of any Mac in history.