Topic: Operating Systems

Mountain Lion developer preview (screenshots)

Summary: The Mountain Lion developer preview is here and we had a chance to check out many of the new features. Have a look at some of the more striking new features in Mac OS X 10.8 in this slideshow.

By CNET | February 16, 2012 -- 06:00 GMT (22:00 PST)

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Twitter integration

Tweet from any supported app without having to switch applications. The interface is much like Twitter integration for iOS.

Topics: Operating Systems, Apple, Apps, Software, Software Development

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45 comments

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Windows 8 Looks better

Just MHO.

x I'm tc
16 February, 2012 06:28

Reply Vote
- Not for me
 
 @jdakula Lion, for all of its iOS similitude, still works like a computer. Metro, for me, is too much like a super-gigantic phone.
 
 Mac_PC_FenceSitter
 16 February, 2012 07:02
 
 Reply Vote
 - RE: Mountain Lion developer preview (screenshots)
 
 @rbethell
 
 And what makes you think that Windows on a non Tablet/Touch Device is NOT going to have a classic interface? MacOS has the Launchpad which looks just like iOS but Macs do not have a touch capable computer.
 
 bobiroc
 16 February, 2012 07:09
 
 Reply Vote
 - RE: Mountain Lion developer preview (screenshots)
 
 @bobiroc that's a matter of some opinion. Anyone who's used a Macbook's trackpad in Lion is used to thinking of it as a remote control touchscreen, since that is exactly how it works.
 
 And if Windows 8 on most computers really consists of people batting Metro out of the way so they can get back to their Win7 style UI, then I have to ask - what's the point?
 
 Mac_PC_FenceSitter
 16 February, 2012 07:13
 
 Reply Vote
 - RE: remote control touchscreen
 
 @rbethell Are you referring to the trackpad gestures that you can do. Maybe it is because my Macbook (running lion) is from 2007 but it doesn't do that. I can do some of the gestures but lininig it up so my clicks on the touchpad are relevant to the screen does not work. Besides you know Windows Notebooks have multi-touch/gesture touchpads these days too right. Work very similarly to the one in my Macbook. As far as the Metro UI on desktop goes I still think that remains to be seen. So far the main focus of Windows 8 has been tablets and touch capable devices. You never know by the time it is released there may be an option for full desktop/laptop computers to have it launch directly into the more classic GUI. I guess I am not ready to judge the OS based on assumption until I see what it can do when the Release Candidate comes out. I also plan on using the "preview" to provide constructive feedback based on actually using it instead complaining about what I have not experienced first hand. Let the record show I have both Windows Based Computers and a Macbook Running Lion because I support and use both in my daily life. I find both operating systems to be very "usable" and stable. Each has it's own advantages and disadvantages and in today's computing world comes down to mainly user preference for most average computer users.
 
 bobiroc
 16 February, 2012 07:51
 
 Reply Vote
 - RE: Mountain Lion developer preview (screenshots)
 
 @bobiroc
 
 I agree with rbethell's comment regarding your assertion that Macs do not have a touch capable desktop computer.
 
 Your wrong, Bob. Apple's wireless Magic Trackpad mates with Apple's wireless keyboard almost perfectly allowing a multi-touch experience for iMac, Mac Pro and Mac Mini users.
 
 As for myself, I have both a wireless Magic Mouse (with multi-touch gestures enabled) on the right side of my keyboard - I'm right handed - and the Magic Trackpad attached to the left side of my keyboard. (A little bit of tape on the underside of the trackpad connecting it to the keyboard mates the two devices quite well and is invisible to the user.
 
 Of course, the trackpad is a $70.00 dollar option but money well spent.
 
 The Apple solution to Multi-touch gestures on a desktop computer is "infinitely" preferable to the alternative requiring "gorilla arms" on some other PCs being sold today.
 
 kenosha77a
 16 February, 2012 07:52
 
 Reply Vote
- Perhaps, but OS X is more usable.
 
 Nt
 
 baggins_z
 16 February, 2012 07:04
 
 Reply Vote
 - RE: Perhaps, but OS X is more usable.
 
 @baggins_z
 
 Now that's funny..
 
 bobiroc
 16 February, 2012 07:07
 
 Reply Vote
 - RE: Mountain Lion developer preview (screenshots)
 
 @bobiroc
 
 I do have a serious question for you, Bob, regarding the relative usability merits of various operating systems.
 
 I'm going to defer any expertise in Win 7 and Win 8 matters to you because I lack sufficient experience with either OS. On the other hand, I understand OS X and iOS rather well.
 
 Does Win 7 or Win 8 have the same degree of built-in wireless synching capability among a user's various computing devices that OS X (Lion and Mountain Lion) and iOS devices have?
 
 Specifically, I'm referring to iCloud synch and AirPlay (which Mountain Lion will have.)
 
 I really appreciate and enjoy the ability to share digital images from one OS X machine to various iOS devices (and visa versa) via AirStream and iCloud technologies. For example, I wirelessly downloaded a series of photo images yesterday from my iMac to my iPad using AirStream in order to show those iPad images to a friend at her home.
 
 Now, I understand that Mountain Lion will incorporate AirPlay capability. I imagine that MacBook Air and the new MacBook Pro laptops users will enjoy the same type of mirroring capability between their device and an HDTV (using an Apple TV bridge) that I have enjoyed between my iPad and home HDTV units. (And MacBook users as well. I own a white MacBook as you do so if you upgrade to Mountain Lion and purchase an Apple TV, you can experience that same mirroring capability)
 
 BTW, one doesn't need a monthly WiFi telcom signal to enjoy this ability. My external Seagate GoFlex Satellite HD and WiFi transmitter provides the WiFi signal that I can (and have) used to support AirPlay mirroring between my iPad, Apple TV and an HDTV system. Sort of neat.
 
 Does Windows 7 or 8 enjoy this type of system wide connectivity and display ability?
 
 I consider these capabilities great OS usability features.
 
 kenosha77a
 16 February, 2012 08:57
 
 Reply Vote
 - RE: Mountain Lion developer preview (screenshots)
 
 @baggins_z
 You, sir, are hilarious!!
 
 kstap
 16 February, 2012 11:34
 
 Reply Vote
 - I'm simply agreeing with people who maintain that the metro interface
 
 is a giant step backward in usability for desktop computers.
 
 baggins_z
 17 February, 2012 08:32
 
 Reply Vote
- Not for me either
 
 @jdakula W8 vs ML interface, like yahoo.com vs google.com. Full screen and full information vs simple and plain. It's depends on how your mind thinking, do you like having all information on your table, or you only want to see the one you need.
 
 Voltus
 16 February, 2012 17:43
 
 Reply Vote
RE: Mountain Lion developer preview (screenshots)

FUGLY.

NoAxToGrind
16 February, 2012 08:15

Reply Vote
- RE: Mountain Lion developer preview (screenshots)
  
  @NoAxToGrind
  
  Really? Well, they say beauty is in the eye of the beholder.
  
  kenosha77a
  16 February, 2012 08:38
  
  Reply Vote
RE: Mountain Lion developer preview (screenshots)

I still prefer PPC. I have SL at work, & I don't ever want any of those big cats that break every expensive app in the world. Just my opinion, but with nearly the entire world going over to Intel, SkyNet here we come, & a field day for hackers.

Starman35
16 February, 2012 08:38

Reply Vote
soooo

It's basically shipping with a copy of outlook, but split out into many different apps to make it look more meaningful? with a copy of windows live thrown in, but with access to much fewer people.

danjames2012
16 February, 2012 08:58

Reply Vote
- Shrug
  
  @danjames2012 if one needs Outlook, one can just buy Outlook. It runs well on Macs.
  
  Mac_PC_FenceSitter
  16 February, 2012 09:07
  
  Reply Vote
  - RE: Mountain Lion developer preview (screenshots)
    
    @rbethell
    
    You seemed to have misunderstood what i am trying to say...
    
    Basically everything they are offering and calling amazing through Icloud, i can set up on my phone, pc, and any tablet using outlook express... Hardly impressive, i've been able to do that since around 2000.
    
    danjames2012
    16 February, 2012 09:11
    
    Reply Vote
  - RE: Mountain Lion developer preview (screenshots)
    
    @danjames2012 Outlook on Mac has nice functionality, but the startup time is several minutes (for me and several colleagues) and if you have a flaky network connection it is nearly impossible to type a mail, because it wants to synchronise and does not understand that you just want to type and synch can wait ...
    I fled back to Apple Mail (which still has problems talking to Exchange).
    
    dirkroorda
    16 February, 2012 12:23
    
    Reply Vote
  - RE: Outlook Startup time on a Mac
    
    @dirkroorda
    
    Interesting. It doesn't seem to take that long on the 5+ year old Macs we have running Lion and MacOffice 2011 connected to exchange. I have been using it for few weeks now since I upgraded to Lion and Office 2011.
    
    bobiroc
    16 February, 2012 12:40
    
    Reply Vote