Some Mac users may still be getting to grips with the intricacies of OS X Mountain Lion and all that it has to offer, but reports today are suggesting that Apple is well underway with testing of the next major release of OS X. Currently sitting at version OS X 10.8.2, the operating system that powers Apple's Mac machines, if the reports prove to be accurate then it looks like the Cupertino based company is planning on making some major changes in OS X 10.9 that could see the company's digital Siri assistant and Maps integration being offered to users.
As is often the case with technology nowadays, those of you happily sitting on an older software version will soon be coerced into upgrading. The app updates cease supporting you, new software releases aren't compatible with you, or in the case of Apple's Messages beta, they stop working altogether. Prior to Mountain Lion, the Cupertino released a beta version of Messages for Lion, and since that has now evolved into Messages for the latest iteration for OS X, Apple has set a deadline on the demise of that preview.
When Tim Cook and his executive team introduced the new iMac as part of their most recent media event, it was the redesigned form factor and the extremely thin profile that grabbed most of the attention. Granted, the new aesthetics of the soon-to-be released iMac is quite a staggering aesthetic transformation from the currently available model, but the more technical minded consumer chose to focus on the under-the-hood announcements that came out of the event, one of which was the new Fusion Drive.
Back in August, Parallels Desktop 8 was released, and many vented their frustration at the company's decision to only offer support the Retina display to those who'd bought the previous version of Parallels after Apple released Mountain Lion OS X. Today, Parallel's 8 has been updated once again, and steering clear of controversy, actually brings a bunch of useful new features.
Tweetbot for OS X has been one of the more notable releases to hit the Mac App Store in recent times with the 1.0 release eventually landing on the store last month for public purchase after a lengthy public alpha and beta testing period. The iPhone and iPad apps of the same name have benefitted from multiple updates over their lives to bring additional functionality to the user and now it's the turn of Tweetbot for Mac to get the 1.0.1 update from Tapbots.
Angry Birds is already preparing to take over the world thanks to its many iterations and multi-platform support, but the upcoming Star Wars version of the game is set to take things to a whole new level.
It's been an extremely busy week so far for Apple, with the announcement of the iPad mini, the 13-inch MacBook Pro with Retina display, an all-new line-up of iMacs and Mac minis, and the surprising introduction of the fourth-generation iPad. Not wanting to take their foot off the gas, the company has now announced their Q4 earnings of 2012, and once again, it makes extremely pleasant reading for company executives and shareholders.
Apps on mobile platforms like iOS and Android that allow users to save content for viewing offline have proven to be extremely popular over the last few years, none more so than the fantastic Pocket app that started out life known as Read It Later. Pocket is an extremely well used and loved app for mobile devices, but things have been taken a step further with the introduction of the official Pocket app on the Mac App Store.
At their special media event in California Theatre in San Jose, CA, Apple unveiled the new iMac (2012) with an all new design, same screen sizes (21 and 27 inches), new specs, and lots more. Details after the jump!
In the days and weeks leading up to today's event, it was widely presumed Apple would, aside from announcing the iPad mini, also announce a refresh to its iMac and Mac mini computers. The rumor mill has proven itself to be on-point once again, and both desktops have been offered a substantial spec bump in line with the MacBook Air and MacBook Pro back in June.
