Categories
Mac Software

Features of Mac OS X Lion

Apple Inc. have again grabbed media attention with launch of new version of Mac; Mac OS X Lion. The launch must have left computer users across the globe in bemused condition; the ones with Mac must be thinking about upgrade and the ones with Windows must be thinking about switching camps. This post will give you a walk through of some of the exciting features of MAC OS X Lion and help you in making the final decision.

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This feline Mac version is loaded with more than 200 new features as confirmed by officials. Here are some of the features that one can fall in love at first sight.

Multi-Touch Gesture

Many Apple users are in an impression that sooner all Apple devices will be touch-friendly. New multi-touch gesture of Mac OS X Lion backs up their credo. This feature allows users to scroll webpage up and down by running off fingers in required direction on touchpad. Zooming in is possible by tapping twice on touch pad or using older method of pinch-and-zoom. It even allows three-finger gesture to quickly swipe between open applications.

MissionControl

As soon as you boot Mac OS X Lion, one can clearly see a dock where all the available applications are arranged in array. This array consists of unique application called Mission Control. Clicking on that icon will introduce you with all the applications or documents that are currently open. It provides you sophisticated view of open applications and prevents user from using keyboard combination of Ctrl + Tab; which however still accessible.

Mission Control

Multiple Desktops

Very few people must be unaware of multiple home screens available on Smartphones today; especially one that runs Android. In similar way, Mac OS X Lion users can create multiple desktops that can be personalized as one’s taste. For example, you can have one desktop dedicated to office work and one for your hobbies and so on. Desktop switching is available through Mission Control.

LaunchPad

Remember how all available applications are displayed on iPad or iPhone? The LaunchPad works in similar way by grouping available applications in an array. It can be considered as a sincere attempt to combine features of iOS with that of Mac.

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Full-Screen Applications

Mac has always been complete operating system available for computers. The only complaint that its regular users had was incompatibility of its applications to full screen mode. Mac OS X Lion has fixed the issue providing users with full screen access for applications. When you run app full screen, it shadows off background desktop and other running tools.

Auto Save and Versions

Are you familiar with the situation where you usually save work you are working on and close computer accidentally? Mac has made provision to help avoid regret after passing through such situations, thanks to the new Auto Save feature. It also creates new version of the document each time user opens it. One can easily review earlier version for comparison.

Verdict

Reviewing its astonishing features, upgrading to the newer Mac will surely be beneficial for current Mac users. If Windows users are tired of using Windows 7 and have no hopes from upcoming Windows 8, then switching to Mac OS X Lion can be good alternative. However, Lion is not available on disk but one who is willing to get it must download it from official website for $29.99. USB stick version of Mac OS X Lion is soon expected in market.

Categories
Mobile WinMo

Features and the future of Windows Phone 7

The race to produce the world’s best smartphone was and truly opened up with the release of the Windows Phone 7 OS in October last year. While there have been complaints from critics that the range of available apps is poor and that the first release of the new OS was lacking in basic multitasking capabilities, Windows really is stepping up to the plate and seems to be picking up quite a pace to catch up with and surpass the likes of Android and iOS.

At Mobile World Congress (MWC) held in February 2011, Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer announced a major update to Windows Phone 7 due towards the end of this year. The update will see the inclusion of a mobile version of Internet Explorer 9 that supports the same web standards (e.g. HTML5) and hardware-accelerated graphics as its PC counterpart.

By all accounts, this is going to be pretty exciting stuff – demonstrating the new browser during a keynote speech by Mr Ballmer at the MWC, Microsoft’s corporate vice president, Joe Belfiore, used a fish tank video to show off the updated OS’s speed and graphical capabilities. Mr Belfiore also compared the smooth motion of the tank’s 50 fish with the same video on an unnamed HTC model (surely not the HTC 7 Pro?), demonstrating just how fast and flawless the movement was with IE9 compared with its Safari (iPhone) counterpart.

While Belfiore didn’t really emphasize the fact that this version of IE9 wouldn’t be due until towards the end of this year, and while it was also indicative of the strength of Windows Phone 7’s competitive edge, it’s also very likely that Safari will be subject to similar standard of improvement, given Apple’s track record.

Even more exciting news, according to gottabemobile.com, Windows Phone 7 will also, thanks to their alliance with Nokia, be the forerunner of the smartphone OS industry by 2013. Having conducted research into the growth of the various leading smartphone OS giants such as iOS, Android and Blackberry, Pyramid Research’s senior analyst, Stela Bokun, prophesised that WP 7 will beat previous predictions that it will be ahead of the game by 2015 in two years.

Bokun proffered the idea that while Android’s primary strength has always been its availability with the various members of its Open Handset Alliance, WP 7’s availability on a variety of hardware besides Nokia will see WP 7 enjoy similar success. Bokun explained: “While Android will continue to grow beyond 2013, its growth will slow down compared to the skyrocketing surge in 2010 and 2011. Even though WP will maintain the leadership from 2013 through 2015, the battle with Android will be fierce going forward and will result in many overtakings and ties between the two operating systems going forward – all at the expense of iOS and BlackBerry, which will experience a losing streak.

“While RIM and Apple are powerful players in the smartphone market, their desire to limit their mobile operating systems to their own hardware has antagonized large manufacturers, such as Samsung, LG and Nokia, who have the capacity to enjoy the benefits of economies of scale and whose devices account for an overwhelming portion of the smartphone market.”

Expected Features in Windows Phone 7:

With regards to specifics about the updates, Microsoft revealed earlier this month that Bing on WP 7 will be subject to a major overhaul. Bing Navigation will be updated to give people faster access to common searches like ‘movies’ and ‘traffic’, while also providing a handy satellite navigation service (turn-by-turn voice navigation).

Not only that, but the Windows Phone Dev Podcast – which featured Windows Phone 7 director Brandon Watson as a guest – announced that a new function called Bing Audio will be featured in the new updates. If you’re familiar with Shazam, you’ll know that it’s able to recognise music and tell you that artists, track and album. Bing Audio will do just that, whilst also being able to sell users the tracks through Zune.

Next, Bing Vision – it’ll use your smartphone’s camera to read barcodes and do optical character recognition, while it may also offer support for augmented reality apps. Updates may also include voice-to-text for SMS messages, allowing users to send texts without the need to type. All in all, Windows Phone 7 has an exciting future ahead of it – and we can’t wait to try out the new updates. Watch this space.

Further reading:

Winning with Watson Windows Phone will beat Android Mobile IE 9 review Nokia and Microsoft partnership

Image courtesy of Expansys