MOUNTAIN Lion up next, drops summer, Dev Preview today, Messages Beta today for all! (1 Viewer)

[Sam Posten]

Apple dropped an atomic bomb this morning, tons of cool stuff! http://www.apple.com/macosx/mountain-lion/features.html And a new way to introduce it all to the world, VERY un-apple like! http://daringfireball.net/2012/02/mountain_lion What confused me was how to tie Messages to all your devices but it's actually quite easy. Under your settings in iPhone and iPad go to the messages tab, ADD your Apple ID if you haven't already, add the email addresses you want to be tied to it, and be sure to set your caller ID. On my mac and iPad I am using my email address, on iPhone I am sticking with my phone #. More to follow!

 

[Sam Posten]

Start your HTPCs! http://www.appleinsider.com/articles/12/02/16/apple_bringing_macs_to_the_living_room_with_airplay_for_mountain_lion.html

 

[mattCR]

I don't know if I'd say that.. with Airplay mirroring targeting 720P, and still no HD audio or streaming support, it's "start your HTPCs" from about 5+ years ago

 

[Sam Posten]

I'll eat my hat if it doesn't go 1080p with the iPad3 launch. More details on it: http://www.appleinsider.com/articles/12/02/16/apple_bringing_macs_to_the_living_room_with_airplay_for_mountain_lion.html Video tour. http://9to5mac.com/2012/02/16/here-apples-demo-video-for-mountain-lion/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=twitter&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+9To5Mac-MacAllDay+%289+to+5+Mac+-+Apple+Intelligence%29 http://arstechnica.com/apple/news/2012/02/apple-unleashes-mountain-lion-on-developers-set-for-summer-release.ars

 

[Sam Posten]

One thing that bugs me about the Message feature set is that it's one way only. You can't start conversations on the iPhone and pick it up on the Mac, only the reverse. Needs to be a way to have ALL your messages fully synced across all devices.

 

[Sam Posten]

Yum: http://www.appleinsider.com/articles/12/02/16/game_center_for_mountain_lion_to_offer_cross_platform_play_between_mac_os_ios.html (Tho to be fair I'm still more of a Steam guy tho)

 

[Sam Posten]

This really was a weird way to introduce it, but I like it! http://www.cultofmac.com/146826/john-gruber-schiller-tells-me-theyre-doing-some-things-differently-now/?utm_campaign=twitter&utm_medium=twitter&utm_source=twitter Would be cool if they put up a video of Schiller doing the keynote to nobody =)

 

[Sam Posten]

Why gatekeeper is cool, and doesn't cut off (yet) developers who arent selling by the MAS http://tidbits.com/article/12795

Gatekeeper Changes the Game -- Gatekeeper is a new feature of Mac OS X 10.8 Mountain Lion that is designed to provide Macs with the security of iOS, while still accounting for the different ways we use Macs. Gatekeeper wraps together a string of technologies Apple began introducing over the past few versions of Mac OS X, the Mac App Store, and a new credential Apple will provide developers (for free). You interact with Gatekeeper via a new setting in the Security panel of System Preferences that enables you to restrict what applications you allow to run, based on where you downloaded them from: Mac App Store: These applications are reviewed by Apple, use sandboxing (or will, by the time Mountain Lion is released), and the code is digitally signed so Mac OS X can detect if it has been modified by malware. Mac App Store and identified developers: Beginning immediately, Apple will start issuing digital certificates to developers registered in the Apple Developer Program. Developers can use these certificates to sign applications they distribute themselves. These applications aren’t reviewed by Apple, but if malicious activity is detected Apple can revoke a certificate and block future installations from that developer. Anywhere: Full freedom to run whatever code you want. No matter which of the three options you pick, you can manually allow any application to run. Apple has provided a well-designed user interface to prevent mistakes and mindless click-throughs, so it will probably be best to stick with the second option (Mac App Store and identified developers), which is the default, and allow other applications to run only if you’re absolutely certain they’re safe. For the first time we have a tool built into Mac OS X to protect us — at least those of us who want or need it — from ourselves. Gatekeeper dramatically reduces the likelihood of Mac users, particularly those who don’t have the sophistication or knowledge necessary to make informed decisions, installing malicious applications.

 

[Sam Posten]

Here's what's wrong with Message: http://mgalligan.com/post/13214024991/apple-imessage-and-poor-user-experiences

THE SOLUTION Apple could have easily avoided these problems with a few very simple processes: -When authenticating an iMessage address (or multiple), the phone number from one (or more) iPhones get added into that account. This way, regardless of what device someone is using one could receive a message to a phone number via an iPad since it’s working through the iMessage protocol first, then SMS. -Allow me to send messages from the iPad using the Caller ID of my iPhone. This way, whenever someone receives the message, even from my iPad, it identifies as my phone number, not an iMessage address. -Fall back to SMS any time a message is not confirmed as received including when a message is sent to an iMessage address. Considering my first point, when confirming iMessage addresses and phone numbers together, this shouldn’t be hard.

They seem to be aware it's a big need tho:

But by far the biggest issue preventing Messages from being the ultimate unified messaging system is that iMessage on the iPhone is tied to your phone number by default, while the iPad and Mountain Lion use email addresses to identify your iMessage account. That means you can send iMessages from your computer to your heart’s content, but messages sent to your phone number simply won’t show up on your computer or iPad. Switching your iPhone to use your email address for caller ID solves the problem in a roundabout way — anyone replying to you will send iMessages to your email address, but new iMessages sent to your phone number will still only arrive on your phone. Encouragingly, Apple seemed to understand the caller ID issues with Messages when I asked, so I’m hoping there’s a cohesive solution in the works — there’s certainly plenty of time before Mountain Lion ships this summer.

http://www.theverge.com/2012/2/16/2801047/mac-os-x-10-8-mountain-lion-preview-photos-video

 

[Sam Posten]

The interesting idea here is what if Apple puts Gatekeeper on iOS? Could allow 'legit' apps that are a bit shady, like say Porn or MAME that don't actively harm the device to be distributed outside of the App Store, you could download them directly from developers.... Very un-Appley but would get rid of 90% of the reason people have for jailbreaking? Also, the elephant in the room here is why isn't Siri on OSX? Expectations are that the next set of hardware revs may have much more sophisticated noise canceling microphone tech, or that Apple is just holding out for now for a big splash once iPad gets it first.

 

[mattCR]

I'm downloading the install previews yet. Of course, still no way we get supports for Bluray, and a few other items I'd be waiting for.. but some items of interest. This does not seem like a revolutionary step, just a series of refinements, but some could be very worthwhile. I'll install and play with it and see.

 

[Sam Posten]

I'm holding off for now, nothing that screams must have right now. I hadn't even thought about Blu support, but that sucks.

 

[Sam Posten]

Well I hadnt considered this! Apple sez 'Suck on this, big media': http://www.businessinsider.com/apple-airplay-mac-hulu-2012-2

 

[Ronald Epstein]

Can't wait for this!!!

 

[Ted Todorov]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sam Posten

Well I hadnt considered this!
Apple sez 'Suck on this, big media':
http://www.businessinsider.com/apple-airplay-mac-hulu-2012-2

It is my impression that AirPlay on iOS works (or doesn't) on a per app basis. I seriously doubt that Hulu (Adobe Flash plugin and all) will suddenly support AirPlay. I could be wrong, but...


I actually have my MacPro plugged in via HDMI to my 1080P HDTV, and watch tons of TV via EyeTV DVR software, DVDs via Front Row/DVDPedia/Apple DVD Player, iTunes downloads, Netflix, but I tried Hulu a couple of times and 1) It has unskippable commercials 2) the picture quality is abysmal. Hulu is for the birds.

 

[Sam Posten]

No, everything works over AirPlay now. It's called mirroring. http://www.apple.com/ipad/features/airplay.html And the more I think about it nd the more I read the more convinced I am that Gatekeeper will come to ios in some form: http://www.panic.com/blog/2012/02/about-gatekeeper/ http://blog.metaobject.com/2012/02/radr10876615-allow-signed-binaries-on.html

 

[DaveF]

I've got a 2007 2.4 GHz MBP so I think I can get 10.8. But it will be the last update for me, I'd guess.


I've installed the beat of Messages and tested it. I'm glad to see this happening. It won't be useful to me, but might be good for my wife when it gets mature.


Color me ridiculous, but as I'm looking into an HTPC, I'd love for an add-in card for Windows Media Center that could support AirPlay.

 

[Sam Posten]

Whew, it looks like my 2008 Mac Pro will just make the upgradeable cut! http://www.hometheaterforum.com/t/278512/keeping-my-eyes-out-for-a-used-refurb-mac-pro http://www.tuaw.com/2012/02/16/mountain-lion-drops-support-for-several-older-mac-models/

 

[Sam Posten]

Yup. http://www.macworld.com/article/165449/2012/02/siri_the_missing_mountain_lion_feature.html Why toss support for some 64bit macs? http://arstechnica.com/apple/news/2012/02/whats-keeping-mountain-lion-off-of-some-64-bit-macs.ars