New Apple OS X Mountain Lion

Apple releases OS X Mountain Lion

Today Apple unleashed OS X Mountain Lion, the latest iteration of the Mac computer operating system. Those who own a Mac which meets the required minimum specifications can head over to the Mac App Store and upgrade for just US$19.99. With improved iCloud integration, enhanced security and the inclusion of some iOS apps like Notes and Reminders, Mountain Lion sees OS X move further toward the so-called “iOS-ification” which Apple first introduced in Lion. The result is a much less disjointed user experience and a stronger operating system overall.

Features Safari

Mountain Lion's name appears to denote a minor upgrade over Lion, much like Snow Leopard did with Leopard. However, unlike Snow Leopard, which was famously marketed as having "zero new features," Mountain Lion boasts over 200. Here's a few of the most noteworthy.Those who own a recent model iOS device will feel at home when using Notes, Reminders, Messages and Game Center on Mountain Lion, as each app works much like its iOS counterpart. Though the iOS ports of Reminders and Notes may feel superfluous to those who only own one Apple product, their utility is apparent when one makes use of iCloud to sync content between multiple devices. Messages replaces Lion's iChat and while it still sports the ability to instant-message various IM platforms, the main draw is, again, iOS-integration in the form of iMessage compatibility. On the whole, Messages seems improved from its days in Beta, though it'll take a few days of widespread usage before we can tell if the widely reported reliability and stability issues have been ironed out.

iCloud

iCloud represents the latest chapter in Apple's quest to provide useful cloud tools to its Mac users - a quest which began with iTools over 12 years ago and became MobileMe before finally evolving into iCloud.

While iCloud represents the biggest commitment from Apple toward cloud-based integration thus far, it hasn't exactly set the computing world on fire. However, Mountain Lion ups the ante and finally delivers the kind of functionality which one would assume a cloud-based storage and sync solution would offer, such as saving documents directly to the cloud. Once Mountain Lion is duly signed-in to iCloud, options appear for saving and opening a document in iCloud. It's a big improvement compared to Lion's lack of integration.

iCloud's evolution still doesn't feel quite 100 percent complete, but iCloud in Mountain Lion is much better than Lion and feels more integrated into the Mac OS X experience as a whole.

Security

Amid the current rise in Mac-targeted malware, Apple has rightly increased its focus on security, however the company has ruffled a few feathers by tackling such concerns in its own typically authoritarian way.

By default, Mountain Lion's Gatekeeper feature only allows applications which have been downloaded from the Mac App Store - or which originate from identified developers - to be installed. Though one could definitely make a good case that it'll help technophobes install software more safely, it feels invasive nonetheless. It should be noted though, that the Gatekeeper feature can be easily disabled by entering System Preferences.

In addition to Gatekeeper, there are also increased options for restricting the access of apps to Contacts, iCal and location services.