Apple Releases Mac OS X Lion, Updates Air 453
steffann was one of several readers to note that Apple has released OS X Lion for $30 available only through the Mac App Store. It's a 4 gig download so you better not be in a hurry. Lots of new stuff both cosmetic and functional. But if you're the sort of person who is going to install it today, then you already know what they are! They also updated the Air lineup, dropping the old white MacBooks entirely.
Maybe include some details? (Score:5, Informative)
I'm not the sort of person who is going to install it today and I would like some actual details in the summary instead of links to a marketing page and a blog post about something unrelated. I do try to keep up to date even with things I have no intention of purchasing; I work in an industry where it is advantageous to do such.
For those who aren't able to psychicly deduce the details about something that just came out, here's the list of new features [apple.com].
Actually, unlimited systems "you own or control" (Score:4, Informative)
From the Ars review [arstechnica.com], the license reads:
(i) to download, install, use and run for personal, non-commercial use, one (1) copy of the Apple Software directly on each Apple-branded computer running Mac OS X Snow Leopard or Mac OS X Snow Leopard Server ("Mac Computer") that you own or control;
The installer doesn't check, any system that you "own or control" you have a license for. A company system might be a grey are (you control it but they own it, and also control to some degree) but the installer doesn't check and no-one really cares.
Re:First Download? (Score:2, Informative)
there is no "open" command on the Ubuntu CLI (on Apple's this is like a double click, it open the file with the program it is associated with), this is both obvious and easy (you already have the associations if you have a GUI double click);
yes, there is. It's called gnome-open
Re:In other news... Physical Media and Thunderbolt (Score:3, Informative)
Well here is a link to newegg for 27 inch monioors that support 2560x1440 http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=ENE&N=100007617+600030620+600012694&QksAutoSuggestion=&ShowDeactivatedMark=False&Configurator=&IsNodeId=1&Subcategory=20&description=&Ntk=&CFG=&SpeTabStoreType=&AdvancedSearch=1&srchInDesc= [newegg.com]
The cheapest is 839 not counting rebate but they all seem to be right around $999 with NEC at 1349 So with the display acting like a docking station as well as a monitor it looks pretty dang good to me at $999. In fact right in the same price range but with more features. You can buy cheap 27" monitors but they are just 1080p resolution. Which on a 27 inch monitor would be pretty bad.
The Mac Book pro isn't that badly priced for a quality professional notebook. Trust me I have seen Windows notebooks that sell for more that are not as well made.
People complain that Apple is expensive but the truth is they just don't offer a product in every product line.
Apple lacks an easy to expand mini tower for gamers and enthusiasts. I would love to see a Mac Mini with maybe one or two PCIE slots in a tower case for the same price. Not going to happen because that is a market that Apple isn't interested in.
Apple also lacks a sub $999 notebook. I would have loved to see Apple push out a new MacBook with an i3 and DVD and maybe a few more USBs for $599-$799. I think it would have been ideal for students.
The Mac Mini is actually really interesting. In many ways I can see it as the prefect machine for a lot of home users. It is tiny and not to shabby of a performer. Get a monitor with both DVI and HDMI and stick in a kids room. Use the HDMI for a Cable Tuner and the DVI for the Mini. Combine it with a wireless keyboard and you have a nice small TV plus computer setup not unlike the old Commodore 64 back in the day. Yes it will cost the average home user more than that $399 tower but frankly just a few vists from the geek squad to decrapify and clean malware will take up the difference.
How the installer works without a disk (Score:4, Informative)
As pointed out in the Ars Technica review [arstechnica.com], the installer creates a small (1GB) new partition on your hard drive without destroying any existing data. It then uses this partition to bootstrap the remainder of the install process.
(That's just the sort of approach I took with a Linux system years and years ago, though my reward was a whole weekend spent trying to fix a broken system and finally just erasing the HD).
Ars Review (Score:5, Informative)
Re:First Download? (Score:5, Informative)
Mac .APP files are actually folders. The OS just visually packages them up to make it pretty.
Right-click on the Install App and choose Show Contents.
Inside the SharedSupport folder, there is a disc image called InstallESD.dmg
You can burn bootable discs or make USB sticks from that disc image. Enjoy!