Mac OS X Lion now available, coming on USB in August!

Alex Zaharov-Reutt
Wednesday, 20 July 2011 23:07

Your IT - Home IT

Apple's Mac OS X Lion is now available, coming ironically just as I was searching the Mac App Store to see if it was online, with the OS certainly there, but coming up as I type as 'temporarily unavailable' - even so, it's finally here, let the downloading commence!

Apple's long awaited OS X 10.7 Lion has finally launched, with the press release from Apple only arriving minutes ago, and arriving with the unexpected tweak that a USB version of the Lion will be available for AUD $75 from August.

Boasting '250 new features' and a Microsoft-shaming upgrade price of AUD $31.99 inc GST, and US $29.99 (not including taxes) in, obviously, the US, Lion promises to bring the best elements of the iPad's iOS and the Mac OS X into one, something that presumably is the step we need to go through before Apple one days releases an iPad and MacBook Air hybrid, something it hasn't sadly yet announced.

However, OS X Lion is not only announced, but ready to download (at around 4GB in size, which Apple says is similar to an HD movie), with its promoted suite of 'new Multi-Touch gestures; system-wide support for full screen apps; Mission Control, an innovative view of everything running on your Mac; the Mac App Store, the best place to find and explore great software, built right into the OS; Launchpad, a new home for all your apps; and a completely redesigned Mail app.'

It wouldn't be an Apple announcement without a comment from one of the crunchy company's big cheeses, with Phil Schiller, Apple's Senior VP of Worldwide Product Marketing taking the executive commentary spot.

Mr Schiller said that: 'Lion is the best version of OS X yet, and we're thrilled that users around the world can download it starting today. Lion makes upgrading a Mac easier than ever before; just launch the Mac App Store, buy Lion with your iTunes account, and the download and install process will begin automatically.'

Other new features that Apple wants us all to remember it is introducing (presumably before Microsoft photocopies them into Windows 8) include:

- Resume, which conveniently brings your apps back exactly how you left them when you restart your Mac or quit and relaunch an app;
- Auto Save, which automatically and continuously saves your documents as you work;
- Versions, which automatically records the history of your document as you create it, and gives you an easy way to browse, revert and even copy and paste from previous versions; and
- AirDrop, which finds nearby Macs and automatically sets up a peer-to-peer wireless connection to make transferring files quick and easy.

As has been discussed, you need to have OS X 10.6.6 on your Mac before you can upgrade, with that upgrade needing to be done through the Mac App Store as a download - at least until that USB option arrives in August.

Apple specifically states that: 'Users who do not have broadband access at home, work or school can download Lion at Apple retail stores and in late August, Lion will be made available on a USB thumb drive through the Apple Store (www.apple.com/au) for RRP AUD$75 inc GST.'

Apple also notes that: 'Mac OS X Lion Server requires Lion and is available from the Mac App Store for RRP AUD$51.99 inc GST.'

The listed specs are that 'Lion requires an Intel-based Mac with a Core 2 Duo, i3, i5, i7 or Xeon processor and 2GB of RAM. Lion is an upgrade and can be installed on all your authorised personal Macs.'

Apple also notes its 'OS X Lion Up-to-Date upgrade' which 'will be available through the Mac App Store at no additional charge to all customers who purchased a qualifying new Mac system from Apple or an Apple Authorised Reseller on or after 6 June, 2011.'

Furthermore, Apple states that: 'Users must request their Up-to-Date upgrade within 30 days of purchase of their Mac computer. Customers who purchased a qualifying Mac between 6 June, 2011 and 20 July, 2011 will have until 19 August, 2011 to make a request. Additional information can be found at apple.com/au/macosx/uptodate.'

And that's it. A roughly 4GB download and $31.99 of expenditure awaits if you're an Australian Mac user wanting the very latest OS, with the first day of download sure to be a challenging one as likely millions around the world test out Apple's cloud server capacity on what will surely be a day, week and probably even month or more of OS downloading to remember!

Apple has also launched new MacBook Airs with backlit keyboards and Thunderbolt port, a new Mac Mini, and a new Thunderbolt Display - more information available here!