Apple released Mac OS X 10.7 “Lion” yesterday, the highly anticipated new OS with features like Mission Control, Versions, full-screen apps, AirDrop and new Mail features.
Lion is only available from the Mac App Store as a $29 download for those running the latest version of Snow Leopard. In August Apple will sell a $69 USB flash drive containing a Lion installer. Apple also updated Safari, iTunes and iWork this week for Lion compatibility. Those updates are available with Software Update or in the Mac App Store.
In addition, new MacBook Air models and new Mac mini models were introduced. Both of these lines now come with Thunderbolt ports for connecting peripherals. They both also received processor speed bumps.
The new Mac mini no longer comes with an optical drive, similar to the MacBook Air. An external drive is available for $79.
Apple discontinued the white plastic base-level MacBook. Not a surprising move considering the MacBook Air and 13-inch MacBook Pro offer more power and features for about the same price.
They also updated the Apple Display with a Thunderbolt port. A single cable to the display now carries the display output as well as camera input, USB, audio, Firewire and ethernet.
Earlier in the week Apple reported its quarterly results, once again wowing Wall Street. Profits rose sharply for the quarter ending in June, more than doubling 2010’s numbers. During the period, more than 20 million iPhones were sold, 9 million iPads, about 4 million Macs and 7.5 million iPods. It was also revealed that Apple plans to open as many of 30 new Apple Stores worldwide in the next quarter.
Lion Is Here, New MacBook Air, Mac mini
Comments: 21 Responses to “Lion Is Here, New MacBook Air, Mac mini”
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Beware of Lion. There should be a warning as you're about to install Lion that it, unlike Snow Leopard, renders many of your existing applications useless. I downloaded it overnight installed it this morning, only to find that the following apps, since they are PowerPC leftovers, don't work - at all: Quicken 2007, Acrobat 6.0 Professional, TablEdit, Toast 6 Titanium, Photo Studio, Adobe Illustrator CS2 and more. So unless you're prepared to spend some serious money upgrading the apps that can be upgraded, I would hold off on Lion. Rosetta is not part of Lion by the way. I reinstalled Snow Leopard, which is not as simple as you may think. I am now working out the bugs of the reinstall.
The fact that it doesn't support PowerPC is something that has been talked about a lot over the last year.
Developers have had a lot of time (5 years!) to move their applications forward to Intel. Why blame Apple when it is also the fault of developers who have failed their customers?
But looking over your list: Why use old versions of software? Toast 6 is very old, they'd moved it way past that (11). CS2? They are at CS5.5!
If your argument is that Toast 6 is better than 11, and CS2 is better than CS5.5, and Quicken 2007 is better then Quicken Essentials -- then OK. But isn't that the fault of those developers failing to meet their customer's needs, not of Apple. Should Apple have held back, dumbed down and bloated their OS because these developers are falling behind?
You missed my point Gary. I only blame Apple for simply not including prompt that prepares the user that 'this installation will render the following apps unusable...'. Give the enduser the choice at that point rather spring it on them after they've completed the install.
But isn't that a prompt that should be included with every update to every operating system? So should it come with Windows 7? Windows service packs? Mac OS X 10.7.1 or even 10.7.0.1? Any update has the potential to create an issue with non-updated software. So wouldn't the warning just become like warning on shampoo bottled (Don't put in your eyes!) or whatever, where we all just ignore them because they are there every time?
Actually, I think those software companies should do the warning. They ask you to register their software when you install it. So they have those email addresses. And many also have the ability to send you a message through their software. So why didn't thy do that before Lion came out? (Actually, several companies did -- I got those messages from some).
Gary, I love your site and find it very useful. But we disagree on this issue. You're saying Mac users should instinctually know about compatibility issues, just like they should know not to put shampoo in their eyes (sure wish I had read that before showering this morning, but I digress). Actually, most of us just use our Macs for work and/or pleasure and don't follow Apple news. For us, the non-compatibility prompt would be helpful. Certainly, I would've stopped the installation at that point.
Not at all. I wasn't using the Shampoo metaphor that way. I was saying that warnings like that are so common we don't notice them because they are always there -- the boy who cried wolf. Maybe Shampoo was a bad example. It wasn't the obviousness of the warning, it was how common the warning was.
What I recommend is that people check with the third-party vendors, especially for critical software. For instance, as a writer who must use MS Word (for compatibly with my publisher's editing workflow) I check Microsoft's information for Lion compatibility there since that app is critical for me. If I have time, I would check every app I use. But realistically I only check the ones I use often and know I can't live without.
Is it safe to assume that any apps labeled "Universal" will work with Lion??
Universal means they have the Intel code. So they are capable of running. But whether the developer has tested them with Lion is another matter.
Can't believe it,but it is true-Lion works worse than 'Snow Leopard'.The system do not seems to be stable,the color spinning wheel appears almost on every task,apps crash etc...If I only knew,I would've wait a month or so.So,if you folks do not need the 'Lion' right now,just wait for a while....
I wonder what could be causing it for you. I have Lion on several machines, all working fine. Perhaps a visit to the Genius Bar to get things sorted out is in order?
I had this situation and it bothered me. I used Disk utility to repair permissions. Did so three times, which is my practice. It work. No spinning wheels. Report now says so issues.
A friend had a similar problem and this did not work for him. He had Disk Warrior on a CD. Ran it and now no problems.
Lion installed faster than I expected and flawlessley on my Early '09 MacPro. I off loaded the few remaining PowerMac apps - weren't using any of them - and everything is working as advertised in the WWDC keynote. Also, thanks for the trackpad Lion gestures - I've put the link on Safari's Reading List for future reference.
Lion is working great on my iMac (2010 model) no problem at all all Apps are running, no spinning wheel at all
I went to website and they no longer show basic macbook, has that been dis-continued?? My macbook pro is at it's end and don't need all the power
Yes. The white plastic MacBook has been discontinued. See the article. The MacBook Air (same price, more power and lighter) replaces it.
Sorry, didn't full article. But several apps, there is no way I can fit them all on AIR....unless I am missing something. I understand using external and cloud for data, but what about apps. Seems like i need to make big $ bump back pro to get space for apps
How do you figure that? I have a 128GB drive on my Air (and it goes up to 256GB). My 128GB is plenty for all the iLife and iWork apps. Plus Final Cut, plus Office 2011, plus a few Adobe apps. And I still have about 90GB left.
Oh, and the new MacBook Pro 13-inch is a pretty good one too. $1199 and you get 320GB drive, and an optical drive.
Got a new 13" MBP for my wife as sson as they came out in April and it is sweet! Wish I could have afforded one for myself.
Lion is running flawlessly on that one and my late '09 quad core i5 27" iMac. Can't wait for my Magic Touch Pad to arrive.
Hi Gary
iCal is missing the "attachments" functionality when I add an event. I believe it has been retained in Lion but not in my version! Have you got it visible on yours? Cannot find any option to switch it on or off.
Thanks
Juno
I never used that feature in previous versions of iCal. In Lion, you simply drag-and-drop a file into the event editor. Search for "attach" in the iCal help.