Apple is officially making Messages for OS X a Mountain Lion only feature. On Friday, the company sent out emails to its customers that they would be discontinuing the Messages Beta program for Lion on December 14th, 2012. The Messages Beta program allowed users of OS X Lion to download and try out Messages on their Macs, syncing all iMessages on the user’s iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch to their Mac.

Dear [User],

The Messages Beta program for Lion will end on Friday, December 14, 2012. We hope you’ve enjoyed the opportunity to preview Messages.

If you’d like to continue using Messages, upgrade to OS X Mountain Lion from the Mac App Store. Messages is one of many great new apps and features built right into OS X Mountain Lion. Learn More.

Thank you for your participation in the Messages Beta program.

The email notes that current users of Mac OS X Lion that are looking to continue using iMessages on their Mac must upgrade to OS X Mountain Lion which is available for $19.99 on the Mac App Store [Direct Link]. It is possible that some users will be unable to upgrade to Mountain Lion because of hardware requirements that the software requires.

Apple launched iMessages earlier this year as a replacement for iChat, which also had the ability to run third party chat clients such as AIM and Google Chat. iMessages after December 14th will be strictly for Mountain Lion and future OS X updates, as well as the for the iPhone, iPod Touch, and iPad.

{Via MacRumors}

On Monday, Apple seeded the Golden Master (GM) version of OS X Mountain Lion to developers and is now accepting app submissions for the Mac App Store. The apps are to be tailored for OS X Mountain Lion and will ensure that both new and old apps run seamlessly on Mac computers after they are downloaded from the App Store.

Apple sent out an email to all developers, reminding them that they can now download the Golden Master seed on the Mac Dev Center and that they can now submit apps to take advantage of the new features in the update. The email from Apple to registered developers in part, went as follows:

Make sure your apps take advantage of the great new features in OS X Mountain Lion when the world’s most advanced operating system ships to millions of customers worldwide. Download OS X Mountain Lion GM seed and Xcode 4.4 GM seed, now available on the Mac Dev Center. Build your apps with these latest seeds, then test and submit for review.

You can also submit iOS apps that take advantage of the new cross-platform Game Center Groups, so they’ll be available when OS X Mountain Lion ships.

Although the Golden Master version is only available to developers now, the final version will be available in the Mac App Store later this July for only $19.99, down from the $29.99 Apple charged for Mac OS X Lion.

{via MacRumors}

Many claims of an ARM based MacBook Air have been floating around the web since early last year, suggesting that Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) is looking to move away from Intel’s processors to something a little bit more unorthodox in desktop and laptop computers.

The ARM processor is the same one used in AAPL’s current iPhone 4S and iPad 2, which use far less power than the average processor and handles memory and app switching without many glitches or errors.

The ARM processor in next Macbook Air could possibly reduce power-requirements, but could experience a severe drop in computing power. CNet reported on a recent interview with Tim Cook and CFO Peter Oppenheimer on Thursday by Citigroup analyst Richard Gardner who addressed the issue regarding an ARM based Macbook Air.

Tim Cook reiterated his view that rapid innovation on the iOS platform (and mobile OS platforms in general) will significantly broaden the use case for tablets, eventually pushing annual tablet volumes above those of traditional PCs. We have wondered whether Apple might offer an ARM-based version of MacBook Air at some point; we walked away from this meeting with the impression that Apple feels iPad satisfies–or will soon satisfy–the needs of those who might have been interested in such a product.

With Gardner’s claims gaining attention around the web and his meetings with Apple executives being taken very seriously, it is safe to say that the iPad will eventually evolve and adapt to handle many functions that the proposed ARM based Macbook Air could.

Rumors since early last year have suggested that the iPad will be gaining a significant upgrade in the coming months. The iPad 3 is expected to receive a higher resolution display, a new A6 chip, and better cameras and is slated for release later this year.

Apple has just released the first maintenance update for Mac OS X Lion. The 10.7.1 update includes general fixes that enhance the stability and compatibility of your Mac running OS X Lion.

The update is available via software update and is 17.4 MB in size. According to the release notes the update fixes issues related to system becoming unresponsive when playing video in safari, resolves issue that may cause system audio to stop working when using HDMI, improves reliability of WiFi connections and resolves issues with transfer of data.

The 10.7.1 update is recommended for all users running OS X Lion and includes general operating system fixes that enhance the stability and compatibility of your Mac, including fixes that:

• Address an issue that may cause the system to become unresponsive when playing a video in Safari
• Resolve an issue that may cause system audio to stop working when using HDMI or optical audio out
• Improve the reliability of Wi-Fi connections
• Resolve an issue that prevents transfer of your data, settings, and compatible applications to a new Mac running OS X Lion

For detailed information on this update, please visit this website: http://support.apple.com/kb/HT4764.

Once you download and install the update you would need to restart the system for the changes to take place.

Were you experiencing any WiFi or audio related issues? Did the update resolve the issue? Let us know in the comments below.

Registered developers can download iOS 5 beta 5 from Apple’s developer portal or update their devices over the air. However, the OTA update can only be performed after deleting all content and settings from the device. Once the device as been wiped the update will automatically start downloading. Apple has made update size much smaller as OTA updates are delta updates.

To install iOS 5 beta 5 using over the air software update, you must first erase all content and settings on your device by choosing Settings > General > Reset > Erase All Content and Settings. Over the air software update can be initiated on devices running iOS 5 beta 3 and later by choosing Settings > General > Software Update.

Be sure to backup your devices using iTunes 10.5 beta 4 or through iCloud backup prior to installing iOS 5 beta 5. After installing iOS 5 beta 5, you can restore your device using either iTunes 10.5 beta 5 or through your iCloud backup.

Apple has simplified much of it’s software offerings. First, with Mac OS X Lion install discs being scrapped and replaced with the Mac App Store, and now with the iOS betas. Apple is preparing to cut the chord as it switches to independent software downloads, moving away from discs or a computer.

iOS 5 beta 5 seems much more responsive and snappier than beta 4 but breaks compatibility with some apps which were working in beta 4. The final version is expected to be available as free download later this fall.

Find My Mac, one of the features in Apple’s iCloud service went live for developers today as part of the beta testing. The service was added to the Developer Preview 4 that was released following Apple’s annual WWDC Conference. Find My Mac is essentially Find My iPhone on a larger platform and operates the same way.

Find My iPhone relies on GPS signals in order to locate a missing iPhone. The iPod, however, relies on the device to connect to a WiFi network. Through the WiFi connection, the user can then locate the missing device from the web or another iOS device. Find My Mac uses the same process in order to locate missing Macs and relies on the WiFi connection.

If a Mac is located using Find My Mac, users can send a message, remotely lock the screen, or even wipe out the entire hard drive on their Mac. Find My Mac is expected to be released to the public with the final release of iCloud this Fall and may be integrated into the Find My iPhone application and eventually iOS 5.

{via MacRumors}

Apple on Monday launched iCloud.com and the iWork beta for developers. The iCloud.com login screen is also identical to the one seen just before the iCloud announcement. This is one of the three major updates announced at Apple’s WWDC 2011 event, highlighting iOS 5, Mac OS X Lion, and iCloud.

Reports from users and developers alike say that some have had trouble logging in while others are having a seamless experience with the service. Apple launched the two betas in order to work out the kinks for final release.

Apple is strengthening it’s mobile devices with every software update, moving away from a desktop computer and making the iPad, iPhone, and the iPod touch as independent as possible.

iWork for iOS, iOS 5, and iCloud are the three features working together in order for the iDevices to gain their independence. Apple has not yet announced a formal release date for iCloud or iWork for iOS, but looking at the release of the betas, we can assume that they will be released in late August or early September time frame.

{via MacRumors}

According to a new report published by MacRumors Apple could be working on a 15 inch ultra-thin MacBook Pro model. While the report is not clear whether it would be branded as MacBook Air or MacBook Pro; TUAW claims that it would most probably be a Pro version.

MacBook Air has been a huge success for Apple and the product lineup has been evolving well in terms of price and features. The latest models feature the new Sandy Bridge chips, Thunderbolt technology and even a backlit keyboard. Air is a perfect product for anyone who considers “portability” the most important factor when selecting a notebook.

MacBook Pro models were updated in February to feature new chip and thunderbolt technology too however, the overall design hasn’t seen any changes since the introduction of unibody MacBooks.

Apple has always tried to make its next gen products thinner and more efficient than its predecessor. So, how will Apple change the MacBook Pro lineup? It’s not very hard to guess that the next gen MacBook Pro models could leave behind the optical drive and include flash based memory. This will allow Apple to considerably reduce the thickness and weight of the notebook and even give better performance in tasks like start up and waking from sleep.

MacBook Air now has a large install base and users love the product even though it lacks an optical drive. It’s widely known that Apple considers Air to be the future of MacBooks. As software distribution has become digital for the Mac with Mac App Store and we already buy or download songs from online stores the need for optical drives is greatly declining.

Considering the fact that Air is a successful product it’s very easy to imagine that MacBook Pro without an optical drive wouldn’t be a huge problem. It’s also important to consider that Apple wants to address the “mass audience” and most people would probably have no issues without an optical drive.

With Mac OS X Lion, iCloud and iOS 5 Apple is paving the way for a true digital world where our dependency on physical media is continuing to reduce. Of course MacBook Pro would be able to borrow optical drives of your iMac or you could get an external optical drive.

The new ultra-thin MacBook Pro model could finally bridge the gap between extreme portability and power. Apple can once again prove that thinner, lighter doesn’t mean less-powerful machines and they have already done that with the iPad 2. The new iPad is 33% thinner but still packs in the dual-core A5 chip, two cameras and a gyroscope.

What do you think about the ultra thin MacBook Pro? Would you consider buying a “Pro” product without an optical drive? Let us know what you think in the comments below.

Many software packages from 3rd party developers are released on the Mac App Store everyday and Apple is trying to take advantage of that. Apple mentioned that boxed software takes up a large amount of shelf space in the company’s retail stores, and software is less profitable than devices like the iPhone or iPad.

Apple also reduced it’s suite of games available in stores, cutting down over 32 games to only 8 and removed some products from its stores to clear shelf space, including printers and scanners. Hardware products are still available upon request, but softwares will be available entirely on the Mac App Store.

Apple seems to be taking it’s products in another direction, removing anything extraneous from it’s lineup and focusing specifically on the product itself. One move earlier in the year, that defined this change was the introduction of Wireless Syncing to iTunes from an iOS device. Changes such as these are putting Apple on a new landscape and strengthening it’s iOS App Store, Mac App Store, and ultimately their products. Other boxed software packages being removed are:

MC171 Apple Remote Desktop 3.3 10 Managed Systems
MC172 Apple Remote Desktop 3.3 Unlimited Managed Systems
D4222 Xsan 2 VL 10+
D4223 Xsan 2 VL 10+ EDU INST
MC186 Xsan 2 Single License
MC189 Xsan 2 Media Set
D2977 Xsan 2 MAINT 36 MOS SINGLE
D3132 Xsan 2 MAINT 36 MOS SINGLE EDU INST
D2966 Xsan 2 MAINT 36 MOS 10+
D3133 Xsan 2 MAINT 36 MOS 10+ EDU INST
MB957 Aperture 3 Retail
MC455 Aperture 3 ZU Retail
MB959 Aperture 3 Upgrade
MC456 Aperture 3 ZU Upgrade
D4855 APERTURE 3 TRIAL ACTIV KEY RETAIL
D4857 APERTURE 3 TRIAL UPGRADE ACTIV KEY
MC623 iLife ’11 Retail
MC625 iLife ’11 Family Pack

{via AppleInsider}

A report from The Financial Times today mentioned that Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) has surpassed Nokia to claim the spot for world’s top smartphone vendor. Apple Inc. experienced rapid growth with the introduction of it’s iPhone 4 while Nokia experienced a sharp decrease in manufacturing and production.

AAPL had the ability to close out a 5.5 million unit deficit during the first quarter and turn it into a 3.6 million unit lead in the second quarter. Apple’s 3rd quarter also produced sufficient results and suggests that Apple may be holding this spot for a long time.

Shipments of Nokia smartphones declined by 34 per cent to 16.7m units, compared with the 20.3m iPhones shipped by Apple in its second quarter.

Apple was already the biggest smartphone maker by revenue and profits, but the April-June period marked the first time it had surpassed Nokia in volume.

Nokia and Research in Motion used to be two of the biggest cell phone manufacturers in the world, but failed to hold out after Apple topped RIM in Global shipments during the 3rd quarter of 2010. With this news coming at the beginning of the 4th quarter of 2011 and the introduction of Mac OS X Lion, Apple can expect huge growth in sales of shipments.

Apple has faced competition from Android and HTC, although Apple still remains number one due to Android phones being shipped by more than one manufacturer. Both Android and HTC have shipped about half the number of phones globally when compared with Apple. Android has experienced major growth over the last year, but is still behind in terms of shipment volumes. Apple has yet to formally announce this new achievement.

Last week, rumors and reports from various sources suggested that Apple would be releasing an updated Macbook Air with a faster processor and integrated Thunderbolt technology. On Wednesday, Apple did exactly that and released new Macbook Air models with Sandy Bridge chips from Intel, thunderbolt ports and Mac OS X Lion preinstalled.

The latest Sandy Bridge chips are also included in the new Mac Mini, also introduced today. Both the Macbook Air as well as the Mac Mini retain their original design but get major internal changes as they now support Bluetooth 4.0, a new specification that offers ultra low-power data transfer and has the ability to open the Macs to a variety of new wireless peripheral devices.

Apple also brought back the Backlit keyboard to the Macbook Air, a feature that was in the original but was removed in the Fall 2010 refresh. The Macbook Air and new Mac Mini will be shipping with Mac OS X Lion pre-installed, which also released today alongside the new hardware.

“Portable, affordable and powerful, MacBook Air is the ultimate everyday notebook,” said Philip Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Product Marketing. “MacBook Air features our most advanced technology and is an ideal match for Lion, especially with its new Multi-Touch gestures, full-screen apps, Mission Control and Mac App Store.”

The new Macs join the Macbook Pro with Thunderbolt technology and have the ability to hook up to Apple’s new LCD display

Apple has truly stepped up the game in terms of affordable, portable, and powerful with the latest iterations of the Macbook Air, Mac Mini, and the driving force behind them, Mac OS X Lion.

{via MacRumors}

The wait is over! Apple today launched Mac OS X Lion worldwide and the download is available exclusively from Mac App Store. OS X Lion can be purchased for $29.99 and according to Apple it is “world’s most advanced desktop operating system.”

The latest release is 10.7 version of the Mac OS X which brings more than 250 new features to your Mac. Apple has been highlighting some of the new features of Lion which include multi-touch gestures, launchpad, versions, new Mail app and much more that make Macs more intuitive and powerful than ever before.

Tap, swipe, and scroll your way through your apps using fluid Multi-Touch gestures that make everything you do feel more natural and direct. Full-screen apps take advantage of every pixel of your display — perfect for reading email, surfing the web, or browsing photos. Launchpad gives you instant access to all the apps on your Mac in a stunning new layout where you can quickly find any app and open it with a single click.

Apple during ‘Back to the Mac’ event shared that they were inspired by the advancements made with the iPad and aimed to bring the intuitiveness of the iOS to OS X. The company chose to make the software upgrade available only on the Mac App Store while dropping support for physical drives. Even the volume sales customers will need to download Lion from Apple’s digital store for Mac apps.

The download is 3.74GB in size and could take a couple of hours if you’re on a slow connection. It is advisable for you to contact the local Apple retail store as they could be allowing customers to download the software upgrade while in the store and also assisting during the upgrade process.

Have you already installed Mac OS X Lion? Was the upgrade a smooth process? Share your experience in the comments below.

Apple (AAPL) reported a growth in sales over last quarter with over 3.95 million Macintosh computers during the quarter, an increase of 14%, 3.34 iPhone units shipped, and 7.54 million iPods during the quarter, a 20% decline overall.

Apple also sold 9.25 million iPads during the quarter, boosting sales and increasing demand for their product. Apple is also expected to add new hardware to their Mac lineup tomorrow, alongside the release of Mac OS X Lion.

“We’re thrilled to deliver our best quarter ever, with revenue up 82 percent and profits up 125 percent,” said Steve Jobs, Apple’s CEO. “Right now, we’re very focused and excited about bringing iOS 5 and iCloud to our users this fall.”

Apple’s expected revenue for the fourth quarter of 2011 is expected to be $25 billion and earnings per diluted share of $5.50. So far, Apple’s revenue is being led by the iPhone, followed by iPad sales. iPod sales have decreased sharply, with 50% of iPod sales being from the iPod touch alone.

Apple is still pushing ahead and staying ahead of the game. Let’s wait and see what they have in store for Mac OS X Lion and new hardware tomorrow. Stay tuned, we’ll keep you updated.

Italian website, Macitynet.it revealed that promotional materials for ‘Mac OS X Lion’ have begun appearing in third-party retail stores. Retail chain Euronics has begun displaying images of banners advertising features of Mac OS X Lion. The new signs advertise OS X Lion as being “now on all new Macs” and prompts users to “take a tour” of the new operating system. However, even with the new banners up, the devices in retail stores have not yet been updated.

Mac OS X Lion has been rumored for release this Wednesday and may make an appearance on all new hardware introduced. Lion is being prepped for release through many promotional outlets, including Gift Cards that advertise the download of OS X Lion. Other sources have indicated that Apple’s retail stores are planning overnight shifts tonight, where staff will be responsible for changing promotional materials and updating other aspects of the store layouts.

Rumors released this week have also suggested that Apple Retail Stores have received hard drives in order to update all computers in store to Mac OS X Lion. Apple has not yet hinted as to when Mac OS X Lion would officially be released. Mac OS X Lion is pegged for release tomorrow and will likely be revealed alongside new hardware, including a Macbook Pro, New MacBook Air and Mac Mini.

Are you going to upgrade to Mac OS X Lion? Do you think it will be released tomorrow?

{via MacRumors}

According to people with proven track records who would be in a position to know, the new product launches are set to occur later this week. Specifically, one person said the products would be released on Wednesday at 8:30 a.m. Eastern.

Rumors have also suggested that the new MacBook Air models will contain a minimum of 128 GB solid state drives and 4 GB of RAM, and will also include a return of the backlit keyboard. This will allow Apple to continue their push for more reliable and feature rich portable products.

Apple has also been rumoured introduce new Mac mini and an updated LED Cinema Display. Apple has yet to announce any updates on new products and has not yet updated their website to reflect any new information about Mac OS X Lion or any other hardware refreshes. Stay tuned, we’ll keep you updated.

{via MacRumors}

The web has been abuzz with rumours of new Macbook Air and Mac Pro models. With newly released images on Apple’s website, and some clearing up of part numbers, it is clear that the part number for the Macbook, is actually a part number for a Thunderbolt LED Display.

MacRumors spotted images of the display on Apple’s Online Store, and identified it in the URL as the “MC914″ part that had been previously thought to be a new MacBook.

The display looks identical to those on sale available online and in retail stores, however, the screen depicts promotional images of Mac OS X Lion. The MiniDisplay Port on the back of the LED display will be replaced with a Thunderbolt port and will support up to two displays on one Macbook, enabled with Thunderbolt.

A number of images have also been released, revealing details about Apple’s hardware plans. In the gallery images, a Mac Mini is hooked up to a new LED display, confirming that any new Mac Mini hardware will possibly retain the same form factor. The Mac Pro in the images also shows the same hardware design, although it was rumored to feature a redesign. Apple will continue to use images of the old Mac Pro in promotional galleries, until they update the Mac line and redesign the Mac Pro.

Apple has yet to formally release a statement on any of the promotional images, hardware redesigns, Thunderbolt technology in the LED display, or prices.

Would you buy an LED Display with Thunderbolt technology? Do you think it is worth the money to upgrade?

{via MacRumors}

With the introduction of the 2010 Macbook Air models, Apple scrapped the backlit keyboards in order to make the device more affordable. The backlit keyboard will reportedly be making a return to the new 2011 MacBook Air, pegged for a Summer 2011 time frame.

A report from AppleInsider mentions that Apple is planning to bring back the back lit keyboards in the imminent refresh.

According to people familiar with the matter, back lit keyboards will join the string of hardware enhancements planned for the new 11.6- and 13.3-inch notebooks, which are also expected to adopt high-speed Thunderbolt ports, an upgrade to Intel’s Sandy Bridge architecture, and possibly high-speed 400MBps flash memory.

With devices like the Macbook Air, Apple customers are consistently looking for improvement, and more features. Users want a reason to upgrade to the latest iteration of the device. Apple knows this, and is giving them what they want. The backlit keyboard gives illumination to the keyboard in the dark and adjusts to the ambient lighting in the room. The feature is currently available in Apple’s Macbook Pro models, the higher end of the MacBook line.

Part numbers of new Macbook Air models have already been released, and Apple has yet to refresh the online store or announce any event. Apple is likely waiting for the release of Mac OS X Lion in order to release the Macbook Airs as a packaged deal.

{via MacRumors}

Reports have been around since early last week that Apple may be prepping its Apple retail stores in order to release Mac OS X Lion later this week. A report from 9to5Mac mentions that Apple is preparing it’s employees for such an event in the stores and to be ready to assist customers with questions they may have. Rumours have pegged Mac OS X Lion for a July 13th release which is usually not Apple-like in terms of major software upgrades.

We’ve heard from a few overseas sources that Apple Retail stores are planning ‘overnights’ on July 13th. Overnights are generally where Apple refreshes store displays and trains up management on new products. Sometimes it is big stuff and sometimes it is insignificant (at least to us).

AppleInsider also reported that there are overnights scheduled for the release and that Apple Store employees are being told to have the RAM upgraded on all Macs in the store, possibly preparing for the imminent July release. Apple is releasing Mac OS X Lion in the Mac App Store, which will be available for $29. This will make it easier for users who do not have an Apple Store in their area and are looking to upgrade.

Apple, alongside the release of Mac OS X Lion may also refresh the Mac mini, MacBook Air and the Mac Pro which are due for refreshes. Apple Store employees may also be urged to extend hours and curb vacations in preparation for the release. Stay tuned, we’ll keep you updated on Mac OS X Lion.

{via MacRumors}

Apple on Friday released ‘Mac OS X Lion’ GM seed to developers and a new boot screen has been revealed which features “Scrolling in Lion” that explains new gestures for Apple’s Magic Trackpad and Magic Mouse. After the initial setup the software no longer plays the Welcome video which used to play on Leopard and Snow Leopard upon installation.

Taking away small things such as a Welcome video may actually be a big deal to those who are fond of Apple’s personal connection to it’s customers. The Welcome video was almost like a symbol that displayed the wide variety of users out in the world. The Welcome video featured the word “Welcome” in numerous languages and played along with “Exodus Honey” by Honeycut.

It is unclear whether a new Welcome video will be added at the last minute as there are usually last minute decisions made by Apple on small components of Mac OS X upon final release, usually in Fonts, hue of text and buttons, and shape of buttons. The Welcome video just may be one of these decisions. In it’s place in the Golden Master seed is a Multi-Touch scrolling window that opens up SetUp Assistant upon installation. It offers users a chance to see a glimpse at the enhanced Multi-Touch features included in the new operating system.

The text and image in the window for Multi-Touch scrolling is dependent upon device being used, and has the ability to switch between the Magic Mouse or built-in trackpad. The small details in OS X is what makes it a solid and ultimately reliable OS. Mac OS X Lion is set for a public release later this month and will be available exclusively through the Mac App Store for $29.99.

{via MacRumors}

Earlier in the week, it was rumored that Apple was prepping to release a new Mac OS X build to the public. Apple on Thursday followed through and released Mac OS X 10.6.8 which helped patch a number of issues and minor improvements in the OS.

This is expected to be the last build released for Snow Leopard before the public release of Mac OS X Lion; Apple’s next major update for the Mac. The last update was released in late March and since then has stayed relatively the same. The release notes mention that the new build enhances Mac App Store so that your Mac is ready for OS X Lion.

The 10.6.8 update is recommended for all users running Mac OS X Snow Leopard and includes general operating system fixes that enhance the stability, compatibility, and security of your Mac, including fixes that:

– Enhance the Mac App Store to get your Mac ready to upgrade to Mac OS X Lion
– Resolve an issue that may cause Preview to unexpectedly quit
– Improve support for IPv6
– Improve VPN reliability
– Identify and remove known variants of Mac Defender

For detailed information on this update, please visit this website:http://support.apple.com/kb/HT4561.
For information on the security content of this update, please visit:http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1222.

Mac App Store will be the only way to upgrade to Lion as Apple has decided to discontinue software DVD’s. This would enable people to get the update easily, however they would need to be prepared for 4GB of download.

The public release, issued for Snow Leopard, was the same build, Build 10K540, released to developers earlier this month. Apple has yet to announce a specific date for the release of Max OS X Lion, which is pegged for a release in July.

{via MacRumors}

Apple has taken the next leap in digital space with Mac OS X Lion being offered only via Mac App Store. The company has been incredibly successful with its store for iOS apps and now it seems that they are all geared up to take the store for Mac Apps to a new level.

Apple recently offered some clarity on the upgrade process for education and corporate customers who mostly purchase volume licenses. The thought of downloading Lion on each system and setting up different Apple ID’s raised some concerns for the IT department. However, Apple seems to have all worked out with a very easy way for its customers.

By making Lion available only from Mac App Store Apple aims to encourage more and more people to use its store for buying their favorite software. Of course users with limited bandwidth and slow broadband connections might not like waiting for the 4GB download but that’s the only way they can upgrade their Macs.

Business customers will be able to purchase Lion by contacting Apple via phone or through the Business Store for $29.99 per license with a minimum requirement of 20 licenses. Education customers can either contact Apple directly or their Apple Education Account Representatives or the Education Store. The education license is priced at $39 and includes iLife and iWork too but the minimum license requirement would be 25 in number.

Once volume license customers have purchased Lion they will get a redeem code which can be redeemed in the Mac App Store. Once the code is redeemed the Lion installer will be downloaded in the Applications folder and also appear on the Dock. Users are advised not to install Lion but locate the Install Mac OS X Lion application in the folder and copy it on all the systems which need to be upgraded. This completely eliminates the need to boot from an external disk and administrators would also be able to use System Image Utility in OS X Lion Server to create a NetInstall or NetRestore Image.

Software updates will continue to be provided via Software Update for OS X Lion so that customers don’t have to create separate Apple ID’s for each system.

{via TUAW}

Apple just announced at their annual WWDC conference that the Mac App Store, previously downloadable will be built in to Mac OS X Lion. Apple also announced that the Mac App Store will now be a feature part of Lion and will allow In-app purchases to be downloaded directly to the app.

Apple also featured something called LaunchPad, which is initiated using a gesture to show an iOS-like display of icons you can page through as well as push notifications which will allow apps to be stored in folders.

This will make the Mac App Store very similar to an iOS interface. Another feature, Resume, instantly resume where you were in an application after you quit it and even works system wide, so that when you reboot all of your windows and apps return how they were. This makes the security of the Mac App Store much more stable and allows users to download applications to their Mac with ease, something that was a painstaking process in Snow Leopard.

Apple has also decided to taking a different move for Mac OS X this year and now allows users to download the entire software from the Mac App Store, instead of an install disc. This makes it much easier for users to purchase and transfer files, and hinders pirating of software install discs.

{image via Engadget}

Apple’s WWDC 2011 keynote just as expected focussed on software updates and cloud based services. Apple gave us an overview of Mac OS X Lion, announced iOS 5 and finally unveiled the upcoming cloud based service cloud iCloud. You can now stream the video online on Apple’s website (link at the bottom).

Mac OS X Lion will be available for purchase from the Mac App Store for $29.99 in July and iOS 5 is expected to be available this fall. iCloud is closely tied to the new software update and will provide seamless syncing between devices and the content you access most often.

It was widely believed that iOS 5 will introduce revamped notifications and include system wide Twitter integration and that’s exactly what Apple did. In addition to these the Cupertino based company has introduced iMessage (think BBM for iOS devices) which will allow you send text messages, photos videos, contacts and more to your friends and family who own an iOS device.

Apple has greatly improved the camera app and also introduced two new iOS apps called Newsstand and Reminders. One of the best features about iOS 5 is that now you’ll be able to wirelessly sync your devices with Mac or PC so no more using the same old USB cable.

There was no announcement related to new hardware so no iPhone 5 / 4S during this years WWDC keynote event.

Head over to Apple.com to stream the WWDC keynote event and let us know what you think about iOS 5 and iCloud.

Apple’s annual Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC 2011) will kick off today with a keynote presentation by Apple CEO Steve Jobs. Touch Reviews will be bringing you the All-in-One live feed of the keynote so you can sit back and know what’s the latest without refreshing this page.

During today’s WWDC live keynote event Apple will provide us with an update on Mac OS X Lion availability, preview iOS 5 and announce iCloud. If you were expecting iPhone 5 / 4S announcement then you might just be disappointed as the company is expected to focus on software updates.

The next gen software update for iOS devices is widely believed to revamp the notification system, introduce Twitter integration and widgets. iCloud, Apple’s upcoming cloud based service is expected to allow users to upload and stream music they’ve purchased from iTunes and could be expanded to host movies and TV shows in the coming months.

You’ll be able to download and stream the keynote soon after the event. What are your expectations from this years event? Let us know in the comments section.

Check back soon for the live coverage.

07:00AM – Hawaii
10:00AM – Pacific
11:00AM – Mountain
12:00PM – Central
01:00PM – Eastern
06:00PM – London
07:00PM – Paris
09:00PM – Moscow
02:00AM – Tokyo (June 7th)

You don’t need to refresh this page! Live updates will appear below:

WWDC 2011 is now just an hour away, and we’re confident that this year’s event is going to be huge. Apple has already confirmed that CEO Steve Jobs will be back to present the keynote, which promises to lift the lid on the much-anticipated iCloud streaming service, the next major release of iOS, Mac OS X Lion, and maybe – just maybe – a fifth-generation iPhone.

If you’re not already incredibly excited, here’s our expectation’s for WWDC 2011:

iCloud

We believe iCloud will take over MobileMe and deliver a much-needed revamp to this mediocre service. It will maintain the current MobileMe features, such as email, calendars & contacts, and online file storage – which will all be offered free as opposed to the existing $99 per year subscription fee – but the biggest element of iCloud will be its music services.

As we’re already aware, Apple has been working with the major music labels to negotiate deals that will enable us to stream our music library to our iOS devices from the cloud. Instead of keeping thousands of storing tracks locally on our devices, we can instead stream them over Wi-Fi and 3G and save valuable storage space.

Some believe iCloud will also offer over-the-air syncing for our iOS and Mac OS X devices. Instead of having to tether our devices to our computers on a regular basis, we can just back them up to the cloud. When we create and save important documents on our Macs & PCs, we will be able to access them instantly from our iOS devices – and vice versa – thanks to iCloud.

iOS 5

This is the big one for me. Although iOS is a magnificent operating system, and way ahead of its rivals in many aspects, some of its features are desperately in need of an update. First of all, there’s notifications: no longer will we have to put up with those intrusive, unhelpful notifications many of us have come to loathe in iOS 4. A new notification system will be introduced that I hope will be a little more subtle and a whole lot more interactive. Though it’s unclear how the new notification system will be designed, I’m sure it will be significantly different than what’s currently in place.

Home screen widgets are also expected to be introduced with iOS 5. These will be ‘mini apps’ that stick to our home screens and remain open for as long as we want them to, providing us with a plethora of features and functions ‘at a glance’. For example, home screen widgets will allow you to view in-depth weather forecasts, control your iPod music, view your Twitter timeline or Facebook news feed, and read your RSS feeds – without having to open a single app.

iOS 5 could also feature social networking integration. Twitter is already rumored to be heavily integrated into the OS, enabling us to upload photos and sent out tweets without a dedicated Twitter application, but unfortunately details a sparse right now. My guess is that if these features are there for Twitter, they’ll also be there for Facebook.

In addition to these new features, there will also be some smaller changes that will make the iOS experience a whole lot greater. Over-the-air iTunes syncing, subtle changes to the UI, and better home screen folder management.

Mac OS X Lion

Apple has already lifted the lid on most of Lion’s new features, and the Lion beta is almost at gold master, so we don’t think Apple will announce anything new – though we will probably receive a release date. Some are speculating that Lion will go live in the Mac App Store today.