Apple shows off new Mac OS X 10.7 (Codename Lion) features

Mac OS X Lion

Apple recently showcased its upcoming Mac OS X Lion as well as the new iLife '11during a special event held at its headquarters in Cupertino, California.

The much anticipated Lion is expected to ship next year and will feature a host of new features, many of which are inspired by the iPad.

Among the new features that Lion will have is the Mac App Store, an online store that functions just like the iOS App Store. Here, users will be able to discover new apps, purchase and install them, all through the store.

Apps can be purchased using an iTunes account and will be downloaded and installed all within one simple step, Apple said.

The Mac App Store will also act as a centralised location for app updates. Users will be able to purchase Mac applications such as iMovie, Pages, Keynote and Numbers through the store, it was announced.

The store will be available for Mac OS X Snow Leopard users within the next three months and will come bundled with Mac OS X Lion next year.

Other enhancements

Launchpad is another feature on Lion that houses all applications. The interface is similar to that of the iPad's home screen and it allows users to find applications by swiping through pages and even organise them by folders.

Another new feature in the Lion is that it will support full screen mode for all applications. This means that applications like iPhoto will take up the entire screen, reducing the clutter of multiple open windows and allow you to focus on using a single open application.

To allow users to easily navigate between different applications, Lion will have "Mission Control" that consolidates elements of Expose, the Dock and Dashboard all within a single interface.

This will give the user a full view of all open applications as well as widgets and applications running in full screen mode. They will then be able to navigate to any application they chose to use.

A new iLife

At the same event, Apple also announced the new iLife '11 suite of programs that include updated versions of iPhotos and iMovie.

iPhoto '11 has a new full screen mode for easy browsing, editing and showcasing your photos that can be organised by Faces, Places and Events.

It's all about sharing with the latest version of iPhoto as you will be able share photos via e-mail within the application and post them on your Facebook wall. You can also create enhanced slideshows that incorporate slick new effects and integrate data such as the GPS location to the slideshow.

Other new additions to the program include an integrated photo album that allows users to post and pull photos from their Facebook and Flickr account.

iMovie '11 has also received a major update that will give users the ability to create movie-style trailers with dynamic effects, letting you choose the type of graphics, titles and cinematic soundtrack used within the trailer.

Video editors will also gain advanced options like precise audio editing as well as the new People Finder feature that analyses videos and marks sections that contain single or multiple faces.

iLife '11 is available now and is priced at RM199.