14 DAY TRIAL // Apple’s iTunes page dedicated to the company’s keynote presentations has been updated to include the latest event which focuses on the Mac. Several Apple executives are featured in the hour-and-a-half long footage, including the company’s iconic CEO, Steve Jobs.
At the October 20 press event, Apple introduced several new products that should act as drivers for the continued success of its Macintosh computers, both from hardware and software standpoints.
On the hardware front, Apple introduced two brand-new versions of its lightweight MacBook Air, one boasting a 13.3-inch screen, the other an 11.6-inch screen.
While relatively low-specced, the systems start at $999, offering more value for a lower price compared to their predecessor, the original 13-inch MacBook Air.
Software-wise, Apple gave a sneak peek of their next-generation desktop operating system, Mac OS X Lion.
The Mac makers highlighted just a few of Lion’s noteworthy enhancements, such as the Launchpad, which acts as a new home for a user’s Mac apps, Full Screen viewing of running applications, Mission Control, which unifies several key functions that now live separately in Mac OS X (Exposé, Dashboard, and Spaces), and more.
In a nutshell, many of the benefits coming in Mac OS X Lion are said to be the brainchild of iOS and Mac OS merging their best graphical experiences.
Apple also released iLife 11, a major update to the company’s suite for creating, editing, and sharing multimedia files.
The suite offers:
- iPhoto ’11, which, according to Apple, “has has a whole new look, with stunning full screen modes for Faces, Places and Events”;
- iMovie ’11, “which makes it easier to edit videos and quickly transform them into fun theatrical trailers for easy posting online”
and...
- GarageBand ’11, “which introduces new ways to improve your playing and create great sounding songs with Flex Time and Groove Matching.”
Perhaps even more noteworthy was the announcement of FaceTime for Mac which, although is said to pose some security risks for those who leave their computers unattended, works extremely well between Macs, iPhones and iPod touches over a wireless Internet connection.
The software is currently in beta.
Finally, Apple was happy to introduce the Mac App Store, which should replicate the success of the iOS App Store, via an a-la-carte system of distributing and updating third-party applications for Mac OS X.
To watch Apple’s “Back to the Mac” October 20 event now, visit Apple’s Keynotes page here (iTunes link), or get direct access to the .mov file by visiting this address.
At the time of the original transmission, the only supported systems for watching the event were Macs and iOS devices. Now, the stream is universally available across all systems that can decode .mp4 or .mov files.