14 DAY TRIAL // Apple is offering a beta of the Messages application to be included in OS X Mountain Lion this summer, allowing Lion users to test out the app with their iOS friends.
The developer preview of Mountain Lion released earlier today features the new Messages app which replaces iChat, currently found in Leopard, Snow Leopard, and Lion.
Messages stems from iOS and it allows you to send unlimited text messages, complete with high-quality photos and videos, directly from your Mac to another Mac or iOS device.
Messages supports IM protocols like AIM, Jabber, Yahoo! Messenger and Google Talk.
“Starting today Lion users can download a beta of Messages from www.apple.com, and the final version will be available with Mountain Lion,” Apple said in a press release.
At the time of writing, visiting http://www.apple.com/macosx/mountain-lion/messages-beta/ yielded the following message as we attempted to download the Messages beta:
“Our apologies but there was an unexpected error with the application. This problem has been noted, and an email has been sent to the administrators. Please check back in a few hours to try the download again.”
The Messages app should become available for download soon, pending Apple’s commitment to resolving this problem. To be noted that, as Apple announced availability of the Mountain Lion developer preview, a portion of the company’s Developer site was down.
Cupertino is still carrying maintenance to get all the Mountain Lion assets up on its distribution channels.
“Download Messages Beta and get a taste of what’s coming in OS X Mountain Lion,” says Apple. “When you install Messages, it replaces iChat. But iChat services will continue to work. And Messages brings iMessage to the Mac — just like on iPad, iPhone, and iPod touch running iOS 5,” the company explains.
Here's Apple touting the app's key features:
Here are the features you can expect with Messages: - Send unlimited iMessages to any Mac, iPad, iPhone, or iPod touch. - Start an iMessage conversation on your Mac and continue it on your iPad, iPhone, or iPod touch. - Send photos, videos, attachments, contacts, locations, and more. - Launch a FaceTime video call and bring the conversation face-to-face. - Messages supports iMessage, AIM, Yahoo!, Google Talk, and Jabber accounts.
The Cupertino giant notes in fine print that iOS 5 is required to receive iMessages on iPad, iPhone, and iPod touch, while Mac computers require Messages Beta and OS X Lion v10.7.3 to receive iMessages from iOS users.
Update: Messages download link from Softpedia: