14 DAY TRIAL // Mac OS X Lion is set to launch publicly this summer, packing an array of aesthetic enhancements blending the best-of-breed visual elements from iOS with those in Mac OS X.
One of the key visual enhancements in OS X Lion is the ability to run any supported application in full screen.
"Full Screen Apps", as Apple refers to the function, lets you see “the app and nothing but the app.”
In other words, the application you’re working with in full screen does away with its own window, as well as the “traffic light” buttons for closing, minimizing, and maximizing the view.
“On iPad, every app is displayed full screen, with no distractions, and there’s one easy way to get back to all your other apps,” Apple explains. “Mac OS X Lion does the same for your desktop.”
Users can make an apps’ window full screen with a single click.
Since the function aims to keep your view uncluttered, everything has to be done without ever leaving the full-screen experience. So Apple took care of that.
Switching to another app’s full-screen window is easily done by swiping your fingers on the trackpad, just like swiping through your applications on your iPhone’s home screen.
If you use an iMac, that Magic Trackpad you bought last year might just become useful thanks to Lion.
You can swipe back to the desktop to access your other apps as well.
The API that handles the Full Screen function has system wide support, which means third-party developers can take advantage of the technology to make their own apps behave the same.
Skim through the related links for more on OS X Lion’s exclusive features.