Wednesday, October 22, 2014

OSX 10.10, Yosemite.

Wow, Apple keeps inching OS X and iOS closer and closer together, and they keep incrementally making OS X (and iOS) better as well.  Where Microsoft failed at completely revamping Windows (8), Apple has hit a home-run with OS X 10.10 (Yosemite).  Now don't get to frightened, though the look of Yosemite is slightly different than Mavericks (it's a flatter look and feel, akin to iOS 8), the emphasizes translucency, more streamlined dock and toolbars, as well as smarter controls.

Yosemite brings improvements to most of the major Apple Apps.  From a new streamlined Safari toolbar and "Favorites" view, to numerous upgrades to the Mail app.  The Messages app now has the ability to send SMS messages (a first), which will allow you to keep track of all your messages from you iPhone (not just iMessages).

Apple is touting what they call "Continuity" as one of Yosemite's major breakthrough features.  The Handoff feature of Continuity allows you to begin something on one device and pick it up and complete it on another.  Another awesome feature of Continuity is the ability to answer phone calls on your Mac!  That's right, you can answer a call made to your iPhone right on your Mac.  All you need to do is make sure your Mac and iPhone are signed into the same iCloud account.  Then your Mac is able to grab the call (through iCloud).  Now your iPhone doesn't have to be tied to your hip, or glued to your hand...:).

Spotlight has been improved.  For starters, it looks and acts much more like a search engine now.  When you click the Magnifying glass icon (top right of your Mac), Spotlight Search now appears like this.  You get a search window in the middle of your Mac, start searching for something and the window expands nicely to show items that match your search.




The Mail App has some great new features.  Along with a cleaner design, the mail app now supports Markup, which allows users to annotate attachments directly from Mail, without having to open any other apps.  

Another fantastic new feature in Yosemite is iCloud drive.  Apple finally has successfully joined Google, Dropbox and other cloud vendors, vying to be your cloud drive of choice.  With iCloud drive Apple has a winner on its hands.  

Now you can easily move files to and from iCloud drive using Finder.  See below:


iCloud drive can also be accessed from iCloud.com (as well as your iOS device running iOS 8).  I have found it very easy to use, and love it's direct integration with Finder.

Those are just some of the awesome new features to come in Yosemite.  I will post additional info on Yosemite in the coming weeks.  

I'd love to hear your thoughts, what you like, even dislike.  I highly recommend downloading if you haven't, it doesn't take long, and is well worth it!

Until next time, best to you and your devices!







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