Mavericks Major New Features

OS X 10.9 Mavericks is Apple's latest desktop and laptop operating system.  Apple told us during their special event presentations that there will be over 200 new features.  We will be covering the 10 most important and useful features for you here.  Perhaps the most notable "feature" about this new operating system update is it is completely free!  I watched the Apple announcements and was amazed to hear they were not charging for this update.  The new Mavericks will run on any many Mac desktop and laptop computers made in Mid 2007 that can run Mountain Lion.

Now we will go through a list of the top 10 new Mavericks features.  Thanks to Apple for providing this information for us.

1. Safari browser - Shared Links in Sidebar shows links posted by people you follow on Twitter and LinkedIn so you can keep up with your favorite topics and you can retweet quickly if you want to do that.  Safari saves battery and processor power by turning off animations and plug-ins in windows that are covered up by another window on screen.  In the Top Sites screen, you can add sites from your bookmarks and easily reorganize the thumbnails.
2. Finder Tabs - Safari lets you have tabs to have access to multiple websites in one window and the Finder now lets you have the same thing.  Finder now lets you get a full screen view with a single click. 
3. Tags - Now you have a new way to organize your files by applying a personalized tag to them.  When you need those files later, they will all be organized under that name.
4. Maps - Directions you look up on your Mac can be sent to your iPhone. Clicking on points on the map will give you the address, phone number, website, photos and Yelp reviews.  Maps gives you Flyover, a 3D photo-realistic, completely interactive and entertaining view of some select cities around the world
5. Calendar - An iOS 7 like new look and new features make managing your time faster. The new event inspector suggests addresses and points of interest when you type in a location. It shows your event’s location so you can quickly get directions. It displays the weather and calculates travel time. You can set a notification so you know when to head out.
6. Interactive Notifications - Allows you to reply to a message, respond to or reject a FaceTime® call or delete an email, all without making you change what app you're working in. Websites can use notifications to give you the latest news, scores and more. While You Were Away Notifications lets you see notifications that happened while your Mac was sleeping.
7. Full multi-monitor support takes full advantage of monitors connected to your Mac.  Each monitor has its own menu bar, and the Dock shows up on whichever screen you’re working on. You can have a full-screen app on one monitor and a few windows on another monitor or a full‑screen app separately on each monitor. You can turn your HDTV into a second monitor with your Apple TV and AirPlay.
8. iBooks - Gives you access to your current iBooks library and more than 1.8 million textbooks, classics and latest best sellers in the iBooks store. iBooks works seamlessly across your devices, so you can start reading a book on your Mac, mark up what you're reading, then pick up where you left off on your iPad.
9. iCloud Keychain - safely stores your website login information, credit card numbers and Wi-Fi passwords and makes them available on all your devices so you never need to remember them. Information is always safely protected with advanced encryption.
10. New core technologies in Mavericks improves under the hood operations on your Mac. Timer Coalescing schedules low-level operations so the processor can spend more time in low-power mode. App Nap reduces power used by apps that you’re not using. Compressed Memory keeps your Mac fast by compressing inactive data. When inactive data is needed again, Mavericks decompresses it.
 

What are your thoughts about these new features in Mavericks?  Which features caught your attention?  Did you see any features you've been waiting for from Apple?

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Mac OSX Mavericks and How to Upgrade

Apple's newest version of Mac OSX was recently introduced at WWDC 2013. Although still in the beta stages, now is the perfect time to take a look at what this upgrade has to offer, how to install it on your Mac, and when it will be available to buy.

The newly named "Mavericks" is the 10th major release of the powerful OSX operating system, and reportedly offers more than 200 new features.  These new design features promise to make your life easier, run your Mac faster, and improve energy efficiency.

OSX Mavericks incorporates new power-saving innovations like Time Coalescing®, a new feature that groups together low-level operations of your Mac, enabling the CPU to run longer in a reduced-power state.  There is also the App Nap®, another new facet of the Mac OSX upgrade that is designed to focus on open applications you are not using. This makes it possible for your Mac to maintain speed and responsiveness by automatically compressing any inactive data when your system approaches memory capacity. Once you need the data again, however, it is available immediately.

In addition to increased battery life, the latest Mac OSX upgrade introduces iCloud Keychain®, a new security feature that provides safe storage of your WI-FI passwords, website login credentials, and yes, even your credit card information.  Your confidential data, while being securely protected by robust AES 256 bit encryption, is automatically shared with your Mac, and all of your approved devices.

There are many other groundbreaking additions to Mavericks, including iBooks®, a feature that provides immediate access to your iBooks library, as well as any new titles in the iBooks Store. Conveniently, iBooks also automatically bookmarks the last page you read.   There is an enhanced multi-display support, and the newly offered Maps, complete with 3D view, interactive Flyover™, and razor-sharp graphics.  The new Safari browser is more powerful, more stable, and offers even more advanced features. If you like the new updates, you can begin planning your upgrade now.

When considering any upgrade, it is important to note that you must always check the system requirements first. Once you understand the specifications, carefully compare them to what you already have, and verify the current OSX version your Mac is running.  This is necessary, because if you missed a previous upgrade, you will need to bring your system current before continuing on to the Mavericks release.

To locate your current OSX, select the apple icon from the top left of your screen, then click on "About This Mac" from the drop down menu to find your version.

Once you have your OSX details, simply visit Apple's website (once Mavericks is available for sale) for specific upgrade instructions.  The process should be similar to past upgrades where you can purchase them through the Mac app store.  I like the fact you only have to purchase one upgrade for multiple computers.  Most importantly, remember to back up all of your data, and be sure you have all of your application CD's before you start.

The preview of Mavericks OSX is available now to all members of the Mac Developer program.  All other Mac users can purchase the new Mavericks Mac OSX upgrade in the Fall of 2013.

What do you think about OSX Mavericks?  Are you ready to upgrade?

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