This will ensure all of your files, photos, and information will be smoothly transferred to the new system.
Apple also told us that Snow Leopard users migrating data to a new Mac with Lion should first grab the Migration Assistant update for Snow Leopard.
Once the installation is complete, your Mac will automatically restart and you'll be ready to start exploring Mac OS X Lion. All of your photos, documents, applications, and other saved files will be there when you're finished with the upgrade. Mac OS X Lion installs in place, so you won't need to create a separate disk or run the installation off an external drive. When the download is finished, the Mac OS X Lion installer appears in the Dock and launches automatically. The OS is about 4GB (approximately the size of a full-length film download), so depending on your connection, you may want to start the download before going to bed or leaving for work.
You will need to have an account with Apple via the Mac or iTunes Store in order to purchase Mac OS X Lion.
Start by running Software Update and check for Mac App Store updates-this is always a good practice before a major upgrade, to make sure you have the latest versions of Apple's core apps.įrom there, simply navigate to the Mac App Store in Snow Leopard, purchase the upgrade, and begin downloading.
Installation for Mac OS X Lion requires a couple of steps. Lion can only be downloaded via the Mac App Store, which was introduced with Snow Leopard. Priced at $29.99, the upgrade adds plenty to make it worthwhile for most Mac users, but those who do not have Snow Leopard will need to pay for that upgrade as well. Some are big interface changes, whereas others are smaller refinements with the clear aim of making certain actions easier. With this eighth major release of the big-cat OS, Apple is adding more than 250 features. This release of Mac OS X seems to be a reflection of Apple's successes in those categories.
Also, with Apple laptops and tablets now far outpacing desktop sales, Apple has moved from a primarily desktop computer company to embrace mobile computing. When Apple showed off Mac OS X Lion at the Worldwide Developers Conference keynote speech earlier this year, it was clear the company had paid attention to its successes with the popular iOS devices, and was now beginning to include successful iOS features in its flagship OS.
Featuring several interface enhancements and useful new features across all the core apps, Mac OS X Lion is an excellent update for the price. Apple should make the software generally available to the public around that time.The bottom line: Mac OS X Lion is definitely a worthy upgrade for all Intel Mac users. Lion will be featured at Apple’s June 6 WWDC 2011 keynote address. Other changes include the activated Reading List in Safari (complete with ‘eyeglasses’ button that sits in the bookmarks bar), a new animation when logging into desktop, new Reminders menu in iCal, a new 'next desktop' button in Dashboard, new options when right-clicking, and improved compatibility with external displays.Īccompanying Mac OS X 10.7 Developer Preview 3 was an updated version of Xcode (version 4.1 Developer Preview 5) with the same iOS SDK 4.3 included, but new OS dependencies. The updated Developer Preview 3 features a new Finder toolbar, including a button that allows a folder to be created in a specific location, and the ability to create Desktops or Spaces directly from Mission Control (which, by the way, is now a standalone app). Less than a month away from its scheduled debut, Mac OS X Lion now packs a total of 50 wallpapers, according to those who are actively testing the software for Apple. The wallpapers are entitled: Beach Bristle Grass Ducks on a Misty Pond Eagle & Waterfall Elephant Flamingos Floating Leaves Forest in Mist Isles Lake Lion Pink Forest Poppies and Red Bels.īy far the most impressive of the lot is the actual Lion wallpaper showing the elusive animal’s head in all its splendor.
There’s an actual Lion wallpaper in there too.īundled in a zip archive hosted at this address, the new wallpapers should look great on any nature lover's desktop. Mac OS X fans looking to give their desktop a Lion feeling can now do so by applying one of 14 brand new wallpapers included by Apple in OS X 10.7 Developer Preview 3.