WWDC is done, and since we won’t see Lion until July and iCloud has just started to embrace us in its foggy mass, it’s time to start asking questions and put Apple’s announcements in perspective. Glenn Fleishman looks at the effect bandwidth caps may have on iCloud usage, and teams with Joe Kissell to list out questions we have regarding Lion’s purported reliance on the Mac App Store (no DVDs?). Glenn also suggests that many of Lion’s new features are meant to support not so much the exact interface of iOS, but the intent of iOS’s approach in moving on from the classic desktop interface. In other news, the iBookstore has finally come to iTunes, Guy Kawasaki will be keynoting MacTech Conference 2011, and Amazon has unveiled the Mac Downloads Store. Finally, Rich Mogull contributes a detailed explanation of just what “cloud computing” really entails — hint, it’s not simply that something is on the Internet.
In a quiet move, Apple has added the iBookstore to iTunes, so you can now browse for and purchase books from your Mac. But you still can’t read them on the Mac with any program from Apple; for that you’ll need to use iBooks on an iOS device or an independent application.
MacTech Magazine has announced that Guy Kawasaki will be keynoting the MacTech Conference 2011 in November.
In an unexpected move, Amazon has taken the wraps off the Mac Downloads Store. It doesn’t have the selection or integration of the Mac App Store, but Apple suddenly has some competition that didn’t exist before.
In the first glimpse of what iCloud will mean to Mac and iOS users, Apple has released iTunes 10.3 with a pair of new features: Automatic Downloads that ensures that all purchases appear on all your devices, and the long-awaited capability to re-download purchases.
Apple says Lion will be available only as a download from the Mac App Store. That leaves a lot of questions unanswered about installation for those who don’t have Snow Leopard installed or lack a high-speed Internet connection. Plus, what about reinstalling in case of problems?
iCloud’s synchronization features mean you’ll be moving much more data via 3G and Wi-Fi networks, and you’ll also be downloading Mac OS X Lion and iOS 5, along with their ongoing updates. Will you run afoul of fixed and mobile broadband monthly usage caps and overage fees? It’s too early to tell, but you’ll want to pay attention.
Is Lion a yawn or a roar? It depends on who you are. Apple’s upcoming update to Mac OS X gives long-time Mac users largely invisible changes, but offers a potentially compelling alternative to the classic desktop interface for new users or those who have never been comfortable with the desktop metaphor.
If you’ve wondered what “the cloud” or “cloud computing” is, Rich Mogull is here to explain what it’s all about and why it — and especially Apple’s iCloud — has the power to transform the world.
News surrounding Apple dominated our extracurricular reading this week, along with Adam’s WWDC-related appearance on the Tech Night Owl Live and a wiki tracking Mac OS X Lion application compatibility. Apple continues to stand up for iOS developers against Lodsys, and the company backed down on its excessive in-app subscription requirements. On the video side, be sure to see Steve Jobs’s presentation about Apple’s proposed new campus in Cupertino, complete with a futuristic headquarters.