Daryl Baxter.

Mountain Lion.

Today the latest version of Mac OS X is released. 10.8, the first version i’ve missed out on in 6 years, and also the one that is driving further down the path of the coming iOS/Mac OS X Fusion.

Reading the reviews, from The Verge to Daring Fireball, to All Things D, the general concensus is that:

• Cheaper Price
• Faster
• Airplay Mirroring.
• Full iCloud integration
• Twitter and soon Facebook baked into the OS
• No better reason for spending $20 or £14.

As the updates are now on a yearly cycle as iOS has been since its original release, one has to wonder just what 10.9 will unveil, a further fusion, possibly a Maps app on Mac OS X?

Its hard to believe that when 10.5 Leopard was in the making, it had to be delayed by 6 months just so engineers could be transferred to concentrate on having the iPhone launch on time. 5 years on, and a yearly release for both OS’ they can do with ease.

Looking ahead to see what may be on 10.9 apart from a possible dedicated Maps app, it’s too hard to say. But right now, Apple definitely has the understanding that on a PC, the function of a keyboard and mouse is always primary. If its changed too much for a one size fits all scenario (Windows 8) then there’ll be more alienation than attraction to the platform.

It may be a 0.1 release, but in 10 years since 10.0, Windows 8 seems to be the turning point of where the consumer will be able to realise what is the better, elegant, faster, more cared for OS in the PC age.

And you don’t need me to type out what the answer is.

Intel ‘Ivy Bridge’ launches.

Intel’s processors for 2012 have finally launched, with a lot of fuss over the ‘tri-gate’ transistor:

Intel hopes a new transistor technology, in development for 11 years, will help it challenge Arm’s reputation for energy efficiency. 

“For the user, that means the benefits of better performance and energy use will continue for as far as Intel sees on the road map.” 

“What Intel has been able to do is instead of just shrinking the transistor in two dimensions, we have been able to create a three-dimensional transistor for the first time.”

35th Anniversary of the Apple II.

Put it this way: if Apple’s only computer had been the Apple I, it would be remembered today only by scholars with an arcane interest in the prehistory of the personal computer. But if the company had folded after releasing the Apple II, it would still be one of the best-known PC companies of all time. The II was — and is — that important.

Oddly, the first time i saw one wasn’t in a museum, but on Lost. It was part of the computer in the hatch.

This was how a follow up to an existing product set the bar even higher. And the prelude to what would be unveiled in 1984.

Source.