....announces:

Introduction of OS X Yosemite

Apple on Monday announced that the next version of the Mac OS—dubbed OS
X Yosemite, after the popular National Park in California—which will be
available as a *free upgrade* to the public this fall.

The jam-packed operating system update features a significant user
interface overhaul, rich with bright colors and translucent effects,
plus numerous changes to the visual identity of almost every system app
that brings them closer to their iOS counterparts. The interface now
also comes with a “dark” mode, which dims system elements like the Menu
and Dock and allows apps to be more prominent.

The changes, however, are more than skin deep, as many system components
have been updated and improved. Spotlight, for example now appears as a
convenient text box in the middle of the screen and provides access to
information from a large variety of sources, including the various App
Stores. Notification Center is now fully customizable—and includes
support for third-party widgets.

Among Apple's own apps, Safari now sports a slimmer interface that
leaves more room for content, and includes improved support for advanced
Web technologies such as CSS and WebGL. Mail's improvements include the
ability to annotate and even sign messages and attachments directly
within the app, and sharing them with others.

The company's services ecosystem will also experience several
improvements when Yosemite hits the digital shelves: iCloud gains a new
Drive feature, which offers access to file-based cloud storage à la
Dropbox. A new feature, called Continuity, allows users to begin tasks
on one device and continue them seamlessly on another, and is based on
the same technology as AirDrop, which will finally work across both iOS
and OS X.

Speaking of iOS, the integration between Apple's mobile and desktop
operating systems now extends to the ability to easily share cellular
phone calls and SMS messaging, with support for both baked right into OS
X, which will be able to make and receive calls seamlessly, so long as
an iPhone is within reach and paired via Bluetooth.

In a departure from tradition, the company will also institute a public
beta program that will allow users to test the new operating system
before its general availability, regardless of whether they are part of
the company's developer program.

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If right-wing assholes could fly,
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