OS X Yosemite: Apple's Most Advanced Desktop OS (2014)

OS X Yosemite is the 2014 iteration of Apple's most advanced desktop operating system. The new Mac OS feels entirely fresh, yet inherently familiar. It comes with apps you use every day but enhanced with new features. OS X Yosemite also connects your Mac and iOS devices like never before.

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While the OS X has changed over the years and in many ways, the principles that define it haven’t, namely power, simplicity, and beauty. There are obvious changes to big things, like translucency in windows and streamlined toolbars. And there are more subtle changes to a lot of small things, like the buttons and font you see throughout the system. With OS X Yosemite, Apple has simplified the appearance of the Dock and its icons to provide a more consistent look and feel. It also brings a new look to apps like Safari, Mail, Messages, and more. The Notification Center has also improved.
The new Today feature in it tells you everything you need to know now. It also gives you a concise summary of the day’s upcoming events, reminders, and birthdays. Spotlight has also seen some changes. The redesigned Spotlight appears front and center when you open it. It’s great for looking up information from sources like Wikipedia, Bing, news, Maps, movies, and more. And it gives you richer, more interactive previews of your results. So you can read a document, send an email, or make a phone call by clicking a result.

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In OS X Yosemite, the apps you use every day — Safari, Mail, and Messages — are easier to use and even more capable. In Safari, a streamlined toolbar puts your most important controls at your fingertips and gives you more room for what you’re viewing. Safari also gives you new ways to access your favorite sites, manage your tabs, and have more control over your privacy. With an improved Nitro JavaScript engine and support for the latest web standards, it’s the fastest, most advanced way to browse the web.

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As for Mail, the best way to manage email on a Mac gets even better with OS X Yosemite. With the new Markup feature, you can quickly annotate an attachment you receive and send it back — without leaving Mail. And a new feature called Mail Drop lets you send large attachments without worrying about whether they’ll go through. With Mail Drop, when you send a large attachment, it’s automatically uploaded to iCloud. If your recipients use Mail, they’ll receive the attachment just as they do today. If they use another app or webmail, they’ll receive a link to download it. Mail Drop works with any email service.

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Messages on OS X Yosemite gives you so many ways to start a conversation. When your iPhone is nearby, you can send a text message from your Mac to groups of friends, even if they use SMS. Or send a photo of your epic karaoke birthday party, then follow it up with a Soundbite audio clip of your encore performance.

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When you use a Mac and iOS device together, you can do so much more. With OS X Yosemite and iOS 8, your devices recognize when they’re near each other, enabling new features that let them work together in even smarter ways. Now you can make and receive iPhone calls right on your Mac. When your iPhone rings, you’ll get a notification on your Mac showing you the caller’s name, number, and profile picture. Click the notification to answer, and your Mac becomes a speakerphone. You can also decline the call or respond with a quick iMessage.

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With OS X Yosemite and an iPhone running iOS 8, you can send and receive SMS and MMS text messages right from your Mac. So when friends text you — regardless of what phone they have — you can respond from whichever device is closest. All the messages that appear on your iPhone now appear on your Mac, too. You can also initiate a text message conversation on your Mac by clicking a phone number in Safari, Contacts, or Calendar.

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When your Mac and iOS devices are near each other, they can automatically pass whatever you’re doing from one device to another. Handoff lets you switch over and pick up instantly where you left off. Handoff works with Mail, Safari, Pages, Numbers, Keynote, Maps, Messages, Reminders, Calendar, and Contacts. And app developers can easily build Handoff into their apps.

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Lastly, your Mac can automatically use the personal hotspot on your iPhone when they’re within range of each other. No setup is required. Your iPhone will automatically appear in the Wi‑Fi menu on your Mac — just select it to turn on your hotspot. Your Mac even displays the signal strength and battery life of your iPhone. When your Mac isn’t using your phone’s network, it intelligently disconnects to save battery life. And you never have to take your iPhone out of your pocket or bag.

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OS X Yosemite is set to launch Fall of 2014. Devices currently running on OS X Mavericks are sure to receive the OS update for free.

Til then...

xoxo Nash