Apple Introduces the Cleaner (and Cooler) Mac OS X 10.10, Nicknamed "Yosemite"

Tim Cook unveiled Mac OS X 10.10 at WWDC today.

At WWDC in San Francisco, Apple Apple Senior VP Craig Federighi introduced the world to the newest version of Mac OS X, the aptly nicknamed "Yosemite."

Here's what to look forward to when it's released in the fall.
 

Translucent Design, Redesigned Icons

The software won't be out for the public until the fall (along with iOS 8), but just like the release of Mavericks, it will be completely free. The newest improvements feature a "translucent" design, so windows on the screen will subtly reveal what's underneath them. So, if you're looking at your files in Finder, you'll be able to see a hint of your computer's background wallpaper behind it. Additionally, some icons have been redesigned to give them an "iOS" type of feel. Oh, and if you're tired of seeing gray toolbars, the update comes with a "dark mode," so you can change the computer's accents to a charcoal black. 

 

New Notification Center and Toolbars

OS X's Notification Center now looks similar to the iPhone's Notification Center, and you'll be able to add widgets to this area. Want a SportsCenter update at a touch of a button? Add it to Notification Center. Easy, breezy. 

Now, when you click on Spotlight, a giant toolbar will pop up in the middle of the screen. When you start typing what you want to search for, OS X will give you the results found on your hard drive and on the Internet. For example, if you scan your hard drive for "Empire State Building," you'll also get Internet results for it. 

Toolbars are more refined in Safari, as well:

 

Safari and Mail

Safari gets a cleaner look, and bookmarks and favorited sites are now hidden from the screen. You can still access them, of course, but they'll just be out of your way so you can get more screen space. Once you click on your Safari's toolbar, your favorited sites will come into view. Don't you hate it when you have 20 tabs open and it gets harder to read which one is which? You can now scroll through them, or view all of of the tabs in one page. 

The Mail app is now more powerful. You can send videos and photos to other Mac users, and they'll be able to view it just as you originally sent it, without them having to download it separately. With a new feature called Markup, you can now draw on a picture before you send it over an email.

Make Calls Straight From Your Mac, Get "Green Texts"

Yosemite works with iOS 8, so when you get a call from on your iPhone, you'll also get it on your Mac, and you can answer it straight from there. If you're looking at a website and there is a number listed on it, you can simply click on the number and dial it from your Mac. Also, when someone without an Apple device sends you a text (and it shows up green), you can now get them on your Mac too. Before, you could only view it on your iPhone.

Additionally, you can now use your iPhone as a hotspot for your MacBook. So if you're out and about with Internet, you can use your iPhone as a backup to connect your laptop.

Apple's new feature, Continuity, lets you pick up your work on your Mac to your iPad or iPhone, or vice versa. So if you're working on an email on your iPhone, but feel like working on it with your Mac, you can swipe up on the Continuity icon, and your email will seamlessly switch device screens.

AirDrop; iCloud Is Now in Finder

AirDrop now works between iOS and Mac. iCloud got a boost today too, and is now located in Finder. So you'll be able to drop any file into the folder and get it on your iPhone and iPad, and can make changes to your files whether you're online or not. 

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