• Mac OS X Lion Dev Preview 2 Update Released Direct Downloads

    // Gradly // Apple, blog, Download, News No Responses

    An update to Mac OS X Lion Developer Preview 2 has been pushed out via Software Update. The download comes in at around 1GB and changes aren’t specific other than being “recommended for all users running Mac OS X Lion Developer Preview 2.”

    Also, XCode 4.1 update includes a reference to “support Mac OS X Lion preview 3,” suggesting that Lion Developer Preview 3 may be released in the near future. XCode 4.1 preview 3 is a required update if you use Lion DP2.

    Mac OS X Lion Developer Preview 2 was released to developers on March 30. As always, backup your Mac before installing system updates. and use dual boot method if you plan on trying out the Lion preview releases.

    Lion Developer Preview 2 Update 1 Package – Direct Downloads

    Here are direct download links from Apple for Dev Preview 2 Update 1 Package installers. These do NOT contain the full installation of Lion, only the update package released today.

    Mac OS X Lion is due for release this summer, possibly on June 6 at WWDC 2011.

  • New Fuji Mountain Wallpaper in Mac OS X Lion Hints at Future Retina Displays Mac

    // Gradly // Apple, blog, iPad, Rants & Raves, Rumors, Tech., Wallpaper 2 Responses

    The new default wallpaper on OS X 10.7 Lion Developer Preview 2 featuring Fuji Mountain has a whopping size of 3200×2000 pixels as noted by the guys at osxdaily.com.

    Click here to download the full version, [3200×2000 pixels.]

    However, 3200×2000 pixels is significantly larger than any existing resolution offered by Apple displays, including the 27″ and 30″ Apple Cinema Displays. Furthermore, the default wallpaper size in Mac OS X 10.6 is 2560×1600, which is exactly the maximum resolution of Apple’s 30″ Cinema Display. Is it just coincidence that Apple is bundling an ultra high resolution image in Lion as the new default wallpaper, or does this suggest that higher resolution Macs, possibly with retina displays, are coming sometime in the future?

    Here’s a nice chart that shows what screen size at what viewing distance with that resolution would be considered a retina display:

    Notice that even for the closest viewing distance of 18 inches, a 3200 x 2000 resolution represents a Retina Display for display sizes up to and including 17 inches. And of course, that covers the entire range of Apple laptops on the market today.

    And smaller displays wouldn’t need a resolution that high to be considered retina:

    A 13.3” MacBook Air, for example, would need a screen providing approximately 2200 x 1375 pixels (191 dpi) to be considered a Retina Display at an 18-inch viewing distance.

    To help understand what a “Retina Display” means. Steve Jobs, at the announcement of the iPhone 4, had this description:

    It turns out there’s a magic number right around 300 pixels per inch, that when you hold something around to 10 to 12 inches away from your eyes, is the limit of the human retina to differentiate the pixels.

    Other than providing dramatically improved display clarity on a Mac, the other reason a Mac with a 3200×2000 pixel resolution makes sense is for iOS developers. So what does this have to do with iPad 3?

    … according to an analyst cited by AppleInsider, the high resolution retina display will come to iPad 3 in the form of a whopping 2048×1536 resolution display. If this happens, you’d expect similar displays to come to the Mac platform so that developers can accurately produce and test apps for the ultrahigh resolution.

    Indeed, 3200×2000 would be such an ultrahigh resolution for a Mac, and it would be more than adequate to develop for a 2048×1536 pixel iPad 3 display.

    Sure, this is speculation based on a new wallpaper in a developer preview OS, but who knows what Apple is prepping for us.

  • OSX Lion Preview 2, Xcode 4.1 Developer Preview 2 Available Now

    // Gradly // Apple, blog, Download, News 1 Response

    You need to install an update from Software Update first.  Then Restart.  Then go to the Dev Center and get a redeem code.  Then go to the Mac App Store, redeem and download.  The download is 3.7GB.

    Apple also released Xcode to 4.1 Developer Preview 2: [Both OSX Lion Preview 2, Xcode 4.1 Developer Preview 2 Are available for download here]

    Here is our first image of the redesigned iCal:

  • Mac OS X Lion GM is Imminent

    // Gradly // Apple, blog, News, Rants & Raves No Responses

    It seems like Apple has been gathering feedback and crash reports from developers testing the first preview build of the next major version of OS X, 10.7 Lion, and the operating system is now nearing the “GM” stage. When a new OS reaches the Golden Master status, that means it’s usually ready for public release — although Apple previously announced Lion wouldn’t ship until Summer 2011. Indeed, a public release could happen around the WWDC — which should be scheduled for June as usual.

    Specifically, Apple is gearing up to deploy an OS X Lion update to developers that they may be classifying as the “GM1″ release, we’ve heard. “GM” or “Golden Master” is a title reserved for software that is complete. But from what we’ve heard, this is only the initial Golden Master candidate. In other words, don’t get too excited just yet.

    Apple is planning to deploy multiple GM builds of Lion, that would keep them on track for another (possibly final) GM build / release candidate seeded at the WWDC and public availability soon after that.