Apple releases Mac OS X Lion for $30, new MacBook Airs

[Jos]

Apple has officially flipped the switch on its next major update to OS X: version 10.7, codenamed Lion, is now available from the Mac App Store as an upgrade to Mac OS X version 10.6 Snow Leopard -- you'll need to have version 10.6.8 installed on your machine. The eighth major OS X release brings more than new 250 features and 3,000 developer APIs, including new auto-save and application restore abilities, plus a few others we detailed here.

The 4GB download will set you back a mere $30 and it can be installed on multiple Macs associated with one iTunes account. It requires an Intel-based Mac with a Core 2 Duo, i3, i5, i7 or Xeon processor and 2GB of RAM. Mac OS X Lion will ship on all new Macs, including the new versions of the 11" and 13" MacBook Air being released today, and will be available at no additional charge to all customers who purchased a qualifying new Mac system from Apple or an authorized reseller on or after June 6, 2011 -- provided they request the upgrade within 30 days of their purchase.

As mentioned above, the company also refreshed its thin-and-light MacBook Air lineup, adding Thunderbolt and Intel's latest Sandy Bridge processors to the mix, as expected, as well as backlit keyboards on all models.

The 11-inch model is available in two configurations: one with a 1.6GHz Intel Core i5-2467M processor, 2GB of memory, 64GB of flash storage for a suggested retail price of $999, and one with double the RAM and flash storage for $1,199.

Meanwhile, the 13-inch MacBook Air models get a 1.7GHz Intel Core i7-2637M processor, 4GB of RAM, and either 128GB or 256GB of flash storage for $1,299 or $1,599, respectively. Configure to order options include a 1.8 GHz Core i7-2677M processor and additional flash storage, but unfortunately no discrete graphics, only the built-in HD 3000 from Intel.

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https://www.techspot.com/news/44763-apple-releases-mac-os-x-lion-for-30-new-macbook-airs.html

 

[Guest]

I have an Imac (dual boot win7 and OSX).
I don't have an Iphone, Ipad. I don't use Itunes.
What does Lion have that I need?

 

[Jibberish18]

Guest said:
I have an Imac (dual boot win7 and OSX).
I don't have an Iphone, Ipad. I don't use Itunes.
What does Lion have that I need?

Well, what did Tiger, Leopard and Snow Leopard all have that you really needed?

 

[Guest]

Good question.
I guess it would be mostly incremental improvements.

 

[hojnikb]

They could put in something better than Intel HD 3000 inside of these Airs ....
Its sad that you can buy a 1.599$$ laptop with an Intel GPU....

 

[Guest]

Once again Apple is telling what hardware we can or cannot use.

 

[Leeky]

Cool, will get a copy in the coming days so I can try it out on the Mac

 

[Guest]

Is it me, or are the prices for an Apple laptop outrageous.
I know they are slick and nice technology, but the price tags are quite incredible.

 

[Leeky]

Is it me, or are the prices for an Apple laptop outrageous.
I know they are slick and nice technology, but the price tags are quite incredible.

Their OS price is completely reasonable though.

 

[Guest]

The problem is that Apple destroys anyone attempting to make a hardware clone.

 

[Burty117]

True, the OS UPGRADE prices are very good, but the cost to get the hardware in the forst place is completely stupid.

If they had put in, maybe an ATI 6680m or Nvidia 540GT as a descrete card on the Macbook Air's but they haven't which makes that price just simply unbareable.

I still stand by the fact that you can get a HP Envy which is just as well made but much higher spec and cheaper with a real OS on it, can easily been seen as the smart and much more effective buy for pretty much everyone. I cannot believe people will actually buy the new Air as well. It kinda sadens me

 

[Guest]

Some people like Ford Mustangs others like Ferrari... it all just depends on what you re really looking to spend in the computer you like. Sure some are cheaper than others.. but hell we live in a world were people Spend at least $2 for a cup of coffee. It is just all about how much you are willing to spend for that product you like plain and simple.

 

[gwailo247]

Guest said:
Some people like Ford Mustangs others like Ferrari... it all just depends on what you re really looking to spend in the computer you like. Sure some are cheaper than others.. but hell we live in a world were people Spend at least $2 for a cup of coffee. It is just all about how much you are willing to spend for that product you like plain and simple.

You didn't get the memo? Macs are analogous to BMWs if you're going to make a car analogy.

 

[captaincranky]

You didn't get the memo? Macs are analogous to BMWs if you're going to make a car analogy.

YUP---per.

 

[hahahanoobs]

Guest said:
I have an Imac (dual boot win7 and OSX).
I don't have an Iphone, Ipad. I don't use Itunes.
What does Lion have that I need?

If you can't use any of these features (https://www.techspot.com/guides/371-mac-osx-lion-preview/), then maybe you should be running Linux, and stay away from anything mainstream.

 

[Guest]

So how will this work if your hard drive crashes and you have to do a clean install after the HD replacement? Kind of hard to connect to the app store from a machine that does not have an OS...

 

[gwailo247]

Guest said:
So how will this work if your hard drive crashes and you have to do a clean install after the HD replacement? Kind of hard to connect to the app store from a machine that does not have an OS...

You buy another Mac. Duuuuh!

 

[SNGX1275]

So how will this work if your hard drive crashes and you have to do a clean install after the HD replacement? Kind of hard to connect to the app store from a machine that does not have an OS...

Apple's new computers support "Internet Recovery" allowing you to install Lion on a fresh hd. If you don't have a new comp, then you have to install Snow Leopard first, then upgrade to Lion.

Also, unrelated to what I quoted, but still related to this story. Next month you can get Lion on a USB Stick for $70, so it will no longer be an App Store exclusive.

 

[Rick]

burty117 said:
True, the OS UPGRADE prices are very good, but the cost to get the hardware in the forst place is completely stupid.

If they had put in, maybe an ATI 6680m or Nvidia 540GT as a descrete card on the Macbook Air's but they haven't which makes that price just simply unbareable.

I still stand by the fact that you can get a HP Envy which is just as well made but much higher spec and cheaper with a real OS on it, can easily been seen as the smart and much more effective buy for pretty much everyone. I cannot believe people will actually buy the new Air as well. It kinda sadens me

Any Envy and Air are in two completely different leagues of laptops. The Envy is a much thicker and heavier laptop, despite still being a very portable one.

When you're buying an Air, what you are doing is sacrificing performance and value for something that is cardboard-thin. For some people that's worth it.. to most others, it is not. But the only PC comparisons you can make are the Lenovo X1, the now defunct Dell Adamo, Sony X series and *maybe* a couple of others... But you'll see the prices are all through the roof despite being PCs.

 

[Guest]

The Pro and the Mini are updated as well.

The Air is very popular because it hits all the right marks for typical users....

light,
thin,
small,
solid,
attractive looking,
great battery life,
fast boot,
fast for typical needs,
easy\stable\worry-free\hardware-tuned OS,
junk free,
AV optional,
loaded with great apps covering the majority of what the typical user needs,
worry-free backup with TimeMachine

The competition (Adamo etc) has tried but can't match the features nor the price.

 

[Guest]

There's no USB3 on the new Air Muahahah Samsung S9 > Air

 

[Guest]

It's not about the sheer speed, rather availability devices from different manufacturers.

I guess you will be using a thunderbolt flashdrive if it will ever exist and 27" new Led from apple for the small sum of $1,500 Muahhahahahahahhahahaha

 

[captaincranky]

The Pro and the Mini are updated as well.

The Air is very popular because it hits all the right marks for typical users....

light,
thin,
small,
solid,
attractive looking,
great battery life,
fast boot,
fast for typical needs,
easy\stable\worry-free\hardware-tuned OS,
junk free,
AV optional,
loaded with great apps covering the majority of what the typical user needs,
worry-free backup with TimeMachine

The competition (Adamo etc) has tried but can't match the features nor the price.

Don't you have an Apple forum you could haunt?

 

[aj_the_kidd]

Guest said:
The Pro and the Mini are updated as well.

The Air is very popular because it hits all the right marks for typical users....

light,
thin,
small,
solid,
attractive looking,
great battery life,
fast boot,
fast for typical needs,
easy\stable\worry-free\hardware-tuned OS,
junk free,
AV optional,
loaded with great apps covering the majority of what the typical user needs,
worry-free backup with TimeMachine

The competition (Adamo etc) has tried but can't match the features nor the price.

You forgot to mention the most attractive aspect of all Apple products, and that is the Apple logo itself. You dont buy the Apple air because of the reason listed above you buy it because its Apple, plain and simple.

 

[captaincranky]

So much free advertising we've given Apple by quoting our guest twice.....