Preparing for Apple’s new OS
Apple’s new OS is coming this fall. While it isn’t a total revision like Microsoft’s, we can certainly expect to see some changes. The new OS, X El Capitan, builds of the features and design of OS X Yosemite. Apple is focusing more on performance and less on design, but there are some pretty nice tweaks in store. Here are six new features we cannot wait to see:
1. Split View
Split View is perhaps my favorite new feature. Macs are really great at allowing you to run multiples applications without really feeling any lag. The problem is, when you go full screen you can only see one app at a time; not any more. Split View automatically fills your screen with two apps, allowing you to work on a document while doing research; collaborate on a project and make dinner plans, or any other combination you can think of all without the distraction of the other apps. No more dragging windows around.
2. Mission Control
Mission Control is another new feature which will allow you to see and organize everything you have open on your Mac more efficiently. With a single swipe, all the windows on your desktop will arrange themselves in a single layer, so nothing gets hidden. It will be much easier to spread out your work with this feature. Also, if you’re prone to losing your cursor while you’re working, you can now find it quickly. Shake your finger back and forth on the trackpad, or give your mouse a shake, and the cursor gets bigger and easier to spot.
3. A New Spotlight
One of the biggest irritations with Yosemite was Spotlight being anchored to the center of the screen. With El Capitan too, you can move and resize it to anywhere on the desktop. The new Spotlight also gives you results for weather, sports, stocks, transit, and videos using “natural language.” Could this be a hint that Siri is coming to Mac? Possibly.
4. Hide the Menu Bar
Speaking of desktops, you will have the ability to hide the Menu Bar under System Preferences, just like you can hide the Dock. This will be especially helpful for users on smaller MacBooks where every inch of space is needed.
5. New Gestures
Two new gestures have been introduced to your mail: swiping left to delete an email and swiping right to mark it as unread. You can also minimize a message you’re composing, making copying text and attachments much easier. This also enables tab switching and multitasking.
6. New Notes
The Notes app is now more than just a virtual sticky note: now, you can turn a list into a checklist, add photos, videos, URLS and map locations. When you create a Note, thanks to iCloud, you will be able to see everything across all your devices.
You can read more about the remaining features on the Apple site, here.
#ElCapitan
