The $29 Mac OS X 10.7 Lion was first shown off at the Back to the Mac event in October. This was arguably the quickest turnaround between initial discussion/demonstration and shipping. Additionally, Lion really changed a number of things compared to prior Mac OS X versions. The overall theme does follow two things—simplifying the experience for the “average user”, whomever that may be, and taking the best features of the more popular iOS devices and bringing it to Apple’s desktop operating system.

Purchase & Install

I think one of the big scary moments for anyone installing Lion is the sheer simplicity it has, especially for anyone who has worked with prior versions of Mac OS X, Linux, or even Windows. You download the installer from the Mac App Store, much like any other app, and it creates a self-destructing installer. Running the installer jumps right into the process, without options for erasing a disk, clean installs, or anything else. Apple is putting a lot of trust in its software engineers for forcing the “Upgrade” option, but it seems to have gone smooth. About a half hour later, I was ready to use my computer again. This stayed consistent with prior versions of Mac OS X. The fact that the almost 4GB installer is erased upon installation is slightly annoying, as Apple allows you to install Lion on as many Macs as you want, and this can save on downloading a copy on each machine. On the flip side, if you view the package contents, you can make your own bootable DVD or flash drive. I tried this on another computer and the process works similar to the download, except you can boot directly into an installer.

The message here is twofold: DVDs and other tangible media are dead and you shouldn’t need to worry about what options your OS installs. Does anyone care what specific items get installed with each version of iOS? Aren’t our drives (save for SSDs) large enough that an extra gigabyte or two wasted on drivers and language packs with a smaller OS worth a simpler install?

Rescue Me

Lion also does some other magic on your computer during the installation—it creates a recovery partition that is hidden from most views and uses about 650MB of space. Provided you don’t have a major issue where your drive itself is physically damaged, this should be good enough to bail out users who may have a disk error or need to reinstall Lion to their primary partition. It’s a great move for anyone with a laptop, since you can travel without any sort of recovery media and not stress as much. It also provides access to the Terminal and Safari, which is great if you need to access the Web and have a mostly-dead Mac.

The only complaint about this semi-ambitious feature (which was around in one shape or another since at least the early days of Windows 98), is that even if your computer is locked down and secure, someone could access this recovery mode by knowing the Command+R sequence. It’s no difference than them having a bootable disc, but it just makes the case for firmware passwords even stronger.

Noticeable Changes

The first change you’ll notice is the overall look of Lion is even more toned-down. I find it funny that the first version of Mac OS X was a departure from the grey-and-simple look of Mac OS 9. Over the past ten years, every iteration of Mac OS X has gotten flatter, greyer, and more refined. This is the case once again, which has created a bit of controversy, due to Apple monochromizing the sidebar icons, as seen on iTunes 10 and iPhoto ’11. At the end of the day, it’s a continuation of a theme from Apple—keep the controls simple and out of the way, and let the content be the focus.

Launchpad is a new feature that simply adds an iOS-style app overlay to the screen when invoked. It doesn’t do anything more or less, but does let you put your applications, found in the /Applications and ~/Applications folders, in iOS-style faux-folders. Most power users will still use Spotlight, Dock folders, or third-party tools, but for everyone else, Launchpad is a great idea. I’d like to think of it as an extension to the Dock. You can put your B-list apps there and still have really quick access to them without digging through folders-within-folders in the Applications or Utilities folders. In my case, it has moved things like Disk Utility, Activity Monitor, Address Book, iCal, and the iWork trio into a place where I can still call on them quickly, but they’re not taking up Dock space. It would be nice if it offered more flexibility with arrangement or included items, but this is a first-revision feature and I see it only improving from here.

Gestures and the reversed scrolling are two things that have also gotten a bit of press. I have found that the “Natural” scrolling takes some getting used to, but once you think of things like an iOS device, it makes some sense. Mouse users may have the hardest time adjusting, and thankfully, the setting is reversible. As for gestures, when paired with Mission Control or full-screen apps, are a joy to use on any of Apple’s notebooks. I enabled the 4/5-finger gestures on my iPad and find it convenient for avoiding the home button and switching apps, and the same process works on my MacBook Pro. Full-screen apps remind me a little of “maximized” windows on various versions of Windows, except that you can switch between them with a simple swipe. I’d almost say they’re cleaner and I can get to them faster than a number of windows piled on top of each other, as long as I know where each one is spatially in relation to another.

Elsewhere things are more of the same with some fine-tuning: the same 3D-and-ridiculous Dock introduced with Leopard, but now the indicator lights can be turned off. The way Apple sees it, most apps should work like iOS apps—there is no open or closed—I like this idea, especially if it works as seamlessly as it does on iOS. For this and many of the other new features, users will have to upgrade their applications to Lion-compatible versions. Fortunately, Safari, Mail, Pixelmator, and Apple’s current iWork and iLife suites all have been updated to take advantage of Lion’s new features. For many users, this should be sufficient to try these new ways of working with documents and applications.

Don’t Panic

I find it funny that the biggest complains en masse are things that Apple is offering, but not forcing. As I wrote things like scrolling, gestures, Launchpad, the hidden Library folder, and more can be undone or ignored, leaving an OS that acts pretty much like Snow Leopard. Sure, it’s more disruptive than the transition from Leopard to Snow Leopard, but Apple is providing some flexibility. Even the iOS-style character accents work alongside the tried-and-true Option key method.

A lot of tech people are saying that Apple has lots its mojo with Lion, or that it is “dumbing down” the experience. Instead, I see it much more simplistic than that. Apple is delivering, as promised, a more iOS-like experience on the Mac, but has done nothing to limit Lion as a desktop operating system. Sure, power users may need to get accustomed to some changes, but that was the same with the Jaguar-to-Panther, Panther-to-Tiger, Tiger-to-Leopard, and, to a lesser extent, Leopard-to-Snow Leopard transitions. It’s progress and making the computer more approachable for the non-geeks.

One feature that many will appreciate if they deal with foreign languages is the iOS-style character input. If you have a letter with an accent, rather than remembering which accent you need through an Option-key sequence, you hold down the letter you want to use, much like an iOS device. From there, a popup gives you all the possible accented versions of that letter and you can pick the one you want. This comes at a price—key repeats are turned off. Fortunately, this can be reversed through a Terminal command, but most users shouldn’t notice. Also, the “old way” of entering symbols still works, so your habits don’t need to die.

Why Upgrade?

The big question is if Lion is worth the hassle and money of upgrading. For most users who are using Snow Leopard, it’s a tough sell. With Snow Leopard, we have a very efficient, polished, known product. Lion has bugs, some performance issues, and numerous incompatibilities. Still, it does make your computer a more enjoyable experience, especially once you get the hang of gestures, use Mail a lot, are an iOS addict, or have apps that will make use of the document tools (Versions and Auto-Save). These changes alone could be a lifesaver for some, while others represent a groundwork for the future iterations of Mac OS X and third-party applications. If you have the money and a computer that can handle it, it’s a worthwhile product to check out.

The Neato consists of two 2-inch square of cloth attached to GeckoPads. The GeckoPads are sticky, removable squares that can be used to attach the cleaning cloths to anything—displays, a desk, your MacBook, or whatever else you can think of. They remove easily and leave no residue. Over time if there’s dust or dirt that gets on them, you can remove the cleaning cloth, rinse the GeckoPad off with water, let it air dry, and it will be as good as new. Our tests indicated that this is the case.

The reason why there are two cloths is that the grey one is for removing dust and large dirt particles. The black one is a bit finer and can be used to remove grease and fingerprints. For stubborn marks, a bit of water on the black cloth can be used. After a few uses, both can be removed from the GeckoPads and washed. An extra set of cloths are included should you want to rotate them.

Obviously convenience with screen cleaning products is one thing, but the effectiveness is another. We tested these on a Samsung LCD display, a prior-generation MacBook Pro (with the plastic LCD), and an iMac (with the glass over the LCD). The iMac was easy to clean with these products, due to the glass being a bit more resistant to dirt in general. On the other two displays, the Neato cloths worked well, but did require some water to get the job done.

The only issue we have is that the cloths are a bit small. If you have a display that is rather dusty (and you may not notice it until you start cleaning), it may take awhile to clean it. For those whose computer area doesn’t have excessive amounts of dust, this product is an inexpensive and easy way to keep displays clean. Although many may argue that the price is a bit high for pieces of cloth, initially, we’d agree. However, if you look at other screen cleaning products, the price is somewhat in line. The only difference is that in some, the cloths are a bit larger, taking us back to the initial complaint. Overall, it works as advertised and makes things easier for those who are always wondering a “safe” way to clean their LCDs.

The case itself looks like many other mobile phone cases. It fits over each “half” of the phone, protecting most of the corners and outside surfaces. Leather covers the entire backside of the phone as well as about 1/4 of the front. On the inside, the case covers the phone’s number keys, but not the directional pad, call keys, or softkeys. Also exposed is the screen, as clear plastic only covers the area around the microphone and light sensor. This is not really an issue, since the phone protects itself while closed. On the back of the case, there is a nub for the Multidapt belt clip (or other accessory).

The case is not designed to protect the phone from every abuse out there, but to protect it from the trials and tribulations of everyday use. On the outside of the phone, the top half’s edges and corners closest to the hinge are exposed. From a usability standpoint, the Z750′s hinge makes cases difficult, as it is set a little closer towards the keypad than the back of the phone. This is due to the phone’s antenna being located along the hinge, rather than sticking out from it. The part of the case that protects the top half of the phone attaches to the rest of the case with elastic, allowing a snug fit whether the phone is opened or closed. The way the case is designed is probably the best way to work around the hinge.

On the left side of the phone, the case allows access to the volume/track skip buttons and the play/stop button. On the right side, the memory card slot is partially exposed, but not accessible. This could just be the placement of the slot, or to prevent memory cards from popping out. On the bottom, the FastPort is fully exposed.

Although the case is very well-made and protects the phone without the cheesiness of many cell phone cases, we did find a number of things to complain about. First, the case’s cutout for the camera is not big enough, and any pictures taken with the case’s top half in place will result in having part of case in the picture. This is partially due to the phone’s awkward shape and camera placed close towards the hinge. Second, the elastic does not always snap back into place when the phone is opened, so the top half sometimes needs readjusting. Third, even with the Multidapt belt clip (which is included) is removed, the case adds considerable bulk to the bottom of the phone. Part of this is due to the pocket that conceals where the elastic attaches. Finally, the case does not allow the phone to sit open on a desk, as it tends to tip backwards.

Despite these drawbacks, Krusell’s take on a case for the Z750 is probably the best execution, if the only Z750-specific case that exists today. Even Sony Ericsson’s case offerings are generic for the entire lineup, and many “universal” cell phone cases won’t fit the Z750 the best.

Finally, the Multidapt system allows you to change what you clip your phone to. Besides the included belt clip, a bike holder, arm strap, car holder, hand strap, and many other belt clips are available. This is the exact same system as found in Marware’s cases.

If you can put up with the few drawbacks of this case, it is a very good solution to protect Sony Ericcson’s newest North American flip phone, without taking away from the phone’s attractive design. Because of this, we were generally pretty happy with this product.

For $20 (yes, we realize that it is more than some RAZRs if you sign up for a contract), the CellShell is made of two plastic pieces that snap in place around the outer sides of the phone. This product reminds us a little of XtremeMac MicroShield. Once snapped in place, the CellShell is not going anywhere, unless you remove it.

It is very important to note that the CellShell only works with the GSM versions of the RAZR. In other words, it only works with RAZRs sold through Cingular, T-Mobile, Centennial, and various carriers throughout the world. Phone sold through Sprint, Verizon, U.S. Cellular, Alltel, and others have a few cosmetic differences, and so the CellShell won’t fit.

The CellShell is available in a number of colors, so you should be able to match it to your liking: crystal clear, black smoke, tech lime, and hot pink. All are transparent and add just a tint of color to whatever color your RAZR is.

While in place, the CellShell does a good job of protecting the phone, and only leaves the hinge, side buttons, USB port, camera exposed on the outside. When the phone is open, the screen, keypad, and the rest of the internal surfaces are exposed (and accessible).

This is a pretty simple product, and it does its job fairly well. The only gripes we have is that the plastic is somewhat scratch- and fingerprint-prone (better it than the surface of your phone) and that the added thickness makes the side buttons a tad harder to press. A matte textured surface might have been a better choice on DLO’s part (except for around the outer LCD).

Overall, the CellShell is an attractive alternative to the usually bulky cases available for the Motorola RAZR. It only adds a some thickness to the phone’s slim profile and allows one to customize the appearance of their phone, too.

The main purpose of an news reader is to display a summary of new content on a web site, and alert the user when a new items are posted. In many cases, the items feature pictures, links, or other content that is normally found on a web page.

NewsFire Feed List (Click to Enlarge)

NewsFire Flagged Item (Click to Enlarge)

NewsFire Search Results (Click to Enlarge)

Unlike some news readers, NewsFire is designed to be easy-to-use, look good, and work with other Mac programs. When you load it, the interface is very clean and simple, and you can logically find almost everything. There is no need to check out a read-me file or look a the Help menu—anyone can use it. Feeds and folders are to the left, news items are on the right, but if you load a news item, the right-hand side changes to display the entire feed.

Unlike some news readers, there aren’t many options for viewing your feeds. You can group them in folders, sort them, create “Smart Feeds” that combine items from other feeds (for keywords, grouping by date/time, etc.). You can change how they appear in the feed list (headline and feed name, feed name and headline, or just the feed name), whether to display favicons, the font size, and a few other minor options. NewsFire’s rendering engine is the same as Safari’s, so news items look clean and as they are intended. Appearance items such as fonts and styles are not available, and you’re forced to use the stylesheet that comes with the program.

NewsFire does shine in a few areas. First, browsing feeds is fast as the space bar scrolls down in that particular news item and then goes to the next one. Checking out 50+ goes rather fast when you can scan through the garbage by hitting space. Also, hitting return opens the current item’s web page in your browser of choice behind the NewsFire window.

Another area NewsFire is strong in is searching. You have a Safari-like search box that will find things as you search, and you can even save a search. NewsFire also can find news feeds on sites that report them (such as this one or any of the others that makes the “RSS” badge appear in Safari or the orange RSS icon appear in FireFox).

Finally, NewsFire offers the ability to play podcasts right in the program, allowing you to check out podcasts without throwing them into iTunes. It does integrate with iTunes, allowing you to use NewsFire to manage your podcasts. Also, NewsFire works with del.icio.us and blog editor programs, allowing you to tie your web experience together.

NewsFire is a really nice program that integrates well into the Mac OS X experience. Why Apple didn’t outright hire David Watanbe is beyond us, as it is a great step up for someone who needs more than Safari’s RSS features can handle.