Could OS X Mountain Lion make its debut at this year's WWDC?

Apple could be preparing to kill off OS X Lion early in favor of its predecessor, Mountain Lion, according to the company’s AppleCare training schedule. One source claims that the Cupertino company is already recruiting and training staff for the new release, which could get its debut in June, weeks earlier than expected.

AppleInsider reports that Apple’s EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa) AppleCare division is already “hiring a number of new employees who will serve as customer support for the new operating system.”

The source went on to say that Mountain Lion may be just a few weeks from launch as internal training recently commenced regarding certain facets of the operating system. Apple usually restricts the operating window of support staff training to a minimum before large product release presumably to avoid leaks.

While the report states that this is purely speculation, it notes that Apple’s training could point to a Mountain Lion debut at this year’s Worldwide Developers Conference, which kicks off on June 11. Traditionally, the company teases its next-generation operating system at WWDC before releasing it to the public later in the summer.

Mountain Lion isn’t vastly different to its predecessor, but it does take Apple’s iOS and OS X integration a little further, introducing apps and features like Reminders, Notes, Messages, Notification Center, Game Center and more.

Source: AppleInsider

If you don't have this installed already, you've missed your chance.

If you haven’t already installed the Messages application on your Mac, you will now have to wait until OS X Mountain Lion is released next month to get your hands on it. The Messages for Mac beta, which was released back in February after Apple’s initial Mountain Lion preview, has now been pulled by the Cupertino company.

It’s unclear when or indeed why Apple removed the Messages beta from its site. I had an issue with the application late last night, and I decided to uninstall the application and then install it again to see if this solved the problem. However, the Messages for Mac beta page has been removed from Apple’s site, and when visiting the URL, you are redirected to the OS X page.

There’s still a Messages for Mac link at the bottom of Apple’s Downloads page — as you can see below — but again, it just redirects to the Mac OS X page, where a Messages beta cannot be found.

It’s likely that Apple is now happy with how beta testing has gone, and that it has already prepared a final release that will launch alongside Mountain Lion in July.

If you already have Messages install on your machine, it’s probably best to hold onto it for a few weeks.

Say goodbye to Messages. Apple's now killing it for Lion users.

Shortlt after Apple announced Mountain Lion would be shipping next month, Cult of Mac reported that Cupertino had already begun preparation for the operating system by pulling the Messages for Mac Beta from their official site. The app allowed users of OS X Lion to send iMessages to iPhones, iPads and other Macs, but since it’s a headlining feature of the $20 Mountain Lion operating system, it stands to reason they’d want to start curtailing access to the service for Lion users.

That’s not all Apple’s doing, however. According to a new report, Apple is actually forcibly disabling the Messages Beta for OS X Lion users. They really want you upgrading if you use Messages,

MacTrast reports:

When disabled, Messages clears out your entire contact list, as well as all of your messages, and leaves the user unable to send new messages or add contacts. The above shots taken from the Dock show the disabled Messages beta (left), compared to a still functional version of the app (right).

Intriguingly, Apple hasn’t universally thrown a kill switch, but seems to be disabling the service for users piecemeal, with some Macs being affected while others aren’t.

If you find yourself stuck with a killed Messages Beta install, remember you can always revert to iChat from the Messages menu bar by clicking “Uninstall Messages Beta.”

Source: Mactrast

iMessage and related services are gaining critical mass compared to text messaging.

Apple has put a lot of work into developing its own secure messaging platform. With Mountain Lion and the Messages app that Apple rolled out in iOS 5, Apple is setting up its iMessage platform with a lot potential advantages for consumers and business users alike. For business, the always available and secure messaging is huge. Messages and conversations can be found on an employee’s iPhone, iPad, home iMac, work MacBook Air – that’s taking the concept of RIM’s BlackBerry Messenger service to a higher level.

For consumers, the great features are the integration of non-phone devices like the iPad and iPod touch and reduced reliance on carriers for texting, which can translate to cost savings (depending on mobile carrier/plan).

While most of us still use SMS to send text messages, there’s a distinct trend in shifting to using solutions like Apple’s Message platform.

Research firm Analysys Mason recently culled through the use of Internet-based calling and messaging apps for consumers with smartphones and with feature phones. The striking point of their report is that nearly a third of smartphone owners have adopted so-called over-the-top (OTT) messaging solutions like iMessage – 29% of users reported using some type of non-carrier messaging, which likely includes iMessage, BlackBerry Messenger, and other options. 8% of users use both an OTT messaging and VoIP calling solutions.

While that’s a lot of movement to replace texting as a messaging solution, VoIP calling from smartphone is far less popular – only 11% of users report using such technologies from their mobile device.

It seems likely that this is a trend that will continue to grow, particularly among iPhone users. Apple has embedded iMessage into iOS to such an extent that using it take no thought at all.

Ultimately, this presents a conundrum for carriers, who have long been able to use texting as a revenue stream.

Source:  Analysys Mason

Via: IP Carrier

Image: Analysys Mason

You can now see who’s online when beginning a new message in Facebook Messenger.

Facebook has updated its standalone Facebook Messenger app for the iPhone this morning to deliver a nice selection of new features, in addition to some bug fixes and performance improvements. Highlights include in-app notifications, the ability to delete individual messages, and support for larger images.

With Facebook Messenger version 1.8, you’ll receive new message notifications while you’re within the app, so that you can see incoming messages as they arrive and tackle multiple conversations at once.

This works a little differently to the existing push notifications already available when Messenger is closed. While you’re within one conversation, you’ll see a notification at the top of the page to alert you of a new message within another conversation. Simply tap the notification to be taken straight to that new message.

The update also allows you to include friends of friends within new conversations, so you don’t actually have to be friends with everyone you want to reach. And when you start a new message, you’ll now see which of your friends are available and ready to respond to your messages.

You can also now delete individual messages from any conversation — without deleting the whole conversation altogether, and you can now share larger images.

Finally, this update promises to make Facebook Messenger faster and more reliable. Unfortunately, however, there’s still no iPad support.

Source: App Store

Why hasn’t Apple introduced Quick Reply to iOS yet?

If you’ve ever jailbroken an iPhone, you should be familiar with BiteSMS, the built-in Messages replacement that delivers almost every feature you could ever want in a messages app. One of its highlights is a feature called Quick Reply, which allows you to respond to incoming messages from the home screen, the lock screen, or from within other apps using a handy popup window.

The developer behind this awesome app has now brought Quick Reply to the hugely popular WhatsApp messenger, using a new tweak that’s available now from Cydia.

Despite the arrival of iMessage in iOS 5, WhatsApp has still maintained a massive user base on iOS, and continues to claim a place within the top 10 apps in the App Store’s paid chart. But the Quick Reply tweak introduces the one feature WhatsApp has been lacking; a feature that jailbreakers have now become accustomed to.

Simply install and when you receive a WhatsApp message you can reply from anywhere (lock screen, home screen etc) using the Quick Reply pop-up window. It works seamlessly, it’s convenient and quick. Give it a try today!

Quick Reply for WhatsApp is available via the BigBoss repository within Cydia for just $0.99, but you can try it for free for 7 days before you hand over your cash.

Source: iClarified

Apple will now text you to let you know when your online order ships.

Following nearly six hours of downtime this morning, the Apple Online Store is back up. Although the Cupertino company has not added any new products, it has introduced a new notifications service that provides U.S. customers with text message alerts when their order status is updated.

Apple Notifications is a text-message-based alerts service designed to keep you up-to-date on your shipment and/or pickup notification status. In addition to standard email notifications, you can also request text message updates when you’re in Checkout. The number of messages you’ll receive will vary depending on the orders you placed.

If you opt-in to this service, you’ll receive text messages to inform you when your order ships, or when its available for pickup. If you’re having it delivered, the message will also include a link to your online order status, so that you can track its progress.

Texts are sent between 8 a.m. and 9 p.m. in your own time zone, Apple states. And you can opt out of the service at anytime by replying to one of Apple’s messages with the word “STOP.”

iPhoto’s latest update brings new sharing options for those running Mountain Lion.

Following the release of OS X Mountain Lion this morning, it seems Apple is also pushing out updates to its applications to ensure they’re compatible, and to take advantage of new features. One of the apps on that list is iPhoto, which now has new sharing options in version 9.3.2.

In addition to Mountain Lion compatibility, the latest iPhoto release introduces the ability to share your photos via Messages and Twitter. Of course, these are two features that make their debut in Apple’s latest OS.

You can download iPhoto version 9.3.2 from the Mac App Store now.

Source: Mac App Store

iTunes U finally allows you to take notes.

Despite releasing OS X Mountain Lion and a whole host of app compatibility updates this morning, Apple has finished delivering new software. The Cupertino company just rolled out iTunes U version 1.2, which adds note-taking, and new search and sharing features.

The ability to take notes while you’re watching lectures is something I think has been missing from iTunes U from day one. But it’s better late than never. With the latest release, you can take notes at the same time as watching or listening to lectures.

You can then search those notes using the apps new search features. It does’t stop at notes, either; you can also search posts, assignments, and course materials.

Finally, iTunes U 1.2 allows you to share your favorite course with your friends via email, Twitter, or Messages.

Source: App Store

Many of Mountain Lion’s new features are perfect for businesses, schools, and enterprises.

Mountain Lion includes over 200 new features. Some of them are dramatic and hard to miss while others are minor conveniences that don’t stand out immediately. Many of those big and small new features and improvements have a lot of appeal for business users.

Here’s a list of the many new features in Mountain Lion that can help professionals in almost any industry work smarter, more efficiently, and more effectively.

• AirPlay Mirroring is one of the biggest new features in Mountain Lion and has immense business and education potential. AirPlay Mirroring uses industry standard encryption and thus is a secure presentation system.
• The option to rename documents from the title bar of their window in any app can be a great time saver and document management feature.
• The ability to revert to the last saved version of a document or file is a great addition to the auto-save and Versions feature introduced in Lion.
• New keyboard shortcuts to duplicate files/documents and use OS X’s Save As feature to make a copy of an open document are nice, but easy to miss additions.
• Although it may not seems business-appropriate at first glance, the new instant sharing of nearly and type of information through the iOS-like Share menu available that is available in a range of apps can serious improve business communication and collaboration. Items can be shared using a range of technologies – social networks, email, Messages, internal messaging systems like those offered by OS X Server’s iChat Server or Messages Server (or other messaging system based on the open source Jabber protocol), and Apple’s AirDrop.
• Improved data selection in Calendar (formerly iCal) that includes a pop-up calendar similar to those in most web-based calendar and reservation systems makes setting single day or multi-day events easier.
• Event information is easier to locate in Calendar now that you can search tokens like those available in the Finder and Mail.
• The return of the Calendar sidebar that was available in editions of OS X and iCal before Lion is a massive improvement over iCal in Lion. It makes working with multiple calendars much simpler.
• Contacts (formerly Address Book) offers a unified view that makes it easy to see/search across all contacts available including those that are personal, those that are stored in a company’s central contact system(s), and those stored in various cloud and email systems.
• Dictation is another major feature. It works in any app, can be invoked by a keyboard shortcut, and is integrated with Contacts so that if you say a contact’s name, Mountain Lion will understand you an accurately type the person’s name (even if that name doesn’t have an obvious phonetic spelling).
• Easy one-click encryption of storage devices like flash drives and external hard drives using a contextual menu (left-click) in the Finder is a major feature for professionals that need to comply with data security and privacy policies, regulations, or laws.
• Apple has improved File Vault management options over Lion for organizations or users that need whole-disk encryption. Apple has also submitted Mountain Lion’s security and encryption to the U.S. government for FIPS certification, which is required by many government agencies (including the Department of Defense) and by many government and military contractors.
• Gatekeeper security and application signing, which ensures apps haven’t been tampered with or damaged after being installed (application signing has been around since Leopard, but Gatekeeper and Apple’s Developer ID program really highlight its importance).
• The Mac App Store can now push apps purchased on one Mac to any other Macs (home, office, and so on) associated with a user’s Apple ID.
• The ability to designate specific contacts as VIPs in Mail is great for business communication and email management. So is the new option of a smart mailbox that automatically groups and highlights all VIP-related emails. VIP designations are also pushed across all Macs associated with an iCloud account.
• New mail messages in Notification Center offer a brief message preview.
• Searching for content in Mail highlights all instances of the search phrase (much like Safari’s Find command), making it easier to locate specific content within messages.
• Messages includes several capabilities useful to business users. Secure and encrypted messaging to other Mac and iOS device users is one stand out feature. Group messaging and shared conversations are displayed across devices making it easy to carry on a conversation. Messages offers the ability to see if a message has been delivered, read, or if the other person(s) is typing a response. Messages can also be searched and forwarded. All of that has a lot of business potential.
• As noted in earlier with regards to the new Share menu, Messages supports internal messaging systems based on Jabber as well as public IM systems. It also sports the ability to initiate audio, and video chats within Messages and integration with FaceTime calling.
• Messages, like iChat before it, supports screen sharing and the ability to push a presentation or recorded video to chat participants (this isn’t new, but it has great business potential and is worth mentioning). Screen sharing also adds the ability to drag and drop files between the Mac you’re currently using and one you’re viewing/controlling remotely.
• Notes is another new feature that’s pretty big. Notes can sync across Macs and devices using iCloud or other systems that support content syncing like Yahoo Mail, GMail, AOL Instant Messenger, Exchange, and most email systems. You can also double-click notes to pin them to the desktop outside Note’s main window.
• Notification center is another major new feature that is implemented across many apps and therefore let’s business users tailor notifications to specific needs (project management, scheduling, customer contact, and almost anything else).
• Like Notifications, Reminders are an excellent business feature. You can set reminders for common tasks, events, and other items. Since items can be activated by location, you can schedule reminders specific to certain offices and worksites as well as to client and customer offices or residences. You can also create Mac-specific reminders that don’t get triggered on iOS devices.
• The Font Book app let’s you configure smart groups based on varying font characteristics – a useful feature graphic designers.

Most professionals that use a Mac for business or work purposes probably will only use a handful of these features. That said, many of these features show that Apple is committed to making Mountain Lion and the Mac a true business solution that takes advantage of a range of desktop and mobile technologies.

OS X Mountain Lion is here, and it’s even sleeker than Lion.

It’s hard to believe that it was just a little more than a year ago that Apple released OS X Lion. Only twelve months later, and we’re now staring right down the maw of Apple’s ninth major release of Mac OS X: Mountain Lion.

OS X 10.8 Mountain Lion signifies a new approach on Apple’s part towards OS X updates: instead of going years between major releases, Cupertino is trying to take the rapid release approach that has worked so well for them with iOS and apply it to the Mac.

Mountain Lion, then, feels in many ways less like OS X 10.8 than OS X 10.7.5: a smaller, more tightly focused update continuing what OS X Lion started, taking iOS’s best ideas and bringing them to Mac.

Thanks to major breakthrough features like iCloud syncing, Notification Center, Sharing, AirPlay Mirroring and more, there’s less of a distinction in Mountain Lion between the Mac and iOS than ever. But is that a good thing, and how will it change the way you use your Mac?

Table Of Contents

Page 1: Introduction & Table Of Contents
Page 2: Messages & iMessage
Page 3: iCloud & Documents In The Cloud
Page 4: AirPlay Mirroring
Page 5: Notification Center
Page 6: Reminders & Notes
Page 7: Dictation
Page 8: Safari
Page 9: Sharing, Twitter & Facebook
Page 10: GateKeeper
Page 11: Power Nap
Page 12: Conclusion

Next Page: Messages & iMessage

Keepin’ it all hush-hush.

Has this happened to you? You’re out and about with friends, and a text message (or iMessage) hits your iPhone. Being a serious iPhone user and Tweeter, of course, you’ve left your iPhone out on the tabletop. Unfortunately, the text message that shows up on your screen isn’t very flattering to the friend sitting immediately to your left. She sees it, gets upset, storms off. Nobody wins.

With a quick trip to Settings, however, you can prevent this tale of tears and keep your iMessages for your eyes only. Here’s how.

Hop onto your iPhone (or iPad or iPod touch) and launch the Settings app with a tap. Tap on Notifications, and then scroll down to the Show Preview toggle. Tap this OFF.

Now, when a message shows up, it will just show who it’s from, not what they said. Which, you know, could be handy. If you don’t even want to see that much, toggle the View in Lock Screen to OFF as well, and they won’t pop up in the lock screen, though if you’re using your device, and have the banners and notification sounds ON, you’ll get them. Just not in the Lock Screen.

This should help you avoid a lot of potentially embarrassing situations created by the ubiquity of communications that we are all starting to take for granted. Or at least keep your private messages to yourself.

Got an iOS tip of your own? Need help troubleshooting your iPhone, iPod touch or iPad? (sorry, you need Javascript to see this e-mail address) or leave a comment below.

Here’s an obvious yet often overlooked tip – something that I’ve personally looked at every time I use the Messages app on my iPhone, but never really “connected” with.

I’ve often needed to send along a specific text message, to a boss or co-worker, or even to a family member. I’ve often copied an individual message, then pasted it into a message of my own to the new person.

Starting in iOS 5 iOS 4, though, there’s an easier way – forwarding it. Here’s how.

Open up your Messages app on your iPhone (or iPad – it works there, too). Tap into the conversation with the person you want to forward the message from. Tap the Edit button in the top right corner, and then tap on the message you want to send along to another contact. Tap the Forward button in the lower right corner.

A New Message page will slide up from the bottom and allow you to type in the name of the contact you’re sending the message to. The message you’re sending is placed into the message field, and will be sent with a quick tap on the Send button, as per normal.

To delete individual messages, follow the same process as above, but tap Delete instead of Forward.

Got an iOS tip of your own? Need help troubleshooting your iPhone, iPod touch or iPad? (sorry, you need Javascript to see this e-mail address) or leave a comment below.

iMessage has a lot to offers a secure messaging platform, but it isn’t without flaws.

When Apple unveiled iMessage, one of the first thoughts for many IT professionals and business users was that Apple had come up with a secure messaging platform that could rival RIM’s BlackBerry Messenger. While iMessage has a lot going for it as a secure messaging platform, there are still some reasons that it may not be an ideal business solution.

Let’s look at the range of features that iMessage offers that are great for business use.

• No SMS charges
• Delivery receipts for messages – showing that the message got there
• Read receipts – showing the message has been read (this is, however, optional and must be enabled on device of the person receiving a message)
• Easy searching of messages and conversation threads
• Group messaging
• Easy message forwarding
• Push notifications of new messages
• No message length restrictions
• Support for large file attachments
• A typing indicator so you can see when someone is responding
• Conversations that sync across all your Apple devices – iPhones, iPads, and Macs running Mountain Lion

All those are great features that go beyond simple messaging using the Internet rather than texting. iMessage really has a lot going for it. Let’s look at why you might opt not to use it.

First and foremost, iMessage is a proprietary Apple technology. That means it simply isn’t an option when you need to message someone who uses an Android phone and a Windows PC – there’s no Apple device where that person could receive your message. Even if you’re messaging someone with a Wi-Fi iPad or MacBook, he or she might not get the message immediately if not near either device. As popular as the iPhone is, unless your workplace, client base, friends, and family are all iPhone users, then iMessage won’t always be a viable option.

Another problem is that iOS currently offers the ability to receive messages using your iPhone’s phone number, your Apple ID, and various email addresses (as does FaceTime). If you send a message from your iPhone, you may not see the response on your iPad. It’s worth noting, of course, that Apple is working on resolving this issue and things will work better in iOS 6.

Then there are the stories of messages being received on the wrong iOS devices. The most famous of which involved an Apple store Genius. Other reports involve lost or stolen phones. The Verge published the results of some tests and confirmed that swapping a SIM card between two iPhones can reproduce the issue. Apple’s response was that the Genius involved had acted outside of store policies and that the issue can be resolved by toggling iMessage on and off. Odds are that iOS 6 will resolve this issue as well as the issue with messages not being pushed to all your Apple devices.

That type of incident raises another concern, however, one that Matthew Green, a cryptographer and research professor at Johns Hopkins, voiced in a blog post this weekend. We still don’t how iMessage actually works. It appears to be a particularly complex system – perhaps more than it needs to be. It also makes independently verifying Apple’s description of the service extremely difficult. When you’re dealing with confidential information, particularly in a heavily regulated industry, that’s a big concern.

A final concern is that users may not even realize whether they’re sending messages via iMessage. That could lead to confusion about the messaging features available and the security of the message. Granted most iOS veterans and tech-savvy users may recognize the difference, but many people may not know that green chat bubbles mean SMS and blue ones mean iMessage.

Does this mean iMessage shouldn’t be used in business? Not entirely, but it definitely means businesses should be aware of the potential issues involved. It also means that an alternative messaging system like TigerText, which we profiled earlier this year, may be a better option in terms of security, feature set, and multi-platform support.

Source: A Few Thoughts on Cryptographic Engineering

Apple continues to test Facebook integration for Mountain Lion.

Apple has seeded a new OS X Mountain Lion 10.8.2 build (12C35) to participants in its AppleSeed program, continuing its testing of Facebook integration. Though it states that there are no known issues with this update, the Cupertino company is also asking users to focus on Messages, Game Center, Safari, and Reminders.

This beta comes just one week after the first 10.8.2 build. According to Apple, it will make its public debut and introduce Facebook integration to Mountain Lion this fall.

Like Twitter integration, the new feature will allow users to post content directly to their Facebook account from a number of Mountain Lion applications, including Safari, Preview, and the Mac App Store.

The last public release of Mountain Lion, version 10.8.1, came last Thursday. In addition to resolving an issue with Migration Assistant, it improved connections to Microsoft Exchange servers in Mail, and addressed audio issues with using a Thunderbolt display. Although Apple didn’t mention it, the update was also said to have addressed a battery issue with Apple’s notebooks.

Via: AppleInsider

It used to be that in order to see images sent along to you in iChat, you’d open up the File Transfers window, click on the graphic, and hit the spacebar on your keyboard to see the image full size, just like you can in the Finder or Open/Save dialogs.

If you’ve migrated to Mountain Lion, however, you’ll know that iChat is no longer, and the replacement app, Messages, has a File Transfers window, but Quick Look won’t work in it any more. How do you see your images full size within the Messages app, then? Lucky you, we’re here to tell you.

When using Messages, you’re able to get images and graphics still from other users who use Messages on their Mac, or iMessages on their iOS device. When they send these images over, all you need to do is click on them.

Click on an image you want to see at full size, and hit the spacebar. Mac OS X’s built-in viewer, Quick Look, will kick in and work just like it does in the Finder or those Open/Save dialog boxes. And, since Messages saves the conversations, you can dip back in and do this whenever you want to check the images out in the future. Pretty slick, right? And, since you’re using Quick Look, you can do all the cool things that feature allows, like opening the image in PReview, or sharing to email or social networks.

This may seem like a simple tip, but for those of us who have used Macs a long time, figuring out how to do things a new way can not be as intuitive as it may seem.

Let us know about any other little workflow tricks you’ve noticed appearing or disappearing in OS X Mountain Lion, and we’ll post the good ones.

Are you using OS X Mountain Lion? Got a tip you want to share with us? (sorry, you need Javascript to see this e-mail address) or leave a comment below.

Via: Macworld

Never pass up an opportunity for potty humor.

In our Ten Killer Tips for iOS 6 feature, we showed you how easy it is to reply to a phone caller with a text message in iOS 6. When the call comes in, tap on the little phone icon in the lower right and slide up. You’ll get the option to either reply with a message or have your iPhone remind you to call the person back later.

If you choose to reply with a text message, you get a couple of built in replies–Call you later, I’m on my way, What’s up–or you can type a custom message. Ever wanted to change those pre-written messages? I know I have. Here’s how.

Launch your Settings app, and find and tap on the Phone settings button. Then tap on Reply with Message. You’ll then be able to type in any serious or humorous messages into the three slots there for your use. You’ll still be able to type your own custom message, too. Interestingly, the typical auto capitalization doesn’t seem to apply here, so maybe the developers wanted you to work at using proper English.

Whatever the case, this is a great way to personalize the way you interact with people when you tell them that you can’t answer the phone right now.

Via: PC Mag

With Mountain Lion came Messages, Apple’s new version of iChat. The killer feature, of course, is that you can talk to folks on iOS or OS X right from your Mac, over the internet, without incurring SMS fees for those using an iOS device. I like it because I can chat with friends who are “texting” me during the day, but I don’t have to type on the smaller iPhone keyboard to do so.

But what about all those other IM services out there? Well, Messages supports AIM, Jabber, Google Talk, and Yahoo! messaging services, so you can run all your messages through the one app. It’s super easy to do, too.

Launch Messages on your Mac, and–assuming you’ve already set up your iTunes account–go to the Messages menu. Click on Preferences…, then click on the Accounts icon in the top toolbar. Now, click on the plus button in the lower left corner of the window, and choose the service you want to add from the Account Type: popup menu.

Fill in the credentials for that specific service, including the service name, password, and fill in any server options if your service requires it. Click on the Done button when you’re finished, and you can start using the service from Messages right away.

Source: Apple Support

Mac OS X has had the ability to recognize data like dates, times, and phone numbers for a while now. If you’re using the Mail app, you can right click on a recognized date and add it to the Calendar app. If you right click on a phone number, you can add it to the Contacts app. Pretty neat, right?

But what you may not have known, however, is that the app you can see iMessages in from anyone on an iOS or OS X device, Messages, is also able to recognize this data, making adding Calendar events from within Messages super easy. Here’s how to do it.

You’ll need a communicative partner, of course. Say your friend wants to see you for lunch this coming Sunday. All they need to do is send a message to you via their iPhone, iPad, or OS X Mountain Lion Mac saying something like, “Hey! Want to have lunch on Sunday?” When you hover the mouse over such a statement, you’ll see the pertinent data highlight with a box and a little triangle. Click on the triangle and a Calendar event sheet will pop up, letting you change the name of the event from the default (whatever the iMessage was), set the Location, etc.

Click on the Details button in the lower left corner to tweak the start and end times, just like in Calendar. When finished, click Add to Calendar, and your event will be scheduled within the Calendar app. Since it says, “Lunch,” your event will schedule at noon, for an hour. How convenient. Your iMessage buddy can be as specific as they want, also, asking things like, “Do you want to eat brunch at The Brunch Cafe at 11:30 next Tuesday?” and Calendar will interpret that and schedule an event that matches.

Play around with it, and let us know what you think.

Via: Imgur

Apple has just sent out the following Email to OS X Lion users, alerting them that the Messages Beta program for OS X Lion will end on December 14th. Messages for Mac, originally launched as a beta application before the release of OS X Mountain Lion, was available for free to users until it officially launched as part of 10.8 in summer.

If you’re still on Lion, you’ll have until December 14th to update to Mountain Lion, when Messages will expire. At only $19, it’s really a no-brainer if you haven’t updated yet.

Thanks: Riley