Mountain Lion, what you need to know about Apple's new OS X

Mountain Lion, what you need to know about Apple's new OS X

Apple unveiled its new operating system OS X Mountain Lion at the Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) on Monday. Over 200 new features where added, but some of the biggest highlights include Facebook integration, AirPlay Mirroring and Game Center.

Pricing and availability

OS X Mountain Lion will go on sale at the Mac App Store in July for $19.99. The software update is available as an upgrade for users who have Snow Leopard version 10.6.8 or later. Most iMacs, MacBooks and MacBook Pros, dating back as far as 2007, are compatible with Mountain Lion. Check hardware compatibility before purchasing the software at the Apple website.

Facebook integration

One of the most hyped features coming to Mountain Lion is Facebook integration. So what does that mean for the average user? Mac users will be able to share anything they want to several services, including Facebook, using a feature called Share Sheet. Apple's Share Sheet is a pop-up menu that lets users share photos, files or text to services, like Facebook, Twitter and Flickr.

Facebook integration will not be available until the fall. It's been rumored that Apple and Facebook have a deal to launch Facebook integration across all Apple products simultaneously. The fall release suggests the social network will be available when Apple's mobile operating system iOS 6 is released.

AirPlay Mirroring

The move to sync all of Apple's devices has already been in motion, but AirPlay Mirroring goes a step further. Now Mac users can watch videos in 1080p on their high-definition televisions over Wi-Fi, using Apple TV or iTunes.

iOS apps on desktops and laptops

Several of applications from Apple's mobile operating system, iOS, will be integrated with Mountain Lion. Mac users will get Reminders, iMessage and Game Center. Phone numbers will now also be unified with Apple ID, so when a call comes through your phone number, you can pick up with your iPad or Mac. The same applies for iMessage.

Mountain Lion China updates

Chinese users will also see some big features, like integration with Twitter-like social network Sina Weibo, search engine Baidu and video-sharing site Tudou. Services like Facebook, Twitter and YouTube are currently blocked from mainland China. Mountain Lion users in China will have the same sharing features available, but with local services.