Apple OS X 10.8 Mountain Lion Releases Tomorrow What You Need To Know

During their Q3 2012 earnings report Apple confirmed that the latest edition of there OS X PC operating system will be released tomorrow. The hotly anticipated 10.8 version of OS X brings with it a host of new features, as we've covered in the past. It also brings slew of new questions and concerns, particularly whether or not your device will be supported.

Apple has already stated that OS X 10.8 won't support older Macs but up until now a big question remained: will your computer run the new operating system? Fortunately, Apple has provided users with a quick easy answer on their How to Upgrade to OS X Mountain Lion page. The page now offers step-by-step directions for preparing your Mac for the new operating system (such as making sure that Snow Leopard or Lion are installed), the actual upgrade process, and a list of machines that have the hardware chops capable of supporting the OS.

Owners of machines that do not fit into the following category are unfortunately excluded from compatibility:

• Mac (Mid 2007 or newer)
• MacBook (Late 2008 Aluminum, or Early 2009 or newer)
• MacBook Pro (Mid/Late 2007 or newer)
• MacBook Air (Late 2008 or newer)
• Mac mini (Early 2009 or newer)
• Mac Pro (Early 2008 or newer)
• Xserve (Early 2009)

If your Mac is currently running OS X Lion, you can check to see the computer's Mountain Lion eligibility by clicking the Apple icon located in the upper-left portion of the screen, choosing About This Mac, and then clicking More Info to get system information.

OS X 10.8 Mountain Lion Pricing

For users with compatible systems the upgrade will be $19.99 unless you've recently bought a new Mac -- in which case Apple has announced that Mac OS X 10.8 upgrades will be free for qualifying Macs purchased at authorized resellers on or after June 11. The upgrade will only be available via download on the Mac App Store.

How To Get OS X 10.8 Mountain Lion

Apple has already confirmed that they were dropping support for any and all install media. This includes DVD, USB drives ect. Unlike with OX X 10.7 Lion which featured both the option to download the installer or buy (a heavily over priced) USB drive Mountain Lion will only be delivered as a downloadable install.

In order to upgrade you'll need to open the Mac App Store from your Dock to buy and download Mountain Lion. Then follow the onscreen instructions to install it. If you don’t have broadband access, you can visit any Apple Retail Store to get help with downloading.

What's New In OS X 10.8 Mountain Lion

The new OS X update brings a handful of iOS features to the Mac, including the notes and reminders apps, Twitter integration, Apple's Game Center, and iMessage services. There's also a new security feature called Gatekeeper, designed to fend off malware by controlling what applications can and cannot be installed. In all Apple says there are more than 200 new features in the updated operating system. Here is a complete list from Apple.