Apple Unveils Beta of Messages for Mac

[Michael Essany]

Apple has dropped an exciting little treat for Mac users today.

Although it hasn't gotten the media attention of the iPad 3 and even the iPhone 5, the upcoming release of OS X 10.8 Mountain Lion is just as deserving of hype as any potential hardware offerings from the tech giant. Such was evident yet again today when Apple released an early beta of the Messages for Mac application, which serves up cross-platform support for iOS.

"When you install Messages, it replaces iChat," Apple says. "But iChat services will continue to work. And Messages brings iMessage to the Mac -- just like on iPad, iPhone and iPod touch running iOS 5."

Not surprisingly, this will be one of the coolest new features of Mountain Lion and today we can check out what's in store (to a small extent at least). Apple is teasing the beta release as representing only a small "taste of what's coming in OS X Mountain Lion," which will arrive later this summer.

• Send unlimited iMessages to any Mac, iPad, iPhone, or iPod touch.*
• Start an iMessage conversation on your Mac and continue it on your iPad, iPhone, or iPod touch.
• Send photos, videos, attachments, contacts, locations, and more.
• Launch a FaceTime video call and bring the conversation face-to-face.
• Messages supports iMessage, AIM, Yahoo!, Google Talk, and Jabber accounts.

The Messages beta doesn't require anything special other than users running the latest version of Lion, OS X 10.7.3.

Click here to check it out.

Source: Apple

[Silverado1987]

Awesome. I need to update. I still rep the white 13" MacBook. I think I shall go buy an iMac

[2k1]

Gonna git this tonight.

[BenTen]

I'm downloading this now! It's got me pretty stoked about the Mountain Lion OS. :-)

[Zokunei]

I was surprised when there wasn't iChat integration in the first place.

[Norb]

This is pretty neat, about time they did it.

[Greatbiguns]

Do Mountain Lions Roar, rrraawaawwrrrr!!
iMessage on my airbook- AWESOME....

[milenion]

Would be cool if they could do this on Apple TV.

[brutaltactics]

Would be cool if they could do this on Apple TV.

it will be since airplay is going to be included! well that and you need an appleTV

[iMod94]

so i got this all set up and i dont seem to be able to add my phone number to this only my email so i dont know if i dont just know how to or you cant but if anyone knows something i dont then i would love some help.

[trademark.designs]

When are they going to go the other direction (like I've been waiting for) and let the Messages iOS app talk to AIM and Jabber/gTalk clients?

[bigboyz]

I love iMessage its great and its FREE! Can't wait for IM integration..that would be ideal!

[JedixJarf]

And best of all, it still has builtin gtalk capabilities