Apple News, Analysis and Podcasts
 The Mail application was one of the first apps that Apple wrote for OS X. Those who remember the first official release, OS X 10.0 (Cheetah), know that Mail.app was there from the beginning, as it was to be an example for developers on how to write an app for the OS X platform. However, Mail.app soon was adopted by many and Apple started improving it with each release of the OS.
That said, there are several things Mail.app doesn't do very well or could do better. Below is a list of improvements we would like to see in the OS X 10.9 release:
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 The Mac OS is a mature operating system. It is a good looking and clean interface that stays out of the way so users can focus on their work. The gradient gray interface minimizes distractions while shadows create depth for better window separation, but with all these great features, there is still room for improvement.
There still are many ways Apple can improve how the OS interacts with the user. One of those areas is spotlight. Spotlight is great for searching for items on the computer in real-time, and it is lightening fast with solid state storage, yet Apple could make it so much better.
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 Apple added Siri to the iOS, creating an easy way for users to search and perform tasks without the need for an on screen keyboard. With Siri, Apple basically created a smart operating system. While Siri is still limited, it shows the direction for the future of operating systems beyond mobile. For Apple, this means Siri is likely to be headed towards Macs and OS X.
The rest of the industry has already taken notice. Google has Google Now, and in April Amazon purchased a Siri competitor Evi. The industry sees voice control as the future, and the major players are working hard to integrate it into their Operating Systems. Apple will be announcing their next Mac OS (10.9) in June at WWDC. Developers are expecting Siri to be one of the main new features. Can Apple just drop in Siri as is, or do they need to improve it for the Mac?
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 Apple has been on roller-coaster ride for the past several years. Most of the thrills have been watching the stock price and market share climb to unforeseeable heights. But as the song says, “What goes up, must come down...” — or does it? While the stock has hit a bottom of just south of 400, Apple still maintains a strong set of market share numbers whether looking at iOS sales, smart phone sales or tablet sales. Even its Mac desktop/laptop division is posting growth numbers PC rivals would die for.
During this time Operating System software has been continually upgraded. Every year there seems to be another version of Mac OS X or iOS — sometimes both. This is quite amazing considering Microsoft takes 3-5 years before releasing a major new version of anything. While Google is not this bad, they are slower than Apple with major revs to their Android platform. But in all of this, where is the “other” software from Apple?
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According to the Wall Street Journal, Microsoft is already discounting Windows 8 in an effort to spur sales. Microsoft's price breaks appear to target those developing "small, touch-enabled laptop computers" with screens 10.8" or smaller. The idea is encourage developers to create ample supply in the marketplace, creating more competition, while pushing costs down for consumers. Slow sales and steep discounts wasn't exactly in Microsoft's Windows 8 roadmap.
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 With Mountain Lion, Apple introduced a new application to the Mac: Notes. Notes started as an app on the iOS platform. Notes in Mountain Lion improves the Mac experience when compared with using iCal and Mail for the same task.
Notes allows a user to take notes and have them synced automatically across all of Apple devices. While there are other similar applications, Notes is built in, which is a big advantage. While Notes does a good job of syncing across devices, can it take notes?
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 Google Search is the most popular search engine on the Internet today. It is also the default search engine for most browsers except for Internet Explorer. Google has a good search engine, but its corporate practices may leave users on edge. Since they offer everything for free, they make money by selling the information they collect about their users. If that feels like an invasion of privacy, there are alternatives.
DuckDuckGo is a good search engine that does not collect or share personal information. To find out more, head over to their privacy policy here. One of the key features of Google Search is that it does more than search the Internet. If you type in a math problem into Google Search, it will return the answer for example. The same is true for unit conversion. Bing has something similar, but it's not as robust. DuckDuckGo is the first search engine that can compete with Google in this area. DuckDuckGo uses Wolfram|Alpha to answer many of these questions. Wolfram|Alpha is also used by Siri for the same functions. DuckDuckGo can be used as the default search engine for Safari 6 by adding the plugin AnySearch. With AnySearch, users can type their question in the address/search box and go straight to DuckDuckGo.
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 The biggest fear of online users is getting their accounts hacked or ID stolen. The fear came true for Wired Magazine's Mat Honan. Hackers used the customer service systems at Amazon and Apple to hack into his Amazon, Google, and Apple accounts so they could access his twitter account. In doing so, they wiped or erased his Macbook, iPad and iPhone.
As online users, we are at the mercy of Internet corporations' weakest link. We need to keep pressuring them to secure your data. Yet, there are things we can do to keep our data more secure. Using the following methods will help keep your data safer.
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 Apple's latest version of the Mac OS 10.8, code named Mountain Lion was released about a month ago. It includes many changes and new features. Mountain Lion is available through App Store and is only $20.
While, not all users will notice or even like all the new features, there is something for everyone. At $20, it easily justifies the inexpensive price point. There is plenty to talk about when it comes to Mountain Lion. After using it for three weeks, this article will highlight the top three features that make it a worthy upgrade.
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In reviewing OS X Mountain Lion, I've come across two apps that I've become enamored with: Notes & Reminders. These apps were ported from the iOS to OS X. But what makes them powerful is their syncing ability through iCloud. This means if I were in a meeting I could quickly use my iPhone to write myself a reminder or to jot a note about a good idea and when I get back to my desk, there they are on my MacBook Air. However there's a problem with this "magic" called iCloud.
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