Mac App store- easy to install and use

Yesterday Apple opened the new Mac app store. Much like the app store on the iPhone. This app store for the desktop/laptop computers makes finding, installing and maintaining applications easier.

Unlike other applications the app store itself is not a separate app that is downloaded. It is actually part of the latest 10.6.6 Snow leopard update.

To install it make sure you are running version 10.6 on an Intel machine. You can find the version of the OS by clicking the Apple icon in the upper left hand corner of your screen and selecting “About this Mac”. The dialog box should show you the version of the OS that you are running. If you are not running 10.6 or greater then it is time to upgrade to Snow leopard.

If you are running 10.6 the go back to the Apple icon and select “Software update…” This will download the latest updates. Select install. This may take a few minutes to download depending on the last time you updated.

The computer will ask to quit, once selected the machine will exit and continue to install the updates. After a few minutes your login screen will show up.

When you are logged in a new icon second from the left should show up on the dock. This is the app store.

Go ahead and launch it. That is it. It has some of the layout features seen in iTunes with featured, top charts etc.

Under quick links on the right hand pane is the signin. Click on this and add your iTunes login and password. Now any app can be purchased downloaded and installed to your desktop. Purchases are billed to your iTunes account.

That was really simple.

Some observations on the App store

  1. Applications are not only small applications but some larger pro apps like Aperture is available for purchase.
  2. The prices appear to be very good. Aperture which retails for $199 is available for $79.99, a really good price.
  3. Suites can be purchased a la carte without any penalty. iWork and iLife are priced very well. iLife apps are just $15 a piece.
  4. If you already have an Apple app installed prior to installing the app store it still shows up as installed. For example my iWork suite shows up as installed. This is not true for all third party apps. My Evernote app shows up as not installed.
  5. There is no longer any need to maintain your registration keys for individual applications. All apps are registered to your iTunes account. This makes backing up and moving to a new machine very simple. Just enter your iTunes user information and download all your apps.
  6. Some of my favorite apps are not available such as Superduper, Textexpander, Skitch, Default folderX, Pathfinder, just to name a few.
  7. None of the obvious Apple competitors like Adobe or Microsoft are on the app store either. This is understandable as the 30% sharing terms of the store would not be acceptable to these large vendors.
  8. I dont like the icon. Apple seems to be moving to this new rounded icon look, they did it with the last iTunes update too.

Leave me a comment if you have any other notable observations.

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