18 OS X Yosemite details you probably haven’t heard about

“Apple hasn’t yet opened up public beta testing for OS X Yosemite, but fresh information about the next generation of the Mac slips out almost every day,” Jonny Evans reports for Computerworld. “I’ve gathered together a few details you probably haven’t come across before.”

“If the Yosemite installer sees that you’ve never used OS X’s Dashboard feature it will automatically delete it to save you space,” Evan reports. “Yosemite lets users log into their Mac user account using their iCloud password in preference to using the existing User account password system.”

Evan reports, “You can already see what pages you have open on all your Macs and devices using iCloud Tabs: In Yosemite, you can remotely close those pages.”

15 more OS X Yosemite niceties in the full article here.


  1. Time will tell if they are widely usable.

    Some are ho-hum: “Click on a file and hold the command key and you’ll still see where that file is located at the bottom of the window.” Can do that now by clicking the title at the top of a window while holding the Control key down or right clicking.

  2. Is it true continuity only works on newer Macs due to Bluetooth 4 requirement?

    That would suggest Continuity also only works when in close range, not when out and about away from your other device.

    1. Continuity was simply a descriptive comment. The technology that does the work is Handoff.

      When you have an IOS 8 device and a Mac running Yosemite close together, they sense their proximity and automatically let the other device know what you’re doing, so if you start a document on your Mac, the moment you pick up your IOS device, it’s already aware of the work you’ve just done and you can continue working on your IOS device from exactly where you were on the Mac.

      You can go anywhere you like and keep working. When you return, as soon as your Mac senses that you’re nearby, it will automatically update with what you’ve been doing so you can continue working on the Mac from exactly where you had reached on the IOS device.

      1. Does that mean Apple is turning each device to a special iBeacon of some type so devices can detect each other? Otherwise, it would need to create another set of protocol that it will need to maintain.

        Also, I think Apple is creating a private network for data exchange for both security an also for not having to rely on a network being present. I understand the same thing will be available for say an iPhone to AppleTV.

  3. The ability to rename multiple files in the Finder sounds extremely useful. Until now, doing this required the use of Automator, which has an extremely clunky interface.

      1. Ah, yes, a better finder…. fine program with lots of power.

        I Used to use pathfinder, and felt powerful, but i have not felt enough need (15 bucks for better finder, fifty bucks for pathfinder) to get powerful like that for a while, feeling meek just seems to be ok for now…. (on the computer, not in the bedroom !-)

        I don’t need any help there….

        1. I think you’re mixing up the physical and the virtual, eMo. 😉

          However, I think many of us do that, to a certain extent. I have a future-app fantasy about possessing the power to sort a record collection, or clean up the spare room, using Siri-activated software operating on the ‘internet of things.’ This is probably only a wish inspired by reading 19th century novels in which households were populated by servants, of which Jeeves is an outstanding example.

  4. If true. I’m upset that continuity will only work on a 2012 or newer iMac. I love Apple, but as they go along, they are making more and more of their updates less and less compatible to machines over just a couple years old. The days of owning an iMac for years with all the updated benefits are slowly going away. This is the way microjunk use to treat everyone. Now Apple is doing the same thing. There was a day when an iMac would last you years on end. No more. They want you to buy a new one every two years like an iPhone. Problem is an iMac costs a lot more than an iPhone when you can get a new one every two years through the subsidy. I have no choice but to live with the fact that from now on if you want all the new features Apple has to offer, you need a new computer every couple years. Not the old Apple anymore. Anyone else feel the same way?

    1. I’m also bummed when my macs don’t get certain features, but if the tech is not in place to do a certain function then honestly what can we expect? Should they not implement new features so those with older macs don’t get upset, that will do nothing but stall progress.

      The only time it kinda annoyed me was with the (I’m not sure what its called right now) non ability to share my Mac Pro screen to the atv. If I have a newish card in the tower than I’m not sure why it wouldn’t work. But even here it’s quite possible that there are issues I simply didn’t know about.

    2. Dear Lou,
      Since OSX Leopard, the last operating system sold to Mac users, all subsequent operating system updates have been free, thus giving you effectively a new computer every two years.
      If you have not been downloading the regular updates pushed by Apple inc. then, when there is an OS update or change, your computer will not be able to run it.
      Not Apple incs fault, but yours for not downloading the updates in a timely fashion.
      As for hardware requirements, yes, some Macs are not blue tooth enabled and that was because bluetooth in the early years was not secure. So the solution to that is to buy a blue tooth dongle and install it on your Mac to avoid buying a new Mac.
      As I understand it, Macs purchased in the latter part of 2011 will be OSX Yosemite capable. Check this with your favorite Apple store genius.

      Yours Sincerely
      Crabapple 🙂

  5. If you want the newest features in a car…what do you do…buy a new car. If you don’t NEED the new stuff don’t buy it. Progress is impossible to stop and I for one just try and slide along with the tide.

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