The boundary between MacBook and iPad is about to fade away?

Apple's introduction of the new Mountain Lion operating system has made the public more confident about speculation that the MacBook and iPad tablet computers will share a platform in the future.

The boundary between MacBook and iPad is about to fade away? Picture 1
The upcoming Mountain Lion operating system on the MacBook can synchronize information with the iPad and iPhone. Devices are getting closer and in the future there will be no distance - Photo: Apple

Rumors of the merging of the operating system of personal computers and tablets appeared last year when Apple launched the Lion operating system with interface and multitasking operations, switching application space exactly the same. like the iPad 5 platform of the iPad. However, Lion only stops at the same as iOS in terms of interface.

However, when the Mountain Lion was introduced, the initial mergers took shape. Those who own the iPad, iPhone and MacBook at the same time will feel their devices are more interconnected, especially when using these devices will not be as different as before.

Inspired by iPad

Apple claims these changes on the Mountain Lion are inspired by what's on the iPad. People who are addicted or too familiar with manipulating iPads will not feel strange using Mountain Lion.

iMessage is a free service on iOS 5 for iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad. People like to use iMessage because of its ease of not only sending text messages but also images. All are free. This time Apple brought iMessage into the Mountain Lion. This means that MacBook users can use iMessage to transfer information to others who are using an iPhone or iPad. Moreover, if you use the MacBook and iPad or iPhone at the same time, all your messages and accounts will be synchronized. What you send on the MacBook will appear on the iPad or iPhone.

Other iPad apps like Reminders (Notes) or Notes (note apps) appear on the Mountain Lion of the MacBook with the same interface. Through iCloud cloud computing service, which connects Apple devices via the Internet, the information of Reminders and Notes on the MacBook will also be automatically transferred to the iPad or iPhone. Whether you use a MacBook or an iPad, an iPhone, you can manage all the information. Between devices there are no boundaries.

Notifications, notification function when there are new updates on iOS, now also included in Mountain Lion on MacBook. Notifications is a breakthrough for Apple, helping users never miss updates, whether hot news is happening in the world, incoming messages, friends' updates on social networks or announcements. remind work. In human times like mobility and network coverage is no longer a problem, Notifications notification functionality is also important for a computer.

Most notably still AirPlay, a function that was only available on the iPad or iPhone before. AirPlay allows users to transfer images, audio from iPad, iPhone to speakers or TV via Apple TV multimedia device. With AirPlay on the MacBook, users can transfer content on the computer screen to the TV via Apple TV and WiFi network without any cables.

It can be seen that Mountain Lion and iOS have many changes to be more similar. At some point, both platforms are intertwined, the use of a computer is no different from manipulating a mobile device. This integration helps software developers more convenient, cost-effective and less time-consuming in writing programs. App buyers do not have to spend much to buy two applications at the same time for two different platforms.

The race to merge the operating system

What Apple is doing makes competitors unable to sit still. Microsoft and Google are also taking similar moves, though not really clear. Microsoft with the upcoming Windows 8 operating system shows that the company is also gradually merging the two operating systems, Windows Phone and Windows 8. One can clearly see the similarity in the interface and operations between Windows Phone and Windows 8. What users change on Windows 8 will be synchronized through Windows Live when they switch to using handheld devices running Windows Phone.

It can be seen that Apple and Microsoft are aware of how important the operating system integration is for users. And so is Google. However, the problem is that Apple's Mountain Lion already has the device that comes with genuine MacBook. Microsoft is championing the majority of computers in the world running Windows. The integration will be easier.

And Google has not really had a computer running their own operating system. One can mention Chrome OS, a Google-developed operating system that can run on a cloud-based computer, operating applications on the Internet. But the case of Chrome OS is different. It is completely different from the Android mobile operating system that Google is developing. Obviously, Chrome OS cannot integrate with Android.

But it will be faster and easier for Google if they develop their Android operating system so advanced that they can both run on tablets and operate on regular computers. In this case, Google's direction is not to consolidate the operating system like Apple and Microsoft, but to upgrade the Android platform to be compatible with more devices.

But no matter which direction it goes, in the future, the integration of tablet and laptop trends is possible. Just as it was when the low-cost netbook came into being, it was divided into a separate group next to a laptop or laptop. But then configuring the netbook to get higher, the price of laptop computers decreases, the operating systems are improved to operate more smoothly, whether on netbooks or laptops makes the boundary between these two groups of devices virtually erased. blurred.

The same thing is happening with tablets and laptops.