Mac OS X Lion Available Now!

Apple has released OS X Lion, the latest update to the company's Mac platform. Boasting over 250 new features along with a performance boost, Lion borrows some of the gloss of the iOS platform and pulls it over to the desktop, as Apple reduces the gap between the two.

Among the additions are a new Mail app complete with an iPad-like UI and tweaked searching, and multitouch gesture support similar to what's found on the iPhone. Apps can now run in full-screen mode, and there's a Mission Control view which blends Exposé and Spaces to show open apps, virtual desktops and widgets all in one go.

The Mac App Store gets a refresh in Lion too, with digital sandboxing, support for in-app purchases and push notifications. System stability and restoration is also improved, thanks to the new AutoSave and Resume features that get you back up to speed with what apps and documents you had open, even if you have to restart your Mac.

OS X Lion is available through the Mac App Store as a digital download. It's priced at $29.99 for those people currently running OS X Snow Leopard, and a single purchase covers installation on up to five Macs.