Mac App Store is Live

[FanIn80]

http://www.apple.com/mac/app-store/

[DownhillGoat]

I had no idea that was even in the works. I'll have to check it out tonight.
Nice to see you can re-download stuff you've purchased.

[red sky]

So can you download your iPad/iPhone apps onto a Mac? Are they compatable without having the touch screen capabilities?

[BlackEleven]

Step 1) Make App Store for Mac

Step 2) Make sure only apps downloaded from the Mac app store work on Mac.

Step 3) Profit.

They've figured out step 2!!

[FanIn80]

Originally Posted by red sky

So can you download your iPad/iPhone apps onto a Mac? Are they compatable without having the touch screen capabilities?

No, it's not for downloading iPhone apps to your Mac. It's for buying desktop applications for your Mac. There may be some similar ones (like Angry Birds, for instance), but they are full desktop applications.

[mac_gurl]

These apps look like they are specific to the mac, and you can't install the iPad/iPhone apps. They have some of the same apps (angry birds, twitter) for the mac, but so far it looks like a limited selection of apps.

[BlackEleven]

Originally Posted by red sky

So can you download your iPad/iPhone apps onto a Mac? Are they compatable without having the touch screen capabilities?

It's not a port of iPhone/iPad apps. It's a centralized place to buy apps for Mac.

[Russic]

edit: already answered.

Brilliant move in my opinion just because Macs are often marketed to people who aren't necessarily "computer" people (like our parents). I would be willing to guess that the vast majority of people in that category would never download a single application the traditional way. Having an app store though removes the barriers that computer folk like us don't necessarily notice.

On top of that this is a great solution for those of us with multiple computers. Since it acts in the same way as the mobile apps, buying an app with one account means it can go on other computers. Not a great deal for developers who rely on family licenses, but there is an argument that practice could hinder sales to begin with (personal theory).

Unfortunately as far as I know there are no demos or lite versions to try out. If you want to try a demo you'll have to visit the site and download it the traditional way. That's not terribly effective in my opinion and I don't understand why mobile apps can do that but mac apps can't.

edit 2: I also really like the fact that you'll be able to finally buy the core apps (garageband, iphoto, imovie, keynote, pages etc.) on their own without having to buy the bundle if you don't want it. That's a big plus for consumers that have no need for certain applications.

[silentsim]

New Twitter for Mac client (Tweetie 2*)

Also bought Angry birds for mac...lol

[mykalberta]

They basically want this to be the way you will by all your MAC applications eventually getting rid of the Disk/box retail method.

This makes it much easier for those with MACs to find applications (that is the hope).

[MickMcGeough]

Very interesting. As a delivery system I don't think there's any question that this is the way to go. Unfortunately none of my absolutely-must-have-apps are in the app store (and probably never will).

[Regulator75]

Originally Posted by silentsim

Also bought Angry birds for mac...lol

Bought? It's free for Android.

[corporatejay]

Originally Posted by Regulator75

Bought? It's free for Android.

Someone is 99cents richer (I'm looking at you Warren G)

[Jordan!]

Sweet!

[BlackEleven]

Originally Posted by mykalberta

They basically want this to be the way you will by all your MAC applications eventually getting rid of the Disk/box retail method.

This makes it much easier for those with MACs to find applications (that is the hope).

What worries me is if Apple intends to make it the only way to (legally) distribute applications on the Mac. Then they'll be able to imply the same arbitrary control over Mac application as they do over iPhone/iPad applications.

[Russic]

Originally Posted by Regulator75

Bought? It's free for Android.

The only thing more annoying than the smiling pigs when you fail a level? Ads.

[HotHotHeat]

Love that they've made it possible to purchase certain apps within iLife '11. Hello iPhoto for $15.

[FanIn80]

Originally Posted by BlackEleven

What worries me is if Apple intends to make it the only way to (legally) distribute applications on the Mac. Then they'll be able to imply the same arbitrary control over Mac application as they do over iPhone/iPad applications.

Mac OS is a desktop operating system, it's not a phone.

There's no way to even discuss this without wading 100% into conjecture and speculation, so why even bother? People come up with these kinds of things to say every time Apple launches something, yet very rarely does any of it ever wind up being true.

[FanIn80]

Originally Posted by HotHotHeat

Love that they've made it possible to purchase certain apps within iLife '11. Hello iPhoto for $15.

Exactly. I wanted to get Keynote, but didn't want to buy the whole iWork suite when MS Office 2011 is so much nicer for everything else.

Now I can buy it on it's own!

[fredr123]

Is there anyway to browse the offerings on the App Store without downloading the App Store software? I'm at work on a PC and want to see what's available before I get home tonight and can play on our Mac there.