Why Google Cardboard is Important to VR's Future

1.  It gives you an authentic VR experience

I've used various Oculus versions and the very impressive HTC Vive, but Google Cardboard, despite its lo-fi nature, still does an amazing job at conveying the nature of VR to you. The demos where you explore cities in 3D caused me to feel strong emotions, like I was there. Games work incredibly well, too. While you get only a simplistic experience due to only being able to look and use the cardboard trigger, you can still get the feel of what VR is capable of. Even when playing a makeshift Flappy Bird clone in VR, it conveys a lot.

Google

2.  Google Cardboard is very accessible.

 If you have a phone and a Google Cardboard headset, you have a VR headset and can check out the interesting content already available. Cardboard isn't expensive, there's a bunch of free apps, and Google has even given away many Google Cardboard headsets at various times; they ran a promo for Star Wars: The Force Awakens headsets that proved to be very popular, what with all the Star Wars mania going about. But it also put a bunch of headsets into the hands of people who might not have had them before. This gets a rudimentary form of VR to the masses.

Mike Pont / Getty Images Entertainment

3.  It leaves you wanting more.

Google Cardboard has its limitations. The phone coming unaligned in the holder can be annoying. The fact that you have no real controls other than moving your head and the use of the cardboard trigger is very limiting as to what you can do, so most games and apps that support VR right now are very limited. Even the fact that many Cardboard headsets don't come with straps to keep them tethered to your head is a problem for usability. It's clear that Cardboard, at least in its current form, is not a long-term VR solution.
But what it does do is give you enough of a taste of VR to the point that you can see what the value of it is right away. And while it could leave some users thinking that VR is a bit overblown with the limited functionality of Cardboard, it should make you think that with a less-makeshift solution, VR could be truly fantastic. Based on my experience with VR demos in comparison to Cardboard, that's the case.

Chesnot / Contributor / Getty Images

4.  It clears a very important hurdle for VR

One of the issues with VR is that there's a high hurdle to getting people convinced that VR has value. See, it's easy to just think that VR is about wearing a giant silly headset, and that goofiness is difficult to overcome. Also, VR as a consumer product is tough to get your hands on right now – Oculus headsets are mostly for developers, and Gear VR requires that you have specific high-end Samsung models. Gaming events often have VR setups, and there have been tours for the HTC Vive, but it's still difficult to convince people of the benefits of VR unless they try it out.
What Google Cardboard does is that it lets people try it out. It's not an ideal experience, but it gets the point across. It's like when I demoed Owlchemy Labs' Job Simulator at IndieCade in LA. The game was set up in a tent, and the developers were having issues with the room sensors. Plus, there were cables to deal with and not a huge space. It wasn't the ideal setup. But that doesn't matter – it got the point across that this technology is here and it's impressive.
Google Cardboard won't give anyone the ideal VR experience, especially for gaming with its limited inputs. But it will give people the gist of what the VR experience will be.

Land's End by Ustwo. Ustwo

5.  It allows for a wider variety of content.

Having a commercially-available VR headset to the masses encourages developers to make VR content, and to make sure that they make mobile-friendly content, not just for the powerful hardware of tomorrow. Right now, VR is still a pipe dream unless you're talking about the Gear VR. Many developers are taking the risks to create VR content without knowing that it's viable for consumers. And many developers might ignore VR development because of the risks. Google Cardboard lets them test out VR and see how to create in it, and to be ready if and when VR becomes a fashionable future. And because Cardboard is encouraging developers to make mobile-friendly content, it means that developers are making things that will work on mobile devices. Mobile might just have a place in the future of VR.

If virtual reality is here to stay, it may have Google Cardboard to thank.

Virtual reality has a potentially iffy future. Will there be interest in it? Will it be ready for consumers when they're ready for it? There's many questions, and reason to have skepticism. But as a first step towards getting people to see the value of virtual reality, we may have Google Cardboard to thank for when we explore the immersive worlds that virtual reality can provide.

How Does Android Pay Stack Up Against Samsung Pay and Apple Pay?

Tap and pay apps, in which you can use your smartphone to make purchases at the store, are really starting to catch on. While Google Wallet has been around since 2011, it hasn't reached mass appeal. Google is trying to change that with Android Pay, which has started to roll out to Android smartphones after much hype. It follows Apple's launch of Apple Pay last year, which has gained wide acceptance.

Coming up next is Samsung Pay, due out later this month. So how does these services compare? I'll walk you through the pros and cons of each app and show you what's in store for Google Wallet users.

First things first. Android Pay is not a direct replacement for Google Wallet. Like Google Wallet, you can store your credit or debit card in the app and then use it to pay at retail locations that use PayPass technology.

However, Google Wallet required you to open the app first; with Android Pay, you simply need to unlock your smartphone, using a fingerprint reader if you prefer, and place it near the contactless terminal. You can also use it make purchases within other apps and store your loyalty cards. Google says that Android Pay is accepted at more than a million stores in the U.S. and will soon be available in thousands of apps, such as Airbnb and Lyft. AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon will pre-install the app on their Android smartphones.  

So what's up with Google Wallet?
If you're a fan, don't worry, Google Wallet will live on—just in a different capacity. Google has re-built the app, removing the contactless pay feature, and focusing on money transfers.

With it, you can easily send and request money (ala PayPal). The new Google Wallet works with Android smartphones and tablets running Android 4.0 or above, and Apple devices running iOS 7.0 or above. You can download the new app or update your existing app via the Google Play Store.

Samsung Pay
In the meantime, Samsung has developed its own contactless payment app.

Samsung Pay will be available on the Galaxy S6, Edge, Edge+, and Note5, and on AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile, and U.S. Cellular carriers. (Verizon is notably missing from that list.) It works similarly to Android Pay in that you can verify your identity using a fingerprint reader, and then pay by placing your phone near the terminal. The big difference, though, is that Samsung Pay is also compatible with swipe-based credit card machines, meaning you can use it virtually anywhere that accepts credit cards. Samsung gained this functionality by acquiring LoopPay, a company that created patented technology that turns credit card swipe machines into contactless readers. For Samsung users, this is huge. 

Apple Pay
Apple Pay, which was launched in 2014, uses PayPass technology, so it has similar retail compatibility to Android Pay; it also enables you to store loyalty cards. The app is pre-installed on all the latest iPhones (iPhone 6 and newer) and compatible with the Apple Watch and newer iPads. For obvious reasons, it's not available on Android devices, just as Android Pay isn't available on iPhones.

Why Comments Will Kill Your Website

Every few weeks I get a call from a client who wants to add a comments feature to their website. They envision their website’s visitors having great conversations in those comments areas, adding valuable content to the site that builds off the articles that the company has published.
The reality of what happens when that comments feature is added is often much different than this idyllic scenario, however.

It is rare that a comments area actually adds anything of value to a website, and in truth, that feature is more likely to hurt the website as whole.

Reality Check

The promise of “user generated content” is incredibly tempting for many companies. The idea is that actual site visitors would add comments onto a blog article, offer reviews of a product or service, or contribute to a community forum like a message board.

These contributors would keep the site’s content fresh and flowing and the interactions would increase overall engagement with that website and the company’s brand. That is the dream-case scenario, but the reality that is that a very small percentage of people ever actually leave a comment or review on a website.

Take Amazon as an example. While concreate numbers are not available to the public, estimates say that somewhere between .5% and 5% of people who buy a product on that site actually leave a review. Because Amazon has such a vast user base, this means that even less popular products often receive a review, but this percentage is something you need to consider when planning your own user generated content initiatives.

Born before 1969? You can get an extra $4,098 monthly with this

If your website receives the low-end of the percentage that Amazon sees, (and even that is likely wishful thinking), that means that you would need about 200 people to view an article just to receive 1 comment – and there is no guarantee it will even be a quality content! Many online comments are little more than “Great article!”, which ultimately adds no value at all to the website.
In the end, for you to have a website with articles that actually receive a fair number of quality comments, you would need thousands upon thousands of readers for those articles. If your site does not already have this kind of traffic, you are likely to have a comment section that goes unused – or worse, the people you don’t want to use it will find it instead.

Comment Spam

Comments areas are a fertile playground for online spammers. Sometimes these links are obviously spam, and other times they are much hard to spot. You may see someone post a comment like this:
“Great article. I agree with the points you have made and think that this link supports your ideas as well.”
They would then link part of that comment to another website that has nothing to do with your own or the article you have written, creating a spam link that is much harder to spot and moderate.

Moderating Comments

If you are going to have comments on your website, you must be prepared to moderate those comments. There are basically two ways that you can do this.
You can set up your site so that no comments are actually published until they have been approved by a moderator. This prevents spammy content from hitting the site, but it also prevents people from getting that instant gratification of seeing their comments posted live. If you truly want to foster conversations on your site, instant publishing is critical.
The alternative to moderating comments before they hit your site is do so after they are published. This is an even worse scenario, since it means that spam links are sure to hit your site before you can remove them, and if spammers find a site they can exploit, you can be sure they will target it in droves! Moderating comments can quickly become a full-time job, and all those spammy comments are sure to drown out any legitimate conversations you were hoping to see on your site.
Another very real possibility with spam comments is that if search engines detect all those spammy links, they may penalize or even blacklist your site as being a link farm. This can destroy any SEO initiatives you had working for your site, or even have you removed from the search engine index altogether.
In addition to spam comments, you should also expect comments that may not be spam, but which rum the gamut from inappropriate, to offensive, to downright hateful. The anonymity of online comments often brings out the worst corners of the Internet, and you do not want this bile to hit your comments area any more than you want spam links in there.

In Closing

If you already have a great user base and a team that can moderate comments regularly, then comments may be a fit for your site. Otherwise, adding a comments feature is almost certain to be more of a headache then a help for your online marketing plans, and in worst case scenario, it could actually kill your website success altogether.

The Ten Best Games of 2015

It's that time of year again. Those of us who review film, TV, video games, or whatever can possibly be reviewed, look back on the last 12 months and try to pick their favorites. Again, we're asked a direct question that can be hard to answer: Was it a GOOD year? I'll say this: It was better than 2014, a year of growing pains for the next-gen systems. I'll also say this: Not really. The year started strongly with some must-play titles releasing in the first six months, but most of the year-end titles disappointed to varying degrees. Yes, a few of those titles are on the list below, but they never really competed with the top two titles for Game of the Year like we hoped they would. And a few of the year-end titles ("Star Wars: Battlefront," "Rainbow Six: Siege," "Assassin's Creed Syndicate") were straight-up disappointments. Let's think positively. Let's hope 2016 starts as strong as 2015 did and keeps it up from there. And let's celebrate the year that was with its ten best games.
Runner-ups (alphabetical): "Assassin's Creed: Syndicate," "Battlefield Hardline," "Just Cause 3," "LEGO Dimensions," "LEGO Jurassic World," "Life is Strange," "Madden NFL 16," "Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain," "NBA 2K16," and "Wolfenstein: The New Order"

The Order: 1886. Sony

10.  "The Order: 1886"

Yes, it's too short. Yes, it's repetitive. I agree. So, why did it make this list? It's this simple: Very few games this year excelled at world-building. When I play a narratively strong game like this, I want to enter a different world. Think of Rapture in "Bioshock" or the universe of the "Mass Effect" games. The world of "The Order" is fully-realized and immersive. In fact, it's disappointing that we never saw DLC for it and that the game has been poorly received to the degree that a sequel is unlikely. Never say never.

Guitar Hero Live. Activision

9.  "Guitar Hero Live"

I would have wagered that "Rock Band 4" would have been the more creatively vibrant of the two music games released this year. I would have been wrong. While "Rock Band 4" is undeniably fun, it is also undeniably a retread of what the franchise has done before. In fact, it's almost impossible to differentiate from "Rock Band 3." It's not unlike a remastered last-gen game now available on the next-gen. On the other hand, the people behind "Guitar Hero Live" considered what the PS4 can do that the PS3 cannot, and offered a unique experience with live performers instead of animated ones and streaming music channels to play along with. I'm not convinced the new fret system is superior to the old one, but "Guitar Hero Live" took a dead franchise and rebuilt it from the ground up instead of just reviving it. 

Game of Thrones. Telltale Games

8.  "Game of Thrones"

Telltale Games is arguably the most important video game company working today. They have two games on this list and I'd call both must-plays. At times, this was the superior of their two 2015 offerings, but the end left enough cliffhangers and question marks to drop it to 2nd place and a few spots down this list. It's still an incredibly satisfying piece of storytelling, a game that doesn't just recreate what works about the George R. R. Martin books and HBO shows as much as it is feels like another chapter in this multi-character tale. The decisions forced upon you in "Game of Thrones" are some of the most memorable in any game this year. Most often, there's not a "good" choice to make--just bad and worse.  

Call of Duty: Black Ops III. Activision

7.  "Call of Duty: Black Ops III"

Another year, another "CoD." I totally get many gamer's exhaustion with this franchise, one that doesn't take enough creative risks, especially when it comes to map design, and I'm not here to proclaim "Black Ops III" as the breakthrough in multiplayer gameplay that Activision touted it as being. All I'll say is that "Black Ops III" remembered to be something that too few multiplayer games were in 2015: fun. With the addition of new specialists and their unique weapons, "Black Ops III" delivered the most robust multiplayer game of the year. It's the one I've gone back to the most, and I can't wait to see what the map packs bring. I still think these games fall just short of their potential, especially in the campaigns, but for sheer playing time value, I'd be dishonest if this wasn't on the list. 

Fallout 4. Bethesda

6.  "Fallout 4"

Speaking of playing time, it's easy to plug dozens of hours into this excellent RPG, and that's just time spent looking at your inventory. My experience with "Fallout 4" has been an exercise in the scales of video game justice. On one side of the scale, there is the sheer scope of this game, one of the most impressive worlds of the year, and the emotional gravity of the main story. On the other side, balancing it out, is the repetitive combat, dull crafting, and unacceptable degree of glitchiness. Every time I felt like "Fallout 4" was going to transcend its flaws and become an honest GOTY contender, something would annoy me. Still, it's an incredibly enjoyable experience, the kind that can really drain your time. Especially when you spend two hours looking at your inventory. 

Until Dawn. Sony

5.  "Until Dawn"

In 2015, after three decades of gaming, I'm mostly looking for video game experiences that feel unique, that redefine the way I play games. Is "Until Dawn" as ambitious as "Fallout 4" or even "Black Ops III"? Hell no. But I enjoyed every single second of it because it felt like something I wasn't used to playing in today's market. That's something that a lot of people forget about video game critics. We play almost everything. And so a truly strange title like "Until Dawn," which is essentially a hybrid of "Heavy Rain" and "Scream," stands out more. It helps that I'm a big horror fan, catching many of the references made by Larry Fessenden and his crew. I would absolutely love it if enough people played "Until Dawn" to inspire sequels and copycats. We need more games that expand what we expect when we hold a controller in our hands. 

4.  "Batman: Arkham Knight"

I know. I contradict myself. While most of the best games of the year expand the language of their form, sometimes you just want an old-fashioned action game done right. Enter the folks at Rocksteady and the best pure action game of the year. I played almost every minute of "Arkham Knight," save for a few Riddler trophies still circulating around town. And I enjoyed almost every minute of it (save for some of the tank missions perhaps). The narrative of "Knight" really gets what makes a great Batman game work. It incorporates a number of major and minor DC characters, and the way The Joker has been reimagined as a crazy devil on Bruce Wayne's shoulder is hilarious and truly insightful into what makes the Dark Knight tick.  

Tales From the Borderlands. Telltale Games

3.  "Tales From the Borderlands"

Telltale Games revolutionized the downloadable title with "The Walking Dead" but 2015 saw them top their greatest achievement to date with this amazing sci-fi/comedy/action/adventure. At first, I kind of just presumed that "Tales" would preach to the converted, working as a playful adventure for fans of 2K's "Borderlands" franchise (of which I am undeniably one). I was wrong. "Tales From the Borderlands" stands completely on its own, whether you've ever even played a "Borderlands" game or if you hate one. The storytelling here actually most recalls Joss Whedon's "Firefly" in its blend of comedy and space action. And then, out of nowhere, it gets actually moving. I'll miss these characters more than any others from 2015.

2.  "The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt"

In terms of world creation, nothing in 2015 comes close to "The Witcher 3," the year's best RPG. The characters and narrative of "Wild Hunt" are strong enough to earn the game a spot on this list, but it competes for GOTY for another reason: more than any title this year, I felt like I was a small part of the universe of this game. I felt like NPCs were living their own lives and that danger lurked around any corner. Deep into the game, "The Witcher 3" has new things to show you, new worlds to explore, new enemies to fight, and new allies to make. It is as dense and complex as your favorite fantasy fiction, complete with fantastic combat and inventory mechanics to boot. It's one of the best games of the '10s. 

Bloodborne. SCEA

1.  "Bloodborne"

And then there's pain. Again, video game critics get accustomed to playing games in a certain way, often to do so quickly so they can move on to another assignment. It's often when we can get truly immersed in a game's world and forget about the review we have to create that a title rises above the pack. Few games of this generation have been as addictive as "Bloodborne." First off, good luck playing it casually. It's a game that demands concentration and strategy in a way that few action games do. And once you immerse yourself in the world long enough to not die every 2 minutes, it gets under your skin. There are parts of "Bloodborne" that are honestly terrifying. Most of all, it's a game that rewards success in ways we just don't see enough. Look at the titles above. I have probably killed 100,000 enemies in various games this year, but it's the victories against the bosses of "Bloodborne" that felt like actual accomplishments. 

The Best Smartwatches of 2015

With 2015 winding down to a close, now is a great time to take a look back over the year's top tech releases. In this post I'll run through the best smartwatches that came to market, including biggies like the Apple Watch as well as smaller gadgets that nonetheless offer impressive features.
Apple Watch
It's no surprise that the most-hyped smartwatch to date earns a place on this list. Though this device earned a ton of press due to being an Apple product, the Apple Watch is also a great smartwatch in its own right.

Highlights include great activity features thanks to Apple HealthKit; a wide variety of bands and configurations; and top-notch integration with the iPhone. Of course, the biggest disadvantage is the high starting price: The lowest-end Apple Watch Sport model costs $349, which is clearly no chump change.

Pebble Time 
I reviewed the Pebble Time, the first smartwatch to feature Pebble's new chronological operating system, several months ago, and I found plenty to like. Though this wearable features a e-paper display rather than a touchscreen AMOLED or LCD, it offers amazing battery life — think days, not hours. The Timeline operating system is also a great, intuitive way to view notifications from your email, calendar and other apps. Luckily, Pebble is bringing this interface to all of its devices, so you don't have to spring for the Pebble Time ($200 when not on sale) if this is the biggest draw for you. On the other hand, Pebble just announced Pebble Health activity-tracking features exclusively for the Pebble Time lineup, so it might be worth considering one of the devices in this range if fitness is a priority for you.
Samsung Gear S2
It took Samsung a while to find its groove when it came to smartwatches — all the products with confusingly similar names didn't help — but it seems to be on track thanks to the Gear S2. Currently on sale for $250, this device features a round display and a complementary circular software interface which you can navigate with the watch's rotating bezel.

Perhaps the biggest downside of the Samsung Gear S2 is that it runs a Tizen-based operating system, not Android Wear, so you won't necessarily have access to as many apps. 

Fossil Q Founder
When Fossil announced that it would be entering the smartwatch market and acquiring fitness-tracker brand Misfit, the tech world was abuzz. The accessory maker and veteran watch manufacturer is a perfect candidate for combining stylish design with function, and the Android Wear- powered Fossil Q Founder looks to be a great smartwatch. The stainless-steel design is attractive and classic, thanks to a round display, and thanks to Android Wear it has access to a wide variety of apps. At $295, it's not cheap, but it's still cheaper than the Apple Watch, which doesn't come with a round display.
Pebble Time Round
Yes, another Pebble smartwatch is here to round out the list. The latest release from Pebble, this model stands out for its circular watch face, which helps elevate the brand's offerings from early-adopter geek gadgets to attractive products that can appeal to a wider audience. Starting at $249, it's not cheap — especially considering that the display isn't a touchscreen; it's e-paper — but it's a good-looking option, and one I'd suggest to first-time smartwatch users thanks to its straightforward software.

Setting Up Your New Mac

Opening the box your new Mac came in can be an exhilarating experience, especially if it's your first Mac. The real fun comes after you power the Mac on for the first time. Although you'll want to dive right in and start using your new Mac, it's worth taking a few minutes to configure it to meet your needs.

Zero Creatives/Cultura/Getty Images

• Guide to Setting Up an Ergonomic Desktop Computer Station

Although often overlooked in the rush to get a new Mac up and running, the proper ergonomic setup can mean the difference between long-term enjoyment and long-term pain.
Before setting up your desktop Mac, check out this guide of do's and don'ts. You may be surprised at how many don'ts are present in your current setup.

JiaJia Liu / Getty Images

• How to Ergonomically Set Up Your Laptop

If your new Mac is one of Apple's line of portable Macs, such as the MacBook Pro or MacBook Air, then you have some additional options for setting up a comfy work environment. Even though it's a portable, consider setting up a semi-permanent location for using it at home. This will let you enjoy the benefits of a well-planned workspace, while still letting you head out to the deck on those nice, warm evenings.
When you find yourself on the run with your portable Mac, the tips in this article can help you maximize its ergonomics. Your eyes, wrists, and back will thank you.

• Creating User Accounts on Your Mac

When you first start up your brand-new Mac, it will walk you through the process of creating an administrator account. While many individuals are satisfied with a single administrator account, additional user accounts can make your Mac more versatile.
A second administrator account can be helpful if your Mac has problems caused by software issues. An existing but unused administrator account will have all of the system defaults in place, and can make the troubleshooting process easier.
In addition to administrator accounts, you can create standard user accounts for family members. This will allow them to use the Mac but prevent them from being able to make changes to the system, other than changes to their own account.
You can also set up managed accounts, which are standard accounts with parental control options that can allow or deny access to certain applications, as well as control when and for how long the computer may be used. 

• Configure Your Mac's System Preferences

System preferences are the heart of the Mac. They determine how your Mac will work and what options are available; they also allow you to customize the user interface.
The Mac's system preferences are made up of individual preference panes. Apple supplies many preference panes, which let you configure your display, mouse, user accounts, security, and screen savers, among other options. Additional options are available through third-party applications. For instance, you may have a preference pane to configure Adobe's Flash Player or a third-party keyboard you added to your system.
If there's an aspect of your Mac that you'd like to customize, the system preferences are the place to start.

• Using the Finder on Your Mac

The Finder is Apple's method of accessing files, folders, and applications. If you're switching to the Mac from a Windows PC, you can think of the Finder as equivalent to Windows Explorer.
The Finder is very versatile, as well as one of the most customized applications on the Mac. If you're a new Mac user, it's worth taking the time to become familiar with the Finder, and all the things it can help you accomplish.

• Backing Up Your Mac

The Mac comes with a built-in backup system called Time Machine. Because Time Machine is so easy to use and works so well, I encourage everyone to use it as part of their backup strategy. Even if you do nothing more for backups than turn on Time Machine, you'll at least have the basics covered.
There are additional steps you can take to help ensure that if something goes terribly wrong, it will be a minor inconvenience rather than a major disaster. These steps include learning how to make clones of your startup drive, learning how to use other popular backup applications, and putting together an external hard drive or two for your backup needs.
Before you start using your Mac to store a lot of pictures, movies, music, and user documents, take the time to configure your backup system. 

• Using The Recovery Disk Assistant

The installation of OS X automatically creates a Recovery HD partition on the Mac's startup drive. This special partition is hidden from view but can be accessed by holding down the command + R keys when you boot your Mac. You can use the Recovery HD partition to repair your Mac or reinstall OS X.
One drawback of the Recovery HD partition is that it's located on the startup drive. If your startup drive should have a physical problem that causes it to fail, you won't be able to access the Recovery HD partition. You can manually create a copy of the Recovery HD partition on a second hard drive or a USB thumb drive, so that when things go really wrong, you can still boot your Mac and find out what's going on. More »

The initial install of OS X El Capitan files can take from 10 minutes to 45 minutes, depending on your Mac model and the type of drive installed. Screen shot courtesy of Coyote Moon, Inc.

• How to Perform a Clean Install of OS X El Capitan on Your Mac

 If you picked up a new Mac this holiday season, then it is likely to have come equipped with OS X El Capitan (10.11.x). You're not likely to need to perform a clean install of OS X anytime soon, but perhaps someday down the road, you will need to know how to restore your Mac to the state it was in when you first got it.
This installation guide will take you through the process and leave you with a fully setup and pristine copy of OS X El Capitan installed on your Mac. More »

Screen shot courtesy of Coyote Moon, Inc.

• Perform a Clean Install of OS X Yosemite on Your Mac's Startup Drive

OS X Yosemite, also known as OS X 10.10, is the first version of OS X that Apple has made available as a public beta before its final release. Yosemite offers a number of new features, including the Handoff service, which lets you pick up on your iOS device where you left off from on your Mac. More »

Courtesy of Coyote Moon, Inc.

• OS X Mavericks Installation Guides

OS X Mavericks (10.9.x) is the first free version of OS X from Apple, and as expected, it's experiencing a quick uptake in users. OS X Mavericks is primarily installed as an upgrade over an existing version of OS X, but you can also perform a clean install, removing all traces of the previous OS and any user data. More »

• OS X Mountain Lion Installation Guides

Mountain Lion (10.8.x) expects you to perform a simple upgrade install, and why not? This is the option many Mac users will select. It allows you to upgrade to OS X Mountain Lion while retaining all of your apps and user data; simple, quick, and easy.
But there are other choices available, including two different methods for performing a clean install. Both methods erase the destination drive, to ensure you have a clean install, without any leftovers from previous versions of the OS to bugger things up. Of course, that means more work for you; you'll have a lot of work to do, including installing all of your apps and any user data you want to keep. 

Courtesy of Apple

• OS X Lion Installation Guides

If you purchase a new Mac, it's likely to come with OS X Lion (10.7.x) pre-installed. If you pick up a used or refurbished Mac, it may have an earlier version of OS X. If that’s the case, you can upgrade to Lion if the Mac supports it.
Mac OS X Lion Minimum Requirements
Our installation guides, which cover performing a clean install and an upgrade install, as well as how to create bootable versions of OS X Lion on a flash drive or DVD, will also come in handy should you ever need to reinstall OS X Lion.