Apple's Mac App Store opens for business - more Angry Birds!

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By Erin Bell
Jan 6, 2011, 9:18am

The Mac App Store is officially open for business today, bringing the revolutionary App Store experience to the Mac. Available to Snow Leopard users through an automatic software update, the Mac App Store allows people to browse, buy, and download games and other apps through their iTunes account.

The Mac App Store offers apps in Education, Games, Graphics & Design, Lifestyle, Productivity, Utilities and other categories. Users can browse new and noteworthy apps, find out what’s hot, see staff favorites, search categories and look up top charts for paid and free apps, as well as user ratings and reviews.

According to Apple, the Mac Store launches with more than 1,000 apps including its fair share of games. One of the launch titles is a Mac version of the iPhone smash hit Angry Birds (introductory price $4.99), which not surprisingly is already listed as the #1 paid app.

Game prices are similar to those of portals like Steam and GamersGate, ranging from casual games like Virtual City, Build-a-lot 4, Peggle and Bejeweled 3 for between $6.99 and $19.99, up to "harcore" games like LEGO: Harry Potter Years 1-4 for $49.99.

To get the Mac App Store, download the Mac OS X v10.6.6 Software Update or visit www.apple.com/mac/app-store. To find out more about developing for the Mac App Store visit developer.apple.com/programs/mac.

Comments (2)

ryem
Jan 6, 2011, 4:41pm

It's very similar to the App store, which isn't a particularly good thing. The default sort is by release date and if you click on a game to look at it and then hit the back arrow you go back to a sort by date. The game categories could use some more work - there are no sections for Time Management or Hidden Object games. There's also no free trial period, and the prices are just OK, so the other portals have nothing to worry about right now.

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cakefordinner
Jan 7, 2011, 1:52pm

iTunes biggest drawback are the tags for the apps. They're not specific enough (wonder if the developers decide on the tags) and often include tags that don't apply (like those that come up in an Adventure search because that word occurs somewhere in the info, or the developer decided to add it). I'm sure the Mac App store will improve, over time. For now, I'm just checking the reviews here and in the AppStore for info. I just got an iMac and haven't had time to completely set it up (have my eye on a few discounted graphics editing programs and some games I hadn't got around to getting on my iPad). It looks great, though.

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