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Apr 12, 2001
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With iOS 8 and OS X Yosemite, Apple is focusing heavily on increased integration between desktop and mobile through several new "Continuity" features, including Handoff, which allows users to start a task on one device and swap to another nearby device.

While Handoff doesn't appear to work reliably at this point in time and is listed as one of the features currently unavailable in the beta software, some users have been able to get it working, giving us a quick glimpse at how the feature works.

A video from French site Mac4Ever displays how the feature works with Maps, Safari, and Mail. A map opened on the iPhone is automatically picked up by the Mac, displayed in the lower left corner of the screen, with the process repeated for a site in Safari and an email message in Mail.

Handoff, Mac/iPad phone calls, and the other Continuity features will continue to be refined during the iOS 8/OS X Yosemite beta testing period. Both iOS 8 and OS X Yosemite are currently available to developers and are expected to be released to the public in the fall.

Article Link: See Handoff on OS X Yosemite and iOS 8 in Action
 

Zelion

macrumors newbie
Mar 14, 2013
10
3
Hand off? How about HANDS OFF my iPhone for all guys who can't seem to hide their indiscretions lol. (hands up)
 

bb426

macrumors 6502
Jun 7, 2011
421
131
California
I was kinda disappointed to not be able to test this yet. I haven't been able to get this to work on any of my devices yet.
 

AngerDanger

Graphics
Staff member
Dec 9, 2008
5,452
29,002
I've said it before, but it was around the time that Craig flung an email from an iPad to a Mac when I realized we're on the precipice of something which is going to be indispensable to future generations.
 

576316

macrumors 601
May 19, 2011
4,056
2,556
Really looking forward to these features. I can see Handoff being infinitely useful. Bring on the public beta!
 

hagar

macrumors 68000
Jan 19, 2008
1,959
4,838
I don't understand why Apple chooses a solution with that much traffic overhead. Or are these notifications sent over Bluetooth / wifi?

Because otherwise they will have a lot of extra traffic, as they have with cloud tabs in safari.
 

arn

macrumors god
Staff member
Apr 9, 2001
16,362
5,795
I don't understand why Apple chooses a solution with that much traffic overhead. Or are these notifications sent over Bluetooth / wifi?

Because otherwise they will have a lot of extra traffic, as they have with cloud tabs in safari.

Over Bluetooth apparently
 

tbayrgs

macrumors 604
Jul 5, 2009
7,343
4,867
i can't get it to work between ipad and iphone aside from sms

I enabled it on my Mac but had no luck with my iPad rMini until I rebooted the computer. After the Mac restart, it immediately came up--was able to duplicate the 3 examples in the first video (Maps, Safari, Email).
 
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CrAkD

macrumors 68040
Feb 15, 2010
3,180
255
Boston, MA
I enabled it on my Mac but had no luck with my iPad rMini until I reboot the computer. After the Mac restart, it immediately came up--was able to duplicate the 3 examples in the first video (Maps, Safari, Email).


Hmm maybe load a Yosemite VMware I don't want to update to it I use my computer for work.
 

jpu

macrumors member
Mar 1, 2014
70
29
Over Bluetooth apparently

If you look at 0:43 in the first video, the Bluetooth icon is in the status bar of the iPhone but not lit up - it's not connected to the Mac via Bluetooth.
 

zipa

macrumors 65816
Feb 19, 2010
1,442
1
Cool! I guess? Can't really think of any use for this, but it looks and feels like something that would be useful.
 

8CoreWhore

macrumors 68030
Jan 17, 2008
2,653
1,186
Tejas
So far, I haven't been able to get this working. I can't get my Mac and iPhone to connect via BT.
 
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seble

macrumors 6502a
Sep 6, 2010
972
163
If you look at 0:43 in the first video, the Bluetooth icon is in the status bar of the iPhone but not lit up - it's not connected to the Mac via Bluetooth.

Maybe Apple knows that you might use Bluetooth for multiple things and saves lighting it up for when the device is paired to a car or headphones say.
 

firedept

macrumors 603
Jul 8, 2011
6,277
1,130
Somewhere!
I can see myself using this. Quite often I am in the middle of something and have to leave. Being able to go between my iMac and iPhone will certainly be helpful.
 

zipa

macrumors 65816
Feb 19, 2010
1,442
1
I can see myself using this. Quite often I am in the middle of something and have to leave. Being able to go between my iMac and iPhone will certainly be helpful.

Yes, for sure this sounds like something nice, but I just can't put my finger on it.

I mean, I've been going between my phone and computer for the best part of a decade already for most everything, including games, email and documents. Browsing has been synced via iCloud as well. I mean, yea, it's nice, but I've been doing it for years already, and completely cross-platform to boot.

What benefits am I supposed to reap from this proprietary solution?
 

Mugwumper

macrumors regular
Jan 19, 2008
245
8
Temecula, CA
Nothing new? ;^)

Umm, wasn't this (and more) already done in "Minority Report", and then in "NCIS" and "Hawaii 5-0" on TV? ;^)

Just a little Friday the 13th humor - a year from now, when this is all stable, we'll figure out lots of ways to use it.
 

firedept

macrumors 603
Jul 8, 2011
6,277
1,130
Somewhere!
Yes, for sure this sounds like something nice, but I just can't put my finger on it.

I mean, I've been going between my phone and computer for the best part of a decade already for most everything, including games, email and documents. Browsing has been synced via iCloud as well. I mean, yea, it's nice, but I've been doing it for years already, and completely cross-platform to boot.

What benefits am I supposed to reap from this proprietary solution?

I will get a bigger benefit from it than you. Not a fan of iCloud for the big picture. I use iCloud in a very limited way. Yeah I guess I should move with the times, but iCloud has never made me comfortable enough to use it all out. Not sure why, it's just me.
 
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