How To: Download the Mac App Store in Mac OS X 10.6.6 & Fix the (100) Error

Mac owners— life just got a little easier.

No longer do you have to wait in line for the newest version of iLife.  No more searching Amazon or eBay for the best price on Aperture.  And no more Angry Birds on your mobile device's small touchscreen!

Yes, the new Mac App Store was just released today in Apple's newest software update, and it brings the same concept of the iPhone App Store right to your computer.  On its opening day, it already has over 1,000 Mac Apps for your enjoyment, and the number will only grow as software developers begin building their own applications for Apple desktops and laptops.  [via Switched]

So, life may have just gotten easier for Mac owners, but that could also cause some problems for some addictive personalities.  Never before have so many programs, ranging from games to finance to productivity, been so readily available, all at the click of a mouse button.  Just like the Apple's App Store for iOS devices, the Mac App Store has free programs, but the cost for paid ones can be as high as $100.

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.

Entirely new apps, as well as current Mac favorites, are available from developers such as Autodesk, Ancestry.com and Boinx.  iPhoto, iMovie and GarageBand apps from Apple's popular iLife '11 suite are available individually in the Mac App Store for $14.99 each, and Pages, Keynote and Numbers apps from iWork are available for $19.99 each.  Aperture 3, Apple's powerful photo editing and management software, is available for $79.99.  [via Apple]

But if you can manage your money well, the new Mac App Store can be a powerful tool for you, and this is how you get started.

UPDATE: Engadget discovered a bug in the Mac App Store already, where you'll get an "unknown error occurred (100)" message when first launching the store after the software update.  In order to fix this problem, simply quit the store and reload it.  If that doesn't work, try rebooting and the launching the store again.  That should do the trick.

So, be aware of this before you use the instructions below to install the new Mac App Store.

Step 1 Update Snow Leopard

To get started, simply update your Mac OS X software.  You have to be running Snow Leopard, and will be update to Mac OS X 10.6.6.

Go to Software Update on your Mac and open it.  Wait for it to find the 148MB update, then download and install.  A restart is necessary.

Step 2 Open Up the Mac App Store

After your computer restarts, you'll find the Mac App Store in your Applications folder, along with in your Dock, right next to the Finder.  Open it.

Step 3 Enjoy

The new Mac App Store is just like the iOS App Store for the iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad.  So, if you've shopped for mobile apps before, it should be a breeze for you to find and download Mac applications.  You can browse Mac apps by category, such as games, productivity, music, and more.  Or do a quick search for something specific.  Read developer descriptions and user reviews.  Flip through screenshots.  When you find an app you like, click to buy it.

Browse by Featured

Browse by Top Charts

Browse by Categories

Step 4 Find Out More

To see the Mac App Store in all its glory, start using it!  Or visit the Mac App Store webpage on Apple for more information about purchasing and downloading applications and updating them in the future.

Step 5 Develop Your Own Mac App!

Software developers, if you're interested in developing a program for the Mac App Store, it's going to cost you $99 annually, but it's well worth it if you create something awesome.  For more information, visit the Mac Developer Program.