I’m still digesting that Mountain Lion that Apple fed to us moments ago. But wait, there’s more! Besides announcing OS X 10.8, Apple has also released the first public beta of Messages.

What’s Messages, you might ask? It’s a replacement for iChat on the Mac that integrates FaceTime, instant messaging and…wait for it…iMessage! Yup! I’ve been waiting for this since Lion – the ability to send and receive iMessages to and from iOS devices on my Mac! Hoorah!

As with iMessage, Messages for Mac allows you to start a conversation on your iOS device and resume it on your Mac, or vice versa! It also allows you to send photos, videos, contacts, locations, and attachments, as well as supporting iChat’s traditional instant messaging features through AIM, Yahoo!, Google Talk, and other IM services.

So, what’s the best part of iMessage for Mac? The fact that you can get it RIGHT NOW! The first public beta is already on the loose – download it for free directly from Apple here.

Boom!