RI BECOMING A MAC SETUP PRO AL PART I Buying a Mac CHAPTER 2 Setting Up a Mac CHAPTER 3 Running Windows and Other Operating Systems on a Mac CHAPTER 4 Getting the Most Out of Mac OS X Software CHAPTER 5 Getting the Most from Mac OS X Utilities CHAPTER 6 Keeping Your Mac in Great Condition CHAPTER 7 Backing Up Your Mac CHAPTER 8 Working with Networks CHAPTER 9 Using Disk Utility to Set Up and Control Drives CO PY RI GH TE D MA TE CHAPTER 1
CHAPTER 1 Buying a Mac IN THIS CHAPTER 1 3 Choosing one of the many Mac models to buy 3 Deciding whether to get your new Mac from Apple or an Apple reseller 3 Finding a better deal by buying an older or secondhand Mac 3 Checking for hardware errors and getting a guarantee 3 Buying a refurbished Mac 3 Getting extras such as an upgraded processor or software Congratulations, you are—or are about to be—the proud owner of an Apple Macintosh computer, or Mac.
CHAPTER 1 Buying a Mac CHOOSING WHICH MAC TO BUY to at’s notven’t h T 3y there ha ad b sa en any ever beThe G4 Macs. nd Twentieth Cube a sary Macs Anniverenerally were g red flops. conside ple has had But Apre hits than far mo misses. If you don’t have a Mac already, which one should you get? That’s a conundrum that only you can answer. The good news, however, is that there are no bad Mac computers.
Choosing Which Mac to Buy 3 Macs don’t have any software: More than 12,000 applications are available for Macs, covering about every kind of computing task you can imagine. Just about every major program (Microsoft Office, Adobe Creative Suite, FileMaker, and so on) is available for Mac. If you hear any negative talk along these lines, you can be sure that it’s a complete myth. When choosing a Mac, the model you pick largely depends on the features you require.
CHAPTER 1 Buying a Mac C R OS S R EF Chapter 10 has more information on upgrading options for Macs. Most home users fi nd the Mac Pro overkill. Unless you have a specific requirement for a Mac Pro feature, such as RAID to perform Mac OS X Server functions, or if you require high-end computing function (video editors, scientists, and 3-D graphic designers typically fall into this category), you should consider Apple’s consumer model, the iMac, instead.
Choosing Which Mac to Buy Apple Mouse. New Mac Pro computers come with the older wired mouse and keyboard, but you can pay extra to upgrade to the newer Magic Mouse and wireless keyboard. CHOOSING A BIGGER DISPLAY Designers and video editors aren’t the only ones who benefit from a large display. In 2005, Pfeiffer Consulting tested the Apple 30-inch Cinema HD display against a 17-inch display in a number of tasks.
CHAPTER 1 Buying a Mac Its small size and low power consumption have endeared the Mac mini to Apple enthusiasts who’ve found a range of uses for the device beyond that originally envisioned by Apple. For example, it’s possible to attach a Mac mini to a television set to create a great media center.
Choosing Which Mac to Buy C ROS SR EF Chapter 14 has more information on multi-touch trackpad gestures. The white MacBook is the only model not to feature a backlit keyboard that lights up automatically when the ambient lighting fades. With the exception of the Mac mini, the MacBook is the highest-value-for-the-money Mac. It’s no surprise that the MacBook is Apple’s best-selling Mac of all time. WHAT’S A UNIBODY? All of Apple’s notebook models feature a unibody casing.
CHAPTER 1 Buying a Mac FIGURE 1-5: A range of MacBook Pro notebook models offer advanced components and larger display options than the MacBook. MacBook Air First introduced in 2007, the MacBook Air is a unique model that some Mac users consider a slightly odd purchase. The MacBook Air is similar to the 13-inch MacBook Pro, except it is shrunk down to an ultrathin case that measures just 0.76 inches thick, as shown in Figure 1-6. As the name suggests, the MacBook Air is all about being lightweight.
Choosing Which Mac to Buy The screen remains the full 13-inch size, and it has the same full-sized backlit keyboard as the MacBook Pro. Although it lacks the glass trackpad from the MacBook and MacBook Pro, it does have multi-touch capability. Another omission is the optical drive, which you can purchase separately and attach via USB. Apple has a feature called Disc Sharing that enables a MacBook Air to “borrow” the optical drive from another Mac or PC computer.
CHAPTER 1 Buying a Mac DECIDING WHERE TO GET YOUR MAC Once you’ve decided which Mac to buy, the next obvious task is to get one. Because Apple tightly controls distribution, you are less likely to get a better deal by shopping around for a Mac than you are when buying a PC. Having said that, there are deals out there, and there are reasons for buying a Mac from a store other than Apple. But let’s start with going straight to the horse’s mouth.
Getting a Better Deal on a Mac Buying a Mac from an Apple Reseller As well as buying a Mac directly from Apple, you can also purchase one from an Apple Authorized Reseller. These resellers are stores (both online and physical) that specialize in selling Macs and have passed stringent quality control from Apple, in offering both knowledgeable service and after-sales support.
CHAPTER 1 Buying a Mac threats, industry standard software such as Final Cut Pro that is unavailable on a PC, and superior home software such as iPhoto and GarageBand that is Mac-only. None of these arguments, however, means much if your budget simply won’t stretch. So what can you do if you really want to own a Mac but simply can’t stretch to the amount that Apple charges? Fear not. There are some secret tricks that can get you a great Mac on a budget.
Getting a Better Deal on a Mac Make sure to buy a machine powerful enough to handle your tasks. Two websites are useful if you’re buying an older model: Low End Mac has a complete list of all profiles from older Macs (www.lowendmac.com/profiles.htm). Also useful is Macworld’s Speedmark testing (www.macworld.com/info/ speedmark). Macworld’s reviews contain comprehensive Speedmark testing for all current and older models.
CHAPTER 1 Buying a Mac You need to check that the machine you are picking up is powerful enough to meet your needs. Aside from this, the main considerations with picking up a secondhand model are ensuring that the device is in good working order, determining whether it has warranty still available, and making sure you pay a reasonable price.
Getting a Better Deal on a Mac When buying a secondhand Mac, make sure to get the installation discs for any software included in the sale. If you don’t possess the physical discs, you may have legal problems regarding the license, and you may find it difficult to obtain updates. Also, if you don’t have the installation discs, you won’t be able to re-install the software if there are any problems.
CHAPTER 1 ition to 3einIng aadndnoying, b e often this noishortly occurs sa hard drive before put. goes ka Buying a Mac One fi nal method of checking for a problem is to physically listen to the noises the hard drive makes when idle and during use. A good way to listen to the hard drive in action is to copy a large file from one area to another—or highlight a large file, such as a movie clip, and select File , Duplicate from the menu bar (or press F+D).
Getting a Better Deal on a Mac CHECKING A MAC NOTEBOOK When purchasing a Mac notebook secondhand, there are a few things you should check in addition to what you check when considering a desktop model: 3 Check for dents: Aluminum MacBooks are sturdy creatures, but one sign of mistreatment (specifically that the device has been dropped) is to check for dents in the case. 3 Look for signs of scruffiness: The white MacBook models are prone to collecting dirt.
CHAPTER 1 Buying a Mac Apple builds high quality machines, but Macs (like all computers) are complicated pieces of machinery, and there are lots of things that can go wrong. GETTING A GUARANTEE It may sound obvious, but the best thing you can do prior to buying a secondhand Mac is to ask the person selling it if he or she knows of any problems whatsoever.
Getting a Better Deal on a Mac Not only do you get the full 12-month warranty that comes with a new Mac, you also get the option to purchase an additional AppleCare plan to extend the period of service and repair to 3 years. That should be enough to calm your nerves about the quality of the product. Typically you will save at least 10 percent on a machine, and this amount rises to around one-third off the retail price.
CHAPTER 1 Buying a Mac GETTING OPTIONAL EXTRAS WITH A MAC When you purchase a Mac from the Apple Online Store, you need to select a number of options before you fi nalize your purchase. The range of options may seem a little daunting at fi rst, as Figure 1-12 shows, but it’s important to choose the right options. FIGURE 1-12: Apple offers a range of optional extras with a new Mac. Choosing the right options enables you to build the machine that is right for you.
Getting Optional Extras with a Mac Purchasing Extra Memory Another option to consider when buying a new Mac is whether to purchase extra memory. More memory enables Macs to run programs faster and more effi ciently and to run multiple programs at the same time. Prior to Mac OS X Snow Leopard, most applications ran in a 32-bit environment, where the greatest amount of memory available was 4GB. Since the introduction of Mac OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard, a Mac program can use up to 32TB of theoretical memory.
CHAPTER 1 Buying a Mac easier and more efficient. Attaching a larger screen to a Mac notebook (along with a keyboard and mouse) enables you to use it like a desktop computer. Choosing Apple Keyboard and Mouse Options If you purchase an iMac or Mac Pro from Apple, your purchase will include a mouse and keyboard by default. You can opt for different wired or wireless mouse options and choose international language keyboards before purchasing.
Considering Other Accessories to Go with Your Mac Purchasing MobileMe with Your Mac lly can usua u o Y y 3ve money b opy MobileMe is an online membership service that you pay for annually. MobileMe sa boxed c enables you to use your Mac from another location via the Internet.
CHAPTER 1 Buying a Mac provide an Internet connection, they are both likely to provide much better service than a Wi-Fi router provided by your Internet service provider. The AirPort Express is smaller and designed to be taken on the road; the AirPort Extreme has multiple antennas for faster performance. Chapter 8 has more information on networking. 3 Time Capsule: This unique device is similar to the AirPort Extreme Base Station but also includes a hard drive for remote backups.
