This is what I've gleaned from a few forums:
(0) Check for manufacturing defects - thanks to TheCakeIsALie - copied almost exactly from him but updated for 2010 unibodies
(2) Calibrate battery (summarized instructions from Apple's page)
)
(6) Optional: Install some specialty apps
(9) Optional: Insure your laptop. Applecare is great for manufacturing defects and if the thing just craps out on you, but it doesn't cover accidents (spills, drops, etc.) or theft. A personal articles policy from a reputable insurance company can insure your laptop against accidents and theft for a good price. For example, I have a State Farm personal articles policy for the full purchase price of my MBP ($1834) for $45/year with $0 deductible. If you simply choose to use your home owner's/renter's insurance, beware that it usually carries a $500 deductible, doesn't cover accidents, and will raise your insurance costs for years if a claim is made.
(10) Optional: Register your computer with Apple at http://register.apple.com. After looking into it, there is no real benefit for registering unless you bought Applecare separately. Then you should register your Applecare. The only benefit it used to give was the ability to look up your serial number if your computer was stolen, but you cannot do that anymore. You should write down your serial number somewhere or keep your box with the serial number on it.
Anything I miss?
(0) Check for manufacturing defects - thanks to TheCakeIsALie - copied almost exactly from him but updated for 2010 unibodies
- Check the exterior finish for dents/imperfections/scratches
- Open up the screen and check the keyboard, make sure it is not crooked (especially the top row)
- Check the battery indicator light on the left side
- Check the glass cover on the screen for scratches/dents/imperfections
- Turn it on and check Airport Extreme by connecting to the Internet
- Check for dead pixels using this link here and/or here
- Check the trackpad clicks/gestures (listed on this page), as well as backlit keyboard
- Check the internal temperatures using iStat Pro - my i5 2.4Ghz idles at <50C
- Try switching GPUs and check internal temperatures using gfxCardStatus - my GT330m GPU idles <45C
- Insert the OS X recovery disc into the SuperDrive and check the disc.
- Insert a music CD into the SuperDrive and check for sound quality (any hissing or pops)
- Put the MBP to sleep, check the sleep indicator light and whether there are any complications (eg. laptop remains hot)
(2) Calibrate battery (summarized instructions from Apple's page)
- Fully charge battery (ideally while not using the computer)
- Leave plugged in and fully charged for ~2 hours (can use computer during this time)
- Unplug from power and use computer until battery life is low enough that it goes to sleep automatically
- Leave in sleep state for 5+ hours (basically until it dies completely)
- Fully charge battery again
- gfxCardStatus (15" and 17" models only) - explicit control over integrated and discrete graphics - Really useful since auto-switching doesn't always make the right choice (especially if you are going on battery power)
- Stuffit Expander - extracts compressed files
- Media player of choice (VLC Player for me)
- IM program of choice (Adium for me)
- Browser of choice (you can stick with Safari or choose between Chrome, Firefox, Opera)
- Office suite of choice (iWork, NeoOffice, Openoffice.org, MS Office for Mac)
)- CoconutBattery - monitors battery usage/cycles - NOTE: don't freak out if your new battery shows <100% capacity, it varies quite a bit until you do a few battery loadcycles
- MenuMeters - shows performance statistics in your top menubar
- smcFanControl - fan speed control
(6) Optional: Install some specialty apps
- Onyx - settings tweaker for OSX - thanks to TrojanX
- BetterTouchTool - allows window snapping (similar to Windows 7), customized trackpad and magic mouse gestures, and MUCH more
- Handbrake - video transcoder - thanks to Corndog5595
- Xslimmer - reduces the size of OSX binaries, good for people with little space, i.e. SSD owners - thanks to Tex-Twil - NOTE: cleared about 1GB from a factory install of OSX 10.6
- CleanMyMac - all in one utility that reduces the size of OSX binaries, removes extra language files, clears caches and more, doesn't slim OSX binaries as much as Xslimmer but has other features - thanks to EzhnoWolf
- Weather Channel - weather information
- iStat Nano or iStat Pro - widget that shows performance/statistics for your computer
(9) Optional: Insure your laptop. Applecare is great for manufacturing defects and if the thing just craps out on you, but it doesn't cover accidents (spills, drops, etc.) or theft. A personal articles policy from a reputable insurance company can insure your laptop against accidents and theft for a good price. For example, I have a State Farm personal articles policy for the full purchase price of my MBP ($1834) for $45/year with $0 deductible. If you simply choose to use your home owner's/renter's insurance, beware that it usually carries a $500 deductible, doesn't cover accidents, and will raise your insurance costs for years if a claim is made.
(10) Optional: Register your computer with Apple at http://register.apple.com. After looking into it, there is no real benefit for registering unless you bought Applecare separately. Then you should register your Applecare. The only benefit it used to give was the ability to look up your serial number if your computer was stolen, but you cannot do that anymore. You should write down your serial number somewhere or keep your box with the serial number on it.
Anything I miss?
