As someone who will be getting a Mac in 2 days I was asking for any tips for a new Mac owner? For example, one question I have is when you get a Mac should you let it fully charge then turn it on for the first time or have it charge as you turn it on and use it for the first time? I'm sure as time goes on I will discover more questions. I also hope other new Mac owners will use this thread to discover new tips and Easter eggs. Thanks!
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Tips For Future Mac Owners
- Thread starter AppleBoyFreak
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I guarantee that you will not want to wait for the battery to fully charge before turning it on. Once you open that box you'll turn it on immediately. But seriously, it doesn't matter either way.
As eager as I will be, I already told myself that I will wait till I've read the literature so I don't mess anything up.
Thanks for the quick reply!
You don't need to worry about the battery. Just use it when you get it and charge it when you need to. If the laptop spends a good chunk of its life plugged in, that is perfectly ok. You just need to let it run off of battery occasionally to keep the battery healthy. Every few weeks is fine.
Is once a month suitable? Also, when I first get it should I immediately run a check for updates?
Sure, once a month is fine. You can run the updater immediately if you want to.
One last pretty basic question. If the Mac isn't going to leave my room will it be okay to go without a case? Also, my room gets dusty, is there any precautions I should take or will the Mac still be okay? Thanks!
Lol, it's not that bad. I'm a neat freak and clean/dust my room at least once a week. Will having the Mac on my lap at an angle hurt the hard drive? For example, on my old laptop I would lay in bed and have it propped up on my knees, would that hurt the hard drive?
No, but your legs will get hurt
Joking aside, it can get a bit warm, especially on hot summer days, be aware though not to put it directly on the bed for a long time when it does heavy lifting, it will get quite a bit hotter, beds don't cool that much.
The hotter the laptop is the more it effects lifetime, especially the hard disk.
I am in a very hot climate and if I don't have a fan on it temps reach over 62 degrees celsius without heavy load.
The heaviest load this Mac can expect is a hour straight of YouTube and MacRumors. For $1,799 I hope it can handle that without getting too hot lolNo, but your legs will get hurt
Joking aside, it can get a bit warm, especially on hot summer days, be aware though not to put it directly on the bed for a long time when it does heavy lifting, it will get quite a bit hotter, beds don't cool that much.
The hotter the laptop is the more it effects lifetime, especially the hard disk.
I am in a very hot climate and if I don't have a fan on it temps reach over 62 degrees celsius without heavy load.
Putting a case on does neither help to protect it from dust nor does it help cooling it.
I have one of this plastic covers for the MBP.
It seems to have the magically ability to get the dust between the MBP and the cover you you have to clean it at least once a month, as mentioned it's also keeping the warmth on the macbook which is not too nice.
However it really helped when I dropped the macbook, the plastic cover broken on that place but the MBP has no dent no scratch no nothing. So it really depends how you use the macbook. also for in the office i got a cooling pad for the mac, that seems to help a lot.
And dont let it sit on your lap too long... unless you like bratwurst
I have one of this plastic covers for the MBP.
It seems to have the magically ability to get the dust between the MBP and the cover you you have to clean it at least once a month, as mentioned it's also keeping the warmth on the macbook which is not too nice.
However it really helped when I dropped the macbook, the plastic cover broken on that place but the MBP has no dent no scratch no nothing. So it really depends how you use the macbook. also for in the office i got a cooling pad for the mac, that seems to help a lot.
And dont let it sit on your lap too long... unless you like bratwurst
Oh, kentucky isn't that hot I think, I live in a place where day temperatures are always 30 degrees celsius (sorry don't know in F) and that's even on 900 Meters altitude.
Powerbook/ibooks/macbooks and macbookpro are well made and well cooled so it shouldn't be much of a problem, only on extreme hot days you will sweat like hell if you keep it on your lap.
If you do get a plastic case make sure you take it off every couple weeks and wipe it down, debris will get caught in between the case and the mac and it can scratch the mac.
Also you should get VLC for media.
As a person who takes great care of their items I've decided against getting a case. The Mac will probably never leave my room. However, what's is a VLC? Thanks to everyone responding because I really want to get the most out of my Mac!
One last question. When setting up your profile for the computer I know you can either take a picture or choose one from apples images. Is one of apples images you can choose from just the plain apple logo?
VLC is a media player, the first search result using a free www search engine will give you an official link.
As for the battery:
As for the profile picture, no there is no Apple logo to choose from, but you can search for one using a www search engine and drag it to your profile image selection dropdown menu.
As for the battery:
______________________________________________________
This should answer most, if not all, of your battery questions:
Apple Notebook Battery FAQ by GGJstudios
The F.A.Q. includes the following topics:
______________________________________________________
This should answer most, if not all, of your battery questions:
Apple Notebook Battery FAQ by GGJstudios
The F.A.Q. includes the following topics:
- BATTERY INFORMATION
- BATTERY LIFE FROM A CHARGE
- AC POWER
- CALIBRATION
- BATTERY LIFESPAN
- CHECKING STATUS AND HEALTH
- CHARGING
- WHAT IS A CYCLE?
- BATTERIES ARE NOT COVERED
- BULGING OR SWELLING BATTERY
______________________________________________________
As for the profile picture, no there is no Apple logo to choose from, but you can search for one using a www search engine and drag it to your profile image selection dropdown menu.
The best practice that I would do when I get a new laptop weather it's Mac or PC is to charge the battery for 2/hrs then unplug the cord and use your Mac/PC when you first purchase it. I think that is the best way to keep the longevity of your battery life. =)
It doesn't matter in the least. The days of battery memory are long gone, use it as you please, plug it in when you feel like it, unplug it when you need to be mobile and don't overthink it.
Considering I'm not allowed to have liquids in my room since there is carpet I doubt I'll have to worry about spilling. However I do understand your concern because I too have read some of the horror stories on here where people have spill liquids on their Mac. Also, I do understand that statement makes me sound like a little kid but parents make the rules
Here's the advice I give everyone: don't log in as root.
Create 2 accounts:
1) An account for you that is whatever name you want (Bob).
2) Create an account dedicated to admin work. Name it SuperBob or AdminBob or just Admin.
Why do this?
I could go into a lengthy explanation (it would involve security, maintenance, and things) but it's never a good idea to run as root. Not unless you need to.
Good luck and enjoy!!!
Create 2 accounts:
1) An account for you that is whatever name you want (Bob).
2) Create an account dedicated to admin work. Name it SuperBob or AdminBob or just Admin.
Why do this?
I could go into a lengthy explanation (it would involve security, maintenance, and things) but it's never a good idea to run as root. Not unless you need to.
Good luck and enjoy!!!
One more question. With AirPlay mirroring will I essentially be able to use my TV as an external screen with my Apple TV? Thanks!
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Another question. Is the military discount in store the same as the one online? Online it drops the base 15" MacBook Pro from $1799 to $1699.
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Another question. Is the military discount in store the same as the one online? Online it drops the base 15" MacBook Pro from $1799 to $1699.