What are the first things I must do with a new Macbook Pro?

[AppleMacFinder]

i.e. calibrate the battery.
Please, tell me about other important things I must do to enjoy my MBP.
Install special utilities (do you know them?) or something else?

 

[spinnerlys]

Enjoy it.

Calibrating is a given:

This should answer most, if not all, of your battery questions: Apple Notebook Battery FAQ

Apple on notebook batteries

Apple Portable: Calibrating your computer's battery for best performance

Laptop Battery Guide

Also have a look at the following links to learn more about Mac OS X:

Mac OS X Basics, Malware, Software and other useful links

Helpful Information for Any Mac User by GGJstudios​

Links to Software Recommendation Threads

and MRoogle, the search engine for the MR Forum

gfxCardStatus

gfxCardStatus is an open-source menu bar application that keeps track of which graphics card your dual-GPU (late 2008/2009 w/ 9400M/9600M GT, or 2010 i5/i7 w/ Intel HD/330M) MacBook Pro is using at any given time, and allows you to switch between them on demand.

 

[robbieduncan]

1) Take it out of the box

2) Calibrate the display (either with special hardware like a Spyder 3 or by eye using the built-in tool).

 

[kidwithdimples]

Well the first thing you should do is ENJOY YOUR NEW MBP.

I'm not sure about the second thing you should do.. maybe install apps?

BUT the third thing you SHOULDN'T do is develop an OCD problem about your battery life or some b.s and complain about it.

 

[Sankersizzle]

i dropped the ****ing thing right as i was taking it out of the package. maybe you should give that a shot? my mbp has been trouble free and otherwise excellent for the 5 months i've had it.

 

[iMacThere4Iam]

1. Call your PC loving friends and boast. They won't mind. Really.

2. Start flamewars with total strangers.

3. Count how many seconds it takes for your girlfriend to get fingerprints on your immaculate new screen. As soon as she leaves the room, discreetly access porn.

4. Repeat steps 1 and 2, only be meaner and more aggressive about it.

5. Say nothing to your girlfriend about step 3. This will only lead to an argument (and yes, I'm sure she smudged your screen deliberately). Use the MBP to help you find a new girlfriend, if absolutely necessary.

6. Now you're ready to trade insults with Android people. This does not require ownership of an iPhone. You're now in the Apple camp; act accordingly.

 

[Merkava_4]

Order you a Coolshield Screensleeve when they start shipping again.

 

[Covart]

First thing is always to get a cool decal put on the front. Decals are guaranteed to give you computer a speed boost. Kind of like with cars and motorcycles. The more decals on them, the more hp they have.

 

[millertime021]

1. Call your PC loving friends and boast. They won't mind. Really.

2. Start flamewars with total strangers.

3. Count how many seconds it takes for your girlfriend to get fingerprints on your immaculate new screen. As soon as she leaves the room, discreetly access porn.

4. Repeat steps 1 and 2, only be meaner and more aggressive about it.

5. Say nothing to your girlfriend about step 3. This will only lead to an argument (and yes, I'm sure she smudged your screen deliberately). Use the MBP to help you find a new girlfriend, if absolutely necessary.

6. Now you're ready to trade insults with Android people. This does not require ownership of an iPhone. You're now in the Apple camp; act accordingly.

Oh man, that's a relief.

I'm glad I followed proper protocol. When I had repeated steps one and two, I thought I might have been out of line.

 

[pianojoe]

Install Little Snitch.

 

[discosoap]

Install Little Snitch.

I concur. Little Snitch is the very first thing any good pirate needs when installing a new Mac

 

[Identity Fraud]

Covart, that decal is awesome. A+

 

[GGJstudios]

Helpful Information for Any Mac User

 

[AlphaDogg]

2. Start flamewars with total strangers.

Haha, I did that on a train once .

 

[iPhone1]

Check these out.

Here are some applications you might want to check out

-Facebook Notifier (Search Desktop Notifications in Facebook)
-Twit Menulet
-better touch tool (Windows 7 snapping for FREE)
-iStat Menus
-Google Chrome
-Path Finder
-Things
-Skype

-Steam (Mac Gaming)
-Boxee
-Hulu desktop
-Socialite
-Pixelmator (good alternative to Photoshop)

Also check out the Karvt skins for MBP - karvt.com

 

[BINXER]

Here are some applications you might want to check out

-Facebook Notifier (Search Desktop Notifications in Facebook)
-Twit Menulet
-better touch tool (Windows 7 snapping for FREE)
-iStat Menus
-Google Chrome
-Path Finder
-Things
-Skype

-Steam (Mac Gaming)
-Boxee
-Hulu desktop
-Socialite
-Pixelmator (good alternative to Photoshop)

Also check out the Karvt skins for MBP - karvt.com

Thank you so much for the link to better touch tool. I just bought a MBP and I was missing the snapping feature from windows 7

 

[AppleMacFinder]

BetterTouchTool is really Awesome!
And Little Snitch will be very useful for me, because...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LMJDnRbJqgQ
Thanks to everybody!

Any other advices (great apps, secret geeky tweaks) ?

 

[AlphaDogg]

BetterTouchTool is really Awesome!
And Little Snitch will be very useful for me, because...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LMJDnRbJqgQ
Thanks to everybody!

Any other advices (great apps, secret geeky tweaks) ?

Download a preference pane for system preferences called "Secrets." It lets you unlock things in multiple applications, even Finder.

 

[pandamonia]

put an SSD in it

 

[AppleMacFinder]

put an SSD in it

I don't understand all this excitement about SSDs.
They are very expensive, have no TRIM support in OS X and wearing out.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solid-state_drive#Disadvantages

Yes, if your SSD is new, you are getting a big performance boost,
but it's degrading as it gets older. Don't worth the money.

 

[Hisdem]

I don't understand all this excitement about SSDs.
They are very expensive, have no TRIM support in OS X and wearing out.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solid-state_drive#Disadvantages

Yes, if your SSD is new, you are getting a big performance boost,
but it's degrading as it gets older. Don't worth the money.

Not if you buy a SandForce controlled one. It's not as good as TRIM, but will do the job and prevent degradation until OS X supports TRIM just fine.

 

[WardC]

Adding an SSD in your MacBook Pro is a better upgrade than going from a Core i5 to a Core i7 in my opinion. You will notice everything speed up and the SSD is over 4 times as fast as that 5400rpm HD that comes stock on the MacBook Pro!!