First steps

Unpacking and charging

In the box you’ll find the MacBook, a power cord, and a 60W MagSafe power adaptor.

Strip away all protective film. Plug the adaptor into a convenient electric socket.

The MagSafe connector for your MacBook is at the end of the cable attached to the MagSafe power adaptor. The MacBook power port is on the far left of the left edge of the MacBook.

Introduce the MagSafe connector to the power port. You’ll feel a magnetic pull close to the port.

If you need more length for the adaptor cable, take the adaptor from the electric socket and remove the prongs by pulling them up. Plug one end of the power cord into the area behind the prongs, and the other into the electric socket.

Once the electricity is on, a light on the MagSafe connector appears. Amber shows that the MacBook battery is charging; green indicates that the battery has reached full charge.

Unpacking and charging

During the charging process, check your MacBook’s basic features.

First open up your MacBook. Along the top edge above the screen, from left to right, there’s an iSight camera, and a camera indicator light.

The microphone is in the top left corner above the keyboard. The power button is in the top right corner.

The stereo speakers lie either side of the keyboard. Beneath the keyboard is the Multi-Touch trackpad.

The keyboard itself has a standard QWERTY layout with a series of function keys (F1 to F12) across the top.

• F1 and F2 control the brightness of your MacBook’s screen
• F3 opens Exposé to give you access to all open windows
• F4 opens Dashboard
• F5 and F6 control the brightness of the keyboard illumination on certain models
• F7, F8, and F9 are your media controls for rewind, play or pause, and fast forward respectively
• F10 is the mute button
• F11 and F12 increase or decrease volume

The key on the right of F12 is the media eject key. Use it to eject a disc.

On the right edge of your MacBook is the slot-loading SuperDrive. On the front edge on the far right is the infrared (IR) receiver, with the sleep indicator light just to its left.

The ports of your MacBook are on the left edge of the computer. From left to right, they are:

• a MagSafe power port
• a gigabit Ethernet port
• two USB 2.0 ports
• a mini DisplayPort
• an audio in/optical digital audio in port
• a security slot

Initial set-up

Setup Assistant

Press the power button and wait a few moments. Setup Assistant appears on the screen.

Follow the Setup Assistant instructions to create a user account for your MacBook, and to enter your email and Internet details.

If you own a Mac already, use Setup Assistant to transfer files, etc. If you prefer to wait before you transfer any information, use your MacBook’s Migration Assistant at a later date. To find Migration Assistant:

• select Go on the menu bar
• select Applications
• select Utilities
• open Migration Assistant

If you have another Mac and you no longer wish to use it, you may want to deauthorise it from playing any purchases you’ve made at the iTunes Store. For further details about deauthorising:

• go to iTunes
• select Help
• enter iTunes Help

Setup Assistant

If you’re using an Ethernet cable, connect one end to a modem or network, and the other to your MacBook’s Ethernet port.

If you want a wireless connection using your MacBook’s AirPort Extreme technology:

• select Help from the menu bar
• enter “AirPort”
• click “Setting up an Apple wireless device”

For a dial-up connection, you need an external Apple USB modem.

Trackpad

Use the Multi-Touch trackpad to move the pointer, drag, scroll, tap, and double tap.

Pointer movement - Run your finger across the trackpad slowly to move the pointer a short distance. Increase the speed of your finger to move the pointer further.

To adjust the tracking speed on your trackpad:

• click the Apple icon in the top left corner of your MacBook screen
• select System Preferences
• select Keyboard & Mouse
• select Trackpad

Two finger scrolling - With two finger scrolling you can move two fingers across the trackpad to quickly scroll sideways, down, or up. To activate this feature:

• click the Apple icon
• select System Preferences
• select Keyboard & Mouse
• select Trackpad
• choose the options “Use two fingers to scroll” and “Allow horizontal scrolling”

Secondary clicking - With secondary clicking you can access shortcut menu commands. To activate secondary clicking for your trackpad:

• click the Apple icon
• select System Preferences
• select Keyboard & Mouse
• select Trackpad
• choose the option “Place two fingers on trackpad and click button for secondary click”

Your trackpad has other features such as pinching, rotating, and three and four finger swiping. Use these for zooming in and out, turning images and documents, moving through pages of text or a library of photos, and opening applications.

It’s worth spending time to familiarise yourself with everything the trackpad can do for you.

System Preferences

Your MacBook’s System Preferences feature lets you adjust your laptop to suit your preferred style of working. To start using System Preferences:

• click the Apple icon
• select System Preferences
• choose the area you want to change, such as “Appearance”, “Dock”, or “Security”, and follow the guidelines

Sleep and shutdown

To save energy, put your MacBook to sleep when you’re away from it for a brief time. To put it to sleep:

• click the Apple icon
• select Sleep

Alternatively, take one of the following actions:

• press the power button and click Sleep in the dialogue box
• go to System Preferences, select Energy Saver, and choose a sleep timer
• close the screen

Please note: do not move your MacBook until the sleep indicator light pulses. This tells you that your MacBook’s hard disc has stopped spinning.

To wake your MacBook from sleep mode:

• open the screen, or
• press any key on the keyboard, or
• press the power button

If you won’t be returning to your MacBook for a while, shut it down. To do this:

• click the Apple icon
• select Shut Down

Alternatively:

• press the power button and click Shut Down in the dialogue box

To switch your MacBook back on, press the power button.

Quick Mac OS X Leopard guide

Basic controls

Your MacBook comes with the Mac OS X Leopard operating system. This has a range of applications that include:

• Safari, the world’s fastest web browser
• Time Machine, which backs up and restores your files
• Spotlight, which helps you find anything that’s on your MacBook
• Quick Look, which gives you an instant file preview

These applications are in addition to Mail; Address Book; iChat; iCal; Dashboard; Spaces; Front Row, and more.

Main Features

If you’re new to Mac OS X Leopard, you’ll find it surprisingly easy to use. The general approach of Mac OS X Leopard is similar to Windows, but the different applications are more consistent.

The Mac OS X Leopard icons and screen layouts, for example, remain very much the same no matter what application you use. You’ll also find that navigating your way around the operating system is quicker.

To help you with this navigation, there are four main features:

• Desktop
• Menu Bar
• Dock
• Finder

Desktop

The desktop screen appears every time you switch on your MacBook. It’s therefore the starting point for any work.

You can place icons on the Desktop that represent the files and applications you use most often. Desktop also displays icons for any peripheral devices you connect to your MacBook.

If you share your MacBook, Mac OS X Leopard provides each user with his or her own Desktop screen.

Menu Bar

The Menu Bar runs along the top edge of the screen. The great benefit of the Menu Bar is that it changes to match the application you’re currently using. It therefore provides quick access to the tools you need.

Among other features, the Menu Bar also lets you:

• switch to sleep mode
• shut down your MacBook
• access System Preferences
• check up on recent work
• seek help as required

Dock

The Dock is a 3D shelf that runs along the bottom of the screen. Sitting on the shelf are icons that represent applications such as Safari, Mail, iChat, Documents, and Downloads.

When you click on an icon and a window appears, you’ll see three buttons in the top left corner.

• To close the window, select the button on the far left
• To minimize the window to the Dock, select the middle button
• To minimize or maximize the window, select the button on the right

Finder

The Finder is the icon on the far left end of the Dock. When you select Finder, a dialogue box appears with a list of folders such as Documents, Movies, and Pictures. Use Finder to open these folders and manage them.

Connectivity

Apple has installed a wide range of drivers in your MacBook at the factory. In other words, you can use most printers, cameras, and other peripheral devices without having to load any additional software.

Your MacBook connections for peripherals are:

• two USB 2.0 ports
• Bluetooth 2.1 EDR
• A mini DisplayPort

Battery

Your MacBook has a 45 watt lithium polymer battery. This provides up to five hours of power between charges.

Peripheral devices, and wireless technology, will drain the battery. Turning these off when not in use keeps your MacBook working longer before you need to use the MagSafe power adaptor.

There are eight battery level indicator lights on your MacBook’s left edge. To check the power in the battery, press the button that’s next to them. The lights glow to show the level of charge that remains. If just one light appears, there is little power left. If no lights appear, you need to charge the battery.

There is also a battery status icon in your MacBook’s menu bar.

Please note: when you connect the MagSafe power adaptor to your MacBook, the battery will charge whether the MacBook is off, on, or in sleep mode. The fastest way of charging, however, is to leave your MacBook off or in sleep mode.

For further user information, see Apple’s video tutorials.

Also available with a student discount / as a refurbished product...