First steps

Unpacking and charging

Apart from your MacBook Pro, there’s an 85w MagSafe power adaptor, and a power cord in the box. Once you’ve unpacked everything, strip away all protective film.

Your MagSafe power port is on the left edge of your MacBook Pro. Connect the MagSafe power adaptor into an electric socket, and the MagSafe connector into the power port. Switch on the electricity to begin charging your MacBook Pro.

If you have difficulty reaching an electric socket, extend the length of the power adaptor’s cable with the power cord. Remove the prongs from the power adaptor by pulling them up, and connect one end of the power cord to the socket beneath. Plug the other end of the power cord into the electric socket.

Basic features

Open up your MacBook Pro and you’ll see an iSight camera and a camera indicator light along the top edge above the screen. The microphone is above the keyboard on the left.

Stereo speakers lie either side of the keyboard, and at the bottom in the centre is the Multi-Touch trackpad.

On the front edge of your MacBook Pro on the far right is an infrared (IR) receiver. To the left of the receiver is the sleep mode indicator light.

On the right edge of your MacBook Pro is the slot-loading SuperDrive. A security slot lies to the left of this.

Your MacBook Pro’s ports are on the left edge of the computer. From left to right, they are:

• a MagSafe power port
• a gigabit Ethernet port
• a FireWire 800 port
• three USB 2.0 ports (two on the 15-inch MacBook Pro)
• a mini display port
• an audio in/optical digital audio in port
• a headphone out/optical digital audio out port
• an ExpressCard/34 slot

The function keys along the top of your keyboard are as follows:

• F1 and F2 control the brightness of the screen
• F3 opens Exposé to give you access to all open windows
• F4 opens Dashboard
• F5 and F6 control the brightness of your keyboard illumination
• F7, F8, and F9 are media keys for rewind, play or pause, and fast forward
• F10 mutes the sound from the speakers
• F11 and F12 controls the sound’s volume

Use the media eject key to the right of F12 to eject a disc.

Initial set-up

Setup Assistant

Switch on your MacBook Pro by pressing the power button. If this is the first time you’ve switched on your laptop, Setup Assistant appears.

With Setup Assistant, you can place your email and Internet details on your MacBook Pro, and create a user account. You can also transfer information from a Mac you already own.

To transfer information, follow the instructions given on Setup Assistant and connect the two computers with a FireWire cable or an Ethernet cable. Alternatively, connect both computers to the same network, or connect them wirelessly.

You can choose what you want to transfer from your old Mac to your new MacBook Pro. First ensure, however, that the old Mac has the latest Mac OS X operating system.

You can transfer information at a later date by using Migration Assistant. To do this:

• select Go on the Finder Menu Bar
• select Applications
• click Utilities
• double click Migration Assistant

Internet

Connect to the Internet by using an Ethernet cable or by taking advantage of your MacBook Pro’s AirPort Extreme technology. Follow the guidance given by Setup Assistant.

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

Internet

Your MacBook Pro’s Multi-Touch trackpad is incredibly versatile. You can use it as a button, to move the pointer, and to make gestures that perform a wide range of functions.

Two finger scrolling: With two finger scrolling, you can rapidly scroll down, up, or sideways.

Two finger rotating: Use this to rotate pages and images.

Two finger pinching: Pinch your fingers together, or move them apart, to zoom in or out of photos and PDFs.

Three finger swipe: Three finger swiping is a trackpad technique that allows you to move quickly through pages of documents, or from one photo to the next.

Four finger swipe: If you swipe four fingers to right or left, you open Application Switcher. This lets you move through your open applications.

If you swipe four fingers down or up, Exposé opens Desktop, or shows all your open windows.

Secondary clicking: This allows you to access shortcut menu commands. To set it up for either two fingers or one finger, go to System Preferences and Trackpad (see System Preferences below).

System Preferences

If you want to customise your trackpad, take the following action:

• select the Apple icon on the Menu Bar
• click System Preferences
• choose Trackpad

To customise any other aspect of your MacBook Pro, select the appropriate icons revealed under System Preferences.

Sleep mode

To put your MacBook Pro into sleep mode, you have a choice:

• close the screen, or
• press the power button and select Sleep in the dialogue box
• click the Apple icon on the Menu Bar, then select Sleep
• click the Apple icon, choose System Preferences and Energy Saver, and set the timer

Do not move your MacBook Pro until the sleep indicator light begins pulsing. This confirms that the hard disc has stopped spinning.

When you want to wake your MacBook Pro, open the screen, or press the power button or any key on the keyboard.

Shutting down your MacBook Pro

To shut down your MacBook Pro, either:

• click the Apple icon on the Menu Bar and select Shut Down, or
• press the power button and select Shut Down in the dialogue box

Quick Mac OS X Leopard guide

Introduction

Your MacBook Pro contains the Mac OS X Leopard operating system. The system also comes with iLife ’09.

Mac OS X Leopard includes the Safari web browser; iChat for video conferencing; Mail for emails; and DVD Player among many other applications.

iLife ’09 has iPhoto, iMovie, iDVD, iWeb, and GarageBand.

Main features

There are four features of Mac OS X Leopard that help you get the best from your MacBook Pro. These are:

• Desktop
• Dock
• Finder
• Menu Bar

Desktop

Desktop appears each time you use your MacBook Pro. If you share your computer with other people, each of them has their own Desktop.

You can use Desktop to display your regularly used applications, files, folders, and images. When you connect a peripheral device to your MacBook Pro, Desktop shows the relevant icon.

Desktop sits behind all the applications you run.

Dock

Along the bottom of the Desktop screen is the Dock. This is a shelf on which there are icons of your main applications, including your documents and downloads.

Click on an icon to reveal the application, or folder contents.

Note that when you open an application, there are three buttons in the top left corner.

• The button on the left closes the window
• The button in the middle sends the window to the Dock
• The button on the right reduces and increases the size of the window

Finder

The Finder is the icon sitting at the end of the Dock on the left. Click on the Finder to reveal folders such as Music, Movies, and Library. You can then open these folders and manage them.

Menu Bar

The Menu Bar lies at the top of your MacBook Pro’s screen. The Menu Bar lets you access every feature of the application you’re currently running. If you switch applications, the Menu Bar changes to give you the appropriate tools.

You can also use the Menu Bar for System Preferences; to put your MacBook Pro to sleep or shut it down; and to view recent work.

Connectivity

Apple has already placed hundreds of peripheral device drivers in your MacBook Pro.

You have three USB 2.0 ports for these devices (two on the 15-inch MacBook Pro) and a FireWire 800 port. There is also a mini DisplayPort for an external screen or projection system.

You can connect a microphone, or digital audio equipment, to the audio in/optical digital audio in port. If you have headphones or external speakers, use the headphone out/optical digital audio out port.

The ExpressCard/34 slot accepts standard 34mm ExpressCards. Simply push a card into the slot, and carefully push on it again to remove it.

Battery

Your MacBook Pro battery can last up to eight hours. This time varies depending on the applications you use, and the peripheral devices you connect.

Also note that your MacBook Pro has two graphics processors. One gives you enhanced battery life; the other provides higher performance. If you want to change from one processor to another:

• click the Apple icon in the Menu Bar
• select System Preferences
• select Energy Saver
• choose “Better battery life” or “Higher performance”
• follow the instructions

The battery icon in the Menu Bar lets you know how much charge you have left in the battery. Alternatively, press the button located next to the battery level indicator lights on the left of your MacBook Pro.

The lights glow to show you how much charge the battery still has. If one light appears, the battery is very low on power. If none appear, you need to connect the MagSafe power adaptor before you can use your MacBook Pro.

The MagSafe power adaptor charges the battery if your MacBook Pro is off, on, or in sleep mode. The battery charges faster when your MacBook Pro is in sleep mode or off.

Please note: only an Apple Store or Authorised Service Provider can replace the built-in battery.

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

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