Features of working on mac os. What to install on your MacBook immediately after purchase
Many users have problems when starting to use a MacBook. New Apple devices are ready to work right out of the box, but when they first purchase, newbies don’t know how to perform this or that function and configure their device correctly.
Apple constantly updates its software, so do not forget to periodically go to “Software Update” and complete the update procedure. Your computer will work much faster and better with latest versions programs. Next, enable the right-click feature on your trackpad. Many people are wondering why Apple didn't include this option in the package. standard settings, because it greatly simplifies life. In the trackpad settings, set “Simulate secondary button”.
After installing the above applications, your MacBook will be ready to use and will be able to handle most tasks. Convenient applications will facilitate easy and uninterrupted operation of the device.
I missed this text on the day I bought my first MacBook.
I decided to buy the first one MacBook Air, when I came to work at the editorial office of Hacker magazine, where many of my colleagues had Macs and I didn’t want to be different from others. At first, the new MacBook seemed to me a terribly inconvenient thing that was impossible to work with and could only be looked at.
But, watching colleagues who work on a Mac 100% of the time and sincerely enjoy comfortable and productive work, I decided that I also need to completely switch to OS X.
After many months of inconvenience (and the first days with a Mac were just hell), I finally stopped using Windows computers. My eyes no longer get tired, 100% of the time in front of the monitor is spent efficiently (I don’t spend 10-15 minutes every day turning on the computer and contemplating freezes), there are fewer reasons for negative emotions, working with code/text goes many times faster.
And now I only need one computer that is always with me. Before Mac purchases and completely getting used to it, I used a powerful home PC, a Windows laptop that was lying in the office, and on the iPad 2 I had a whole gentleman’s set for web development installed in case of urgent edits. Now this entire mountain of hardware is brilliantly replaced by the MacBook Air.
But before the happy time of enjoying working on a Mac arrived, there was a long period of painful adaptation. Years later, I would like to turn to my past self and give some advice that would shorten the time of this period. But this is impossible, so I’ll just share them with the readers.
1. Make it difficult to turn on your Windows computer
In the first days of working with a Mac, many people experience, along with wild delight, severe discomfort: it is not clear how to type characters on the keyboard, keyboard shortcuts do not work, the Start button is missing, etc. Everything is very beautiful, it works quickly, but it’s wildly inconvenient. But this is just out of habit. When, after a few months of working on a Mac, you sit down at a computer running Windows, you again experience discomfort and think: “Wow, what the hell, what the hell…”.
The more you work on your Mac, the easier it becomes. At first, work tasks are solved more slowly than on a computer running Windows, but the OS X operating system works faster and an experienced user achieves maximum productivity on it.
In my opinion, you should strive as quickly as possible to gain that critical mass of working time, after which you feel free at your Mac and no longer waste your life contemplating hourglasses and endless reboots computer.
In the first weeks, when I worked at home on a MacBook Air, it seemed to me that the Windows computer was looking at me and mentally saying: “Traitor! Give up this little freak now! I'm twice as powerful and three times more convenient! You will never learn to work behind him anyway!” And sometimes I quit and sat down at a Windows computer, because everything turned out much faster with it. With such actions I was simply harming myself, delaying the happy moment of completely switching to a Mac.
I advise you to take the power cord/battery from the laptop and put it in a place where the removal process will take at least five minutes. And put it there every time you turn off the computer. So, gradually, you will learn to solve all your computer tasks exclusively via Mac.
2. Transfer your data using iCloud for Windows
It is worth making sure that files, mail, calendar events, bookmarks are immediately on the new computer. Otherwise, you can sit down at Windows for a minute, get carried away and lose an invaluable day of getting used to OS X.
8. Learn to use Spotlight
Spotlight is global search throughout the Mac, that is, immediately across files, contacts, notes, mail, etc. It can be launched from any program by pressing Command + space or Alt + space(if it doesn’t work, look in the settings to see how it works for you). For starters, just knowing that it exists is enough. Then you can master search operators and filters, a currency converter and a calculator.
9. Take your time buying Microsoft Office
Full desktop Microsoft Office for Mac costs almost 15 thousand rubles. But it’s better to subscribe to Office 365 from Microsoft for 400 rubles per month. Free 1TB of One Drive and 60 minutes of Skype calls. One license can be used on 5 computers (Windows and Mac) and 5 mobile devices.
I myself manage without Microsoft Office and use Google services. People who have worked on a Mac since childhood can get by just fine with Pages, Numbers and Keynote. You can also try the open-source office suite Libre Office (successor to Open Office). I have it installed (for the needs of IT journalism), but I have no desire to use it:
- Brakes;
- Shuts down suddenly;
- The default settings in Libre Office Calc are terrible;
- To run macros you need to perform a whole shamanic ritual.
But this package has more features than Google Docs and iWork. And some people like it. Therefore, I advise you to try it and make a choice based on personal impressions.
10. Discover the world of automation for OS X
Every time you do something that an automation script could do for you, you are wasting valuable life time. If to create automations on Windows you have to fool around: write code/or install paid software, then in OS X everything is simple: open Automator, select the necessary actions with the mouse and at the end you get ready-made automation.
Windows 7 is boring, and more and more often users are looking at Mac computers with the OS X operating system. Read about how to make a painless transition to Apple OS and which programs to install first in the Vestey.High-Tech review.
● In case of unforeseen circumstances, make a backup copy of your entire Windows system, preferably to external hard disk. To ensure your saved files are fully compatible with OS X, make sure your drive is formatted as FAT32. (The fact is that NTFS is "native" file system Windows - works with Mac out of the box in read mode only. In other words, on OS X you will be able to open and copy files from a flash drive, but you will not be able to change or delete them. The problem can be resolved by installing a third-party NTFS driver, paying about 600 rubles for it).
● "Migration Assistant" will help you directly transfer the contents of one computer to another - free utility, which comes with every Mac. She copies literally everything: from background image and accounts Email to music, documents, contacts in the address book and bookmarks in the browser. You will need to install the same utility on a Windows computer and connect both PCs to the same network (via Wi-Fi, router or Ethernet cable). Download "Migration Assistant" and familiarize yourself with complete guide You can configure it on the Apple website.
● There are two ways to install applications on OS X: from official store Mac App Store (analogous to the App Store for iPhones, where the same Apple ID is used), or by downloading distributions from the Internet. If you want to resort to the second, less in a safe way, then keep in mind that by default the Mac is prohibited from downloading programs from third-party sources. To remove this restriction, go to "Settings" → "Protection & Security" → "General" and check the box next to "Any source" for "Allow the use of programs downloaded from."
● Most programs are very easy to install. As a rule, to do this, it is enough to “mount” the image (a file with the DMG extension downloaded from the Internet), double-clicking on it in the Finder (analogous to “Explorer” in Windows), and dragging the .app file into the Applications folder. However, when installing "heavy" applications such as Microsoft Office or Photoshop, the entire process will be approximately the same as in Windows.
To remove a program, open Finder, find .app in Applications, and right-click on it and select Move to Trash. For complete cleaning systems, it is recommended to use utilities such as CleanMyMac (read about it below), which help get rid of not only the program itself, but also all the settings and other elements associated with it.
● OS X has an alternative to almost every application available for Windows XP. However, if you need any specific software, or you often play games (there are very few of them available on Apple operating systems), you can use the free Boot Camp utility. It will allow you to install XP, Vista, Windows 7 or 8 on your Mac, creating a new section and choose to boot into Windows or OS X. To select one or another OS, hold Option key(Alt) at the computer boot stage. If you want Windows (as well as Ubuntu, Android, Chrome OS, etc.) to work in parallel with OS X, and you can freely drag and drop files between applications, your choice will be one of the virtualization solutions - for example, Parallels Desktop .
● Apple's operating system, which at one time grew out of UNIX, is no more complicated than Windows from the point of view of everyday use - you can easily find analogues of familiar programs in it. For example, "Explorer" corresponds to Finder, "Control Panel" → " System Settings", Flip 3D (on Windows 7 desktop) → Mission Control(press F3 to access it), Gadgets (in Windows 7) → Dashboard (press F12 to open the panel), Office → iWork, Notepad → TextEdit, Start menu → Launchpad (you can found in the Dock), system tray → menu bar in the upper right corner, "Task Manager" → "System Monitoring", taskbar → Dock (row of icons at the very bottom of the screen), Windows Live→ "Messages", etc.
● Everything related to OS X settings is located in the System Preferences application. From here you can connect Google accounts, Microsoft Exchange and Twitter, configure the firewall, sound, mouse and keyboard, change network access and electricity settings, connect printers and scanners, etc.
● To activate the firewall, open “Settings” → “Protection and Security” → select the “Firewall” tab and click on the “Enable Firewall” button. From now on, OS X will block incoming connections that you have not authorized. Macs do not have a firewall that monitors outgoing connections. However, this problem can be solved by installing special utility- for example, Little Snitch.
● OS X (from version 10.5 - Leopard) includes an excellent Time Machine application for Reserve copy systems. This function works very simply: if the computer “sees” a drive connected to it, it will automatically offer to use it as a place for backup copies. Duplicates of photos, documents, applications are made automatically every hour. In the event of an emergency, the “time machine” allows you to “go back in time” and restore the file in the form in which it was at a certain point in time. Copies are made until the disk is completely full. If there is no more space left, TM will automatically delete old files and write new ones.
● The keyboard layout on Macs is largely similar to Windows, but it will take some getting used to. Most of the commands that are executed in Microsoft OS by holding down the CTRL (Control) button, in OS X begin with Command (the key with the ⌘ icon). For example, to copy text, press ⌘ + C, and to paste, press ⌘ + V. Also keep in mind that on Macs there are no Alt buttons - Option (⌥) serves as their replacement.
Users switching to OS X from Windows often have problems like “where is the comma, why is there a number 6 on one key, no, I can’t use this terrible inconvenient operating system.” In fact, it is not at all necessary to unlearn the usual Windows arrangement of punctuation keys; it is enough to replace the “Russian - Mac” layout with “Russian - PC”. This is done in “Settings” → “Keyboard” → “Input Sources” tab. By clicking "+" under the list of keyboards on the left side of the window, you can add new ones, and using "-" to remove unnecessary ones.
● In general, you can connect any keyboard to your Mac, even a Windows keyboard. For convenience, the functions of the keys can be reassigned: go to “Settings” → “Keyboard” → “Keyboard” tab → “Modification keys…” and change, for example, pressing CTRL for your Windows keyboard to Command.
● The Delete button on the Mac keyboard, unlike Del on Windows, deletes “back”. To delete “forward” on MacBook laptops or Apple compact wireless keyboards, hold down the FN button and press Delete. Alternatively, you can buy a “large” Apple Pro keyboard with a numeric keypad, which has such a key.
● Finally, Mac keyboards have dedicated F-keys for changing sound volume, screen brightness, controlling iTunes music playback, and more. However, once you connect a Windows keyboard, you will not be able to use them without installing special software. So we recommend mastering the powerful KeyRemap4MacBook utility, which allows you to reassign absolutely any button on any device, or the simpler Keyboard Maestro.
●B Windows scrolling window using the mouse wheel corresponds to the direction of finger movement, but in OS X (starting from version 10.7) everything is exactly the opposite. If you don't like Apple's "natural scrolling" approach, go to Settings → Mouse and uncheck "Scroll Direction: Normal." There shouldn't be any problems with other peripherals: your printers, scanners and audio systems will most likely be compatible with the Mac. However, in some cases, for OS X to “recognize” the device, you will need to install special drivers. You can download them on the manufacturer’s website.
● As mentioned at the beginning of the review, the Mac is capable of reading and writing to hard disks and “flash drives” formatted under FAT 32 (but not NTFS) for Windows. This applies to all types of connections - USB, FireWire or Thunderbolt. But even in this case, not all information (for example, metadata) may be transferred. Thus, if you no longer plan to use an external drive with a Windows computer, we recommend formatting it for OS X. You can do this using " Disk Utility", included in the package with the "poppy".
Below we will suggest 15 applications that will be useful to start getting acquainted with Apple's operating system. In addition to these, of course, there is the iWork package that comes free with every Mac, including text editor Pages, the Numbers table editor, and the Keynote presentation app. These applications are cross-platform, that is, they are also available on iOS devices, and all data is synchronized on the fly between the computer and your iPhone or iPad. By the way, .
Reader 2
After Google Reader shut down in July 2013, many RSS clients for OS X stopped working at once, since they were completely dependent on the Internet search engine's application programming interface (API). Among the deceased was the popular “reader” Reeder from Silvio Rizzi. A decent Mac app that was compatible with the Feedly API didn't appear for nearly a year until Rizzi found the time to revive his RSS client.
In September, he released Reeder 2 for iOS (), and only recently, in mid-April, for OS X. And although the Mac version is in public beta, it is quite usable. The application is different user-friendly interface, which is familiar to users of the mobile version, impeccable speed, support for hot keys (navigation using arrows, A - mark all items as read, B - open in Firefox, etc.). Test Reeder 2 for OS X is distributed free of charge, but it still lacks some functions (saving directly to Pocket, integration with Readability).
Pocket is one of the most convenient ways Save web pages and view them later without an Internet connection. You can save almost any content for later viewing: pictures, videos, news, tweets, blog posts, etc. In this case, all information from the saved page is cut off. extra elements, and the text appears in a readable form. Pocket deserves the title of one of the most ubiquitous services: it is available on Android smartphones and tablets, numerous browsers, iPhones and iPads, Windows Phone and even webOS. The version for OS X, as well as for other platforms, allows you to comfortably view content offline that you have put aside for later. Pocket can be downloaded for free from the Mac App Store.
Alfred
Alfred can be called Spotlight on steroids. The capabilities of this utility are wider than those built into OS X. By calling the line by pressing " hotkey", you can find previews of apps and documents (both locally and online), contacts, music, and movies in your iTunes library in seconds. You can also search your clipboard, recent documents, and fast access to some system functions(sleep mode, turning off the computer) saves a lot of time. Thanks to integration with Dropbox, Alfred settings are synced across multiple Macs. The application is available for free.
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VLC
VLC will allow you to forget about searching for codecs and plugins to play videos in the required format. The media player “reads” everything you need: MPEG-2, DivX, H.264, MKV, WebM, WMV, MP3, can work with “streaming” video from the Internet, DVDs, audio discs, web cameras and many other devices. You can download VLC for free.
1Password
An indispensable utility if you don’t want to remember passwords for hundreds of sites and services. 1Password stores all information in encrypted form (using the 256-bit AES crypto protocol) and synchronizes it between different devices and applications (Mac, iPhone/iPad, browsers). In the "safe" you can keep logins/passwords, data credit cards, notes, contacts, social security numbers, passports, etc. The developer company AgileBits does not have its own synchronization service; it is performed using iCloud, Dropbox, import from iTunes or Wi-Fi. 1Password typically costs $49.99, but is currently on sale for $29.99.
CleanMyMac 2
CleanMyMac 2 will rid your Mac of junk: unused extensions and plugins, outdated settings, system cache and logs, unnecessary language files, photos in the iPhoto library and more. In addition, the utility has a built-in “shredder” for securely deleting files and an uninstaller that erases not only the application itself (.app), but also elements associated with it. From time to time, CleanMyMac 2 will prompt you to empty your trash bin if it exceeds a specified size. The program is paid - $39.95 (license for 1 computer).
NameChanger
This program automatically renames a long sequence of files. This is useful if you want to give your hundreds of photos more meaningful names: for example, "Trip_to_London_1" instead of "IMG_0212". NameChanger also has a built-in viewer that allows you to organize files alphabetically, by creation time, or by EXIF data. The utility is available for free.
Transmission
Transmission is a minimalist torrent client that “just works.” The authors of the project are proud of several things: their program is cross-platform (OS X and a lot of Linux-like distributions: FreeBSD, Fedora, Ubuntu, CentOS, etc.), devoid of toolbars and advertising, and its source open. There is support for remote management of torren (via the web interface), the ability to limit the maximum download and distribution speed, add users to the blacklist and enable scheduled downloads. Transmission can be downloaded for free from the project website.
Simplenote
Simplenote is a program for quick creation notes, the functionality of which exactly repeats the iPhone version (). Entries can be posted online and a link to them can be shared with other users. Searching the contents of notes occurs instantly; It is also possible to pin particularly important entries to the top of the list. Synchronization with the “cloud” occurs very quickly: after editing a note, the application can be immediately closed, and the edits will almost immediately appear in the browser or client for iPhone. Simplenote is distributed free of charge.
Transmit
Transmit is a best-of-breed FTP client with a dual-field interface. Can connect to SFTP, Amazon S3 or WebDAV servers. An important distinguishing feature of the file manager from its analogues is the Transmit Disk function, which allows you to “mount” the server as a drive, even if the application itself is not running. Transmit, unfortunately, is quite expensive - $33.99.
iA Writer
Lightweight text editor with support for Markdown syntax (simplified markup language). You won't find any confusing tools, formatting or complex settings in it. An interesting Focus mode highlights only the sentence that the user is currently typing, and darkens others, which allows you to concentrate on what you have written and not be distracted. IN this moment iA Writer is offering their app with a 50% discount ($4.99) until the next update is released.
Pixelmator
Relatively cheap ($14.99), fast and complete alternative to Photoshop with all necessary functions, which even looks like graphics editor Adobe. Supports working with layers, import and export in many popular formats(.TIFF, ..JPG, .PNG, .PDF, etc.), there is a wide range of filters, brushes, retouching tools and effects (over 160). Finally, and most importantly, Pixelmator is compatible with Photoshop files(.PSD). You can try the app for free for 30 days.
Fluid
Fluid turns any website or web service into a Mac application, allowing you to get rid of multiple browser tabs. For example, you can do so Gmail or the social network Facebook were displayed in separate windows and even assigned their own icons in the Dock. Setting up Fluid is very simple - just enter the website URL, give the “program” a name and place it in the Applications folder. The utility is free, but for $4.99 you can get some premium features (separate cookies for each application, full screen mode, pin to menu bar).
You are reading the first line of the first, probably even “pilot” issue of a new series of articles called “From A to Z”. In this short series we will tell you all the most important information about the most latest models Apple computers from the following lines: MacBook Pro, MacBook Air, iMac, Mac mini and Mac Pro. For some, this information will be useful for making a purchasing decision, for others to expand their own knowledge, and for others for crossword puzzles - it does not matter at all, as long as it is useful. In general, don’t judge strictly, let’s go.
The first MacBook Pro was introduced by Apple in early 2006. This model replaced the PowerBook G4 computers. The MacBook Pro was instantly able to win the hearts of its users, and many of us still look forward to each next update to this line, wondering what the new generation of firmware will have.
These were the first Intel laptops from the Apple company. Until the release of the first MacBook Pro, all Apple laptops were equipped with a PowerPC chip, which was a joint development of Apple, IBM and Motorola. This transition was very important for the entire company and its users. But the responsibility for this step was no less. Apple had to guarantee its users that their software and all of them would run on Intel Macs. The solution to this dilemma was Rossetta, an efficient dynamic translator that allowed Power PC applications to run on Apple computers using Intel processors.
Why was it necessary to switch to new processors at all? It's simple: speed. The first MacBook Pro amazed its users with a huge increase in speed in their work, compared to its predecessor, the PowerBook G4. Intel Core-Duo is, in simple terms, two processors in one, thanks to which it was possible to increase the speed of operation, but in no way affect the rate at which the laptop’s battery drains. Of course, users responded positively to the new processors, although some still complained about compatibility issues with some older software. In general, for the most part, the new MacBook Pro received very positive ratings.
Target Audience For first MacBooks Pro users were those who required high speed and a decent amount of memory. So it's no coincidence that the first MacBook Pro looked roughly the same as the predecessor it replaced. Inside they were completely different.
In the seven years since its introduction, the MacBook Pro has undergone great amount changes: from software to Retina display.
In the good old days, Apple offered us three types of firmware (not to mention specific configurations): with a 13-inch display, with a 15-inch display and with a 17-inch display. But not long ago, Apple stopped producing the 17-inch MacBook Pro, concentrating on 13 and 15-inch models. Thanks to this, in June 2012 we saw a 15-inch MacBook Pro with a Retina display, and already in October the junior model of the line was also equipped with a Retina display.
MacBook Pro Specifications
Let's divide all the "problems" into two categories: those that are without Retina display, that is, ordinary ones, and those that can boast of such. First, of course, let's talk about those that are ordinary.
The 15-inch MacBook Pro has a quad-core Intel processor Core i7 clocked at 2.3 and 2.6 GHz (boost Turbo Boost up to 3.6 GHz) with a shared 6 MB L3 cache. But if you want a faster laptop, you can get the MacBook Pro with a 2.7GHz quad-core Intel Core i7 processor (Turbo Boost up to 3.7GHz) and 8MB cache. Moreover, you can complement your brand new firmware with a 512 GB third-generation semiconductor hard drive, which will work 4 times faster than traditional hard drives. To increase the amount of memory, you can install HDD even 1 TB.
The younger, 13-inch model also received significant improvements. For example, it was equipped with the fastest dual-core processors: Intel Core i5 with a clock frequency of 2.5 GHz and Intel Core i7 with a clock frequency of 2.9 GHz. And Turbo Boost technology accelerates the processor up to 3.6 GHz.
MacBook Pro 13/15 specifications:
- Diagonal: 13.3 / 15.4
- Screen resolution: 1280×800 pixels / 1440×900 pixels
- Processor: Intel Core i5 2.5 GHz or Intel Core i7 2.9 GHz / Intel Core i7 2.3 GHz or Intel Core i7 2.6 GHz
- Dimensions (height x width x depth): 2.41 x 32.5 x 22.7 cm / 2.41 x 36.4 x 24.9 cm
- Weight: 2.06 kg / 2.56 kg
- Memory: DDR3 1600 MHz SO-DIMM
- Number of memory slots: 2, supports up to 8 GB
- Memory installed: 4 or 8 GB (both slots occupied)
- Storage: 500 or 750 GB hard drive, optical drive slot-loading 8x SuperDrive
- Wireless interfaces: Wi-Fi 802.11n (supported backward compatibility with IEEE 802.11a/b/g standards), Bluetooth 4.0
- Ports and connectors: network port Gigabit Ethernet, 2 USB 3.0, FireWire 800, Thunderbolt, SDXC card slot, Kensington security slot, MagSafe 2, headphone out
- Battery capacity: 63.5 Wh / 77.5 Wh
As for the operating time, according to Apple, it is 7 hours. Both for the younger and for the older model. In principle, this is true, although, of course, it primarily depends on what you do and how you use your MacBook Pro. So, for example, if you are “walking” through web pages, then 7 hours is a reality, but if you play games or edit videos, then 4-5 hours is your maximum.
The package includes the MacBook Pro itself, a screen cleaning cloth, a MagSafe charger (electrical plug, power cable and unit) and documentation in printed and electronic form. The laptop itself is covered by an official worldwide warranty from Apple for a period of 1 year (warranty and post-warranty service at any authorized service center).
The 13-inch model with a 2.5GHz Intel Core i5 processor will cost you $1,199. The older model, with a 2.9 GHz Intel Core i5 processor, is offered for $1,499. As for the 15-inch models, the situation is as follows: Intel Core i7 with a frequency of 2.3 GHz costs $1,799, Intel Core i7 with a frequency of 2.6 GHz will cost you $2,199.
We deliberately indicate prices in dollars, since, unfortunately, in rubles there is a single price for Apple technology no: firstly, official resellers will have the same prices (and they may differ from each other), while “gray” sellers and stores will have different prices; secondly, prices in our market are constantly changing, so we will dance from the Apple online store.
MacBook Pro with Retina display specifications
Finally, we have reached firmware with a Retina display, a kind of standard among laptops from the Apple company. There are plenty of differences between the MacBook Pro with Retina display and the “regular” MacBook Pro.
So, let's start our acquaintance with these computers from the most important thing - the processors. Thanks to the dual-core Intel Core i5 or Intel Core i7 processor that comes with the 13-inch MacBook model Pro with Retina display, you'll be able to run even the most demanding, performance-intensive apps without any hassle. Both the junior and senior models support such excellent technology as Hyper-Threading, which can improve performance by allowing each core to simultaneously process multiple processes at once. By the way, the well-known Turbo Boost technology increases the processor clock speed to 3.6 GHz. In general, it’s hard to call this model a “baby”.
It goes without saying that the 15-inch MacBook Pro with Retina display will surprise us even more. Inside, you'll find (just please don't try to open it yourself) third-generation Intel Core i7 processors, based on an advanced 22nm microarchitecture, delivering the best performance of any MacBook Pro laptop. And with clock speeds of up to 2.6 GHz, Turbo Boost up to 3.7 GHz, and up to 8MB of shared L3 cache, these processors are essential for the most demanding tasks. .
MacBook Pro with Retina 13/15 display specifications:
- Diagonal: 13.3 / 15.4
- Screen resolution: 2560×1600 pixels / 2880×1800 pixels
- Graphics: Intel HD Graphics 4000
- Processor: Intel Ivy Bridge Core i5 2.5 GHz / Intel Ivy Bridge Core i7 2.3 GHz or Intel Ivy Bridge Core i7 2.6 GHz
- Dimensions (height x width x depth): 1.9 x 31.4 x 21.9 cm / 1.8 x 35.9 x 24.7 cm
- Weight: 1.62kg / 2.02kg
- Memory: 8 GB DDR3L 1600 MHz memory, memory soldered into the motherboard
- Storage: 128GB or 256GB Flash / 256GB or 512GB Flash
- Wireless interfaces: Wi-Fi 802.11n (backwards compatible with IEEE 802.11a/b/g standards), Bluetooth 4.0
- Ports: 2 Thunderbolt, 2 USB 3.0, HDMI, MagSafe 2, SDXC memory card slot, headphone output
- Battery capacity: 74 Wh / 95 Wh
The configuration of these “firmwares” is no different from those that are not equipped with a Retina display, so we won’t describe it a second time. The same applies to the stated operating time. Moreover, the stated time is one, but in fact it is completely different. And, of course, the situation is exactly the same with the guarantee.
The younger 13-inch model with an Intel Core i5 processor will cost you $1,699, the older one – $1,999. As for the 15-inch models, the situation is as follows: Intel Core i7 with a frequency of 2.3 GHz costs $2,199, Intel Core i7 with a frequency of 2.6 GHz will cost you $2,799.
Software
As for questions about firmware software, then, regardless of the presence of a Retina display, everything is identical.
Every MacBook Pro comes pre-installed operating system OS X Mountain Lion. The Mountain Lion operating system has turned out to be quite controversial: some people praise it to the skies and see something truly revolutionary in it, while others, on the contrary, believe that the difference with OS X Lion is not so great. In fact, the new operating system turned out to be very good. Of course, it cannot be called revolutionary, but it has a lot of advantages. The only negative that comes to my mind is that the operating time of MacBooks running this system is slightly reduced compared to working under OS X Lion.
When you turn on your brand new MacBook for the first time, you will find that the following applications and programs are already installed on it: Mail, Messages, Contacts, Calendar, Reminders, Safari web browser, Notification Center, Notes, Time Machine, FaceTime, Photo Booth, iTunes, Game Center, Gatekeeper, Mac App Store, iPhoto, iMovie, GarageBand and others. In addition, the Mountain Lion operating system is almost fully integrated with iCloud, Twitter and Facebook.
The iWork suite, which includes programs like Pages, Numbers, and Keynote, will need to be downloaded from the Mac App Store. Each of these programs will cost you 649 rubles. In principle, quite adequate and affordable price for such a product.
One “but”: if you are counting on the MacBook Pro to be a great gaming computer, then this is not true. Of course, in terms of technical characteristics it is ideal (well, probably), but the whole problem is that there are very few games for OS X. Very few.
Another small, or maybe not so small, problem is that some office and business applications are not available on computers running the OS X operating system. But if necessary, you can install the operating system on your MacBook Pro Windows. This can be done, for example, with using Parallels Desktop is probably the best and easiest option.
Accessories for MacBook Pro
Many users, when making a decision to purchase a particular device, including laptops such as the MacBook Pro, are concerned about the number of existing accessories for this very device. Therefore, it is impossible to skip this point.
There are more than enough accessories for the MacBook Pro. For example, if you are not very comfortable using a trackpad all the time (for example, due to the specifics of your work), you can buy a regular mouse for your firmware. This can be either Apple's Magic Mouse or any other mouse from any other manufacturer.
Not counting mice, there are a huge number of all kinds of stands, holders, protective films for screens and even vinyl stickers on its cover. And, of course, you can find a suitable case for your aluminum pet, of which there are a dime a dozen in online and offline stores.
Moreover, you can connect to your MacBook Pro both additional storage (“let’s call it hard drives”) and additional screens, if you are missing even 15 inches.
In general, as you already understand, there are no problems with this. The only problem with accessories for the MacBook Pro is that they are usually very expensive, but, as they say, if there is a desire, there will be opportunities.
Results
If you read everything very carefully, you should have realized that the MacBook Pro is not a toy. This is a serious laptop for serious people. He is capable of much, if, of course, you yourself are capable of much. Before purchasing, think carefully about whether you need just such a laptop and whether you will use all its resources. If not, and you really want a laptop from Apple, then it’s better to take a closer look at the MacBook Air: it’s cheaper, simpler, and smaller.
For those who are sure that they will use absolutely all (or at least most) of the resources of the MacBook Pro, but still doubt whether to take it, we inform you: take it, you will not regret it.
The MacBook Pro is a true leader in its market segment, one step above most of its competitors in my opinion. But it also costs more than many similar PCs running an operating system. Windows systems. But you have something to overpay for. Probably, now many PC owners will be ready to argue with me, but I will still say this: the MacBook Pro is more reliable than any PC, so it will last you much longer (both in terms of hardware and in terms of the operating system).
Of course, the final choice will always be yours, but you can rest assured that the MacBook Pro is worth every dollar you spend on it. This is a beautiful, powerful and prestigious laptop.
P.S. If you have any comments and suggestions, do not forget to indicate them in the comments, we will definitely take them into account in the next issue of the “From A to Z” series. In addition, you can write in the comments your wishes regarding which device the next material should be devoted to.
I have been using Apple technology and OS for a long time and very successfully. At the same time, I constantly see how the people around me: novice users, and often very experienced ones, are not very well versed in the rich capabilities of this software and hardware. Therefore, I decided to help and translate several Western articles with tips and secrets. I think that the press is “native” to Apple the best way copes with unlocking the potential of OS X.
Have you ever seen someone who really knows how to use Mac computer and OS X operating system? Sometimes it's almost magical how they make windows move, images appear, apps launch, and all sorts of other cool things - all while their fingers never seem to leave the keyboard. I don't know much about Mac tips and tricks, however. I have a few tips in stock that you might find useful. Some of them are quite common, some are not so well known, but all of them will do something important, bringing you one step closer to the rank of Jedi Master on your Mac.
Yes padawan, here are my top 10 Mac tips OS X:
1. Shift+Click the Maximize button to fill the screen
You know that the red button closes the window, the yellow button minimizes and the green button maximizes, right? Okay, you also know that some apps (like Chrome and Word) don't fill the entire screen when you press the maximize button. I'm sure this is fine most of the time, but sometimes you want the window to go full screen. Next time you want to maximize the current window to full screen, just hold Shift key when you press a button. Here! Big window!
2. Tips from the Terminal application - purge (cleaning)
One of the most important tools in the Mac Jedi toolbox is Terminal. Oh Terminal, what power you have over the entire system. Many people are very unsure about using Terminal. All these horror stories those who write rm* in the wrong places and overwrite the entire Mac have the desired effect on people. Yes, it looks plausible, but there is simple command, which... is pretty cool! The command is called purge and performs a fairly simple operation - it frees up the RAM of the higher computer. When your Mac is running and you run applications, surf the web, and do normal activities on your Mac, RAM (memory) is used to do so. Sometimes, when an application has been running for a while, it does not release all the memory provided by RAM, even though it is no longer needed. Before I learned this method, I would simply reboot my Mac if I ran out of memory (and I would close any apps I wasn't using), but with purge... Purge forces apps to free up RAM that they might be taking up (and that they don't need) . All you need to do is launch Terminal from the Utilities folder, write "purge" (without the quotes) on the line and press enter. It is 100% safe and can free up a ton of memory. I went from several megabytes to several gigabytes in seconds! (Important: When the cleanup is running, your Mac will not respond for about a minute. Don't worry! This is normal!)
3. Launch Spotlight by pressing CTRL-Spacebar
Looking for something? You know that Spotlight can help you quickly find files, email, check words, even launch apps... But did you know that a quick Command-Spacebar will open Spotlight in the menu bar so you can start typing? It's easy because you can quickly press CTRL-SPACE and then type something like safari, press enter and launch Safari... without your fingers even touching the mouse! Want to make this your eleventh tip? Then just download free application Alfred from the Mac App store and get all this and more! Once you've downloaded it, don't forget my 10 Great Alfred Tips!
4. Drag files to the toolbar and open them in the application
I like to use Preview as my default app for opening images. Preview is pretty fast and easy when I need to take a quick look at something (or quickly resize an image), but if I want to edit an image, I use Acorn. So how do I open an image in Acorn? You think, launch Acorn, open the File menu... No, it's easier. Acorn is in the toolbar all the time, so all you have to do is drag the image file onto the icon and... Acorn will launch (or come to the fore) and the image is open! This trick works with almost all applications and can save you a ton of time.
5. Separate App Stack for applications
My dock was starting to fall into disarray. Lots of apps that are “necessary” but that I haven’t used all that often. So I made a separate App Stack for them. This process consists of several stages:
Create a folder somewhere (I created it in ~/Applications, which is different from the system-wide Applications folder (see tip 7 for all of these directories)
Open your Applications folder in another Finder window.
In this step, you are going to create shortcuts for your actual applications. Hold command and option and drag the application you need quick access to into the created folder.
Repeat for as many applications as you wish.
Drag the folder with all applications to the right side of your toolbar, to the left of the Trash.
Enjoy! Everything is ready, the folder will contain shortcuts to all your applications!
6. Removing icons from the Menu
I know it's nice to see icons on our menu, but sometimes it gets a little overwhelming. For some icons in our menu (most often related to the system), just hold Command, click on the icon and drag it from the menu! Try it, you don't need a speaker volume icon, right?
7. Access to the Library folder
Thanks to one of the “improvements” in Lion, the Library folder is hidden from you. Okay, I get it. You don't need to dig through your library too often, but sometimes you do. Sometimes you need to clean up stubborn files or something like that. Here is an easy way to access the Library folder (as well as the Applications folder from step 5). With Finder enabled, press Command-Shift-G and the Go to folder window will open. Just type “~ /Library/” (without quotes) and click OK. Ready! To go to applications, type ~/Applications/.
8. Side panel Finder
Since we're talking about file manager, I'm sure you've noticed all those folders and sections on the left side of your Finder windows(if not, go to Finder and select “Show Toolbar” from the View menu). You know you can add your own folders there, right? Yes, just drag any folders to the side and you're done. Now you not only have one-click access to this folder, but anything you drag and drop will be copied or moved into it! Not bad!
9. Take a screenshot
Ever been faced with the need to take a screenshot of what's currently on your screen? It could either be a bug or just a graph and you need it... but how? Just. Command-Shift-3 will keep an image of the entire screen, and command-shift-4 will allow you to select a portion of the screen or window. Of course, if you want more advanced features, download Skitch for free and add variety to your screenshots.
10. Control the apps that load at startup
Have you noticed that over time your Mac takes longer and longer to start up? At first you see the desktop, but then applications start loading one after another. You can control this process. Just go to System Preferences -> Users and Groups. Then find the Login Items button. Yes, these are all the applications that launch for me. But if I'm tired of waiting for an application to load, I'll simply select it in the list and click “-“. Ready! I have achieved more quick launch!
These are just some of the tricks up my sleeve. I'm sure you've learned a few over the years too, so...
What are your favorite OS X tricks? Tell us about them in the comments.