iMac and Mac Mini with MacOS Catalina: Getting Started with MacOS 10.15 For

By Scott La Counte

You’ve heard all about Mac: how it doesn’t get as many viruses as Windows, how it’s faster, how it just works! But how do you use it!

Macs aren’t difficult to use, but if you are switching from Windows, then it might be a little confusing at first.

The goal of this book is twofold: help you make the switch fro

• Language: English
• Publisher: SL Editions
• Release date: Oct 16, 2019
• ISBN: 9781629176055

Book preview

Introduction

You’ve heard all about Mac: how it doesn’t get as many viruses as Windows, how it’s faster, how it just works! But how do you use it!

Macs aren’t difficult to use, but if you are switching from Windows, then it might be a little confusing at first.

The goal of this book is twofold: help you make the switch from windows; show you the features that you need to know.

This book is intended for people who want to get started quickly with the Mac. For that reason, it’s not as comprehensive as other guides. If you want to know about some feature buried deep under the hood that you’ll never use, then there are other books for you--I’m sure they’ll make good doorstops when you finish.

If you just want a simple guide that tells you what you need to know, so you can use your computer already, then this book is for you

Are you ready to start enjoying the new Mac OS? Then let’s get started!

[1]

Understanding Your Mac

Before diving into the actual software, let’s address the obvious: why pick Mac?

I was in the Windows camp for a long time; I’d see the Mac and think it was just a computer for hipsters. Sure they were nice to look at—they were shiny and didn’t look plastic-y and cheap…but they were also expensive.

But then I actually used one, and I was blown away. Here’s why…

Fewer Viruses

You’ve probably heard someone say they use a Mac because they don’t get viruses. That’s not true.  Any computer can get a virus. But it is true that Macs are generally less prone to viruses and are more secure.

The reason you don’t hear about Mac viruses very often is twofold:

While it’s hard to pinpoint just how many computers there are in the world, most computers are still Windows. So, if you are a hacker wanting to wreak havoc into cyberspace, then your obvious target would be the one with the largest audience.

The second reason is MacOS is built by Apple, for Apple. Windows builds their OS to be built for essentially any computer, which opens the door for vulnerabilities.

I know a lot of Mac users and rarely do I hear someone say they have a virus. If you are concerned, however, one popular free virus protector is called Bitdefender Virus Scanner (http://www.bitdefender.com/).

Keeping It Simple

When it comes to design, Apple likes to make things that are beautiful and simple. This philosophy can be seen in their watches, iPhones, and iPads—across all their products.

Because Apple spends so much time keeping it simple, you also have seen the last days of computer crashes and blue screens of deaths.

Apple spends a lot of time thinking not just about what the computer should do, but how people will do it. If you’ve been using Windows all of your life, then all the different menus and buttons might seem intimidating at first—but don’t stress! This book will show you how much easier it actually is.

If you have any other Apple products, then many of the common Mac tasks will probably seem very similar to you. What’s more, if you have an iPhone, iPad, or even Apple TV, then they all work and interact with each other.

No Bloat

I remember my last Windows computer. I couldn’t wait to turn it on…and then I couldn’t wait to turn it off! Your first hour should be spent just having fun exploring it, but my first hour was spent uninstalling programs!

One reason Windows computers are cheaper is that manufacturers team up with software companies and install all kinds of unnecessary programs—most of them are just free trials.

With Mac, you turn your computer on for the first time, create an ID if you don’t already have one, put in your Wi-Fi, and log in to iTunes / iCloud. That’s it. It should take less than ten minutes to get your computer up and running once you get it out of the box.

A Look At the Hardware

iMac

iMacs come in two sizes; 21.5 inches and 27 inches; don’t let their looks deceive you. While they may look the same, the insides widely vary.

Display-wise, you can get an iMac with 1080p, 4k, or 5k. Do you really need all those extra k’s? It really depends on what you are doing. iMac’s are a designers dream, so if you are doing graphic heavy work, then those extra pixel do make a difference. If you are doing more casual web-surfing and productivity work (QuickBooks, Word, Excel, etc), then 1080p is more than likely going to suit you just fine.

Power and memory-wise, the more expensive the more powerful, obviously; but you should also be aware of one other important detail: the more expensive the more configurable. What does that mean? As an example, the cheapest model can only be upgradable to 16GB of ram. The 4k max out at 32GB. Finally, the 5k goes all the way to 64GB. 16GB is a lot—actually 8GB is a lot. Why do you need more? This again becomes a question of what you are doing. Some work—such as video editing—require a lot of memory.

Weight-wise, the 21.5 inch iMac’s are about 12 pounds and the 27 inch is just over 20.

On the back of the iMac, there is a very similar look. Using the image below, I describe each feature from left to right:

3.5 headphone jack – iMac’s have Bluetooth, which means you can use any wireless sound device; if you prefer a hardwired connection, you can use the 3.5 jack.

SD slot

USB – compatible with both USB 2 and 3

Thundbolt 3 / USB-C – this is a relatively new technology that a lot of people are unfamiliar with; in a nutshell, this is the next generation of USB. It let’s you transfer data at much higher speeds.

Ethernet – iMac’s have wi-fi, but you can also use this port for a wired LAN connect.



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Mac Mini

The size of the Mac Mini will probably blow you away if you’ve never seen it up close. It’s extremely powerful, but only slightly larger than an Apple TV, and less than three pounds!

There are two different Mini’s that you can buy, but they both look exactly the same on the outside. The difference is all on the inside.

Using the photo below, all cover what each one does starting from left to right:

Power button

Power cord input

Ethernet – the Mac Mini does have wi-fi, but if you want a hardwired LAN connect, you can use this input.

Thunderbolt 3 / USB-c (4) – the new standard of USB; USB-c can transfer data at much higher rates.

HDMI input

USB (2)

Headphone jack (below USB) – Mac Mini’s have Bluetooth if you prefer wireless audio connection. They also have a built-in speaker.



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iMac vs. Mac Mini

Specs-wise iMac and Mac Mini are very similar; they’ll run programs at comparable speeds and can be configured to have comparable memory and storage.