Got a new MacBook Pro, some questions!


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Yes, I'm so pleased/happy!

Finally managed to get myself to the Apple Store today and grabbed a 17" matte MBP, case, free iPod Touch and 3 yr Applecare for about ?1800. (- ?145 ipod rebate)

Now, I did have a Macbook about a year ago, so not entirely new to the Mac O/S or hardware but have a few questions.

1. How do you right click? They said its ctrl + click... but is there an easier way? I'm sure there was before!

2. With time machine... I have a 320gb "Freeagent Go" portable HDD... would that be fine to use for now? Does it take up the whole hard drive?

3. What is the button to press to show the desktop? There used to be a dedicated button on my last button, but there only seems to be a show all windows and dashboard button on this MBP.

4. How do you swap graphics cards? Is it worth it just keeping it on the GT?

So far really pleased... it weighs about the same as my last 15" yet is way, way slimmer, cooler and the screen size/resolution is gigantic (bigger than me 22" monitor resolutions!).

I'll post more questions here when I get them, I know someone will help!:D:D

Cheers!

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1. Use 2 fingers ( if you have it enabled in touchpad pref's, or use Cntrl+click os only other way that i know of )

2. it will take up however much it needs, wouldnt really recomend using the drive for anything OTHER then time machine though

Yes, I'm so pleased/happy!

Finally managed to get myself to the Apple Store today and grabbed a 17" matte MBP, case, free iPod Touch and 3 yr Applecare for about ?1800. (- ?145 ipod rebate)

Now, I did have a Macbook about a year ago, so not entirely new to the Mac O/S or hardware but have a few questions.

1. How do you right click? They said its ctrl + click... but is there an easier way? I'm sure there was before!

2. With time machine... I have a 320gb "Freeagent Go" portable HDD... would that be fine to use for now? Does it take up the whole hard drive?

So far really pleased... it weighs about the same as my last 15" yet is way, way slimmer, cooler and the screen size/resolution is gigantic (bigger than me 22" monitor resolutions!).

I'll post more questions here when I get them, I know someone will help!:D:D

Cheers!

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aww you added mroe while i was replying, ninja

3. no idea how to do this, try OSX Shortcuts

4. i think you have to go into display, not shure as i have a Pre Multi-Card MBP

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Ah, thanks for that!

I don't really use the drive at the moment, so might just use it then totally as time machine.

Probably going to invest in a new drive for it in a few months (when I'm less skint), I like Apple's router (can't remember what it's called) and the fact you can plug in a printer/hdd to it.

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I also just picked mine up yesterday, and I'm in love. As for the right click, System Preferences-->Trackpad-->Secondary Click. If your use to Win Laptops like I am, you can set the bottom right hand corner of your trackpad as your right click, which is what I did.

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:o I didn't realise you could use four fingers for expose and what not, now that is cool hah!

Edit: Just seen the above messages, didn't realise you could do up for desktop/down for all the windows. How fantastic!

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i have the Non-Duel Band Airport Extreme, i dotn know if its changed, but you cant plug a random Printer into it, it only works on a few models. so far i got a HP 1012 ( i think it is ) and a 300+GB External going through a USB hub into the Extreme

Ah, thanks for that!

I don't really use the drive at the moment, so might just use it then totally as time machine.

Probably going to invest in a new drive for it in a few months (when I'm less skint), I like Apple's router (can't remember what it's called) and the fact you can plug in a printer/hdd to it.

Helix - the new apple laptops have Duel GPU's that are switchable between Low Power GPU and a higher end GPU, its switchable in the OS itself, only requirement is you have to reboot the laptop

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#4, you cant, the GPU's are an integrated part of the system and no one makes replacements except for apple, you could possibly take it to them and upgrade it to whatever chips they have as a regular order option as long as it is supported by your base model.

neither the integrated nor discrete GPU's were designed to be interchangable

I think he meant how do you switch between them during use (i.e. how do you tell the system which one you want to use).

I have a dual band Airport Extreme Base Station, and you can connect any USB printer you like to is, providing the OS you're using has a driver for it (on Windows, you'll need to create a "new" tcp/ip printer port, with the IP of the base station, or navigate through the network folder and connect to it that way). On the Mac, it'll just auto-find it if it has a driver.

I have a HP 2550Ln, and 3 external disks connected to mine via a powered hub and it's fine. Go for an AEBS rather than a time capsule though - the AEBS + the cost of the USB drive is cheaper than the Time Capsule, and it gives you the flexibility of an external drive.

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Airport Extreme Base Station, that's the thing! Yeah, was looking at it in the store today and spoke to the guy about it. It will be my next purchase on my next paycheck :D.

And yep, I just mean't how you tell the system (right use the GT now, or go back to the normal one) for when I decide to play a game or not.

Looked in display and couldn't find the option there, need to explore it more I think.

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You swap graphic cards by going to the Energy Saver preference in System Preferences. You can show desktop via pressing Command+F3.

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Ah yes, choosing between more battery/more performance, excellent.

Thanks for all your help guys, no doubt I'll have more questions!

One final question, do you think MobileMe is worth buying? I also do have an iPhone, and a Windows PC, so I guess having things like contact and what not synced between them would be good - downside, I don't use the calendar loads at the moment (could change when I start my placement and what not though).

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9400M and 9600GT are both quite capable for running OS X. But if you intend to game stick with the 9600GT. I have the same Laptop it's so great. I love the Multi-touch Glass trackpad.

I don't personally think Mobile Me is worth buying but that's just me you need to look at the pros and cons and put a dollar amount on the features it offers. One of the things you may want that MobileMe offers is the 'Find my iPhone' tracking feature.

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Another question - is it supposed to get quite/really hot?

I'm installing WoW at the moment and while I don't think it would burn (I can keep my finger on it) it has got really at near the top (above the keyboard and where the battery would be underneath).

Taking into account I am also charging (and that always seems to make it a bit warmer)... is this anything to worry about?

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Another question - is it supposed to get quite/really hot?

I'm installing WoW at the moment and while I don't think it would burn (I can keep my finger on it) it has got really at near the top (above the keyboard and where the battery would be underneath).

Taking into account I am also charging (and that always seems to make it a bit warmer)... is this anything to worry about?

If you're installing something, that's normal - the fans blow out between the keyboard and bottom of the screen.

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Ah I see.

I was running iStat to check temperatures... playing WoW caused the CPU/GPU to go up to 80 degrees C... until the fans started to kick in (which then kept it under 80). Idle is about 54 ish.

Do these sound right for the 17" uMBP?

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Ah I see.

I was running iStat to check temperatures... playing WoW caused the CPU/GPU to go up to 80 degrees C... until the fans started to kick in (which then kept it under 80). Idle is about 54 ish.

Do these sound right for the 17" uMBP?

It's perfectly normal dude. I have the 15-inch Unibody MBP (late '08) and when I'm doing intensive work the temperature rockets. No where near as much as my first-gen MBP though - that frequently went over 100 degrees C. :blink:

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Yep, it's normal. If you want it to be a bit cooler, you should be able to play WoW on the 9400m. Might have to lower settings, but it'll stay cooler.

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You can change your settings to right click, when you press the Trackpad on the bottom right corner... I don't have any apple computer yet, but I tried that in a store...

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I don't mind the temperatures, more the fact I just wanted to check they're supposed to be like that :D

Thanks for the help guys, I really appreciate it - it's nice to know your ?1800 mac is working as expected heh. So thanks again!

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