Chapter One
Okay, This Machine Looks Really, Really Weird
In This Chapter
* Identifying the important parts of your iMac
* Locating the right home for your computer
* Plugging stuff in and getting hooked up
* Playing with your bundled software
* Buying additional stuff that you might need
You bought a brand new iMac, and there it sits, in the box. Waiting. Waiting for you.
If you're a little nervous about unpacking that shiny white rectangle, I completely understand. Face it: The latest iMac follows in the footsteps of many revolutionary iMac designs that have come before it. (In other words, it doesn't look like a computer at all, and that can be a bit disconcerting.) And if you're switching from a Windows PC to the Apple universe, you might find yourself floating weightlessly in your office or your living room without a familiar bulky beige box to anchor yourself. Hence the reluctance you might be feeling.
However, dear reader, let me assure you that you've indeed made The Right Choice. I commend you! The iMac G5 is the fastest, leanest, and easiest-to-use self-contained all-in-one computer ever built. Practically everything's in one shining panel (except for your keyboard and mouse). You've got one of the best liquid crystal display (LCD) screens on the planet, a super-fast processor, room for a ton of RAM (memory), and a regular laundry list of the latest technology. Best of all, you don't have to be a techno-nerd to use all that power!
In this chapter, I introduce you to your new dream machine, giving you an overview of the more important locations within iMac City. I show you how to unpack your new computer, what wires go where, and where your iMac should set up housekeeping. I preview the awesome software that's waiting within that powerful panel. Finally, I list the accessories that help keep both you and your new iMac computing smoothly.
An Introduction to the Beast
The iMac G5 might look like a sculpture straight out of your local museum of modern art, but it still sports everything that it needs to function as a computer. In this section, I identify the important stuff that you need to live your life - you know, write a term paper in AppleWorks, hear the music you downloaded, or manage the affairs of those lazy Sims.
Major parts of your major appliance
Every computer requires some of the same gizmos. Figure 1-1 helps you track them down. Of course, as you'd expect, a computer has a "body" of sorts in which all the innards and brains are stored (the screen, in this case), a display screen, a keyboard, a mouse/pointing device, and ports for powering and exchanging data with peripherals.
That magnificent screen
Talk about efficiency: With the iMac G5, the 2"-thick border surrounding the display is actually your computer's case! And what a view you've got because an iMac G5 is graced with either a 17" or 20" LCD display.
TECHNICAL STUFF
Once upon a time, LCD screens were strictly limited to notebook and laptop computers, whilst desktop computer owners were saddled with huge, heavy cathode ray tube (CRT) monitors. Luckily, the LCD panel has migrated to virtually all the Apple computer product line, so notebook owners can no longer be snobbish (at least about their screens, anyway).
TECHNICAL STUFF
LCD screens use far less electricity than their antique CRT ancestors, and they emit practically no radiation.
Both sizes of iMac screens offer a widescreen aspect ratio (the screen is considerably wider than it is tall), which augurs well for those who enjoy watching DVD movies. (A favorite editor of mine loves it when I use the antique word augur, meaning to predict or foretell.) The larger 20" screen boasts a whopper 1680 x 1050 resolution.
TIP
That reminds me: Throw away your printed dictionary! You won't need it because Mac OS X Tiger includes the fantastic Sherlock application that uses the Internet to retrieve definitions from Dictionary.com. More on Sherlock in Chapter 7 ... and yes, it does contain augur.
The keyboard and mouse
Hey, here's something novel for the iMac G5 - something external (outside the computer's case). Gotta have a keyboard and mouse, right? And you gotta love the options with iMac: You can fly a little cheaper and remain entangled in a corded world, or you can go nomadic ... um, that is, wireless and free.
Getting wired
The iMac comes standard with a wired Apple keyboard and single-button optical mouse. The keyboard is a particular favorite of mine because from here
You can either control the sound volume or mute all that noise completely.
A handy-dandy Media Eject key lets you eject a CD or DVD.
Read about connecting your keyboard and mouse in the upcoming section, "Absolutely essential connections."
Going wireless
If you're really fancy, you can opt for a truly 21st century computer and order the Apple wireless keyboard ($70) and mouse ($70) combo! This dynamic duo lets you sit back and relax with your keyboard in your lap, without being tied down by a cord. (Say it with me: "Death to cords, death to cords.") Just stay within about 30 feet of your iMac screen, and sweet freedom is yours. You can also feel safe using these wireless peripherals because they offer secure 128-bit, over-the-air encryption, which helps keep sensitive information safe while you type and click away.
TECHNICAL STUFF
The wireless mouse needs a flat surface, but that's what TV trays are for, right?
The disc slot
You'll notice a long groove at the right-upper corner of your iMac G5. No, it's not for your credit card. (If you order online often enough, you'll memorize your card number.) This slot accepts CDs and DVDs into your optical drive. If the drive is empty, loading a disc is as simple as sliding it in an inch or so; the drive sucks in the disc automatically. (And we don't need no stinkin' floppy drive. Macs haven't had floppy drives for years now, and the PC types are just beginning to follow.)
WARNING!
"Luke, the printed label side of the disc should always be facing you when you load a disc. Always."
Yes, your computer has a foot ... just one
You and I - normal human beings - would say that the iMac is supported by a sturdy aluminum stand, but Apple calls it a foot. The foot lets you tilt the iMac LCD panel up and down for the best viewing angle. Most important, though, the foot minimizes the computer's desk space requirements (or its footprint). (Engineers ... sheesh.)
If you decide to get really snazzy and mount your iMac to the wall, you can remove the foot and install the VESA mounting adapter (available separately for about $30). You can use any VESA standard mounting bracket on your wall, too.
Hey, Hewlett-Packard or Dell, can you mount one of those monolithic PCs to the wall? I think not.
Food for your ears
A machine this nice had better have great sound, and the iMac doesn't disappoint. You have a couple of options for iMac audio:
The iMac sports built-in stereo speakers (and a microphone to boot).
Use built-in ports to connect your iMac audio to either More powerful (and more expensive) external speaker systems
A home stereo system
The power cable
Sorry, can't get a wireless power system ... yet. (Apple's working hard on that one.) If you opt for the wireless keyboard and mouse setup (see the earlier section, "Going wireless"), the power cable is actually the only required cable that you need to run your computer! Now that's sassy.
The power button
Yep, you've got one of these, too. It's on the back of the case.
Those holes are called ports
Our next stop on your tour of Planet iMac is Port Central - that row of holes on the back of your computer (see Figure 1-2). Each port connects a different type of cable or device, allowing you to easily add all sorts of extra functionality to your computer.
Each of these stellar holes is identified by an icon to help you identify it. Here's a list of what you'll find as well as a quick rundown on what these ports do.
FireWire: These ports are the standard in the Apple universe for connecting external hard drives and DVD recorders, but they do double duty as the connector of choice for peripherals like your iPod and your digital video (DV) camcorder. (A peripheral is another silly techno-nerd term, meaning a separate device that you connect to your computer.) Note that the iMac G5 offers two FireWire ports, both of which are the older FireWire 400 specification. (The much faster FireWire 800 port is currently available on the Power Macintosh G5 and the high-end PowerBook laptops.) USB: Short for Universal Serial Bus, the familiar USB port is the jack-of-all-trades in today's world of computer add-ons. Most external devices (such as portable hard drives, scanners, or digital cameras) that you want to connect to your iMac use a USB port. The iMac sports three USB 2.0 ports on its back, and you'll find an additional two USB 1.1 ports lurking at the back of your keyboard. USB 2.0 connections are much faster than the old USB 1.1 standard, so if you buy a new USB 2.0 device, be prepared to connect it to the back of your iMac.
TIP
For the specs on connecting your keyboard and mouse, see the upcoming section, "Absolutely essential connections."
For more on FireWire and USB ports, get the lowdown in Chapter 20.
Ethernet: The iMac includes a standard 10/100 Ethernet port, so it's ready to join your existing wired Ethernet network. (Alternatively, you can go wireless for your network connection; more on that in the next section and in Chapter 20.)
Modem: If you use a dialup modem connection to the Internet, your iMac G5 has got you covered with its internal 56K v.92 modem (which can send and receive faxes, too).
WARNING!
Have you noticed the similarity between the modem and Ethernet ports? The Ethernet port is slightly wider, but it's easy to mix 'em up. Always check the icon identifying the port before you insert the connector. (I don't know whether you can jam an Ethernet cable into the modem port, but it's not an experiment that I want to try ... a hammer would likely be involved.)
VGA/S-Video/Composite Video: In case that splendid screen isn't quite good enough, you can add an adapter to this port and send the video signal from your iMac to another monitor (VGA) or to an S-Video or composite video device. (Think flatscreen TV or a VCR.)
Headphone/Optical Output: You can send the high-quality audio from your rectangular beast to a set of standard headphones or an optical digital audio device like a high-end home theater system.
Line In: Last (but certainly not least) is the audio Line In jack, which allows you to pipe the signal from another audio device into your iMac. This one comes in particularly handy when you record MP3 files from your old vinyl albums or when you want to record loops within GarageBand.
Important Hidden Stuff
When you bought your new digital pride and joy, you probably noticed a number of subtle differences between the low-end iMac G5 and the berexpensive top-end model. I call these differences the Important Hidden Stuff (or IHS, if you're addicted to acronyms already), and they're just as important as the parts and ports that you can see.
Hard drive: The iMac G5 uses the latest in hard drive technology: serial ATA hard drives, which are significantly faster than the EIDE hard drives used in previous iMac models. (You don't need to worry about what ATA and EIDE mean here. Really.)
TECHNICAL STUFF
As I type these words, the iMac G5 product line offers either an 80GB or a 160GB hard drive option. The bigger, the better.
Optical drive: Okay, I'm cheating a little here. I mention the optical drive in an earlier section, but all you can see is the slot, so it qualifies as an IHS item. Depending on your iMac model, your computer includes either Best: A DVD-R SuperDrive (which can play and record both CDs and DVDs)
Not bad: A DVD/CD-RW combo drive (which can record CDs but only read DVDs)
If your iMac can't burn DVDs with the internal drive, don't give up hope of recording your own DVD movies. Thanks to those handy FireWire ports, it's child's play to add an external DVD recorder.
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Time for a plug: If you're interested in recording your own audio and data CDs, or you've got an itch to burn DVD movies, I can highly recommend the bestselling CD & DVD Recording For Dummies, 2nd Edition (Wiley). (And written by yours truly; hence the solid recommendation.) Anyway, you'll find everything you need to know to use Roxio's Toast recording software. Within a few minutes, you'll be burning your own shiny digital treasures.
Wireless Ethernet: "Look, Ma, no wires!" As I mention earlier, you can connect your iMac to an existing wireless Ethernet network by adding an AirPort Extreme card (either as an installed option or after you've started using the computer). With wireless connectivity, you can share documents with another computer in another room, share a single high-speed Internet connection betwixt several computers, or enjoy wireless printing. Truly sassy!
TIP
Although Apple would want you to build your wireless wonderland with an Apple AirPort Extreme Base Station - go figure - you can actually use your iMac with any standard 802.11g wireless network. And yes, PCs and Macs can intermingle on the same wireless network without a hitch. (Scandalous, ain't it?)
Bluetooth: Let's get the old "digital pirate" joke out of the way: "Arrgg, matey, I needs me a wireless parrot." (Engineers again ... sheesh.) Although strangely named, Bluetooth is actually another form of wireless connectivity. This time, however, the standard was designed for accessories like your keyboard and mouse, and devices like your personal digital assistant (PDA) and cellphone. Note that if you want Bluetooth built in to your iMac, you must order it as an option from Apple when you're buying your computer, as an $80 option. (Otherwise, you can buy an external Bluetooth USB module, like the D-Link Bluetooth USB Adapter, for around $40.)
Video card: If your applications rely heavily on high-speed 3-D graphics, you'll be pleased as punch to find that the iMac comes equipped with an NDIVIA GeForce FX video card. This card is well suited to 3-D modeling, video editing, and well, honestly, blasting the enemy into small smoking pieces with aplomb.
Choosing a Home for Your New Pet
If you pick the wrong spot to park your new iMac, I can guarantee that you'll regret it later. Some domiciles and office cubicles obviously don't offer a choice - you've got one desk at work, for example, and nobody's going to hand over another one - but if you can select a home for your iMac, consider the important placement points in this section.
(Continues...)
Excerpted from iMac For Dummiesby Mark L. Chambers Excerpted by permission.
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