Mac OS X Mountain Lion iTunes and Entertainment

iTunes and Entertainment

There are so many ways to view and interact with media on your Mac. This includes everything from music and videos, to podcasts and academic lectures—even games that you can play online with your friends.

OS X Mountain Lion makes all of these things fun and accessible with iTunes and other built-in tools. You can even access your media on other Apple devices, using the corresponding apps for iPad, iPhone, and iPod Touch.

Have More Than One Apple Device?

There are many benefits to using iTunes and other entertainment apps if you have more than one Apple device. They're designed specifically so you can access your media anywhere (on your Mac, iPad, iPhone, or iPod Touch), no matter which device you used to purchase it.

• 

We'll be using the Mac for most of the demonstrations in this lesson, but if you have another device, don't worry. The corresponding apps for the iPad, iPhone, and iPod Touch are very easy to use. The important thing is that you get to know some of the basic tools and features, and come away with a solid understanding of what each app can do. Then you can explore the apps some more on your own.

Reviewing Important Features

There are several things that we discuss in other parts of this tutorial that are an important part of using apps. If you're unfamiliar with any of the features below, go back to the lesson to review.

• Notifications (Lesson 2, OS X Mountain Lion Features)
  Notifications are pop-ups, banners, and other audio/visual cues. Many apps use them to notify you of new activity on your device.
  
• Preferences (Lesson 6, Changing Your Computer's Settings)
  There are many ways to manage the settings on your computer. This includes settings for each of your apps, which allows you to control the way they behave.
  
• iCloud (Lesson 7, Syncing with iCloud)
  Syncing is what links your Mac to your other devices (and your other devices to each other). Many apps will need to be set up in iCloud in order for them to sync.
  
• Siri (iPad tutorial, Siri)
  Siri is a mobile-only feature that comes with the most recent version of the iPad and the iPhone 4S and later. It allows you to control certain apps using voice commands instead of gestures or the keyboard.http://www.gcflearnfree.org/macosxmountainlion/11

Mac OS X Mountain Lion Camera and Photos

Camera and Photos

If you have an iPad, iPhone, or iPod Touch, you probably know how much fun it can be to take photos and videos on your mobile device. Did you know you can access your photos and videos on your Mac as well? To get started, you should make sure you're familiar with the apps below.

• Camera for taking photos and video on your mobile device
• Photos for viewing and organizing media on your mobile device
• And other desktop tools like iPhoto and Photo Booth

Have More Than One Apple Device?

There are many benefits to using these apps if you have more than one Apple device. They're designed specifically so you can access your photos and videos anywhere (on your iPad, iPhone, iPod Touch, or Mac), no matter where the photo or video is saved.

• 

We'll be using the iPad for most of the demonstrations in this lesson, but if you have another device, don't worry. The corresponding apps for the iPhone, iPod Touch, and Mac are fairly similar. The important thing is that you get to know some of the basic tools and features, and come away with a solid understanding of what each app can do. Then you can explore the apps some more on your own.

Reviewing Important Features

There are several things that we discuss in other parts of this tutorial that are an important part of using apps. If you're unfamiliar with any of the features below, go back to the lesson to review.

• Notifications (Lesson 2, OS X Mountain Lion Features)
  Notifications are pop-ups, banners, and other audio/visual cues. Many apps use them to notify you of new activity on your device.
  
• Preferences (Lesson 6, Changing Your Computer's Settings)
  There are many ways to manage the settings on your computer. This includes settings for each of your apps, which allows you to control the way they behave.
  
• iCloud (Lesson 7, Syncing with iCloud)
  Syncing is what links your Mac to your other devices (and your other devices to each other). Many apps will need to be set up in iCloud in order for them to sync.
  
• Siri (iPad tutorial, Siri)
  Siri is a mobile-only feature that comes with the most recent version of the iPad and the iPhone 4S and later. It allows you to control certain apps using voice commands instead of gestures or the keyboard.http://www.gcflearnfree.org/macosxmountainlion/10

Mac OS X Mountain Lion Everyday Tasks

Apps for Everyday Tasks

OS X Mountain Lion comes with several different apps that can help you with the things you do every day. Depending on your lifestyle and personality, this could include almost anything. Maybe you like to spend a lot of time online... maybe you need an app that'll help you keep track of to-dos. No matter what, Apple has you covered with the apps below. 

• Safari for browsing the web
• Calendar for managing your schedule
• Reminders for staying on top of important tasks
• And other tools like Notes, Dropbox, and Evernote
  

Best of all, these apps are available for other Apple devices too—including the iPad, iPhone, and iPod Touch.

Have More Than One Apple Device?

There are many benefits to using these apps if you have more than one Apple device. They're designed specifically so you can open the same app anywhere (on your iPad, iPhone, iPod Touch, or Mac), and still experience the same look, feel, and functionality. All of your information will be there too, including your bookmarks, browser history, meetings, to-dos, and more.

• 

We'll be using the iPad for most of the demonstrations in this lesson, but if you have another device, don't worry. The corresponding apps for the iPhone, iPod Touch, and Mac are fairly similar. The important thing is that you get to know some of the basic tools and features, and come away with a solid understanding of what each app can do. Then you can explore the apps some more on your own.

Reviewing Important Features

There are several things that we discuss in other parts of this tutorial that are an important part of using apps. If you're unfamiliar with any of the features below, go back to the lesson to review.

• Notifications (Lesson 2, OS X Mountain Lion Features)
  Notifications are pop-ups, banners, and other audio/visual cues. Many apps use them to notify you of new activity on your device.
  
• Preferences (Lesson 6, Changing Your Computer's Settings)
  There are many ways to manage the settings on your computer. This includes settings for each of your apps, which allows you to control the way they behave.
  
• iCloud (Lesson 7, Syncing with iCloud)
  Syncing is what links your Mac to your other devices (and your other devices to each other). Many apps will need to be set up in iCloud in order for them to sync.
  
• Siri (iPad tutorial, Siri)
  Siri is a mobile-only feature that comes with the most recent version of the iPad and the iPhone 4S and later. It allows you to control certain apps using voice commands instead of gestures or the keyboard.http://www.gcflearnfree.org/macosxmountainlion/9

Mac OS X Mountain Lion Communication

Communication Apps

As you discovered in Lesson 2's Introduction to Apps, there are thousands of apps available for the Mac—both in the App Store, and built into your computer. If you're just getting started, however, there are a few that are absolutely essential. This includes:

• Contacts for managing your contacts list
• Mail for checking your email
• Messages for instant messaging
• And other tools like FaceTime and Skype
  

These are the apps that are going to help you communicate on your computer, so you can keep in touch with friends, family, and other contacts. And the great thing about them is the fact that they're available for other Apple devices too—including the iPad, iPhone, and iPod Touch.

Have More Than One Apple Device?

There are many benefits to using these apps if you have more than one Apple device. They're designed specifically so you can open the same app anywhere (on your iPad, iPhone, iPod Touch, or Mac), and still experience the same look, feel, and functionality. All of your information will be there too, including your contacts, email, messaging history, and more.

• 

We'll be using the iPad for most of the demonstrations in this lesson, but if you have another device, don't worry. The corresponding apps for the iPhone, iPod Touch, and Mac are fairly similar. The important thing is that you get to know some of the basic tools and features, and come away with a solid understanding of what each app can do. Then you can explore the apps some more on your own.

Reviewing Important Features

There are several things that we discuss in other parts of this tutorial that are an important part of using apps. If you're unfamiliar with any of the features below, go back to the lesson to review.

• Notifications (Lesson 2, OS X Mountain Lion Features)
  Notifications are pop-ups, banners, and other audio/visual cues. Many apps use them to notify you of new activity on your device.
  
• Preferences (Lesson 6, Changing Your Computer's Settings)
  There are many ways to manage the settings on your computer. This includes settings for each of your apps, which allows you to control the way they behave.
  
• iCloud (Lesson 7, Syncing with iCloud)
  Syncing is what links your Mac to your other devices (and your other devices to each other). Many apps will need to be set up in iCloud in order for them to sync.
  
• Siri (iPad tutorial, Siri)
  Siri is a mobile-only feature that comes with the most recent version of the iPad and the iPhone 4S and later. It allows you to control certain apps using voice commands instead of gestures or the keyboard.http://www.gcflearnfree.org/macosxmountainlion/8

Mac OS X Mountain Lion Syncing with iCloud

Syncing

Syncing is a must for anyone who owns Apple devices, because it's what allows you to move seamlessly from one device to another. You can sync files, media, apps, and other information. All you have to do is set up iCloud on each device; then you can access the same content from almost anywhere.

Introduction to iCloud

 

iCloud is a service provided by Apple that lets you store your music, TV shows, and other files in the cloud (in other words, online). It also automatically syncs your files and information on all of your devices, so each one stays up-to-date.

iCloud works with Mac computers and Windows PCs. It also works with iOS devices like the iPad, iPad Mini, iPhone, and iPod Touch. With iCloud, you no longer need to connect  your devices to your computer to sync your files and settings; everything will sync automatically over Wi-Fi.

When you sign up for iCloud, you get 5GB (gigabytes) of storage space for free. If you want, you can buy additional space for a yearly fee. Your music, TV shows, and photos won't count toward the 5GB limit, so you may not need to buy additional space.

Watch this video from Apple to see some of the things you can do with iCloud.

With iCloud, as well as other cloud-based services, you may have heard about something called push technology. This simply means that the content is downloaded automatically (or pushed) when syncing with other apps and devices. iCloud uses a lot of push technology, which helps to keep everything convenient and simple for the user.

Not familiar with the cloud? Learn more about it in our Computer Basics tutorial under Web Apps and the Cloud.http://www.gcflearnfree.org/macosxmountainlion/7

Mac OS X Mountain Lion Changing Your Computer's Settings

Changing Your Computer's Settings

At some point, you'll probably need to change some of the settings on your computer. OS X Mountain Lion makes this as easy as possible by putting almost all of the settings in one place: the System Preferences window. In this lesson, we'll give an overview of the System Preferences window, and also show you how to create multiple accounts on your computer and adjust the Notifications settings.

To Open System Preferences:

1. Click the Apple icon in the top-left corner of the screen and select System Preferences.
   
   Going to System Preferences
2. The System Preferences window will open. You can then select the desired category to change settings.
   
   The System Preferences Window

You can also open System Preferences from the Dock or Launchpad.

Opening System Preferences from the Dock

Click the buttons in the interactive below to learn about some of the settings that you can change in System Preferences.

App Preferences

In addition to changing your computer's settings, you can change the settings for your apps. This allows you to customize the way your apps behave, and control the features that are important to you.

To access the settings for any app, open the app first. Then click the app name in the upper left corner of themenu bar, and choose Preferences from the menu.

Accessing the app's preferenceshttp://www.gcflearnfree.org/macosxmountainlion/6

Mac OS X Mountain Lion The Dock, Launchpad, and Mission Control

The Dock and Launchpad

Watch the video (3:24). Need help?

Two of the most useful features in Mountain Lion are the Dock andLaunchpad. You'll use these features to open your apps and files, and customize your desktop so your favorite items are easy to access. The Dock is available in all versions of OS X, but Launchpad was introduced in Lion.

Watch the video to learn how to use and customize the Dock and Launchpad.

The Dock

The Dock houses shortcuts to your favorite apps, files, and folders, as well as the Trash. You can customize the Dock by reorganizing it, adding or deleting items, and changing settings.

The Dock contains a divider that looks like a solid line. Everything to the left of the divider is an app, and everything to the right is a file or folder. You'll need to keep this in mind when you reorganize the Dock.

The Dock

To Reorganize the Dock:

1. Add any apps, files, or folders by simply dragging them onto the Dock. For apps, it may be easiest to openLaunchpad, since it contains all of your apps.
   
   Adding an app to the Dock
2. Remove any unwanted items from the Dock by dragging them onto the desktop. You cannot remove Finder or the Trash from the Dock.
   
   Removing an app from the Dock
3. Finally, rearrange the items on the Dock by dragging them to the desired location.
   
   Rearranging the Dock

Everything on the Dock is a shortcut, so you won't delete anything by removing it from the Dock.

To Customize the Dock Settings:

1. Click the divider and drag up or down to change the size of the Dock.
   
   Resizing the Dock
2. Right-click the divider to see a menu where you can change options like Hiding, Magnification, Position on Screen and more.
   
   Right-clicking the divider to change options

About Stacks

When you view a folder on the Dock, you may notice that it looks a little bit different from a "normal" folder. That's because the Dock uses a feature called Stacks, which displays the folder contents as a Fan, Grid, or List. Since Stacks are accessible directly from the Dock, they make it easier to open your important files.

Fan

Grid

List

To Change How Stacks are Displayed:

• Right-click the icon for the Stack that you want to change and select the desired view.
  
  Changing how the Stack is displayedhttp://www.gcflearnfree.org/macosxmountainlion/5

Mac OS X Mountain Lion Working with Finder

Working with Finder

Watch the video (3:17). Need help?

If you use a Mac, you'll use Finder any time you want to navigate to a file. You'll also be able to control how your files are displayed, making it easier to find what you need.

Watch the video to learn how to use Finder.

The Finder Window

To start navigating, you'll first need to open a Finder window. There are two main ways to do this:

• Double-click any folder on the desktop.
  
  Double-clicking a folder
  OR
• Click the Finder icon on the Dock.
  
  Opening Finder

The Finder window is divided into three main parts: The contents of the current folder, the Sidebar, which you can use to choose a location, and the Toolbar, where you can customize the way the contents are displayed.

The Finder window

Your Home Folder

In the Finder sidebar, you will see shortcuts to folders that have names like Documents, Downloads, Music, andPictures. These folders are part of your account's home folder. To keep your files organized, you may want to use these folders instead of putting everything on the desktop. If you don't see all of these folders in the sidebar, you can open your home folder to view them.

To Open Your Home Folder:

1. Make sure that you are in Finder (the left side of the menu bar should say "Finder").
2. In the menu bar, click Go and select Home.
   
   Opening the home folder
3. Your home folder will open in a Finder window.
   
   The home folderhttp://www.gcflearnfree.org/macosxmountainlion/4