Macs All-in-One For Dummies, 4th Edition

Chapter 3

Making Your First Connections

In This Chapter

Connecting to the Internet

Creating your Apple identity

Syncing and managing data with iCloud

Adding e-mail and social network accounts

For most people, an Internet connection is no longer an option but a necessity. You can use a computer all by itself, but to get the most out of your Mac, you need an Internet connection. An Internet connection gives you access to the World Wide Web, but equally important, it lets you use the Mail, FaceTime, Messages, and Maps apps; shop in the iTunes, App, and iBook Stores; sync Calendar, Contacts, Notes, and more across different devices; plus share photos and documents with iCloud and other Apple and third-party apps.

In this chapter, we explain how to connect your Mac to the Internet. Then we walk you through creating an Apple ID, which you use for iCloud, FaceTime, and shopping in the iTunes, Apps, and iBook Stores. After you have an Apple ID, we show you how to set up iCloud and explain the various iCloud options. At the end of this chapter, we explain how to add e-mail accounts from ...