Get help with the move.

With OS X, you can move all the information from your old PC to your new Mac. Built-in Windows to Mac migration in OS X automatically transfers your documents, music, contacts, calendars and email accounts (Outlook and Windows Live Mail), and puts them in the appropriate folders and applications on your new Mac.

Open your PC files.

If you make the move to Mac, rest assured you can bring your PC files with you. OS X comes with built-in support for the most common file types, such as .doc, .xls, .mp3, .jpg and .pdf. And you can preview Word, Excel and PowerPoint documents, even if you don’t have Microsoft Office for Mac installed. Just select the file, press the Space bar, and Quick Look — a feature of OS X — displays the document on your screen.

Access your email.

Unlike Windows 7, OS X includes an email application. It’s called Mail and it provides automatic setup for popular email accounts such as Gmail, Yahoo!¹ and AOL. Mail even supports Microsoft Exchange Server, something a PC can’t do unless you buy additional software (for a hefty fee). With Mail, you can manage all your accounts — POP3 and IMAP — in one place. And setup is quick and easy. In most cases, all you do is enter your email address and password, and you’re up and running.

Transfer your bookmarks.

Safari, the web browser that comes with every Mac, lets you import your web bookmarks from your PC. Once they’re in Safari, you can organise them any way you like. And even view them with Cover Flow, just as you view your music in iTunes.

Keep your peripherals.

Switching to a Mac doesn’t mean you have to stop using that great photo printer or those amazing speakers. The same goes for your digital camera, external hard drive, keyboard and two-button mouse. Plug in your devices and Mac OS X finds the necessary drivers for you. So you can install them with a click and start using your devices right away.

Connect to any network.

Connecting to a Wi-Fi network — even a Windows network — on a Mac requires practically no work at all. That’s because a Mac instantly recognises wireless networks in the area. And joining one takes just a few clicks. There’s no need to reconfigure settings or follow complicated instructions to log in at home, work, school or your favourite coffee shop. Your Mac even remembers the Wi-Fi networks you’ve accessed and automatically connects you whenever you’re in range.

Create and share Word, Excel and PowerPoint files.

With Microsoft Office for Mac, you can create Word documents, Excel spreadsheets and PowerPoint presentations on a Mac the same way you would on a PC.² And if someone using a PC sends you a file, you can open it, make changes and send it back knowing everything will appear just as it should.

Continue using your specialty software.

If you use a piece of software that’s not available for the Mac — a database management tool like Microsoft Access, your favourite PC game or a specialty application — that’s OK. You can install Windows on a Mac and run those applications.³