Mom always said, “Play nice with others.” Your computer should, too. With Mac OS X, you can use Microsoft Office, connect to industry-standard printers and cameras, and even run Windows.
Office on your Mac.
A native version of Microsoft Office is available for Mac OS X, and it features a Mac-friendly interface that lets you create documents with Word, presentations with PowerPoint, and spreadsheets with Excel just like on a Windows PC. And it’s compatible with Microsoft Office for Windows, so you can easily share documents with friends and colleagues. Even if you don’t have Office installed on your Mac, you can use Quick Look to take a peek at Office documents without having to open an application.
Exchange Server Support
Coming in Mac OS X Snow Leopard: built-in support for Microsoft Exchange Server 2007 in Mail, Address Book, and iCal. Learn more
Industry-standard bearer.
Thanks to its support for industry standards, Mac OS X works with virtually all email providers and websites. It also lets you view the most common file types, including Office documents, PDFs, images, text files, MP3s, videos, ZIP files, and more.
So if you’re moving files from a PC or if your friends and colleagues send you files, you can rest assured they’ll work on your Mac. And if you buy your Mac at an Apple Retail Store, an Apple Genius can transfer your files from your PC for you. (They’ll even recycle your old PC.)
Relax. Your camera, printer, and mouse work, too.
Almost any device that connects to a computer via USB, audio cable, or Bluetooth will work with a Mac. That includes digital cameras, external hard drives, printers, keyboards, speakers, and more.
You can even use a right-click mouse with a Mac. And with thousands of device drivers included with Mac OS X, you can start using these devices as soon as you plug them in — no need to download additional software.
It runs Windows, too.
Have a Windows application you need to use once in a while? No problem. Every new Mac lets you install Windows XP and Vista and run them at native speeds, using a built-in utility called Boot Camp.
Setup is simple and safe for your Mac files. After you’ve completed the installation, you can boot up your Mac using either Mac OS X or Windows. (That’s why it’s called Boot Camp.) Or if you want to run Windows and Mac applications at the same time — without rebooting — you can install Windows using VMware or Parallels software.*
Connect to PCs over a network.
The Finder not only lets you browse files on your Mac, it also makes it easy to find files on other computers — both Mac and PC — on your home network. Computers that allow file sharing automatically show up in the Shared section of the Finder sidebar, allowing you to browse files and folders you have permission to view.
Works on Mac OS X
- Microsoft Office for Mac and Word, Excel, and PowerPoint documents created on a Mac or PC
- Windows XP and Vista using Boot Camp or third-party software
- Virtually all email services and providers
- Popular file types such as PDF, JPG, ZIP, MP3, PSD, and more
- Digital cameras, printers, hard drives, mice, and keyboards with USB connections
- Wi-Fi hotspots and Windows networks
- Instant messaging with AIM, Google, MSN, Yahoo!, and more
- * VMware, Parallels, and Windows are sold separately.


