Getting a Second Mac - Syncing/Sharing Questions.

[Rayzilla]

I'll try to keep this brief and I consider myself still pretty new to the Mac world.

Facts:
- have a MacMini (Feb. 2011) running OSX 10.6 (I think but how do I check?).
- Office 2011 installed.
- expecting delivery of MacBookPro 13" today.
- will be installing Office in MBP as well.

- I would like to be able to use one or the other seamlessly (meaning that I whatever is on the MM, I would like to be able to access and work with the MBP.

Questions:
1) Should I do the (free) upgrade to Lion on the MBP?
2) If I do, will this cause any problem with syncing/sharing between the MM and MBP?
3) Can I share the iTune library between the two?
4) How do I set them up so that everything is shared including things like individual user settings/favorites, etc.

I am sure I will have more questions to come and thank you in advance for any comments.

 

[chscag]

If you've ordered a new MBP 13", it will come with Lion pre-installed. As far as sharing applications between the mini and MBP that will depend on the license for each application. You mentioned MS Office 2011 - unless you purchased the 3 install Home and Student Edition, it can only be installed on one machine. It also requires activation.

Syncing data and applications between two machines running Lion is easy with Air Drop. Air Drop is only available in Lion not Snow Leopard.

 

[Rayzilla]

chscag, thanks for your quick response. As you can see by my situation (in HK so day time now), I am anxious to receive my MBP but not sure what I should do immediately.

I asked about upgrading to Lion because the Apple online states that the MBP comes with Snow Leopard installed (whereas the MBA comes with Lion), so I assumed this would be the case. It would save me the trouble of going through the process if this is the case.

Will it be a problem if my MM is still running SL and the MBP is running Lion? Will I still be able to Air Drop?

Regarding the syncing matter, I am mainly concerned about the files/data as opposed to sharing of applications.

Regarding the Office 2011 application on my MM, my good friend from Toronto loaded Office on my MM for me via online, while he was here on vacation, from his software vendor account so I do not know for certain if it is a multiple user licence. Is there any way that I can easily check? I could call him up and ask, otherwise he will walk me through the process again to load it onto the MBP.

 

[Mini_mi]

Rayzilla,

As long as you have sharing enabled on your MM, you will be able to share the data (I'm assuming you have a network going).

 

[chas_m]

3) Can I share the iTune library between the two?

Yes, in a roundabout way. Check out Home Sharing.


4) How do I set them up so that everything is shared including things like individual user settings/favorites, etc.[/QUOTE]

If you want to continue to keep the two machines in EXACT sync with one another, I'd suggest a program like ChronoSync. If there are just a few key areas that need to stay in sync (calendar, contacts, bookmarks, iTunes content, photos and email), then I'd suggest waiting for the free iCloud to roll out (supposedly coming sometime this month). If you need to keep more in sync that what iCloud offers, I'm back to suggesting ChronoSync.