Many people are delightfully surprised to find that supposedly Windows-only peripherals work just fine with their new Mac. That’s because the Mac ships with drivers for most everything you’re probably already using. (Oh, and Mac OS X doesn’t scream “hardware detected” every time you plug in something as basic as a keyboard.)
Digital cameras
The Mac supports just about every digital camera on the market. Simply connect yours over USB or FireWire, and Mac imports your pictures to iPhoto. You can use a media reader the same way. No drivers. No installation.
DV camcorders
Connect your DV camcorder via FireWire and the Mac automatically launches iMovie HD, so you can edit your footage. Again, no drivers, no installation.
iPod
It should go without saying that your iPod will work on the Mac. Even if it’s formatted for use with Windows, it’s only a matter of a few steps to make it Mac-compatible.
Speakers
Turn your Mac into a home theater or rock out with external speakers. Simply connect your speaker system via the stereo headphone jack. Many Macs also support optical digital output for surround sound setups.
Printers
The Mac features built-in support for many USB printers, from color inkjets to all-in-ones and laser printers. However, you may need to install drivers from the manufacturer to use some advanced features. Epson, HP, Canon, and Lexmark — four of the most popular printer makers — all offer Mac-based drivers.
Cell phones
Hundreds of cell phone models work perfectly on a Mac. You can use iSync, included with every Mac, to sync your contacts and calendars between your Mac and phone. Connect with wires via USB or wirelessly with built-in Bluetooth, depending on your phone.
Mice, keyboards, and other input devices
Virtually everything, including keyboards, gamepads, and two-button mice, just works with no extra software. Use USB or built-in Bluetooth 2.0+EDR. You usually won’t even need a driver unless you want to take advantage of advanced features.
That’s not all
Connect many scanners without additional software. Connect audio and MIDI devices over USB or FireWire. Connect external hard drives and optical media with no additional software. If a device doesn’t work when you try it on the Mac, and the manufacturer doesn’t include Mac drivers in the box, you can often download the software. Google is your friend: search for “Mac OS X” and the name of your device.
