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Tip: Nice to Meet You

If you’re adding a completely new person to your buddy list, you must enter the screen name. If you want, you can also add the person’s first and last name and email address. When you’re done, click Add.

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Tip: Bye-Bye

To remove a buddy, click to select the name and choose Buddies, Remove Buddy.

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To change a buddy’s screen name or other information, Control-click the name and choose Show Info from the contextual menu.

Click the Address Card tab and make your changes.

To show only buddies who are currently online, choose View, Show Offline Buddies to remove the check mark next to it.

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Tip: Everything’s in Order

You’re also in control of the order in which your buddies are displayed in the Buddy List window. Choose a Sort Buddies option from the View menu: By Availability, By Name, or Manually. You can also choose to sort alphabetically by first name or by last name.

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Messaging with iChat

Chatting with iChat requires two things: You must sign on to AIM with iChat and you must know the screen name of the person you want to reach. Conveniently enough, your buddy list is stored on AOL’s servers, so it follows you around—you’ll always see your own buddy list even if you log in on a computer other than your own.

Open iChat from the Applications folder and (if not already logged in) choose iChat, My Status, Available.

Choose Window, iChat Buddies if your buddy list isn’t visible.

Double-click the name or screen name of the person to whom you want to send an instant message.

Type your message at the bottom of the message window and press Return to send the message.

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Note: On the Record

You can save transcripts of iChat conversations: Choose iChat, Preferences and click the Messages button. Click Save chat transcripts to; then choose a folder from the pop-up menu.

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Tip: A Two-Way Street

You don’t have to be an AOL member to use iChat. Whether you use an AOL screen name or a MobileMe screen name, iChat works the same. However, you can use an AOL screen name with AOL Instant Messenger, but you can’t use a MobileMe name with AIM.

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Talking over the Internet in iChat

With iChat and a microphone, you can enjoy voice conversations over the Net with anyone similarly equipped. All MacBooks have built-in microphones, and mics for other Macs are very inexpensive—so it’s time to say hello to iChat and goodbye to your long-distance phone bill.

In iChat, choose your buddy list from the Window menu if your buddy list isn’t visible

Click the name or screen name of the person to whom you want to talk; a phone icon tells you that person has audio capabilities, and a movie camera icon indicates someone who has both audio and video capabilities.

Click the Start Audio Chat button at the bottom of the Buddy List window.

If you receive an audio chat invitation, click Accept to begin the conversation.

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Note: Going One Way

If the person you want to talk to has iChat but no microphone, you can still have one-way audio along with two-way text. This feature is great for calling up your microphone-less friends via iChat and singing “Happy Birthday” to them.

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Note: One-Way Street

What if you have a camera and your friend doesn’t, or vice versa? Well, you can still do video chat with iChat—just one-way. Hey, it’s better than nothing!

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Holding a Videoconference

Who needs a videophone? You don’t—you have your Mac. If you also have a high-speed Internet connection and a webcam, you’re good to go. First, make sure your camera is plugged in to your Mac and working correctly. Then check your iChat preferences to ensure that iChat realizes the camera is there.

In iChat, choose Window, iChat Buddies if your buddy list isn’t visible.

Click the camera button next to your own icon.

Looking at the preview window, adjust your camera angle and height until you’re happy with