By David Pogue
First Edition
August 2007
Pages: 304
Series: The Missing Manuals
ISBN 10: 0-596-51374-7 |
ISBN 13: 9780596513740
(Average of 7 Customer Reviews)
As you'd expect of Apple, the iPhone is gorgeous. iPhone: The Missing Manual is a book as breathtaking as its subject. Written by New York Times columnist and Missing Manual series creator David Pogue, this book shows you how to get the most out of your new Apple iPhone.
Full Description
The name iPhone may be doing Apple a disservice. This machine is so packed with possibilities that the cellphone may actually be the least interesting part. The iPhone is at least three products merged into one: a phone, a wide-screen iPod and a wireless, touch-screen Internet communicator. The iPhone's beauty alone may be enough for you to dig for your credit cards, but its Mac OS X-based software makes it not so much a smartphone as something out of the film "Minority Report."
The real magic, however, awaits when you browse the Web. You get to see the entire Web page on the iPhone's screen. All of this is cooked up with Apple's traditional secret sauce of simplicity, intelligence and whimsy.
Written by New York Times columnist and Missing Manual series creator David Pogue, iPhone: The Missing Manual shows you everything they need to know to get the most out of your new Apple iPhone. Full of humor, tips, tricks, and surprises, this book teaches you how to extend iPhone's usefulness by exploiting its links to the Web as well as its connection to Macs or PCs; how to save money using Internet-based messages instead of phone calls; and how to fill the iPhone with TV shows and DVDs for free.
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Book details
First Edition: August 2007
Series:
The Missing Manuals
ISBN: 0-596-51374-7
Pages: 304
Average Customer Reviews: (Based on 7 Reviews)
Featured customer reviews
iPhone The Missing Manual—Superb, March 12 2008
If you have never read a book from the Missing Manual series, you probably cannot appreciate how quickly and thoroughly you can learn about your computer products from one of them. I've had this copy of iPhone: The Missing Manual since it came out this summer, around the same time that the iPhone did. I've held on to it, waiting to buy an iPhone. I now have one and this book has been so helpful getting me up and running, and giving me tips and tricks for making my iPhone experience more enjoyable.
As in all Missing Manuals, there is no CD. The book's binding allows you to lay the book flat without assistance or breaking the spine. Why don't they all do that?
As usual, the Index is the book's strength. You can count on quickly finding any topic you want to learn about. Its manageable size won't scare anybody, although some of the Missing Manual books are tomes. The many color illustrations are so beautiful that you'd think you were looking at the iPhone itself. This book is easy to understand because David Pogue is a master of keeping complex ideas simple.
A personal experience, close to home: While the above review is based on the book itself, I must relate a personal anecdote: David Pogue is an avid fan of Macintosh User Groups and I've had the opportunity and privilege of getting to know him personally. I love his humor and his professionalism in everything he does. One evening as I was reading the book I saw my name listed on page 227 as one of his contacts in an illustration addressing sync conflicts that arise when you edit a phone number or an appointment since the last sync. My phone number given is fictitious, but that's definitely my name! Imagine my surprise. I felt honored. I emailed him right away and he humorously responded, "I figured you wouldn't sue me." What a guy.
Fantastic book!, March 01 2008
This is one of the best books I've purchased! It covers basics and lots of tips and techniques. Fantastic!
Aptly Named, November 29 2007
I am big fan of the Missing Manual Series; and am even a bigger fan of my iPhone. Frankly, I found the iPhone to be so intuitive that I did not think I needed a manual, but... after picking up this aptly named title, I found there were all sorts of tid-bits I did not know. For anyone new to an iPhone who wants to get up to speed quickly, this is the book to get. For those who know the iPhone inside-out, David Pogue offers some neat shortcuts, third-party app recommendations and cool websites to dig even deeper into the iPhone's endless possibilities.
A must for every iPhone owner., October 09 2007
This book is must for every iPhone owner. Another excellent work by David Pogue. Lots of tricks and has a very good troubleshooting section.
What Apple should be packaging with the iPhone, August 22 2007
Disappointed with the very small set of instructions that came with my iPhone, I went to my local bookstore to find a user guide for my new toy. I found the "iPhone: The Missing Manual" book, and I knew I'd found what I was looking for. David Pogue and his writing team have a way of wrapping the most useful information about a product into a compact, well-written, and humorous manual. The book was enjoyable to read and contained everything I wanted to learn (and more) about the iPhone. I never knew this new device could be so useful, and I really appreciate all the links to the various web apps. Thanks for a very well-written guide!
iPhone TMM: Delightful Details, July 25 2007
Whether you’ve already invested in Apple’s incredibly innovative iPhone, or are still contemplating this model versus the next, David Pogue, New York Times columnist and Mac enthusiast, has once again produced a “must have” handbook to get the most out of this treasure. This publication is the 17th in his Missing Manual series (www.missingmanuals.com) building on his tradition of illustrating details, hacks, workarounds, tutorials, humor, and flaws.
A quick look at the Table of Contents shows the thoroughness of this book:
Part 1: The iPhone as Phone
Chapter 1: The Guided Tour
Chapter 2: Phone Calls
Chapter 3: Fancy Phone Tricks
Part 2: The iPhone as iPod
Chapter 4: Music and Video
Chapter 5: Photos and Camera
Part 3: The iPhone Online
Chapter 6: Getting Online
Chapter 7: The Web
Chapter 8: Email
Chapter 9: Maps and Apps
Part 4: Beyond iPhone
Chapter 10: iTunes for iPhoners
Chapter 11: Syncing the iPhone
Chapter 12: Add-Ons: Accessories and Web Apps
Chapter 13: Settings
Part 5: Appendixes
Appendix A: Setup and Signup
Appendix B: Troubleshooting and Maintenance
Index
In a style which is refreshinigly candid, occasionally tongue-in-cheek, brilliantly entertaining and always educational, David patiently and deliberately walks the reader through the opening impressions directly into the meaty productivity details. Punctuated by insightful tips, notes, colors and caveats, to call it a “page turner” would be an understatement. Liberally illustrated with great photos, instructive graphics and loads of screen shots from the iPhone, his points are easy to understand and apply quickly.
While there are many parts of the book that are quite obvious in using the iPhone, every chapter seems to have a few tidbits that are really worth reading. It is amazing that David was able to, in such a short time, compile all the small hints that make you once again say to yourself “. . . this is one cool phone!” Of particular note are the explanations of all the settings that can configure the iPhone to work the way you want it to. Many of these settings truly enhance the iPhone experience.
The part of the book that seemed repetitive were the chapter on using iTunes and the Appendix on Setup and Signup. Both of these chapters, while thorough, really don’t add a lot to the iPhones use. Perhaps if right after the Introduction, rather than two-thirds the way through, Setup and Signup would have seemed more appropriate. Most people investing in the iPhone will likely already be iTunes users, and there is little point in reading about the Setup process again once you’ve been through it.
David always seems to add a humorous twist on rather dry facts, everything from initial setup to advanced features, you never feel like you are reading a training manual. Covering all the basic and advanced features with an in-depth instruction book, he leads you from feature to feature as you quickly walk through it. David also makes a strong push on informing readers about the Add-Ons made possible through the use of Safari and AJAX-driven webpages. Everything from a gas prices to movie show times, and to-do list making, he was able to show readers very quickly some of the best resources that are currently available.
Even if you’ve had your iPhone for awhile and think you have mastered it, a trick here and a hint there is bound to save time. The book is definitely worth the read. I highly recommend it.
Secrets & Mysteries, July 18 2007
If iPhone is the "Jesus phone" as some have dubbed it, then David Pogue has written the "iPhone Bible." All the secrets, hidden mysteries and shortcuts about the iPhone will be revealed to you in "iPhone: The Missing Manual" -- in a complete and entertaining way.
Media reviews
"The "Missing Manual," in case you didn't already know, is the gold standard of technical publications. Heck, it's the platinum standard at this point. Any book that has the "Missing Manual" in the title is sure to be a must have. I've never been disappointed and iPhone: The Missing Manual carries the torch for the series yet again...No features of the iPhone is left undiscussed! Even experts with the iPhone (can you say you are an expert when it's been out less than a year?), will find something in this Missing Manual. I think that anyone who has a smart phone will get ideas from this guide. If you can't have an iPhone, get the next best thing."
-- Dave Greenbaum, Click Here Technology Columns
"The hottest little gadget to hit the market lately, the iPhone sold an estimated 500,000-plus units its opening weekend (June 29). In classic Apple fashion, however, the iPhone lacks a printed manual, so the full-color Missing Manual steps in, covering all the ins, outs, and tricks any user needs to become an iPhone expert. Four sections cover its phone and "more than a phone" features: phone capabilities, iPod features, online abilities, and companion and add-on software and accessories; appendixes explain setup, signup, troubleshooting, and maintenance. Plentiful graphics, step-by-step instructions, and extensive tips, notes, and references illustrate every iPhone feature, while a sense of humor and excitement shines through, which makes this almost as fun to read as the iPhone is to play with. Register online to receive updates through free e-mail newsletters, plus access to errata, reader reviews, links to shareware/freeware listed in the book, and e-mail notification of new editions. Given the iPhone's tremendous popularity, this thorough and clear guide is recommended for every public library. Fair warning: it might get you hyped up enough to run out and invest in your own; if not, the author's music video on ditching his cell for an iPhone might do the trick. If you order the PDF/paperback combination, you can access the PDF immediately (the book itself doesn't ship until early August)."
-- Rachel Singer Gordon, Library Journal
"One of the beauties of the Missing Manuals is that there is always something new to discover and the research is quite thorough...I kept finding snippets of information, in the way of Tips or Notes, that would give just that bit extra."
-- Graham K. Rogers, Bangkok Post
"The style of the book is conversational -- a cozy talk, albeit one way -- between the author and you about your new iPhone. In contrast, the Apple iPhone User Guide, which is itself quite nice, is laid out as a reference list and procedural summary. The Missing Manual covers the same information, supplemented by numerous tips and side commentary, to improve the user experience...In summary, this book provides information that I had not learned elsewhere. It is a suitable companion to the Apple iPhone User Guide. My reaction is very positive, and I recommend this book to iPhone users."
-- Robert Brown, Silicon Valley Mac User Group
"In a style which is refreshinigly candid, occasionally tongue-in-cheek, brilliantly entertaining and always educational, David patiently and deliberately walks the reader through the opening impressions directly into the meaty productivity details. Punctuated by insightful tips, notes, colors and caveats, to call it a “page turner” would be an understatement. Liberally illustrated with great photos, instructive graphics and loads of screen shots from the iPhone, his points are easy to understand and apply quickly...Even if you’ve had your iPhone for awhile and think you have mastered it, a trick here and a hint there is bound to save time. The book is definitely worth the read. I highly recommend it."
-- Tom Piper, Apple User Group Board President
"There are literally over a million Web pages containing iPhone information, but no printed book is yet available. According to Amazon that'll change in August when a slew of books are due to come out. Meanwhile tech publisher O'Reilly must have set some new publishing speed records, because David Pogue's book, iPhone: The Missing Manual is now available in PDF format."
-- Mo' iPhone, Mo' Problems (And Good Stuff Too), WRAL.com
"David Pogue’s new book iPhone: The Missing Manual confirms for me what we knew all along: the iPhone is really a Mac in your pocket that happens to have software to make it look and act like a phone. This book is a very easy read and worth the cover price just to have as a reference, since Apple includes only a flimsy piece of paper instructions in the iPhone package itself. I would say that if you have never owned a Mac this book is essential, and if you own a Mac but just want some hand-holding with your new iPhone that this book is highly recommended...All in all, this book is worth the price and gives a great overview of the product."
-- Bill Davies, MacNexus
"iPhone: The Missing Manual is as thorough and organized as you would expect from a book with "manual" in the title, but it's an easier read than most publications you'd unpack along with your accessories. It's even humorous at times and thanks to the light tone, you can get from cover to cover or through a relevant chapter pretty quick."
-- Gerrit Dalman, Capt, USAF, Military Members Apple User Group
"David Pogue's iPhone: The Missing Manual from O'Reilly Media finds all those hidden features and tucked away settings and explains them in a way that even my mother would understand...The book also includes plenty of handy step-by-step walk throughs that help you do things like configure email accounts beyond the account sync feature built into iTunes, how to enable and disable Safari's pop-up blocker, manage Web cookies and browser histories, and even explains the differences between AT&T's various service plans."
-- Jeff Gamet, iPod Observer
"David Pogue has done it again! This is definitely a book you will want to have as you walk through all the wonderful features built into the software design of your new iPhone. David has a way of presenting material which makes it easy to grasp, understand and apply, even for a non-tech type person. :-) The book will continue to be a reference of assistance for me as I easily and thoroughly master and enjoy my new iPhone. Thank you David for another job well done."
-- Emilie Unkrich, Amazon.com
"Early adopters who prefer to have a real, hard-copy user’s manual for their new iPhone will be grateful for the arrival of this book as something much more substantial than the “Finger Tips” fold-out pamphlet that Apple ships with the product."
-- Charles W. Moore, PB Central
"Pogue and his team do more than merely regurgitate what is in the free downloadable iPhone User Manual available from the Apple site. You get (1) a more objective description of the iPhone and its capabilities and (2) extra commentary, web links and recommendations...Since you paid $500 - 600 for the iPhone, it is probably worth your while to spend another $14 to master it even though you can certainly get lots of value without cracking the manual or this book."
-- Janet Tokerud, tech ronin
"Here is the one and only guide for the effective and fun use of the Apple iPhone, providing all of the ways to get the most
out of this innovative and novel digital device. The author's humor, insight, and high degree of technical understanding are
the perfect mix for presenting a complete "how to" guide to iPhone use."
-- Michael Kleper, The Kleper Report on Digital Publishing
"iPhone: The Missing Manual is another Pogue masterpiece. His writing style is clear and concise and makes reading the book a joy. It doesn't feel like a technical manual, not at all. In fact, it's quite the opposite. His prose makes you want to follow along with all of his tutorials and learn more about what the iPhone can do. You get the added bonus of his quick, but sometimes dry wit. If you have any money left after springing for a $599 phone, spend another $20 and get this book. Highly recommended."
-- Jonathan Cost, ThinkMac.net
"This book is written in David Pogue’s friendly writing style and is extremely easy to read. The approach is for novices who would like to learn more about their iPhones. Throw away that brief manual that comes with your iPhone and read this engaging book instead!"
-- Irv Haas, Applepickers Macintosh User Group
"iPhone: the Missing Manual is generously illustrated with full colour pictures and has the regular indexing back and front. The text is in an easy to read style, with no unusual vocabulary, so even those whose first language is not English can grasp the ideas. To assist, each chapter is broken into smaller sections and sub-sections, each covering single points. As such, this can be read from cover to cover, or like a good reference book, can be dipped into if a specific area needs to be examined."
-- Graham K. Rogers, Bangkok Post
"iPhone: The Missing Manual is perfect for understanding those areas not used as often, as well as gaining some deeper understanding of *why* some things work as they do...Yes, you could download the PDF iPhone manual from Apple and learn most of what's covered here. In fact, it's probably a good idea to do so regardless of whether you buy this book or not. But if you want a non-Apple-biased view of how things work (or don't), iPhone: The Missing Manual will give it to you straight. Now if you'll excuse me, I have to go spend some more quality time with my new toy and book..."
-- Thomas Duff, Duffbert's Random Musings
"Regardless of whether you're an iPhone owner who wants to know more about your shiny new product or you're a prudent consumer who wants to find out all they can before making a purchasing decision, iPhone: The Missing Manual will not fail to give you whatever you need to decide if an iPhone is in your future or to help you discover whatever hidden mysteries await you in using your recent acquisition. The book is easy to read, informative, and comprehensive. As usual, this book really is "The book that should have been in the box"."
-- James Pyles, Cert Forums
"This book is the best accessory you can buy for your iPhone hands down...I bought this book as a reference and ended up reading the whole book cover to cover. It's well written, concise and has lots of photos and examples... If you own an iPhone I highly recommend this book to unlock the power of your awesome device."
-- Randy, Central Oregon Web Professionals Usergroup (COWPU) Member
"This is the manual that should have come with the iPhone. David Pogue does a great job of providing insight into how the iPhone works and covers a lot of things that you will not read about elsewhere. If you have an iPhone and want to know how to really take advantage of your new handheld computer then you need to get this book...This is not a boring book like you would expect from a manual but is actually fun to read because of Mr. Pogue's writing style and that he includes more than just the facts such as a lot of tips and tricks to make your iPhone work for you the way you expect it to."
-- Paul Didzerekis, McMUG Webhost
"The Missing Manual for the iPhone is so well written I would recommend it to anyone, even if they don't own an iPhone! That's silly. But you would be sillier to have an iPhone and not own this book...This book is exciting. No kidding! Can you imagine an exciting instruction manual? I actually read this thing straight through...The last thing you would want to do is spend $400 on a phone and not get the most out of it. I love my iPhone and would encourage anyone getting one to be sure and buy a manual. "
-- Bill Keweshan, Mouse Bytes
"Pogue, the New York Times computer columnist, is among the world's best explainers."
-- Kevin Kelly, co-founder of Wired
"I recommend picking up this book. It is a good book for every iPhone user to have. If you used it for nothing else but a reference learn the many features of the phone. For some the helpful hints alone justify the purchase of the book. It truly lives up to the premise that it’s the manual that should have been in the box. It is an indispensable reference to any feature or setting on your iPhone."
-- Tommy Johnston, Grand Rapids Area Macintosh Users Group
"I have reviewed quite a number of Missing Manual books and I am always impressed with them. David Pogue is a Mac master and the depth of his knowledge shines through."
-- Roger Bernau, ACT Apple User Group Incorporated
"Consumers who have just purchased an iPhone will want to include iPhone: The Missing Manual in their shopping cart: it packs in details on the phone's basic and sophisticated features alike..."
-- Diane Donovan, The Bookwatch
