O'Reilly
April 11, 2005

"iPod & iTunes: The Missing Manual, Third Edition": Making Your iPod Do More Than You Thought Possible

Sebastopol, CA--"You know how Macintosh computers inspire such emotional attachment from their fans?" asks author and "New York Times" tech columnist J. D. Biersdorfer. "The iPod inspires similar devotion: iPod web sites, iPod shareware add-ons, an iPod accessory industry--in short, the invasion of the iPod People." But conspicuously absent from this profusion of iPod gear is an iPod manual. Thankfully, for Podlings everywhere--or anyone about to become one--there's iPod & iTunes: The Missing Manual, Third Edition, (O'Reilly, US $24.95), written by Biersdorfer and edited by Missing Manual series creator David Pogue.

For getting much more out of an iPod, as well as putting much more into it, this newly updated edition blows open the secret doors of the chrome-and-white beauty and its many siblings, including the iPod Mini, iPod Photo, and the tiny iPod Shuffle. "This book is one-stop shopping for iPod reference and information," promises Biersdorfer. "It takes you on a joyride through the iPod subculture. And it guides you through all the cool musical and nonmusical things you can do with your iPod, from looking up phone numbers to checking the weather report. You'll also find heaping helpings of the Three T's: tips, tricks, and troubleshooting."

Both geek obsession and fashion statement, the iPod can be many things to many people. With humor and authority, Biersdorfer lays bare an astonishing collection of iPod secrets and shortcuts like these:

  • iPod as PalmPilot: The iPod can become a handy personal organizer by sucking in the calendar, address book, to-do list, and notes from a Mac or PC and then displaying them at the touch of a button. It also doubles as an alarm clock and sleep timer.
  • iPod as eBook: The pocket-sized iPod makes an excellent electronic book reader, capable of displaying and scrolling through recipes, driving directions, book chapters, and even web pages.
  • iPod as GameBoy: While it's not exactly a GameBoy, the iPod's games are perfect time-killers for waiting rooms, bus rides, and lines at the DMV.
  • iPod as hard drive: An iPod can serve as an external drive to be used for copying, backing up, or transferring gigantic files from place to place.
  • Totally up to date and covering all iPod models for both Mac and Windows, iPod & iTunes: The Missing Manual, Third Edition is the ultimate guide to the iTunes software, the iTunes Music store for both Mac and Windows, and the online world of iPod People.

    Praise for the previous edition:

    "The book's troubleshooting section and index is especially good, the latter organized by menu (iTunes' File Menu, Edit Menu, and so on), which helps you get to the heart of matters quickly."
    --George Meyers Jr., Columbus Dispatch

    "...as is usually the case with the Missing Manual series, this edition is another go-to source for getting the most out of your hardware and software without a huge time investment."
    --Chris Mace, MacDirectory

    "If you're wondering whether it's worth buying if you don't use Mac OS or if you have an older iPod, rest assured--coverage of all the different iPods is included, and there's material on both versions of iTunes, as well as MusicMatch for Windows...For most iPod owners...this book is a great and inexpensive way to get the most out of your new best friend (as long as your new best friend happens to be an iPod)." Rating: 9/10
    --Emma Story, Slashdot

    Further reviews of iPod & iTunes: The Missing Manual can be found here.

    Additional Resources:

    iPod & iTunes: The Missing Manual, Third Edition
    J.D. Biersdorfer
    ISBN: 0-596-00877-5, 402 pages, $24.95 US, $34.95 CA
    order@oreilly.com
    1-800-998-9938; 1-707-827-7000

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