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Ergo, another opportunity for a title in Pogue Press/O' Reilly's "Missing Manuals" series, in this case of, "iPod & iTunes: The Missing Manual," now in its third edition, updated and expanded to include the new iPod models Apple has introduced this year: the U2 special edition, the iPod Photo, and the little iPod shuffle. Coverage is of course also continued for all previous iPod models as well, including the generic Windows and apple iPod for HP variants.
On the iTunes side, iPod & iTunes: The Missing Manual describes up to iTunes version 4.7, so even though it was first published just last month, the book doesn't specifically cover any changes introduced with the recent iTunes 4.8 release, or indeed OS X 10.4 Tiger. With computer books, it's always a moving target. However, that shouldn't prove too much of a problem, because the changes with iTunes 4.8 our evolutionary rather than radical. There is a sidebar on updating your iPod to new versions of iTunes.
First and foremost, this book is, as the title suggests, a manual that tells you in considerable detail how the iPod works, the things that it can do, and where to find its secret features. But iPod and hide tunes: The Missing Manual is a lot more than that. It's 400 pages packed with iPod reference and information, as author J.D. Biersfdorfer puts it: "a joy ride through the iPod subculture" the focused on the "3 Ts" - tips, tricks, and troubleshooting.
Biersfdorfer, a fellow New York Times columnist of David Pogue's, also takes you beyond the iPod's primary role as a personal digital jukebox, to explore a whole raft of non-music iPod uses and functions, such as using your iPod as an external drive for file backups and transfers; the iPod an eBook reader; iPod as PalmPilot substitute, serving as a personal organizer, ancillary to your laptop or desktop Mac or PC; the iPod as GameBoy - well perhaps not quite, but you can still play simple games on the iPod; and iPod as a slide projector if you are lucky enough to loan an iPod Photo.
Part One - iPod: The Hardware, occupies the first three chapters. Chapter 1, "Meet the iPod," outlines the little machine's basic features, with tips like charging the battery, cables and the dock, managing battery life, earphones and other peripherals, using the iPod menus, organizing playlists, photo display in iPod Photo, and all the little extra features that make the iPod much more than just a music player.
Chapter 2, "The iPod Sync Connection," goes into considerable detail on the ins and outs of FireWire and USB 2, which are the high-speed interface protocols supported by the iPod. The chapter continues with informative tutorials on syncing the iPod with iTunes, iPod to computer copying and various third -party utilities which can help with that. There is even a sidebar on using the iPod with Mac OS 9 or Windows 98 SE.
The tiny iPod shuffle gets its own hardware chapter, which would be Chapter 3, called "The iPod Shuffle," wherein we meet the shuffle, learn how to set it up, install software, make USB connections, transfer songs, use the shuffle as a USB drive, and there is some info on cases, docks, and other peripherals.
Part Two is iPod - The Software
Digital Audio Tools is the topic of Chapter 4, which includes an introduction to digital audio, the MP3 and a AAC file compression formats, a full-page sidebar on legal issues, other formats like WAV, WMA, AIFF, and Apple Lossless.
Chapter 5 covers "iTunes for Macintosh and Windows," beginning with an introduction and quick tour of Apple's jukebox program. The chapter is essentially a tutorial on using iTunes software - a "missing manual" in the literal sense.
Chapter 6 journeys beyond music and into the world of "(Spoken) Words And Photos." There is a discussion of AudioBooks, while the second part of the chapter is all about using the iPod Photo.
Back to music in Chapter 7, "The iTunes Music Store," which takes us on a tour of Apple's online music emporium; with tips on how to purchase and download songs, and what to do with the music once you have it.
Part Three is entitled Beyond The Music, and is about the many non-musical things you can do with an iPod besides listening to AudioBooks and working with photos.
Chapter 8, "iPod As Address Book," tells how to transfer your contacts to the iPod, how to use vcards, and includes some notes on third-party shareware utilities along these lines.
Chapter 9, "iPod as Calendar," explains how to set up your iPod with calendar software, whether for the Mac or Windows, as well as other calendar software like Palm Desktop and some shareware applications.
Chapter 10, is on "iPod Games and eBooks," again addressing several shareware solutions.
"iSync". is the short-winded title of Chapter 11 - a concise tutorial on using Apple's iSync utility with your iPod.
Chapter 12 explains how to use "The iPod as Hard Drive," which is what the iPod essentially is, although one with a spectacular form factor and a load of bells and whistles, and it can function as a general-purpose external hard drive for your computer for storage, backups, file transfers, or even as a boot drive if you use a Mac. You can even install OS 9 on an iPod, and of course OS X.
Part Four: Extreme iPodding, Gets into the real esoteric stuff.
Chapter 13,is about "Connecting the iPod (and iTunes)," turning it into the hub of a stereo system, using it with the Airport Express, hooking it up to a car stereo, and of course to computers.
"Hot Hacks And Cool Tools" is the title of Chapter 14, which gives you the lowdown on using AppleScripts to automate and enable many iPod functions and tasks. A selection of shareware iPod enhancement utilities are also outlined, and there is a section on using Linux on an iPod. There is a tutorial on recording our own MP3s, and exporting your GarageBand songs to iTunes, as well as a brief discussion of the Podcasting phenomenon, which I expect will get more extensive treatment in the next edition.
Chapter 15, "iStuff" is about iPod cases and sleeves, speakers and stands, iPod externals like voice recorders, radio adapters, automotive dashboard stands, power adapters, and battery boosters.
Chapter 16 is a handy reference on iPod "Troubleshooting," with advice for remediation if you encounter malfunctions, be they software or hardware related. There is also a tutorial on battery life issues, a dedicated section on troubleshooting the iPod shuffle, another on chasing the iTunes Blues away, tips on on iPod software updates, and some links for where to seek help online.
The Weblinks topic is carried over to Chapter 17, "iPod on the Web," which points you to various sites on the World Wide Web where iPod enthusiasts share information, tips, tricks, and news, as well as where to get software updates.
Part 5, is the book's single Appendix - "iTunes Menu by Menu," followed by a 16-page Index.
In design, iPod & iTunes: The Missing Manual adheres to the familiar and effective Missing Manuals series formula, with lots of screenshots, photos, and sidebars to amplify and illustrate the main text content. Unlike several recent Missing Manuals editions that I have reviewed here, the illustrations in this book are still in black and white only, and printed on matte finish paper. The upside of that is the book's price - still a modest $24.95, As opposed to fifteen dollars more for the color/glossy Missing Manuals.
If you have an iPod or are planning on getting one, you just can't go wrong with this book. Like all Missing Manuals, it's packed with usable and interesting information presented in entertaining and readable prose. In fact, I would rate iPod & iTunes: The Missing Manual as an extraordinarily effective member of the Missing Manuals family, all of which are outstanding. I'm certain that you will find ideas and information in this book that will enhance the enjoyment and utility you derive from your iPod.
iPod and iTunes: The Missing Manual, Third Edition
By J.D. Biersdorfer
Third Edition March 2005
Series: The Missing Manuals
ISBN: 0-596-00877-5
432 pages,
$24.95 US, $34.95 CA, Ă‚ÂŁ17.50 UK
For more information, visit:
http://www.missingmanuals.com/
Charles W. Moore
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