iPod: The Missing Manual
by J D Biersdorfer J.D.
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Book Summary Information
Author: J D Biersdorfer J.D.Contributor: David Pogue
Edition: Paperback
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); German (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 2009-11-09
ISBN: 0596804318
Number of pages: 304
Publisher: O'Reilly Media
Book Reviews of iPod: The Missing Manual
Book Review: There is a lot missing from this manual.
Summary: 2 Stars
I read the 2008 edition and there are no worthwhile additions in this version. It still reads like a sales pub from Apple (who probably was subbed to write it) with heavy emphasis on the iTunes Store, all of the different models of iPods, and, of course, the Genius feature, another Apple sales tool. The Genius feature is a brain child of the Apple marketing department, which suggests songs to buy for those people who don't know what they like. There's nothing genius about the feature, it relies on iTunes Store buying patterns. It shows, for instance, that Megadeth buyers also buy Pantera. Do you need to have someone snooping through your collection to tell you that? Now that you know what the Genius feature really is, you don't need to read the manual. Well, maybe some do...
The book fails to enlighten in areas where it could really shine. Smart Playlists are skimmed over on just two pages, most of which, like the rest of the book, is occupied by space-wasting, life-sized screen displays. There are a lot of Smart Playlist examples and tricks that could have been discussed, but nothing is shared. I use Smart Playlists for many purposes, like telling me which songs haven't been backed-up, controlling what goes into complex playlists which show me which songs haven't been played enough; none of this is in the Missing Manual. How about, nesting Playlists or using the ellipsis feature? Nope, not there, though it's shown on a screen capture!
The manual says that you can control the start and stop times of a song after you rip it, but doesn't suggest that you might do so before you rip a CD, which eliminates space-wasting bytes. Another topic may have been how to eliminate unwanted parts in-between the start and end of a song. This can be done either totally within iTunes (the long way) or with the aid of an external utility. But nothing cool like this is in the book.
Everything that you will ever do on iTunes is dependent on the correctness of the data that you put into it. This isn't so much a problem with iTunes Store purchases, but is a real problem with ripped CDs. The information obtained from the GraceNote database is often either missing or incorrect. There are misspelled song, album and artist titles. There are incorrect or missing recording dates and composer names. All of those errors and omissions will mean that your Playlists will be compromised. The astute user will also want to organize music differently depending on whether the song is classical or rock. Nothing this interesting is discussed or even suggested in the manual. These topics would have been the starting point for a good iTunes manual.
The book contains still contains errors, like misdirecting the user of the iPod Classic to access the (worthless) Alarm Clock through the Extras Menu. You have to go through the Clock feature to get to the Alarm which beeps only 2 times before turning off. I can't imagine ever using it and I can't believe that Apple built speakers into the iPod so it could be used.
I could go on and on, but you get the point. If you're a new user, then save yourself some dough and Goggle the Internet for all of the info that you'll ever need to manage your music. If you need a book to get started, then maybe get this, but be aware that there is a lot missing from this manual.
I expected to learn tricks, but instead, felt tricked. Two stars because of the misleading title.
Summary of iPod: The Missing Manual
With the new Shuffle, the Nano, the Classic, and the Touch, Apple's gotten the world hooked on portable music, pictures, videos--and the iPod. One thing they haven't delivered, though, is an easy guide for getting the most from this sleek entertainment center. Enter iPod: The Missing Manual, 8th Edition--a book as breathtaking, satisfying, and reliable as its subject.In a handy, travel-friendly size, this new edition provides a no-nonsense view of iTunes and everything in the latest iPod line, with crystal-clear explanations, easy-to-follow color graphics, and guidance on all the amazing things you can do, including:
- Out of the box and into your ears. Find out how to install iTunes and load music on your iPod. And get advice on buying copy-protection-free songs from stores like Amazon and Rhapsody.
- Bopping around the iPod. Learn everything from turning it on and off to shaking your iPod Nano to shuffle your tracks.
- In tune with iTunes. Choose which parts of your iTunes library load onto your iPod, move your sacred iTunes Folder to a bigger hard drive, and add album covers to your collection.
- Picking playlists like a Genius. Let iTunes' new Genius feature whip up smart playlists from your library, and suggest songs from the iTunes Store that fit with what you already own.
- The power of the 'Pod. Download movies and TV shows and learn how to start watching them on your iPod and finish viewing them on your TV. Play photo slideshows, find cool podcasts, and more.
- Welcome to the App Store. Soup up your iPod Touch, from upgrading to the 2.0 firmware to installing the iTunes Store's nifty new collection of programs -- including games that turn the Touch into a pocket 3-D arcade.
Even if you don't buy one of the new iPod models, this Missing Manual has plenty of information on the latest version of iTunes, the App Store, and everything else you want to know about this incredible device.
Get the scoop on iTunes 9 and all of the newest iPods with this bestselling Missing Manual. Apple's gotten the world hooked on portable music, pictures, and videos with its amazing entertainment center, but one thing they haven't delivered is an easy guide for getting the most from it. iPod: The Missing Manual gives you a no-nonsense view of the latest iPod line, with expert guidance on the most useful things your iPod can do.
Get a Birds-Eye Look at Your Collection With Grid View
 |
iTunes offers four ways to see your collection: grouped by album, artist, genre, or composer. Click each named tab to see the music sorted by that category. (If you don?t see the tabs, choose View-->Grid View-->Show Header.) Here?s how to work the Grid:
1) Hover your mouse over any tile on the grid to get a clickable Play icon that lets you start listening to the music.
2) Double-click a cover in Albums view to display both the cover and song titles in List View.
3) If you have multiple albums under the Artists, Genres, or Composers tabs, hover your mouse over each tile to rotate through the album covers. If you want to represent the group using a particular album cover or piece of art, right-click it and choose Set Default Grid Artwork. You can do the opposite for art you don?t want to see: right-click it and choose Clear Default Grid Artwork.
4) Adjust the size of the covers and art by dragging the slider at the top of the window.
One thing about Grid View, though: It?s pretty darn depressing unless you have artwork on just about everything in your collection. (If you don?t, and you see far too many generic musical-note icons there, Chapter 5 shows you how to art things up.) And if you hate Grid View, don?t use it?iTunes just defaults to whatever view you were using the last time you quit the program.
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