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iPod & iTunes: The Missing Manual, Fourth Edition by J D Biersdorfer J.D.
Book Summary InformationAuthor: J D Biersdorfer J.D. Edition: Paperback Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published) Published: 2006-03-27 ISBN: 059652675X Number of pages: 336 Publisher: O'Reilly Media
Book Reviews of iPod & iTunes: The Missing Manual, Fourth EditionBook Review: Updated essential information for any iPod/iTunes user Summary: 5 Stars
I was very impressed by this book and its attention to detail. Like all others in O'Reilly's "missing manual" series that I have read, it leaves no stone unturned. The book's website at O'Reilly and Associates even has a "Missing CD" section that contains updates and lists chapter-by-chapter shareware and freeware programs mentioned in the book. The author provides thorough coverage of topics for Mac-only users but also includes detailed guidance for both Windows and Mac users. The book can be described as having everything you wanted to know about the iPod, its software, and its accessories, at the current date, Spring 2006. This is not a supplemental manual, it is a stand-alone reference. At just under 350 pages, who knew so much could be written about a machine that is now smaller than a deck of cards? Wherever the book talks about installing hardware or software or connecting to a computer there are detailed instructions complete with figures of what the connectors should look like, screen shots, and even some possible error messages you might see if you are doing something wrong with instructions on how to back out of your erroneous situation. The book pays tribute to veteran users by including an "Extreme iPodding" section consisting of 3 chapters after the detailed instructions for basic tasks that comprise the first 10 chapters of the book.
This book also does an excellent job of showcasing iTunes, which has now become a central point for downloading and enjoying all types of multimedia content, and is basically Apple's ambassador to the non-Mac world. Chapter 7 of the book showcases iTunes as a store. Since for many people, the iTunes Music Store is the first feature that they want to try out when using iTunes for the first time, this book does the important job of making that task easy.
In summary I highly recommend this book to all people interested in the iPod and iTunes. Amazon does not show the table of contents, so I do that here for the purpose of completeness:
PART 1: IPOD: THE HARDWARE
Chapter 1. Meet the iPod
Parts of the Pod
Charging the Battery
Earphones-Apple's or Otherwise
The iPod Menus
Chapter 2. The iPod Sync Connection
The iPod Software CD
Using USB 2.0
Connecting Your iPod by FireWire
Your Very First Sync
Varying the Auto-Transfer Theme
iPod-to-Computer Copying
Chapter 3. The iPod Shuffle
Meet the iPod Shuffle
Using the iPod Shuffle
Using the Shuffle as a USB flash drive
PART 2: IPOD: THE SOFTWARE
Chapter 4. Digital Audio Formats
Introduction to Digital Audio
Compressed Audio Formats
Other Podworthy File Formats
Bit Rates
Chapter 5. iTunes for Macintosh and Windows
Introduction to iTunes
A Quick Tour
Ripping CDs into iTunes
Getting Other Files into iTunes
Deleting Songs and Videos
Playing Music
Playing Videos
iTunes Administration
Internet Radio
Playlists
Burning a CD or DVD
Printing Playlists and CD Covers
Playing Songs Across a Network
Chapter 6. iPod Multimedia
Watching Video
Displaying Photos
Listening to Audio Books
Podcasting
Chapter 7. The iTunes Music Store
Welcome to the Music Store
A Store Tour
Searching and Shopping
What to Do with Purchased Content
Music Store Billing
PART 3: BEYOND THE MUSIC
Chapter 8: iPod Games and Other Extras
Games
Clock
Stopwatch
Screen Lock
Notes
Chapter 9: The iPod as External Drive
The iPod's Hard Disk Format
The iPod as External Hard Drive
Storing Data Files on the iPod
Deleting Data Files
Unmounting the iPod Drive
Chapter 10. Connecting the iPod
Connecting the iPod to a Stereo System
Using iTunes with AirPort Express
Connecting iPod to a Car Stereo
PART 4: EXTREME IPODDING
Chapter 11. Hot Hacks and Cool Tools
The AppleScripted iPod
More Mac Shareware
Software for Mac and Windows
More Windows Shareware
Recording Your Own Podcasts
Chapter 12. Troubleshooting
Apple's Alphabet: The 5 R's of iPod Repair
The iPod's Self-Help Modes
iPod Hardware Problems
Troubleshooting the iPod Shuffle
Headphone and Remote Problems
Problems with Song Quality
iTunes Blues
Problems with the iTunes Music Store
Software Updates for iTunes
iPod Software Updates
Where to Get Help Online
Chapter 13. iPod on the Web
Points of Interest at Apple.com
Software Updates for iTunes
Fun and Informative iPod Web Sites
APPENDIXES
Appendix A: iTunes, Menu by Menu
Appendix B: iPod as Organizer
Appendix C: iStuff- Gadgets for Your iPod
Appendix D: iPod as ebook Reader and Newsstand
Summary of iPod & iTunes: The Missing Manual, Fourth EditionWhen Apple introduced the iPod in 2001, CEO Steve Jobs declared, "listening to music will never be the same again." He was right on the money. The iPod grabbed attention right away, and by the end of 2005, more than 41 million of them had sold. iPod is the dominant digital music player on the market, and for the first time, Apple gets to feel like Microsoft. iPod steadily evolved through five generations since then, and today the dynasty ranges from a screenless 512-megabyte version that can hold plenty of songs for your gym routine to a 60-gigabyte multimedia jukebox that can spin out an entire season of "Desperate Housewives", along with thousands of color photos and all that colorful music. An iPod is many things to many people, but it can be much more than most people realize. That's where iPod & iTunes: The Missing Manual comes in. Like the device itself, this book is a long-running bestseller, now in its fourth edition. What makes it so popular is the wealth of useful information it brings to anyone who breaks open iPod's distinctive packaging-especially since Apple doesn't supply a manual of its own. Once again, we've updated this guide to fully explain the ins and outs of iPod, including the nano, the shuffle, and all the latest features and uses, such as: - The 5th generation Video iPod, which can hold 15,000 songs, 25,000 photos, and 150 hours of video
- iTunes 6, where you can buy tunes, subscribe to Podcasts, tune into internet radio, download videos, build playlists, and more
- Going beyond the music to use iPod as an external drive, an eBook, a personal organizer, a GameBoy, and a slide projector
- Extreme iPodding with shareware and AppleScripts, using an iPod with external speakers (including the car stereo), accessories, and troubleshooting
It's been five years since iPod hit the scene, but, clearly, the evolution has only just begun. iPod & iTunes: The Missing Manual gives you everything you need to evolve with it.
Theory, Composition & Performance Books
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