iPod: The Missing Manual

by J.D. Biersdorfer, David Pogue

With iPod and iTunes, Apple's gotten the world hooked on portable music, pictures, and videos. One thing they haven't delivered, though, is an easy guide for getting the most from your sleek little entertainment center. Enter The Missing Manual , 5th Edition-a book as breathtaking and satisfying as its subject. Our latest edition thoroughly covers the redesigned iPod Nanos, the video iPod, the tiny Shuffle and the overhauled iTunes 7. Each custom-designed page sports easy-to-follow color graphics, crystal-clear explanations, and guidance on the most useful things your iPod can do. Topics

iPod is simply the best music player available, and this is the manual that should have come with it.

Genres: Reference, Nonfiction, Computers, Adult, Technology, Music

239 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2003

About the author

A military brat, Biersdorfer has lived in eight U.S. states, including such diverse locales as a nuclear-missile base in North Dakota; Washington, D.C.; and rural Indiana.
A member of the newsroom technology staff at "The New York Times," she was heavily involved with the recent conversion of the Sunday Times Magazine to a desktop publishing system.
Coming from a non-technical background herself, Biersdorfer is dedicated to finding the most efficient ways of explaining computers to new and bewildered users in the simplest language possible. Biersdorfer is the author of 'The Missing Manuals' for the ipad and ipod.

Reviews

[Rachel]

I'm pretty good with technology, and although I sometimes like to read manuals I usually figure out a lot of a machine's functionality on my own, just by experimenting and using logic. I thought I was getting all I could out of my iPod. I was wrong.

I learned about a LOT of cool and interesting tricks and uses for the iPod from this "manual", and a lot of stuff that hadn't come up yet, but that I might actually need down the line.

There was also a lot of stuff that I already knew and that I can't imagine anyone doesn't know...except my dad, for whom I bought this. I think this book can be really helpful for both an expert and a novice, and everyone in between. It's well written and organized, and clear. What more can you ask for?

[Scott]

I'm just a casual user of my 30gig video iPod, and had run across a few things that I couldn't intuitively figure out how to do. I ran across this at the library and gave it a shot. I found the parts dealing with my particular equipment to be well-written and fairly clear, although I still had to do some experimentation to get my iPod to do what the instructions said it should do. The sections dealing with other technology (such as the iPod Touch) were extraneous to me, and therefore something of a waste in this book. Overall, this book did what I needed it to...it gave me a clearer picture of how to do basic stuff with a video iPod. But I'm still glad I checked it out for free from the library instead of paying for it.

[Cherlyn]

OK, this is an unusual post, but if you're like me, i.e. "older" and trying hard to keep up with technology, you'll love this book. I love my iPod, but always have to call my son in Arizona and have him walk me through my iPod issues (just ask him, there have been quite a few). When you buy an iPod, they come with zero instructions, except maybe a website you can go to. I was determined to find something like iPod for Dummies and found this instead at my used book store for $5. I can now navigate my own iPod and will have to think of other reasons to call Aaron!

[Leigh]

Pretty good, actually. Simple explanations, good photographs and fits in my purse, so I can bring out my Ipod and this book and learn on the go. I would have liked a list of web sites relevant to iPods but that's a small nitpick. I think this is probably the best title of the various titles offered on the Apple iPod.

[Linda]

Fortunately, I didn't buy this, but I did read it at the library. Unlike the Missing Manual book for OS X, this one was fairly useless. There isn't much there that can't be learned simply by hands on experience. There's little for the advanced user.

For an ipod and itunes neophyte it might have value but for anyone else, save your time and money.

[Joe]

It helped me learn a lot of neat tricks for my Ipod.

[Laura]

I read an earlier edition that featured the iPod I had just bought...it has the same title as this book, but I guess this is an updated version.

[C-Nat]

This book is extremely insightful. I am on my third ipod and have learned so many cool features since reading this book.

[Alyson]

A nice intro book. Most of it you can figure out by playing around with iTunes and your iPod. However, there are a couple of tricks that one can pick up.

[Shari]

This has been the best book for learning everything about my iPod!

[♥ Theres~a]

One of the most helpful books I have ever read

[Steven]

Better than your average tech gadget manual.

[Clara Dearmore Strom]

These people are better than the "Dummies" authors.