Over the holidays I met up with an old friend. O’Reilly, the publishers, sent me a review copy of a new release in their “The Missing Manual” series. It is the 5th Edition of iPod - The Missing Manual by J.D.Biersdorfer. I can recall reviewing the first and second editions in 2003 and 2004 respectively and here we are already with the fifth generation.
I call the book an old friend as I really like manuals and the O’Reilly series and the earlier iPod books in particular. I miss the manual-in-the-box experience when it comes to software. Granted you can find your way around a bit without it and the Help helps a bit. But as the jingle says - there is nothing like the real thing - if you want to get to know about something efficiently and comprehensively, you need a manual.
So, how has it developed? The titling history gives a pointer to the whole iPod phenomenon. Edition one only had iPod in the title; Edition two had iPod & iTunes; and now we are back to iPod only. The content has matured also and is now directly aimed at what an iPOD user needs to know. All editions covered iTunes as well as the iPod. To me the earlier books were aimed at computer users who might want to play around with an iPod. There is probably enough there for a learned PhD.
Now to this latest book. Up front I must admit that I do not possess an iPod and have never used one. However, having read the book I reckon I could pick up an iPod now and use it like a champ! The book has worked for me.
A short Introduction section is followed by sections on:
Meet the iPod: out of the box and into your ears in 15 minutes - a quick start to getting some music into iTunes on the Mac or PC and thence into the iPod and to your ears.
Bopping Around the iPod - once the panic of having a ‘first listen’ is dealt with in the first section, this section explores all the iPod features and menus and general care giving.
In Tune with iTunes - covers the basic use of iTunes and its interconnection with the iPod. A large section also useful to a music lover without an iPod.
The Power of Playlists - delves into iTunes further explaining playlists and their benefits.
Shop the iTunes Store - how to shop at the store; how to manage the purchased materials; and how to deal with problems that might arise (eg an interrupted download).
Videos Everywhere - all about videos on the iPod including buying, loading and even converting your existing video material to iPod specifications.
Picturing Your Photos on the iPod - loading photos and viewing, both on the iPod and on a TV.
Other Stuff the iPod Can Do for You - explains using the iPod as an address book, calendar, stop watch (actually very handy with lap times and memory of five training sessions), world clock and portable hard drive and reading text files.
iPod Out Loud - connecting to car and home stereos, wireless connections and sources of iPod accessories.
What to Do When the iPod Isn’t Working Right - the important steps to diagnosis; resetting; software update, restoring; battery tips; and repairs. The point is made that the iPod is not simply a music player, it is a little computer and it can have computer type glitches. A simple reset may be all that is required...
Advanced iPodding - the fun stuff like connecting your iPod to your running shoes, and advice on using and creating podcasts.
Index and Table of Contents - the Index (at the back of the book) and Table of Contents (at the front) are comprehensive and seem to cover everything. For those who don’t like reading manuals from cover to cover (and I think that there are some people like that) the Index should help them find what they need.
Over the past few years I have come to appreciate the O’Reilly The Missing Manual Series. The books are clear and simple and logically laid out - with lots of pictures. The production quality is also high - well laid out, good printing, clear pictures. The level is suitable for beginners while still interesting and helpful to more knowledgeable users. This latest one on the iPod is all that. Without ever having used an iPod, I was able follow the book easily, with enjoyment, and now know all about using one.
Something I would mention, that applies to all The Missing Manual series of books, is the concept of The Missing CD-ROM. O’Reilly has an innovative approach to the practice of including a helpful CD-ROM with an instruction book - there is none! - at a saving of $US5 per book, but what would have been on the CD-ROM is available on the O’Reilly web site, www.missingmanuals.com. Each item of add on and shareware software mentioned in each manual is available there.
In summary, iPod: The Missing Manual is a good book and one that all iPod owners should have - in fact it should have been in the original box. I would go so far as to say that the investment in an iPod could not be fully utilised without this book.
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