The iPhone Book: How to Do the Most Important, Useful & Fun Stuff with Your iPhone, 2nd Edition [Paperback]

Scott Kelby (Author), Terry White (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0321577833 | ISBN-13: 978-0321577832 | Publication Date: October 19, 2008 | Edition: 2nd

The first edition of "The iPhone Book" was chosen by Amazon's editors as their Computer/Technology Book of the Year. This new version of the book, totally updated and expanded for the 3G iPhone, was chosen by Amazon as one of their "Top 10 Must-Have Books" in their annual list of the most "gift-worthy" books of the holiday season.

Here's why this book has become such a hit with iPhone users around the world: it's not a “Tell-me-all-about-it” book, which has in-depth discussions on every­thing from wireless network protocols to advanced compression codes. Instead it's a “show-me-how-to-do-it” book, that skips all the confusing techno-jargon and just tells you, in plain simple English, exactly how to use the iPhone features you want to use most.

The book’s layout is brilliant, with each page covering just one single topic, so finding the information you need is quick and easy, with a large full-color photo on each page so you can see exactly how it works.

In this book, you'll learn:

• How to set up and manage your email the right way from the start
• How to take advantage of the iPhone's Web features (including important tips that help you avoid frustration, and get you where you want to go fast!)
• How to download and install applications from Apple's online App Store
• The key trouble-shooting tips you've got to know
• How to get your favorite photos onto your iPhone, tips for using its built-in camera, and how to make the most of the iPhone's surprisingly powerful photo features
• The tips you've got to know to use your iPhone's built-in iPod features, including watching videos, podcasts, TV shows and movies (you're going to amazed at some of the cool things you can do)
• How to use the iPhone's built-in applications to organize your life (you'll learn things in this chapter you didn't know the iPhone could do!)
• The top 20 tips for the iPhone's phone feature that will make you fall in love with it (you'll never want to use any other phone again)
• Plus so much more, including a special bonus chapter called "iPhone Killer Tips" where you'll learn those hidden secrets that you'll be passing on to your iPhone friends (and they will be amazed!).

The iPhone Book is from Scott Kelby, the award-winning author of the smash best­seller, The iPod Book, who teams up once again with gadget guru, and iPhone authority, Terry White to put together a book that is an awful lot like the iPhone itself—simple to use and fun to learn.

In this major update to the book, Scott and Terry added even more tips, more tricks, and made it even easier by focusing on just  the most use­ful and most requested features (without all the techno-babble) so you can start really using your iPhone today!

BONUS VIDEO: The authors put together a special in-depth video just for readers of the book where they not only share their favorite iPhone accessories, but they share even more of those hidden little time-saving tips that can make all the difference in the world.

If you've been waiting for a book that focuses on just the most important, most useful, and most fun stuff about your iPhone—you’ve found it.

Product Details

• Paperback: 336 pages
• Publisher: Peachpit Press; 2nd edition (October 19, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0321577833
• ISBN-13: 978-0321577832
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (25 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #442,729 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #53 in Books > Computers & Technology > Networking > Telephony

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

35 of 37 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars If you have an iPhone, you need this bok., November 8, 2008

By 

Lynn Grillo (NJ, USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The iPhone Book: How to Do the Most Important, Useful & Fun Stuff with Your iPhone, 2nd Edition (Paperback)

I got this book as a gift and figured I probably didn't need it. After all, the iPhone is a breeze to use, right? I honestly thought I knew everything I needed to know about it. But holy cow, I found out that there's a whole bunch of stuff that I really didn't know and that the phone has hidden power I'd never tapped. The Killer Tips & Tricks chapter is awesome. I never realized how to access special characters on the keyboard or other domain types besides .com, how to change the size of the caller ID photo, and OMG how to jump to the search field in contacts. Plus, the layout of the book, much like the iPhone itself, is very easy to navigate and use.

30 of 32 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Very useful "how to" guide to the iPhone/iPod Touch, October 29, 2008

By 

Jack Beckman - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The iPhone Book: How to Do the Most Important, Useful & Fun Stuff with Your iPhone, 2nd Edition (Paperback)

This is the second edition of Terry White and Scott Kelby's "The iPhone Book". It's been updated for the new firmware and the 3G iPhone. Like the first book, this one is primarily a "how to" guide, and it does that very well. Every page has a different, focussed "how to" item, from the simple things for first-time owners (like how to turn the thing on!) to more complex items (such as viewing RSS feeds on your iPhone).

What's really nice about the way this book is organized is that you don't have to read through the whole thing. If you're already pretty familiar with your iPhone, you can just look over the Table of Contents for subjects that interest you, turn to that page, and find how how to do it. Because each page is tightly focussed on just one thing, and illustrated with a photo, it makes it very quick and easy to learn about a particular subject. It also makes the book a handy reference down the road when you try out a feature for the first time (which is how I used my first edition with my original iPhone).

The book is written in a very casual style, so you won't feel overwhelmed by jargon or technical details. There are also extra tips at the bottom of many pages relating to the subject at hand. Some of them direct you to programs or web sites that are related to the page subject.

All in all, this is a great book for getting the most out of your iPhone (and, for the non-phone/camera portions, your iPod Touch as well). No matter how much you *think* you know about the iPhone, you *will* find some information in this book that you didn't know (but will be glad you learned).

17 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Gimmee more input!, February 26, 2009

By 

kre8iv1 (Flemington, NJ) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The iPhone Book: How to Do the Most Important, Useful & Fun Stuff with Your iPhone, 2nd Edition (Paperback)

I own many other Peachpit books (mostly for computer software), and two others by these authors: one by Scott Kelby (alone) and one by Scott and Terry White together. This is just as fantastic as both of my other Kelby books, if not more so.

I got this because even though I am familiar with PDA phones (due to owning a Palm Treo for over two years), I am NOT familiar with the Apple iPhone. I had a feeling this new iPhone 3G had a bunch of hidden goodies I didn't know about, and this book proved me right. I bought my iPhone first, then this book. I fell in love with my iPhone the first week of using it, and this book made my love even deeper the second week! (As of writing this review, I have NOT had my new iPhone for a full 2 weeks yet.)

This book is illustrated with COLOR screen shots on EACH AND EVERY PAGE. It includes beginner, intermediate, and advanced instructions/hints/tips, so no matter what you want to use this phone for this book tells you how to do it - in EASY TO UNDERSTAND wording. It's like learning with your friend who talks like a regular person instead of a techie!

On some pages (at the bottom of the page) the authors include an additional tip on whatever tool you are learning about. These tips can include external links to other websites to explore, or just shortcuts on how to make your iPhone experience more enjoyable.

In a tight economy, this book is a time saver (you know ... "time is money" ...) AND a money saver - the info on how to create your OWN free ringtones saves you money, and allows you to choose your own music instead of relying on what is available thru iTunes.

It is a quick and easy read - I literally read the entire book from cover to cover in about an hour and a half - and you walk away from it feeling smarter and more confident. The BEST thing is that you can refer back to it again and again to refresh yourself or learn something new.

You can also skip around - you DON'T have to read the chapters in order. Skim, scan, pick, choose. It's all good!

Here is the Table of Contents:

pages xvi-xvii - 7 things you'll wish you had known before reading this book (read it, trust me you'll be glad you did!)

Chapter 1: The Bare Essentials (the stuff you have to learn first)
Chapter 2: Phoneheads (how to use the iPhone's phone)
Chapter 3: Please Mr. Postman (getting and sending email on your iPhone)
Chapter 4: Surfin' Safari (using the iPhone's Safari web browser)
Chapter 5: Tool Time (iPhone's tools for organizing your life)
Chapter 6: The Song Remains the Same (using iTunes, the iTunes store, and the App store)
Chapter 7: Video Killed the Radio Star (using the iPhone's built-in iPod)
Chapter 8: One Hour Photo (enjoying photos on your iPhone)
Chapter 9: Cereal Killer (killer tips and tricks) THIS ROCKS!!
Chapter 10: The Trouble with Boys (troubleshooting your iPhone) This could also be called "Tips & Tricks, part 2".
Chapter 11: Setting Me Off (the ins & outs of your iPhone's settings)
Index

There are two additional FANTASTIC bonuses included with this book:
1. a link to a BONUS video
2. FREE online access to this book

I am CONVINCED that this book was written for "non-techies", as well as techies. Since I am somewhere in the middle, I found a couple of things I already knew, but many things I did not. (Granted, I do NOT use an "exchange server" connection for my email, but if I did I would know how to do it.)

I took a one-day Kelby training seminar last year, and was so very grateful for all the generous "bonuses" that came with my seminar fee. This book is NO exception to the generosity of Kelby. These folks just want all of us to be happy with our technology, and it shows.

I can't thank the authors enough for this book. I want to hug both of them and tell them it has changed (ENRICHED) my user experience of my iPhone. If you only glean ONE new technique, then it is more than worth it.

Thanks to all involved in writing this book!