The iPhone Book, Third Edition (Covers iPhone 3GS, iPhone 3G, and iPod Touch) (3rd Edition) [Paperback]

Scott Kelby (Author), Terry White (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0321647238 | ISBN-13: 978-0321647238 | Publication Date: September 6, 2009 | Edition: 3

If you’re looking for a book that focuses on just the most important, most useful, and most fun stuff about your iPhone 3G or 3GS—you’ve found it.

There are basically two types of iPhone books out there: (1) The “tell-me-all-about-it” kind, which includes in-depth discussions on everything from wireless network protocols to advanced compression codes. (2) Then there’s this book, which instead is 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 iPhone Book is from Scott Kelby, the award-winning author of the smash bestseller, The iPod Book, who takes that same highly acclaimed, casual, straight-to-thepoint concept and layout and brings it to learning Apple’s amazing iPhone. Scott teams up once again with gadget guru and leading 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. 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.

The first edition of this book was named Best Computer Book of 2007 and, since then, Scott and Terry added even more tips and more tricks, and made it even easier by focusing on just the most useful and most requested iPhone 3G and 3GS features, so you can start really using your iPhone today!

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Scott Kelby is the world’s #1 best-selling author of computer and technology books, as well as Editor-in-Chief of Photoshop User magazine and President of the National Association of Photoshop Professionals. Scott is author of The iPod Book, The Mac OS X Leopard Book, The Digital Photography Book (vols. 1, 2 & 3), and The Photoshop Book for Digital Photographers.

Terry White is a well-known gadget guru, and the man behind the popular Terry White’s Tech Blog. He is host of the top-ranked Adobe Creative Suite Video Podcast, winner of the Best of 2006 People’s Choice Award on Apple’s iTunes, and President of MacGroup-Detroit, Michigan’s largest Macintosh users’ group. He is also the author of Secrets of Adobe Bridge and co-author of InDesign CS/CS2 Killer Tips.

Product Details

• Paperback: 312 pages
• Publisher: Peachpit Press; 3 edition (September 6, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0321647238
• ISBN-13: 978-0321647238
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6.3 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (16 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #415,854 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #62 in Books > Computers & Technology > Digital Music > iPods

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

34 of 35 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Gimmee more input .... again!, September 22, 2009

By 

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

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The iPhone Book, Third Edition (Covers iPhone 3GS, iPhone 3G, and iPod Touch) (3rd Edition) (Paperback)

I reviewed the 2nd edition of this book, and now here is my review for the 3rd edition.

This edition INCLUDES info for the 3G, the 3Gs, and the iPod touch.

I own many other Peachpit books (mostly for computer software), and three others by these authors: one by Scott Kelby (alone) and two by Scott and Terry White together (including the 2nd edition of this particular book). This is just as fantastic as my other Kelby books, if not more so.

I originally got this book (2nd edition - prior to the 3.0 firmware upgrade) because even though I was familiar with PDA phones (due to owning a Palm Treo for over two years), I was NOT familiar with the Apple iPhone. I had a feeling my 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 re-writing this review, I have had my iPhone 3G for over seven (7) months.)

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 (they nickname 'iTips') 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: (for the 3rd edition)

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 few 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!

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars New iPhone User, September 25, 2009

By 

Megan Teets "Megs" (Allen Park, MI) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The iPhone Book, Third Edition (Covers iPhone 3GS, iPhone 3G, and iPod Touch) (3rd Edition) (Paperback)

I just recently purchased the iPhone 3GS. I had been considering the purchase for awhile. I wasn't sure how I would like the touch screen, or if it would be a cool toy for awhile and then I would eventually get bored with it. So I decided to take the plunge and buy it. And I absolutely love it thus far. When I was in the store I did not really get a tutorial on how it worked, so I basically went in cold turkey playing with it and learning things.

What I noticed is there is not really a manual included you just learn on your own, or ask someone who has knowledge of it. A co-worker then let me borrow this book, she thought I would find it helpful. And oh was it. It gives you the basic things you need to know to work the iPhone, and it is written in plain english so any user can understand.

My favorite part about the book are all the neat tips/tricks that are usually in a gray box at the bottom of the pages. The index helps you navigate anything you wish to know that is included. And by far my favorite tips were on how to save some of your battery life, because if you are a user you know how fast it can drain when you are playing with apps, calling, texting, emailing, and using the iPod feature.

I highly reccomend this book for all new and current iPhone users.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Makes your high tech purchase a "turnkey" experience!!!, September 23, 2009

By 

Leica Hound "WD" (Michigan USA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The iPhone Book, Third Edition (Covers iPhone 3GS, iPhone 3G, and iPod Touch), ePub (3rd Edition) (Kindle Edition)

I waited to purchase my iPhone 3GS until this book came out ... it was worth the wait. How many times have we bought high tech gear or software with manuals and directions that take days or weeks to master with comfort of use? This "how to" book makes your iPhone as pleasurable as buying a new car - putting the key in the ignition - and taking off ... the learning curve is almost instantaneous. You are communicating "full steam ahead" halfway into Chapter 2 ... with the concise logical progression of feature descriptions.

We've all used them ... those manuals that are all TEXT and a chore to read ... NOT THIS guide ... what makes the iPhone book so quick to comprehend is the visual layout focusing on one specific item at a time with a corresponding photograph displaying exactly what the authors are explaining. This eliminates the guesswork and assumptions of less visual text styles. At the bottom of many pages you'll find an "iTip" which offers a special shortcut or anecdote to speed your floating fingers across iPhone's stand alone interface. One of my favorite "killer apps and tricks" features is on Page 209 --- [...]

This is the ONLY iPhone manual you will ever need! Get set to launch your journey to the iTunes App Store to start sampling some of the most incredible software from Google Earth (it's free) to Taxi Magic (get a cab anywhere! - also free) ... and to type in foreign languages - see Page 210 ... the tempting smorgasbord of the digital universe is just at YOUR fingertips.

Thank you - Terry White and Scott Kelby for this magic carpet ride ... Aladdin would be jealous!!!