By: Andy Ihnatko Publisher: Wiley Average Rating: Binding: Paperback Label: Wiley Number of Items: 1 Number of Pages: 246 Publication Date: December 10, 2007
Product Description: iPhone Fully Loaded is a one-of-a-kind reference that teaches you how to fully exploit the power of your Phone or iPod touch. Clear step-by-step instructions teach you how to convert any form of home, office, or online media -- dusty LPs, movies on DVD, spreadsheets, databases, presentations, downloadable books, comic books, as well as music and video to an iPhone or iPod Touch compatible format. Written by wildly popular technology expert and Chicago Sun Times columnist Andy Ihnatko, iPhone Fully Loaded is a full-color guide designed to work for both Mac OS X and Windows users. From uploading Web pages to downloading television shows and a variety of documents, including Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint documents, the iPhone does much more than make phone calls, play music, and send e-mail.
Great book! I'm so glad I bought and read this book! I would consider myself very advanced in terms of high-tech and technology, but this book taught me a few things about the phone that would have taken me weeks to learn on my own. Andy writes a great book with a sense of humor that I can relate to, and made the book a joy to read.
Disappointingly specialized This book covers Stage II of iPhone operation. That is to say, it's the book for those who have already read & understood the (nonexistent) clear, concise, and complete user's manual. More specifically, this book is nearly entirely focused on adding and managing digital content to your iPhone, to the exclusion of the rest.
This book will *not* help you understand how to navigate the iPhone & iTune, etc, etc. It's litteraly the 2nd book you read. If you buy it to help you get familiar with your new device, you are simply not going to get what you need.
As a side note, the author is quite generous with his brand of geeky humor. I have nothing against geeky humor, but that one didn't agree with my system. I would urge potential buyers to take a quick look at Ihnathko's blog and make sure they are compatible...
If you are a power user of iTune, this is a good book. Otherwise, it might leave you confused.
Some new / good ideeas I think Andy did a nice job here (the ramblings are real - but not a major distraction). The book is more than just what the iPhone can do - but a rather creative melding of the iPhone with the Web and other resources. While the iPhone applications market is humming - and a few of the ideas not as valuable - it's the creative thought behind the suggestions that I think warrants the purchase.
Yes, Andy Does Ramble... ...but that is what makes his books interesting. The problem with so many "how to" books is that they're boring as watching cheese ferment and I end up falling asleep in bed after barely reading a page. I've never had this problem with any of Andy's books, from the OSX Tiger one, the iPod one or this one. He cracks jokes which helps to keep you engaged with the material, something very few 'Dummies' or 'Complete Guide to' books do.
This book is great for showing you how to do things with the iPhone that it wasn't really intended to do. It's sort of a book on how to 'hack it' without having to actually 'hack it'.
If you don't know how to get your email or how to put music on the iPhone, this is not the guide for you. However, if you're looking at your iPhone and wondering, "hmm, what other interesting stuff can I do with this while I wait for Apple to release Applications for it", then this is the perfect book.
If you're still worried that you might not like the book's style, check out the authors website (his last name dot com) and read some of his review of tech gadgets. If you then think "OMG, I can't stand this guy" what is wrong with you? No seriously, if you find his reviews hard to follow, then this would not be the book for you.
Beyond the Basics If you're looking for an instruction manual on the basics of the iPhone, this is not your book. Look up the owner's manual on the apple website for free or read one of the many other books on iPhone basics. If you're ready to take the next step in expanding your grasp of not only the iPhone, but also the entire web, this is your book. This book was exactly what I was looking for. As others mentioned, this book does not describe some of the basic features of the iPhone, but assumes the reader already knows most of these things. It instead delves into how you can utilize web programs and iTunes to your advantage to overcome certain limitations of the iPhone. I have already ready some chapters several times and find new information every time. Andy Ihnatko has a humorous writing style and this was a very enjoyable read. I will continue to reference this book after I have finally retired it from the reading pile. I will definitely look forward to any future books by Mr. Ihnatko.
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