“The iPod Book” gets our top rating

Book Bytes Mini-Review:



The iPod Book — Doing cool stuff with the iPod and the iTunes Music Store

by Scott Kelby

Peachpit Press

ISBN: 0-321-33674-7, 236 pages fully illustrated

$19.99 US, $27.99 CN, £13.99 UK



A lot of thought and collaborative elbow grease went into the content and production of this excellent introductory iPod and iTunes book, but reading and making use of Scott Kelby’s The iPod Book is effortless. So is the decision to buy it, study every page, and then give your slightly-used volume to the friend or colleague who bugs you daily with questions such as:

• When I delete a song from an playlist, where does it really go?

• What are the Equalizer and Sound Check, and how do they work?

• Why is it so tricky to organize the column views in iTunes?

• Can I cram more songs onto my iPod Shuffle?

• Are there several ways to load digital photos onto an iPod Photo?

Each topic is addressed in a single page, with text below and a large, colorful screenshot above. That’s it, over 200 times. Newcomers to iPod and iTunes will glean the greatest benefits, and experienced Podders and Tuners will be able to enhance their already enjoyable relationships with their Apple hardware and software.

Kelby’s writing style is snappy and colloquial, with occasional iTips positioned below his primary text. I’ve spent months getting to know my NemoPod, so much of The iPod Book was a refresher, but I certainly could have benefitted from this outstanding book when I was getting started. Congratulations to author, publisher, and production team on receiving our highest MyMac.com 5 out of 5 rating.