iPhone: The Missing Manual: Covers the iPhone 3G

For those who already know of David Pogue's Missing Manual series there is hardly any need to read a review of any of the latest publications, like "iPhone, the Missing Manual, Second Edition." For those in need of a written guide to the iPhone, you just buy the book and enjoy it, without wasting any time with comparisons, reviews, or undue deliberation. You can trust the author and publisher. For years, Pogue Press', the Missing Manual series, has been a benchmark of quality for the genre. In an era where manufacturers provide skimpy support materials, the Missing Manual series acts as a great substitute.

For those unfamiliar with the series, I'll elaborate on the iPhone book. It is a great book. It is designed to tell you in an objective casual, easy to follow fashion, all you need to know about using your iPhone. It is lavishly produced in heavyweight glossy paper with high resolution full-color graphics. The text is larger sized and organized in a very easy-to-read layout. There are many dozens of sidebar "Tips" which break up the text and make learning about the iPhone very easy.

The best part of the book is the content where you get a very thorough, comprehensive, and well-organized presentation of the iPhone hardware, software, and services. In six parts and fifteen chapters, Mr. Pogue covers nearly everything an average user needs to know about the product. There are plenty of sections covering advanced topics, as well, including use of the iPhone in a business setting. Part One is a guided tour to the hardware and how to get started making calls and texting. In this chapter and throughout the book, Mr. Pogue gives more than mere description and explanation of features, he provides step-by-step instructions and practical guidance on use. In the first chapter, for instance, he provides an experienced user's perspective on how to be more efficient using the virtual keyboard.

Part Two discusses the music and video features and the camera and photo capabilities. Part Three explains how to get online using the multiple means - 3G, 2G (Edge-ATT's older, slower system), and WiFi using the web browser and e-mail programs. The author provides handy references to useful websites and third-party applications which can run on the iPhone and extend its capabilities, like the Zoho suite of productivity applications and RSS readers. The next part covers the third-party software now available for downloading from the Apple site. The App Store is explained and a lot of the applications are briefly reviewed and evaluated. Pogue also describes how to install custom ring tones as well as making one's own using Apple's own Garage Band.

In the "Beyond the iPhone" section, Pogue covers the all-important syncing features and options, the Mobile Me support services provided by Apple, the iTunes symbiosis with the iPhone, and the customer settings options. Three appendices cover setup and signing up, suggested accessories, and troubleshooting and maintenance.

Easy to read, lots of pictures, lots of tips & tricks, a must have manual.

iPhone: The Missing Manual is somewhat misnamed. Apple does
have a manual for the iPhone. It is a 152-page PDF [...]

The Apple User Guide definitely does not replace David Pogue's
Missing Manual, not by a long shot. I can't read a page of the
Pogue book without learning two new things. I can't read a page
of the Apple manual without going cross-eyed. As usual David
Pogue is entertaining and informative. His is an excellent book.

I did not buy the original iPhone and I don't have an iPod Touch, so I needed a little coaching when I decided to buy the iPhone 3G. As everyone knows, the small "Finger Tips" manual included with the iPhone covers only the most basic stuff. You need this book for everything else. It is very clearly written and includes great color pictures that pinpoint exactly what you need to tap to make whatever it is you want to happen happen.

By the way, I have experienced none of the problems that seem to have plagued some buyers of the iPhone 3G. The 3G service in my area has been great; after several weeks, I have yet to have a dropped call. I've had no trouble synching my phone with iTunes, and there were no production flaws on my phone. So, I would recomend this two step program:

1. Buy the iPhone
2. Buy this book to get the most out of step 1.

There was a time when everything under the sun came with large manuals, sometimes more than one, that nobody read. Then we entered the era of sticking the boring manuals on a CD -- and nobody read them. Today, we are lucky if we get a slip of paper telling us how to turn a product on. Thank heavens for people like David Pogue who has finally written a manual that is useful, entertaining and should have been in the box with the iPhone!

You are going to learn so much about your iPhone that if you don't buy this book you are actually going to get less of a value out of your new toy than you could if you did buy the book. So just go ahead and buy it already!

Everything from the basics, such as managing your contact list, to the most advanced, such as setting up a Virtual Private Network (VPN), is covered. Every page will have you holding the book in one and your iPhone in the other trying new things out. For example, I had no idea in the iPhone 2.0 software I could now snag my favorite graphics right out of my email and save them. Coolness!

What makes this book so darn good, outside of the material covered, is the sense of humor and ease of reading. The author knows how to keep your attention and knows how to present technical details in an entertaining way.

In short, Apple if you are reading this -- hire this guy to write your next iPhone manual!