appleJAC Users Group

President's Place

by George Kopp

Back to School . . . a Different School this time

With summer comes our appleJAC Meetings hitting the road from our normal home base of Lewis and Clark Middle School. This month we will be heading to Calvary Lutheran High School in Jefferson City. Calvary Lutheran is located at 2525 Route B just south of Jefferson City (see map at right). The easiest way to get there is to continue through Jefferson City toward the Lake of the Ozarks on Highway 54, then take the exit onto Rte 179 toward Wardsville. Continue south onto Rte B (at the Tanner Bridge Road stop light), and on to the school a half mile beyond. The school is marked on the map with the letter "A".

This month's theme will be computer and hardware maintenance. We will cover some good tips for maintaining your Mac including routine service and backup. We will also address the options when it comes to backup, and why you may need more than a single backup method to ensure you are safe. We are also planning to touch on printer maintenance and maintaining your iPhone and iPad devices. It definitely promises to be a great set of presentations.

Traditionally at this meeting, we also offer to assist people with minor Mac upgrades. So, if you have an interest in adding memory, replacing a harddisk, or just adding software to your machine, feel free to email us at applejac@mac.com, and we will talk with you about parts you may need to bring with you to ensure you have what is necessary to accomplish your goal.

iPad Class a Great Success

This last month, appleJAC held it's first ever iPad class with a full house of over 30 participants. This class covered the basics of iPad use and delved into the settings of the device to help users customize their iPad's to meet their needs.  

The class continues a long line of appleJAC classes. As your Board of Directors plans for the fall, we would like some input on what additional classes might be worthwhile to offer. Feel free to send us your interests and ideas at applejac@mac.com, and we will see what topics have a critical mass.

Upcoming Meetings

In August we continue with our coverage of iOS devices when we address iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch applications. This regular meeting will be held August 2 at 7:00 pm at Yanis Coffee Zone in Jefferson City. Since many of our Mac-Challenged (ie... windows users) friends use iOS devices, so feel free to bring them along to this meeting. We promise to be "operating system agnostic" and only talk about our handheld devices that evening.

Then in September . . . hold on to your hats . . . MacOS 10.7 Lion will be featured. Learn about the new possibilities in Lion, and if Lion is your next step in Macintosh nirvana.

And, one last thought . . . those of you running AppleWorks may want to reconsider Lion seriously before an update. Lion is reported to finally kill Appleworks (it won't work anymore without Rosetta), so a move forward may be a setback to you. But, your appleJAC leadership warned you of Appleworks demise over 2 years ago . . .

Be sure to join us for a skyrocketing time on July 5 at 7:00pm.

 

 

Sticker Squad (Animated) Ep 32

by Dan Walsh

Back in 2010, at a local newspaper, two outstanding young gentlemen came up with an interesting idea. How did it start? 

When incompetent morons would park in a parking lot where they did not have permission to. Darin was not very pleased with his job. So from time to time, he would take a required break and stroll through the newspaper's parking lot looking for cars that did not belong. 

One day, while standing in the basement looking out of the window, he watched two ladies pull up in an over-sized truck and take up two parking spaces that belonged to employees. As soon as they walked around the corner, Darin grabbed an orange sticker, made his way to the truck like some sort of Special Forces Agent, slapped the sticker on the windshield and ran back inside. 

Then it hit him! This would be a pretty funny skit to make with his buddy Dan. They could wear orange T-shirts, grow mustaches, wear sunglasses and an eye patch and could be called Sticker Squad. 

Dan loved the idea, so they made the sketch a week later in 100 degree temperatures. After a few days of editing it was finished. People who were blessed to view the Sticker Squad sketch loved it and started requesting a sequel. Sadly that did not happen, but something else did. 

Dan's wife, Melanie, suggested that he draw the Sticker Squad characters as cartoon caricatures. He sketched out a Herb and Walt in his notepad, and Darin went nuts for them! Darin told Dan to draw him a few different mouths, scan them into his MAC computer and Darin would begin to animate them. (also on a MAC computer) They spent a few nights doing voice over work and then Herb and Walt came to life. 

At this point there are 31 cartoon episodes and more on the way. The best way to describe them would be "edgy", "immature" and "stereotypical". But if you have a sense of humor, they are pretty good. 

If you are so inclined, you can check them out on YouTube at http://www.youtube.com/stickersquad. We made a stupid sketch. Then we made stupid caricatures of our characters. Now we make stupid cartoon shorts. Stupid huh?

To see this clip, you can click on my name in the officer list, or go directly to the link above. To learn more about our efforts, go to http://www.zazzle.com/stickersquad.

The boomCAN: Portable Speaker by Scosche

by Ken Zindle

"HOW BIG? SOOOO BIG!"

Ever play the children's game "So Big"? Asking the question of the baby "How Big?" and then providing the answer: "Soooo Big" with your arms raised to the sky and the child laughing along with your own glee?  

I want to play an alternate kind of the "How Big? Sooo Big!" game here.

But first, give me a moment for some background. I grew with what I'll call the "Rectilinear" Generation. Do you recognize that at all?  If you're too young, possibly not. For those of us audiophiles, music lovers who grew to maturity in the 60s, the Rectilinears were the speakers to have. 

Why? In a word, that is clearly understandable: Big! They were huge, standing a good four to five feet from the floor, and they could roar with the best of them!  If you were putting together a sound system in the 60s, you likely wanted a pair of Rectilinears. I know that I did, and I had a pair of them for years.

So, imagine my thinking, with that kind of background, when I saw the adverts for the "boomCAN" by Scosche (http://www.scosche.com/consumer-tech/product/2188). They looked (forgive me, Rectilinear lovers everywhere) cute! It was my plan to try one out. They were not overly expensive, only $24.99 from Scosche plus shipping. After my curious glances were quite finished, I ordered one for my wife's iPhone, reasoning that a coffee can-sized speaker might be just okay. 

Now, imagine my surprise (Rectilinear lover that I used to be, when bigger was always, always better), when she opened the package and the speaker was more like an enlarged thimble than a coffee can!

Boom Can indeed! 

(Yes, of course, it serves me right for not reading the fine print!)

But when the "CAN" was plugged in and played, it pleased the cockles of my former Rectilinear heart. The sound was big and lovely!

So, let's hear it for the "boomCAN", like the red one that lives at our house. Portable? Yes, of course, and I admit that the Rectilinears never were! Not even when I was younger and more hardy than now.

The "boomCAN": lovely sound!

 

July Vendor Offers for Apple User Groups

by Tom Piper

The following is a complete list of the current short-term discount offers that are available exclusively to Apple user groups:

• The Innovative Audioglove: 50% Off Clearance Sale
• Apress ebooks: 25% Discount
• MacTech Boot Camp: $200 Discount
• Micromat TechTool Pro 6: 40% Off
• IDAPT Universal Chargers: 20% Discount
• Hand-e-holder for iPad: 20% Discount
• Texting Dots Touch Screen Pads: 20% Discount
• Dolly Drive: 20% Off the Time Machine in the Cloud
• ASSERO Defender iPad protector: 20% Discount
• Boom Volume Booster: 45% Discount
• Disk Drill data recovery: 30% Off

The vendor offers below are the ongoing discounts:

• Agile 1Password and more: 25% Discount
• Take Control Books: 30% Discount on All eBooks
• RadTech: 20% Off All Products
• Softpress Freeway: 25% Discount
• Eltima Software multimedia products: Pay 20% less
• MacAddict Reborn: 75% Off New Mac|Life
• O'Reilly: New Discounts for User Group Members
• Peachpit: 35% off all books

All of these offers were the best prices that could be found anywhere at the time I negotiated them with the vendors. Color and descriptive details are available by:

1. Going to https://public.me.com/applejac, 
2. Entering the password you were previously emailed in meeting notices (send a request to applejac@me.com if you forgot), and 
3. Downloading the VendorOfferGuide070311.pdf file.

Mac Maintenance Presentation

IK Multimedia: iPhone/iPad Sound Mastery

a review by Tom Piper

Recording sound like musical instruments and singing has always been a challenge, whether at home, live at an event, in a studio or elsewhere. It used to require lots of sophisticated and expensive equipment, but this task has just gotten easier, more portable and a lot more fun using iPhone and iPad technology.

IK Multimedia has introduced a series of apps and accessories to make quality audio and vocal recordings anywhere on your iPhone, iPod touch and iPad. The following descriptions are more fully described at http://www.ikmultimedia.com/products. 

It begins with the iRig Mic ($59.99) which is a handheld high-quality condenser microphone designed for all of your mobile sound needs. The iRig Mic features a unidirectional condenser-electret microphone capsule for quality recording in both close mic and long distance mic conditions, and provides real time monitoring with its dual mini-jack connector design. A three-level gain switch makes it instantly adjustable for any sound pressure condition. Its familiar form is perfect for handheld performance, plus it allows you to mount it on any mic stand leaving your device free for operating your favorite app. Its rugged metal body is road-ready for the mobile musician with a 6.5’ cable and a 1/8” jack. iRig Mic also works with a wide variety of other vocal and audio processing apps for the iOS platform.

AmpliTube iRig ($39.99) is a combination of an easy-to-use instrument interface adapter and guitar and bass tone mobile software (described further below). With AmpliTube iRig, you can plug your guitar (or other instrument) into your iPhone/iPod touch/iPad and jam anywhere with world-class guitar and bass tone right in the palm of your hand. Simply plug the iRig interface into your mobile device, plug your instrument into the appropriate input jack, plug in your headphones, amp or powered speakers, and use AmpliTube free for iPhone or for iPad. You’ll have at your fingertips the sound and control up to 4 recombinable simultaneous stompbox effects + amplifier + cabinet + microphone just like a traditional guitar or bass stage rig! 

But, that’s not all! To get the most out of this mic, IK Multimedia provides VocaLive free (a new real-time effects processor suite for the singer and vocalist), plus AmpliTube free (for guitar players) and iRig Recorder free (an app for quick audio recording and processing). These are incredible tools for musicians and non-musicians alike.

VocaLive is the first professional practicing, performing and recording vocal processor for the iPhone, iPod touch and iPad. Singers and songwriters have are provided a suite of 5 dedicated real-time vocal effects (pitch correction, choir harmonizer, voice doubler, vocal morpher and de-esser) plus 7 effects tailored to vocal processing (reverb, EQ, compressor, delay, envelope filter, chorus, phazer) that can be combined on a 3-processor vocal rig chain. This app also includes dozens of presets to help you get up and running in seconds. VocaLive can also be used with the built-in iPhone microphone, earbuds with built-in mic, or the iRig Mic. 

AmpliTube is a complete multi-effects processor, recording studio and learning tool which is always in your pocket. You can turn your iPhone or iPod touch into the ultimate mobile guitar, bass, keyboard and vocal multi-effect processor and recording studio. If you add the AmpliTube iRig interface adapter to connect your guitar, bass or keyboard to your mobile device, then you are ready to entertain yourself and all around you. You’ll have an entire guitar/bass rig at your fingertips. If that’s not enough, you can capture your ideas quickly by recording your performances with the built-in recorder featuring re-amping capabilities, then share your track by exporting high quality audio files or M4As. You can record your track, then go back and completely change the sound of it without having to re-record it. You have full control of volume, pan, apply fx, send fx, plus the ability to import audio directly into each track. Bounce feature lets you bounce all tracks to one freeing up track space to record additional material, giving you unlimited recording ability.

iRig Recorder is a powerful and flexible audio recording app for your iOS device that is convenient and easy to use. You can have a professional recording tool at your fingertips anytime, anywhere along with practical editing functions and various export options to fit your audio needs wherever your mobile life takes you. You can use iRig Recorder's intuitive editing tools to cut, crop or loop your audio and its powerful effects processors to optimize tone for speech or music, clean up background noise, brighten your voice for clarity and presence, smooth your voice in harsh or overly bright recordings or change the speed of your tracks without affecting their pitch. iRig Recorder organizes your recordings by date and time and also tags them with a geo location for easy and reliable file management of your recordings. You can export your files via e-mail, Wi-Fi, FTP, SoundCloud or iTunes File Sharing in a variety of sizes and formats (including 16-bit 44.1 kHz uncompressed). 

There’s more . . . the iKlip for iPad ($39.99) is a multi-angle lightweight iPad microphone stand adapter. This makes it easy for you to use your iPad and iPad 2 in any live setting such as on stage, in the studio, at school or in the boardroom. You can now securely position your iPad for optimal viewing and accessibility, while all controls, buttons and connection ports remain free from obstruction. It is constructed from dense thermoplastic molded components or extreme durability and secure holding abilities under the most demanding situations. As a Guitar or Bass player, you can now use iPad on stage with AmpliTube iRig as your guitar amp and effects unit, with controls accessible right in front of you on your mic stand. Or, if you use tablature and scoring apps, use iKlip to put the iPad within easy viewing range for learning and performing. As a vocalist or presenter, you can now have the perfect companion for song showcase performances to create and share set lists with your band members, complete with scoring, lyrics and notes. You can also add iPad 2 adapters for $9.99 which are easy to install on the original iPad iKlip.

My experience with the accessories and apps above has been both frustrating and rewarding, both based on my own knowledge and skill levels. Frustrating because I am not a good guitar player, so I’m not getting the most out of these products (yet). Rewarding because I see huge potential here, not just for musicians, but also for public speakers. For example, the iKlip is a very secure, no-nonsense holder for the iPad that makes it easy to attach to a mic stand (or other tube-like holder) for convenience access by a presenter. Whether using teleprompter or slideshow software, control is right at your fingertips. The iRig microphone is sensitive, rugged, and adaptable as the audio input to most recording software. Although the free apps VocaLive and iRig Recorder work only on the iPhone (not in iPhone mode on the iPad) with or without the iRig mic, the AmpliTube apps have both free iPhone and iPad versions that are very sophisticated in their controls.

These are only the items I’ve tested, IK Multimedia has a lot more to choose from including the StealthPlug guitar/bass USB audio interface cable, amplitude Fender Studio, StealthPedal, StompIO, Total Studio Bundle, Total Workstation 2  Instruments Bundle, and much much more. From the novice to the professional, this company has a variety of effective sound management tools that use our favorite iOS devices effectively and creatively. They make a complete range of reasonably-priced sound and tone solutions for Guitar & Bass players, Keyboardists, Sound Designers, Engineers and Producers. Their motto is “Musicians First”, and they do a great job of serving anyone who needs to play, mix, record, and share their sound sensations.

 

Presidents Place

by George Kopp

On the Road Again....

This month, appleJAC hits the road for a meeting in Columbia as we will enjoy the Annual appleJAC MUG Picnic (that's right, in warm June, NOT hot August). Friends and family are all invited to attend (bring a beverage, side dish and lawn chair) this opportunity to relax at the lakeside home of Kathy and Joe Mertzlufft, and enjoy food, fun and friends. RSVP is requested (if you haven't already). Directions to their house (just north and east of Ashland) show that they are less than 20 minutes away from most of where our members live (see map at right).

appleJAC Classes

Each year, appleJAC holds a number of classes for the membership that allow you to make better use of the tools you have. The iPad is a mobile device that you can use to watch movies, create documents, surf the Web, check e-mail, use as an eReader and more! This class will introduce you to the basic features and functions of iPad.

'Getting the Most from your iPad"
This class will cover the iPad and iPad2.
Tuesday, June 14, 7:00pm to 9:00pm

Learfield Communications
505 Hobbs Road, Jefferson City, MO 65109
Sponsored by the appleJAC Macintosh Users Group . . . Cost - $20

Signup your friends. Class is open to everyone.
Sign up to attend by emailing us at applejac@mac.com
appleJAC Members that preregister receive a $5 discount
Payment can be made the night of the class.

Hope to see you in Columbia at the picnic. If you would like to carpool from Jefferson City to Columbia that evening, you should plan on meeting at 5:30pm in the North Jefferson City commuter parking lot just northeast of the Jefferson City airport exit off Highway 54.  

iMate/KEYDEX Stands: iPad Empowerment

a review by Tom Piper

iPad accessories are a necessity for the enjoyment of your investment. Good sound, solid platforms, protective covers, and portable presentation ability is important to all of us.

iMate provides a series of innovative and affordable supplemental devices to enhance the utility and enjoyment of our iPads (and iPhones) including:

KEYDEX iPad Stand and Speaker ($44.99):

• Versatile design
• Position iPad both vertically or horizontally on stand
• Recline iPad against the slip-proof cylindrical speakers
• Stylish 1.5 watt speakers provide surround sound
• Compact size and design to fit onto any desk space
• Protective silicon case to protect your iPad
• Dimensions: 4.0” x 10.3” x 2.2”, 0.66 lbs
• Materials: ABS plastic and aluminum
• This stand will work with either the original iPad or the iPad2 (the silicon back cover with the speaker stand does not work with the Apple front cover). The quality of the speakers was much better than expected, but the AC power supply restricted placement (I was able to substitute a rechargeable USB battery to use it for more portability).

KEYDEX iPad Stand ($16.99):

• iPad can be operated on the stand
• Easy assemble without any tools
• Smooth stand edge and slip-proof rubbers
• Set iPad vertically and horizontally
• Quick disassemble for space saving travel
• Dimensions: 7.1” x 6.3” x 4.3”, 6.70 oz
• Materials: ABS stand and steel frame
• This stand will work with either the original iPad or the iPad2, and proved to be surprisingly lightweight and durable.

KEYDEX Protective iPad Stand ($49.99)

• Adjustable retractable vertical & horizontal footing
• Bumper protection all around (made for iPad)
• Shock-proof lined cloth cover for travel safety
• Dimensions: 7.6” x 0.7” x 9.7”, 6.07 oz
• Materials: ABS+PC, silicon bumper, rubber/steel feet
• This protective case was made for the original iPad, but an iPad 2 would fit into it. The zippered sleeve is made of neoprene and should sustain a lot of use, while also being somewhat weather-proof. The steel wire stands use rubber feet to reduce skidding.

 

While the protective stand would be okay for a lot of travel, speaker stand is my favorite because it holds the iPad firmly and produces excellent sound. All of these are available at either http://www.keydex.com.tw or http://imateweb.com, along with a huge number of other items from AC adapters to cables to iPhone accessories to much more. Some very interesting and innovative ways to expand the utility your portable devices.

Texting Dots: Better Touch Control

a review by Tom Piper

After many years of experience, my fingers still seem too big for some iPhone and iPad screen keyboards and precision touches, and turning the screen sideways often doesn’t overcome my fat-finger problem. But, now there is a plausible and simple solution.

Texting Dots are innovative finger-tip enhancement tools made of firm rubber with light adhesive on the back. They are the size and shape of the end of a small pencil eraser when placed on your fingertip, with a round bottom and flat top for precise contact. As their website (http://www.textingdots.net) says, they are “great for touch screen cell phones, grocery store self check-outs, airport self check-in kiosks, casino slot machine games. Creates germ free barrier between you and the touch screen.”

These adhesive dots work great on my iPad and iPhone . . . I’m sure they will work equally well on any touch-screen slate or smart phone. They were originally made for pressure-sensitive touch screens, but the demand from iPhone users caused the developer to readapt  this product to use a conductive material. It works great with long fingernails, improves accuracy when typing and such, and protects you from the germs left behind by other users. When first applied to the finger, this dot feels a little unusual--  but, if placed correctly on the part of your finger normally used to touch the screen, it quickly feels more natural, and exacting to the touch. They are easy to peel off the pad, and can be removed and replaced on the fingertip several times (just adhere to your touch screen when not in use).

A pack of 42 dots will cost $14.95 when purchased from Amazon, and last for several months. My thanks to Tom Mackenzie who created and markets this solution . . . THEY REALLY WORK WELL!

MacKeeper: 911 for Your Mac

a review by Tom Piper

Mac maintenance is more and more important as we see more and more powerful operating systems in support of a wide array of useful software. But, what needs to be maintained, how often should it be done, and which utility programs are best to accomplish it? 

MacKeeper from ZeoBIT is an integrated bundle of the most important system utilities for performing different tasks on your Mac. It is like 911 for your Mac since it’s an easy way to manage routine tasks and keep your Mac secured, clean, reliable, fast and attended. It’s functions are easily separated into the following categories:

Security (2 apps): Antivirus protects the Mac from security threats including viruses, identity theft, phishing attacks, passing on viruses to friends, fraud websites, unsafe downloads, threats from external devices, e-mail threats, Mac spyware, and Mac malware. Anti-Theft, if your Mac is ever stolen, will track down its location and make an iSight snapshot of the thief during generation of the report.

Data Control (5 apps): Data Encryptor makes your personal data invisible on the hard drive by using a password so that the data cannot be retrieved through Finder or Terminal . . . just create a password, add files or folders, and click the Hide button. Undelete scans your hard drive for deleted files that can still be recovered, and you can preview all found files using the Quick Look button, then recover those you need with just one click. Backup creates reserve copies of your files and folders using your desired schedule and choice of destination including USB Flash drive, external hard drive, FTP upload, and ZeoDisk. Shredder deletes files or folders without any chance to recover them where you drop the files you want to permanently remove and click the Shred button. ZeoDisk is an online storage to backup and store data, share files with your friends, and sync data between multiple devices on varied platforms including Mac OS, Windows, iOS, Android and Web in any browser.

Cleaning (5 apps): Fast Cleanup is a customizable set of drive clean-up utilities that remove unneeded parts and unused languages from applications, plus system and user log and cache files. Wise Uninstaller completely removes applications, widgets, preference panes, plugins, preferences, caches and logs from your Mac's hard drive. Disk Usage visualizes the size of your folders by scanning and marking them with different colors depending on size Red (1Gb-1TB), Orange (1Mb-1Gb), Yellow (1kB-1Mb), Green (>1kB), White (not scanned), and Gray (scanning) — this is the easiest way to detect large files on your hard drive. Duplicates Finder looks for file copies that take up space on your Mac's hard drive and enables you to remove these duplicates if you don't need them. Files Finder scans your Mac's hard drive for all files of the selected file type and shows only those files for which you've specified the settings (like video, audio, photos, applications, others).

Optimization (3 apps): Update Tracker checks each application installed on your Mac for a new version available so any out-of-date application can be updated by clicking the Update button. Login Items allows you to control automatic startup of selected applications, and thus manage the list of applications that you want to launch upon login. Default Apps allows you to define which application will open each file type by showing the associations between all file extensions and applications that open them; all you do is click the application name next to the file type you want to change and select an appropriate app for it.

Geek on Demand: This service will give professional answers via telephone to all your technical questions. If you describe your problem in detail and schedule a phone call for any suitable time, then during the call, the MacKeeper expert will give answers to all your questions. 

You can also call them toll-free with MacKeeper questions, use their online manual for a step-by-step tutorial of how to use it effectively, and access their internet blog for more information and live online chat. They also have a major presence on both Facebook and Twitter.

MacKeeper is a robust utility program with most of the essential maintenance features integrated into one location (see the main window at right). It took a while to get used to having everything within easy reach, not to mention having features that I ordinarily would not even be concerned about. The ability to get help at any time of the day or night by phone online is an unexpected bonus (my call was on hold for quite awhile with nice music, so be prepared for a wait for free advice, or you can leave a number for them to call you back).

With its 16 Mac utilities, MacKeeper is now available for only $38 as downloadable software from http://mackeeper.zeobit.com/ where you can also learn much more about the capabilities. ZeoBit offers a 15-day fully-functional trial with all features available including 24/7 personal support with a money-back guarantee when you buy it. This software could be an important tool in helping to effectively maintain your Mac.

 

Taking Your iPhone 4 to the Max: an Essential eBook

a review by Tom Piper

We are now in the fourth generation of the iPhone which has become an incredible tool, toy and constant companion . . . but, do we fully understand it? As it evolves with changing iOS versions, the capabilities are expanding, and we need to learn how to master it.

One of the best new books to emerge is “Taking Your iPhone 4 to the Max” from Apress Media LLC (ISBN13: 978-1-4302-3255-1). At 312 pages, it is a very substantial resource for the beginner right on through the intermediate reader, and is available in print ($24.99), as well as ebook (EPUB, MOBI, PDF: $17.49), the latter of which is what I prefer to read on my iPad2, and is a quick reference on my iPhone4.

On their website (http://www.apress.com/9781430232551), Apress describes it this way:

“Unleash your iPhone and take it to the limit using powerful tips and techniques from tech consultant Steve Sande and gadget hacker Erica Sadun. Fast and fun to read, Taking Your iPhone 4 to the Max shows you how to get the most out of Apple's iPhone 4.

You'll find all the best undocumented tricks as well as the most efficient and enjoyable introduction to the iPhone available. Starting with an introduction to iPhone basics, you'll quickly move on to discover the iPhone's hidden potential, like how to connect to a TV, use Voice Control, have video chats with FaceTime, and call friends overseas with low-cost VoIP.

From the unified email inbox and surfing the Web with Mobile Safari, exploring the world of social networking, using the multitasking capabilities of iOS 4, taking and editing photos, shopping for apps, media, and books, or just managing phone calls, you'll find it all in this book. You'll even learn tips on where to get the best iPhone accessories. Get ready to take iPhone 4 to the max!”

A quick glance at the Table of Contents reviews the following chapter headings:

• Contents
• About the Author
• About the Technical Reviewer
• Acknowledgments
• Introduction
• Chapter 1: Selecting, Buying, and Activating Your iPhone
• Chapter 2: Interacting with Your New iPhone
• Chapter 3: Placing Calls with iPhone
• Chapter 4: iPhone Messaging and Social Networking
• Chapter 5: iPhone E-mail
• Chapter 6: Syncing Your iPhone with iTunes
• Chapter 7: It’s Also an iPod
• Chapter 8: iPhone Photos and Video
• Chapter 9: Browsing with Safari
• Chapter 10: The Shopping Mall in Your iPhone
• Chapter 11: Google Maps and Other Apps
• Index

I’ve frequently been surprised by a number of users who don’t understand the importance of syncing your iPhone with iTunes, but this book rightfully spends an appropriate amount of space illustrating why this is important, and how it to do it right. The fundamentals of use of this device are carefully presented to help understand its use as a phone, a camera, a music player, a video viewer, an internet surfer, a texting screen, an email exchanger, a shopping tool, and a micro-computer controlling a myriad of programs (apps). Attention to detail is a key aspect of this education.

All of the content is done in black, white and shades of grey. The text is well-organized and easy to follow, sprinkled strategically with NOTEs, TRIVIA and TIPs, plus generous displays of photos and graphics to illustrate each point. Each chapter ends with a great Summary of what had just been covered. As a user of the ebook PDF version, I really like to go to the Index, and just click on the page number next to my topic of interest (on MacBook Pro or iPad 2), and immediately jump to the right page to learn what I immediately need.

All in all, this is a book with a lot of information to share presented in a reasonable and knowledgeable fashion. Using full color would have been a nice touch to spice up the content, but the good use of white space balanced with clear illustrations makes for an easy and educated read. I would certainly recommend this book for your library.