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Take Control of Your iPhone Apps
This handy introduction to the core iPhone apps is loaded with clever tips!
Learn iPhone app basics and get numerous clever tips based on author Jeff Carlson's real-world experiences with using the iPhone for work, photography, and fun. Apps that Jeff covers with the sharp eye of a professional tech writer include include Calendar, Camera, Compass, Contacts, iPod, Mail, Maps, Messages, Phone, Photos, Remote, and Safari (and for iPod touch owners, the Music and Video apps, too). If you've had the nagging feeling that you're not getting as much from your iPhone or iPod touch as you could, this ebook is for you!
For even more iPhone goodness, check out Take Control of iPhone OS 3, which goes beyond apps to help you get the most out of the iPhone OS and hardware. Both ebooks are available in a discounted bundle; look to the left.
More Info
Contents & Intro
FAQ
Blog
You'll find plenty of concise, clear explanations, plus pointers to a few important independent apps that add to the features offered in Apple's.
Jeff shows you how to use the iPhone apps for real-life tasks, including how to:
Update your calendar on the bus, and view the changes on your office Mac
Sync the sometimes elusive Birthdays calendar to your iPhone
Explain to friends how your iPhone knows where it is
Set an alarm that you'll hear, even if the volume is turned down
Set up a conference call with three of your friends
Skip ahead in a long voicemail message
Get around on the Web without squinting more than necessary
Read and reply to email
Send text messages or quickly place a call to someone you're texting with
Take quality photos with the iPhone 3GS
Upload photos from your iPhone to your computer
Trim the video you just took at a party and share it online right away
Get directions from your doctor's office to the drugstore
Settle arguments about which way north is
Find a song quickly so you can play it for a friend
Use Jeff's favorite free app, Remote, to run iTunes on a Mac or an Apple TV
Book Info
122 pages
Version 1.0
Published 10-Nov-09
2.2 MB download
ISBN: 1615420061
Free sample with Table of Contents, Introduction, Quick Start, and section starts.
About the Author
Jeff Carlson is the Managing Editor of TidBITS, a columnist for the Seattle Times, a frequent contributor to Macworld, and the author of best-selling books on the Mac, video editing, digital photography, and, in earlier incarnations, Web design and Palm organizers. He consumes almost too much coffee. Almost.
This book gives you all the information you need to take advantage of what I consider to be the most important and interesting of the iPhone’s built-in apps, a surprisingly deep collection of software that has overturned the notion of what a “smartphone” can be. This book was written by Jeff Carlson and edited by Tonya Engst.
Introduction
I was conflicted about the introduction of the iPhone. On one hand, Apple had finally made a cell phone that people would want to use instead of feel forced to put up with. It exhibited Apple characteristics such as an obsessive level of attention to detail, intuitive controls, and ease of use. Its touchscreen was large and beautiful, and it didn’t require a stylus that would break or disappear at some point. And the operating system could be upgraded, so you weren’t stuck with outdated software the day you bought the device.
But on the other hand, it was expensive ($600 for the first 8 GB model) and I figured my Palm Treo at the time could do most of what the iPhone offered, even if the Palm OS was starting to get creaky, the screen was small, and the Web browser almost unusable. I didn’t need an iPhone, even if I really wanted one.
That sentiment lasted about two months before I finally gave in and bought my own iPhone. That purchase (made just before Apple knocked the price down to $400, darn it) turned out to be one of the best technology acquisitions I’ve ever made—and believe me there’s a lot of competition in that category. I use my iPhone constantly: reading and replying to email, looking up information in Safari, checking in with my wife (on her iPhone) via text messages, reading articles I’ve saved for later, playing games, capturing and publishing photos, and much, much more.
All of those tasks rely on software, which is the iPhone’s hiding-in-plain-sight secret. For years, the software running cell phones has been an afterthought (and it shows). The iPhone and iPod touch feature impressive hardware, but it’s the software that makes the difference.
This ebook is about how to take control of the core apps included with the iPhone OS (plus one free downloadable app, Remote). Not every app is included here—some are either straightforward (like the Weather app) or far less interesting than others (like the Stocks app)—but at least 90 percent of your interaction with the built-in apps on an iPhone or iPod touch is covered here.
iPhone Apps Quick Start
This ebook begins with a look at a few important shared iPhone OS features and then continues with sections that explore what I consider to be the most important apps provided by Apple. Feel free to jump into the ebook at whatever location interests you the most, since most of the sections are independent.
Learn about key shared features:
Find out how to Sync Essential Information, such as contact and calendar data.
Learn about Location Services, the feature that helps your device determine its location, in Mark a Spot with Location Services.
Use your apps:
Organize your schedule using the Calendar app.
Create and manage contact information, and place and receive phone calls on the iPhone, in Phone and Contacts.
View Web pages, set up AutoFill for frequently used forms, manage bookmarks, create Web Clips, and browse safely using Safari.
Set up email accounts, and check and send messages using Mail.
Send and receive short text and media (MMS) messages on the iPhone using the Messages app.
Learn how to use Camera to take photos and videos with an iPhone, and how to View Your Photos and Videos on an iPhone or iPod touch.
Never get lost again! (Battery life permitting.) Discover your location, find nearby businesses and other destinations, and get directions using the Maps and Compass apps.
Play your music, videos, and other media using the iPod app.
Control iTunes media playback on a computer, or control an Apple TV, using the Remote app.
Is this book updated for the iPhone 3GS or the iPhone 3 operating system?
Yes! The ebook covers all the iPhones (and iPod touches), but it does have some special content about features offered only by the iPhone 3GS. It assumes that you are using iPhone OS 3, though since it focusses tightly on apps, it doesn't say much specifically about OS-related topics.
Does the book cover using an iPhone with both the Mac and Windows?
A few topics in the ebook refer to relations between an iPhone and a desktop computer, and in those cases, the ebook assumes that the computer is a Mac, so if you are not using a Mac, your screen might look a little different than a screenshot or a few small bits of text might not quite apply to your situation. However, most of the content is about the iPhone and thus should work well regardless of any desktop computers that you may have around..
How useful is this ebook for people who live outside of the United States?
Although most of the information in the ebook applies to everyone, no matter where they are or bought the iPhone, the ebook does assume that you bought in the iPhone in the United States and are in the United States.
Does this ebook cover the iPod touch?
Yes—although the text of the book refers generally to the iPhone, it is meant to include the iPod touch. We even had someone who uses an iPod touch take a special tech edit pass through the entire manuscript.
How Do I Read This Ebook on My iPhone or iPod touch?
At the moment, you have two options:
First option: You can email the ebook's PDF to an email address that you access via your iPhone or touch.
Second option: Transfer the PDF to your device using software like the free Briefcase Lite or the $4.99 AirSharing app, which help you move common files to an iPhone and provide a somewhat better user experience than Mail. For instance, AirSharing can show the top-level table of contents. To our knowledge, no PDF app supports live internal links or Web links. If you've found a PDF app that supports link following, please let us know! For a more detailed look at different iPhone/touch PDF apps, read the ever-changing Google Doc that Tonya is developing about this topic.
Ask a Question
Feel free to ask us if you have a question about this book!
Send Us Your Comments!
How could we not publish such kind words? If you'd like to send us your comments (good or bad, though we hope they're all good), just click the Feedback link on the cover of your copy of the ebook. Be sure to let us know if we can publish your comment. Thanks!
Update Plans
November 2009 - We currently have no plans to update this book, at least not until Apple updates the core iPhone apps in a notable way.
In MacVoices #9117, author Jeff Carlson discusses the history of why Take Control of Your iPhone Apps was created and what apps are covered out of the 100,000+ apps that are available. Jeff shares some of his favorite app-related tips, and he chats with MacVoices host Chuck Joiner about various iPhone related topics.
For anyone who is perplexed by their iPhone or iPod touch, or who feels that they'd get more out of it if they understood it better, two new Take Control ebooks are now available and ready to help.
Much as we wanted to release these ebooks shortly after Apple released iPhone OS 3 and the iPhone 3GS in June 2009, it took time to give these ebooks the depth and polish that we require. Luckily, during that time, Apple updated the iPhone OS several times, plus Snow Leopard and iTunes 9, so we were able to incorporate those changes as we worked. And so we are extremely pleased to announce the release of two very up-to-date ebooks: Jeff Carlson's Take Control of Your iPhone Apps and Ted Landau's Take Control of iPhone OS 3.
You can buy either ebook separately or purchase them together in a discounted bundle:
Take Control of Your iPhone Apps, by TidBITS Managing Editor Jeff Carlson, teaches you iPhone app basics and offers numerous clever tips based on Jeff's real-world experiences with using the iPhone for work, photography, and fun since its initial release. Apps that Jeff covers with the eye of a professional tech writer include Calendar, Camera, Compass, Contacts, iPod, Mail, Maps, Messages, Phone, Photos, Remote, and Safari (and, for iPod touch owners, the Music and Video apps). He also provides pointers to independent apps that further expand the iPhone's capabilities. This is Jeff's first Take Control ebook, though he has written numerous books for Peachpit Press; contributes regularly to TidBITS, Macworld, and the Seattle Times; and has even edited various Take Control titles. We are pleased to have him on board as an official Take Control author, and we have particularly enjoyed his clear, concise text and illustrative screenshots. The 122-page ebook costs $10.
Take Control of iPhone OS 3, by troubleshooting guru Ted Landau, helps you deepen your iPhone and iPod touch knowledge by exploring the operating system and hardware. Ted takes you under the hood to clear up mysteries about many topics including backups, batteries, Bluetooth, buying and managing third-party apps, damage control, jailbreaking, Location Services, MobileMe, networking, passwords, ringtones, root access, security, SIM cards, syncing, tethering, voice control, and volume control, among much else. And, if you run into trouble, you'll find a cornucopia of advice on handling freezes, crashes, and buggy behavior, as well as on solving problems with Safari, syncing, and your network connection. Ted also discusses how to determine if a recalcitrant iPhone might need a hardware repair. The 202-page ebook costs $15.
If you already own Ted's previous Take Control ebook about the iPhone - Take Control of Your iPhone - note that this is effectively the third edition of that ebook. You should have already received an email message with update information; if not, if you bought the second edition after May 1, 2009, get in touch with us. Otherwise, open your PDF of that ebook and - on page 1 - click the Check for Updates button.
If you would like to purchase both ebooks, you can do so at a discount; look on the left side of either of the book pages linked above for a 20% discount on both, or a 30% discount if you want additional ebooks that cover related topics.
