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by Jeff Carlson
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Take Control of Your iPhone Apps
Real-world help with using the core apps on the iPhone and iPod touch!
Learn 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. You'll learn how to comfortably and effectively use the important core apps—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!
Author Jeff Carlson has decided not to update this ebook for iOS 4 and the iPhone 4. We are working on new Take Control ebooks about these topics, and we'll post links to them here soon.
- 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
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About the Author
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Book Reviews
Author Interviews
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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.
Table of Contents
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Read Me FirstThis 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.
Can I read this ebook on an iPad, iPhone, or iPod touch?
There are lots of great ways to read PDFs on these devices. For more details, please read our latest Device Advice.
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
July 2010 - Author Jeff Carlson has decided not to update this ebook for iOS 4 and the iPhone 4. We are working on new Take Control ebooks about these topics, and we'll post links to them here soon.
—Tonya Engst
Should You Install iOS 4.1?
September 10, 2010 --
If you have an original iPhone or a first-generation iPod touch, the answer is "no," because the device doesn't have the hardware oomph for iOS 4 and isn't compatible with it.
In the case of the iPhone 3G and the second-generation iPod touch, iOS 4.1 comes with good news—many people, including myself, have found that it runs much faster on the iPhone 3G than iOS 4.0.x did. I've read one positive report from a second-generation iPod touch user as well. Apple did not specificy in their release notes if the iPod touch was helped by the update.
For an iPhone 3GS, third-generation iPod touch, or iPhone 4, you won't see any particular speed enhancements from iOS 4.1, but there are several new features and bug fixes. To learn more about what's new in iOS 4.1, read my TidBITS article, iOS 4.1: Does it Work? Should You Install It?.
If you are updating from iOS 3 to iOS 4, note that its best to have a recent backup of your device before you begin the update. It seems that the update will erase your device and then restore from the backup. It also seems that you'll need to re-sync any media after updating from iOS 3 to 4.
—Tonya Engst
YouTube Debuts New Mobile Site as an Alternative to App
July 8, 2010 --
YouTube has introduced a mobile version of its site at m.youtube.com. According to YouTube, the mobile version's features are more in alignment with the full Web site's features and the mobile site does not use Flash, so all the videos should play on the iPhone and iPod touch. If you decide to try the site, note that once a video is playing, you can access the playback controls by tapping the playing video. Once you've done this, the video plays in an app-like interface, complete with playback controls. Rotate the device to the landscape (horizontal) position to view the largest image.
The mobile version may have more to do clashing titans of the tech industry (YouTube's parent company is Google) than with user's needs, but it certainly offers another option for viewing YouTube videos.
If you like the mobile site and want to view it quickly from your Home screen, you can make a "Web clip" of the site: Go to the site in Safari, tap the plus (+) button on the toolbar, and then Tap Add to Home Screen. Then, name the clip and tap the Add button. Your device will switch to the Home screen and show an icon for the clip you created. Tap the icon to quickly return to the mobile YouTube site.
If you'd like to read more about the mobile YouTube site, here are two good resources:
Google Makes the iPhone YouTube App Obsolete (New York Times Bits blog)
The site is currently in English only, but localized versions are expected.
—Tonya Engst
New MobileMe Mail Adds Server-side Rules, Archiving, and More
June 22, 2010 --
The new version of MobileMe Mail is out of beta, so whether you read your email on the MobileMe Web site or you have a MobileMe-based email account, you'll have a smoother email experience if you review the new options and consider how they may affect the way you handle your email. I explain why the new version of MobileMe is interesting, run through the major new features, and offer helpful tips for using the new version in the TidBITS article MobileMe Mail Adds Server-side Rules, SSL, and More.
—Tonya Engst
Find My iPhone Service Becomes an App
June 21, 2010 --
Late last week, Apple released a Find My iPhone app, which, despite its name, helps you find a missing iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch. You can still log in to the MobileMe Web site in any Web browser to access Find My iPhone features, but if you'd prefer to use an app on your iPhone, iPod touch, or iPad, well, now you can. Glenn Fleishman has written a full description of how the new app works, complete with many screenshots, in TidBITS. Please see Find My iPhone App Enables Mobile Device Discovery.
Apple also updated several aspects of the me.com Web site, including a few tweaks to the Find My iPhone Web app. The overall look-and-feel of the Web app and the mobile app is the same.
—Tonya Engst
Apple Unveils MobileMe Mail Beta
June 11, 2010 --
Apple recently announced the beta of an update to its Web-based mail service, MobileMe Mail. The beta offers widescreen and compact views, single-click archiving, a message-formatting toolbar, increased security via SSL, server-based rules, and overall enhanced performance. The beta is open to all MobileMe users, and you can switch back to the previous version at any time. To sign up, log in to MobileMe Mail and click the link to request an invitation in the lower left of the page.
—Tonya Engst
iPhone OS 4 Shipping with a New Name and New Apps
June 8, 2010 --
At yesterday's Apple Worldwide Developer Conference keynote, Steve Jobs announced that the previously announced iPhone OS 4 will ship as iOS 4 on June 21. Because the iPad, iPod touch, and iPhone will all run iOS 4, the iOS name change makes sense. If you have an original iPhone or iPod touch, you will not be able to upgrade the device to iOS 4, but for newer devices, the upgrade is free.
Steve showcased several changes coming to the iOS's core apps. Here's a quick rundown:
iBooks: iBooks will support PDFs and it will sync ebooks and ebook information (bookmarks, notes, your place) between iOS devices using the same account.
FaceTime feature in Phone: FaceTime will turn a normal phone call into a video call. At least initially, FaceTime will require that both callers have an iPhone 4 and be on a Wi-Fi connection, though it needn't be the same Wi-Fi network. FaceTime will have options for sending video via the new front-facing camera or the back-facing camera.
iMovie for iPhone: This new $4.99 app will offer video editing. You can add several video clips to a project; trim their lengths using cropping handles at the clips' edges; and add transitions, titles, music, and photos with customizable Ken Burns panning effects. The app also has five themes, which add styled text, transitions, and music to tie the movie together. The finished movie can be uploaded to a MobileMe Gallery or YouTube, or shared via email or MMS in one of three resolutions: Medium (360p), Large (540p), and HD (720p).
Mail: The new Mail app will have a unified Inbox for multiple accounts, message threading, support for more than one Microsoft Exchange ActiveSync account, and Document Support. Document Support means you'll have more options for which apps you can use to open attachments.
To find out more about iOS, see the TidBITS articles Apple Reveals iOS 4 and More at WWDC 2010 Keynote and New iPhone 4 Still Had Secrets to Reveal. Also, read Apple's New features in the iOS 4 Software Update.
—Tonya Engst
iBooks Coming to the iPhone and iPod touch
June 8, 2010 --
During his keynote speech at yesterday's Apple Worldwide Developer conference, Steve Jobs discussed the upcoming version of iBooks, Apple's ebook-reading app. When the new version of iBooks ships later this month, we'll be able to enjoy these new features:
Multi-device support: The new version of iBooks will run not only on the iPad, but also on any iOS 4 device. (I'm not certain if it will run on an iPhone or iPod touch under iPhone OS 3.)
Sync: If you have iBooks running on multiple devices set to use the same account, you can wirelessly sync ebooks, bookmarks, notes, and current reading position across all devices. There is no charge for iBooks syncing. (This is similar to the Kindle's Whispersync service, which works among Kindles and various Apple devices.)
PDF support: Steve showed PDFs being loaded into iBooks through iTunes, and he noted that an option in the Mail app will let you save attached PDFs into iBooks. However, he did not clarify whether (or when) PDFs will be offered in the iBookstore. He did say that better PDF reading was "one of the biggest requests we've gotten for the iPad." PDFs wil show on a separate shelf, accessed through a button at the top of the iBooks screen.
Many publishers, including TidBITS, are excited about this change, because the PDF format allows us to retain "page fidelity." Page fidelity means that we can retain the layout we created in the ebook. Page fidelity works well for anything that has a lot of graphics or tables—cookbooks, technical books, children's books, text books, and so forth. EPUB is best for books that have a simple layout with only a few graphics or with graphics that can sit nicely on a line by themselves.
Notes: You'll be able to afix virtual notes to pages in your ebooks, much like attaching a sticky note to a real-life sheet of paper.
Fast bookmarking: You'll be able to tap in the upper right of the iBooks screen to bookmark a page. Also, there appears to be a few new options for working more efficiently with bookmarks and a table of contents.
—Tonya Engst
Read Your Email on Multiple Computers
March 24, 2010 --
In MacVoices #1065, Joe Kissell talks with host Chuck Joiner about two core email concepts—the POP and IMAP protocols. In particular, he explains how IMAP makes it possible to work with your email messages from more than one computer in a fluid, sensible manner. He also gives tips for switching from POP to IMAP and for using IMAP in popular email systems, including Gmail and MobileMe accounts, the Mail program on a Macintosh, the Mail app on an iPhone or iPod touch, and he discusses how the Gmail approach to storing, searching, and labeling email messages can sometimes be "hyper-weird." Joe also talks about how spam filtering can work with IMAP accounts.
—Tonya Engst
Apple Enhances me.com for the iPhone and iPod touch
February 20, 2010 --
If you log in to www.me.com from the Safari app on your iPhone or iPod touch, you'll find that Apple now provides more options. Most notably, you can access Find My iPhone, making it possible to hunt for your missing device from a friend's or colleague's iPhone or iPod touch instead of from a regular computer. You can also now set up Mail, Contacts, and Calendars, and tap buttons for installing the iDisk and Gallery apps. For a few more details and screenshots, see the TidBITS article, MobileMe Site Adds Some Mobile Safari Support.
Ted Landau, author of Take Control of iPhone OS 3 put this new functionality to use right away—see his blog post, New Find My iPhone from an iPhone Saves Day, for how various aspects of Find My iPhone elegantly solved a frustrating problem.
—Tonya Engst
MacVoices Interviews Jeff about iPhone Apps
November 19, 2009 --
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.
—Tonya Engst
iPhone and iPod touch Thoroughly Explained by Two New Ebooks
November 12, 2009 --
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.
—Tonya Engst
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