The magazine of the Melbourne PC User Group iPod Fan Book - for the bookshelf Major Keary |
This compact compendium of what one can do with an iPod was written for the Japanese market and has since been translated — most expertly — into English for the benefit of the anglophone community.
Something the Japanese have always excelled at is miniaturisation, and this 150 mm square booklet (which is 10 mm thick) is a great example of how much can be comfortably fitted into such a small space. Even if you don't own an iPod, you should look at the book as an example of innovation in typographic design.
I am not sure where the fan in the title comes from; I suspect it is because the book can be carried like a fan, and even used as one (which will be appreciated by anyone who has survived a Tokyo summer). The alternative is as in 'a fan of ....'; take your pick.
The book tells the user just about everything one wants to know about getting the most out of an iPod. I can't think of anything the author has left out, but the iPod has so many features .... The text is well supported by full colour illustrations that include screen shots, pictures of components, and graphic representations of what connects to what.
A handy thumb index helps the reader find topics quickly. The index 'tabs' are on the left side pages, which is where they would be for the Japanese edition, and topic headings are shown along the outside margin of the right-hand pages.
Want to create play lists to suit an occasion or mood; want to connect your iPod to an external player (such as a car stereo system); want to use the iPod as a hard disk; or want to know which accessories are useful Major Kull, and which ones are not worth the trouble? The answers are here.
You can even use an iPod to read e-books, rip to mp3, change encoders, and record DVD on a Mac. Novices and experienced users will find much useful information in this attractive, pocket-sized book.
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Yasukuni Notomi: iPod Fan Book ISBN 0-596-00776-0 Published by O'Reilly, 96 pp., RRP $29.95 incl. GST |
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Reprinted from the October 2005 issue of PC Update, the magazine of Melbourne PC User Group, Australia
