Preface

It's been just over ten years since Apple first introduced the iPod to the world. In that short time, technology—and the iPod itself—has progressed in leaps and bounds. The first iPod had a black-and-white screen and a mechanical scrollwheel interface. This latest iPod, the fifth generation of the iPod touch, has a Retna Display that allows you to view videos in high definition and has a Multi-Touch screen that lets you interact with your device like never before. The first iPod was solely for music. This iPod touch is for…well, everything, it seems.

Apple's latest iteration of its wonder gadget leapfrogs even last year's model. But it's not because of any hardware enhancements. Indeed, this year Apple only altered the iPod touch by adding a new color option: white. What makes this iPod touch (and any iPod touch from the last three years) so impressive is its operating system: iOS 5.

This is the third edition of Taking Your iPod touch to the Max. It's been completely revised and updated with entirely new content, images, and tips. We talk you through the iPod touch's new operating system, iOS 5, and all of its new features including the Notification Center, iMessages, Newsstand, Reminders, photo editing, and more. We also explore all the other features of the iPod touch including multitasking, HD video recording, creating folders, and of course FaceTime—the revolutionary way for you to communicate with your friends and family. You'll learn the guesture-based, Multi-Touch vocabulary that allows you to manipulate the iPod and its hundreds of thousands of apps. We'll show you how to connect to the Internet, browse the Web, touch your music and videos, and find and download apps from the App Store. You'll discover how to buy and navigate books using Apple's incredible iBooks app, view slideshows and photos, send e-mail, create notes and calendars, and even stream video from your iPod to your TV.

This book is written for anyone with an iPod touch or who is thinking of getting one (you won't be sorry!). It doesn't matter whether you're a Mac or PC user or, in fact, even if you've never used a computer at all. This book's thorough coverage and step-by-step discussions allow all iPod touch owners to learn about their device and come away with both the skills and the knowledge they need to use it to its fullest.

How you read the book is up to you. If you are totally new to the iPod touch (or computers in general), I suggest you read the book cover to cover, but feel free to jump around from chapter to chapter if that works better for you. For readers who have owned iPod touches before, you may benefit the most from checking out the chapters on the major new features first. However, there are so many new, subtle changes to almost every aspect of the iPod touch and its iOS 5 operating system that even experienced users will benefit from reading the entire book.

Have fun while you're learning everything that the iPod touch can do. It's the future in the palm of your hands, and it's a blast. Thanks for letting me show it to you.