I should have known better. After all, this was Apple.

The Apple support dweeb told me, quite firmly, that Apple was not going to help me recover my files. Yes, they'd seen this problem before, but because the iPod isn't supposed to transfer music back to the computer, they were not going to help. Period.

Have I mentioned yet that I'm not a big fan of the iPod and even less of Apple?

Meanwhile, of course, I've got this stack of iPod books that have come in for review. Perhaps, I thought, one of them might have the solution. I knew there were some software programs that would move the music off the iPod, but I wasn't sure what they were, or where to find them.

The most obvious candidate for this sort of information was Hadley Stern's iPod & iTunes Hacks, shown in Figure C.

FIGURE C


Can this book save my music collection? Roll over picture for a larger image.

A quick read of the table of contents led me to Hack #41, "Access hidden files on your iPod". And there it was, on page 159, the exact procedure for recovering my music. No extra software was needed and it was amazingly easy to do.

In fairness to Stern, I'm not going to tell you the secret. Go buy the book. This book is a clear winner. At 432 pages and with one hundred hacks, this book has a lot of useful information you might not otherwise find. In addition to recovering your music, it shows how to turn the iPod into a universal remote control (silly, but cool), a voice recorder, how to run Linux on your iPod, how to use your iPod as an emergency boot disk, how to read RSS feeds, and even how to script iTunes.

The book has a lot of Mac-specific tips, but there's enough in the book to satisfy Windows users as well. The only reason this book doesn't get five stars is that it doesn't talk about video or podcasts, but it's definitely a must-get book if you're into your iPod.

OUR RATING: 4 of 5

FIGURE D


If you use Windows, should you buy this book? Roll over picture for a larger image.

At 140 pages, The iTunes for Windows Book seems weirdly similar to the iPod Fan Book discussed earlier in this article. The iTunes for Windows Book is a more book-sized 6x9 inches, where the iPod Fan Book is just about the size of a CD jewel case.

Both books illustrate their tips in color. Both books have very short descriptions for each tip. Both books are very basic. They do differ somewhat in style. The iPod Fan Book provides longer chapters and discusses a given topic in some minor depth.

The iTunes for Windows Book is much more of a problem solver. Want to browse by genre? Turn to page 52, look at the color screenshot, and read the single paragraph. Want to deauthorize your computer? Turn to page 68, look at the color screenshot, and read the single paragraph. You get the idea.

At $19.95, if you've got an iPod and Windows and you want some simple answers, this is your book.

OUR RATING: 3 of 5