It's my own fault, but I failed to notice that this book was published in 2004. I'm sure it was excellent then, but today, much of the info contained in the book is dated, many of the websites mentioned no longer exist, and the ipod technology of today (2007) has rendered much of the interesting stuff that can't be found elsewhere obsolete. If Mr. Knaster should release a second, more current edition, I'd buy it.

Have just gotten the book. Saved time and it helped restore my library. Has some cool items. In 30 minutes time have gotten a better understanding of my Ipod and Itunes. Looking forward to finishing the book to learn more. Thanks

As the reviewer below suggests, this isn't a book so much about how to find cool new features/things to do with your Ipod as it is an instruction manual similar to what should have been supplied with the device to begin with. Most of the info either is available online or somewhat obvious, given the intuitiveness/limitations of the Itunes software and the UI of the device itself.

As much as I was hoping otherwise, this book isn't worth the money. Not even particularly for anyone uncomfortable with technology.

I will keep it short and say that I love this book. It has fun hacks and is well writen. A must buy

I may be the exception but I think there are lots of folks out there like me. We bought an iPod, loaded a bunch of music on it, spent a small fortune in the iTunes store, showed it off to our friends and that's about as far as we got. We've heard about the many capabilities of this cool gadget but never really got deeper into it. and I look cool. I've heard about how much my iPod can do but I never really explored its capabilities. "Hacking iPod + iTunes" is the book for every iPod owner. I first opened this book while I was having my car oil changed and 45 minutes later I had dog eared pages and tons of underlined tips. There was so much helpful information that I abandoned plans for doing errands so I could rush home to tinker with my iPod.

"Hacking iPod + iTunes" will literally get you under that svelte iPod skin and into the meat of that cool and expensive toy. Scott Knaster starts off explaining that "hacking" doesn't mean doing evil and exploitive things but rather it is about innovation, exploration, learning and fun. And hacking is not limited to just computers. The book is divided into two parts: Hacking iPod and Hacking iTunes. The chapters delve into every possible detail about iPod and iTunes that one could imagine. Some things are pretty far fetched such as using an iPod as an alarm clock to Battery Replacement Surgery (too scary for me). On the practical side, Knaster covers neat accessories and just about every possible use and tip to maximize your iPod's capabilities. The section on iTunes is equally detailed including explicit direction on creating scripts using AppleScript.

Written in a straightforward style, "Hacking iPod + iTunes" is encyclopedic in its breadth and scope. If you own an iPod, this is a must-have book. My one minor complaint about the book is that I found the cheap quality paper sometimes difficult to turn unless I wet a finger first. That aside, "Hacking iPod + iTunes" is worth every penny and it will take you and you iPod to new heights.

don't be fooled, these aren't really hacks! this book is full of dated information that can be found online. save your money.

Steve Jobs and Apple have a consistent genius for providing a cool technological tool that quickly represents a zeitgeist. Most recently exemplified by the iPod. This deceptively little wearable gadget is the subject of half the book. The other half concerns iTunes, which is almost as popular.

Knaster takes you beyond the official Apple-sanctioned capabilities. He shows how to do such fundamental actions as overwrite the operating system of the iPod with linux. You can't get more basic than that! Potentially, this opens up the iPod hardware to anything a linux programmer can dream and implement. Taking full advantage of the open source movement.

Of all the things Knaster discusses, this is the most important. The other tasks are nice, but very specific. This linux installation is open ended. If you are indeed a skilled programmer, check carefully this part of the book. Maybe there is something novel you can design.

Let me start off by telling readers that your definition of "hack" or "hacking" may vary. To some, hacking is a dark art of exploitation. To others it might be something that is actually called reverse engineering. In this book, a hack, or hacking refers to what "hacking" started out as - discovering a cool shortcut or workaround, an neat trick, a new use, or an undiscovered tool or accessory. As the author mentions in the Introduction, not all hacks have to be about technology, or even high-tech which I think threw off one of the reviewers of this book. Never hacked a TV antenna with aluminum foil for better reception, or fixed something with duct tape?

Having said that, there are some pretty great hacks in this book. For instance there is good coverage of battery replacement (save yourself that Apple service fee,)using iPod with Outlook (a bit tricky,) install Linux on the iPod (you cant get hackier than that,) move playlists around machines with XML, AppleScripting with iTunes, and others.

The book is not super hard core, but is accessible to everyone, which I think is the point. Those who are expecting detailed schematics, or instructions on disassembly (why would you do that?) will be disappointed. Honestly, there is not really all that much you can "hack" into an iPod - it's a pretty closed system. But, the author has done a great job of finding the edges, and the fringes of iPod hacking, and the book is a great resource for iPod users, getting everything into one place.

Hacking iPod + iTunes absolutely ranks up there with the other iPod books on the market, and covers things a lot of them don't - making it truly unique.

Recommended.