The Best Hardware Books 2025

1. Absolute Beginner's Guides (Que): T.J. Lee and Lee Hudspeth's Absolute Beginner's Guide to PC Upgrades (Paperback)

Even if you've never opened the case on your PC, the Absolute Beginner's Guide to PC Upgrades will show you how you can add hardware components, upgrade peripherals, and keep current on new version of your operating system and applications. This book tells you what you really need to know about trouble-free upgrading of computer hardware and software. The most common/popular/need-to-do upgrades are covered, such as improving your Internet connectivity, adding more memory, and storage, in a clear, straightforward manner that is both informative and entertaining. TJ Lee and Lee Hudspeth show you how to get the most bang for your hard-earned bucks, from the core upgrades that you need to keep your computer from miring down in obsolesce to the upgrades you may not have considered but should.

Absolute Beginner's Guides (Que): T.J. Lee and Lee Hudspeth's Absolute Beginner's Guide to PC Upgrades (Paperback)

2. Missing Manuals: iWork '05: The Missing Manual (Paperback)

Introduced by Apple in January 2005, iWork '05 is an innovative new suite of document and presentation software that's the same caliber as Apple's groundbreaking digital media applications and that's wholly dedicated to what Mac users like you care about most: artistry and creativity. iWork '05 isn't about "office productivity"--it's about creating slick and stylish documents and cinema-quality digital presentations that say precisely what you want them to say. While iWork '05 helps you create stunning documents and presentations, the suite doesn't come with any in-depth documentation of its own. That's where iWork '05: The Missing Manual comes in. The book that should have been in the box, it gives you everything you need to master iWork '05. Seamlessly integrated with the wildly popular iLife '05 and designed to take advantage of the advanced typography and graphics engine of Mac OS X, iWork is actually two separate programs: Pages and Keynote 2. Pages is a brand-new, streamlined word processor and page layout program that allows nonprofessionals to quickly and painlessly produce gorgeous brochures, newsletters, letters, invitations, product data sheets, and more. You can start documents from scratch or use one of the 40 professionally designed templates as a starting point. Keynote 2 is a significant upgrade to Keynote, Apple's PowerPoint-like presentation software that allows you to build unique presentations, demonstrations, storyboard animations, interactive slideshows, and more. Like every Missing Manual, this one is refreshingly entertaining and scrupulously detailed. iWork '05: The Missing Manual gives you all the essentials of Pages and Keynote 2, including an objective look at each program's capabilities, its advantages over similar programs, and its limitations. The book delivers countless goodies that you won't find anywhere else: undocumented tips, tricks, and secrets for getting the very best results from both exciting new applications. With the iWork '05 suite and iWork '05: The Missing Manual, you are totally equipped to give your work the style it deserves.

Missing Manuals: iWork '05: The Missing Manual (Paperback)