Books provide helpful hints to managing new technology
By MIKE BERMAN
Scripps Howard News Service
September 10, 2003

Hack: To explore and manipulate the workings of a computer or other technological device or system, either for the purpose of understanding how it works or to gain unauthorized access (Encarta Online).

The folks at O'Reilly & Associates have begun publishing a series of books that allow us to get into the inner sanctums of some of the more popular operating systems, online services and hardware - a sort of compendium of "industrial-strength tips and tools".

The first three volumes - Google Hacks, Amazon Hacks and TiVo Hacks - have become invaluable reference tools as I explore their hidden secrets.

Google Hacks ($24.95), by Tara Calishain and Rael Dornfest, simplifies the task of retrieving only the information you need from the highly-popular search engine and offers ways to take advantage of Google tools you never knew existed.

Included are such valuable tips as:

- Using special syntaxes to filter results.

- Exploring the search engine's special services, such as the directory, images, news, groups, catalogs and Froogle.

- Integrating Google into your own Web site or weblog.

- Writing retrieval programs that can use the Google API.

- Access games built on top of Google's database.

Of course there are a lot more included (about 100).

Amazon Hacks ($24.95), by Paul Baush, is similar to the Google book, except it enhances the experience of being an Amazon customer or associate.

Included in this volume are:

- Tips on finding the exact product you're after.

- How to access, control and fine-tune data you have given to Amazon, such as preferences, recommendations and information.

- How you can participate in "the Amazon Community" and integrate Amazon into your own Web site.

- How you can develop your own online storefront linking directly to Amazon and increase revenue.

- Tips for building full desktop and server applications on Amazon's Web Services API.

Last, but not least, TiVo Hacks, by Raffi Kirkorian, shows you how to access data on your TiVo DVR you never knew existed and enhance its capabilities by adding such things as a second hard drive.

Among other features are:

- How to use your remote control to activate the 30-second skip to eliminate commercials, enable advanced weblists, and open the back door to further hacks.

- How to log into the TiVo command line to access programming data.

- How to display caller-ID on your TV, present digital slide shows and play MP3s.

- How to use TiVo on your home network to schedule recordings, access lists of recorded shows and display preferred programming on you Web site.

- How to write your own TiVo programs.

- How to access the TiVo file system to show actors, directors and other data.

Other books in the series include eBay Hacks, Mac OS X Hacks, Windows XP Hacks and Wireless Hacks, with, hopefully, more to come.

For more information on these and other O'Reilly books, check out the company's Web site at www.oreilly.com.

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