A no-frills presentation still packs good information.

iPhone: The Missing Manual is a portable, app version of David Pogue's book of the same name. He presents information in a friendly way, softening the edges of the technology for those who might find it daunting. The content is geared towards green users (think: your dad learning how to zoom in Safari), though the book covers more complex fare like creating ringtones in GarageBand.

The book-reading interface works well. Taps on the screen sides move back and forth through pages, while a tap to the center calls up a toolbar to access chapters, searches, and settings. These settings control over the book's font, letting you change its color, alignment, spacing, and size. You can also change the default font, but we experienced a persistent crash each time we tried to scroll through available typefaces. No matter--with the capacity to search by keyword, jump between chapters and fit in your pocket, this app easily one-ups the paperback.