Reddit mentions: The best mac hardware books

> (assume i have programming background in javascript/web front end.)

Um, are you sure you're ready to jump into iOS development?

Unless I'm reading this incorrectly, it doesn't seem like you have any C or OOP (like Java) programming experience. You'll definitely want to be at least comfortable with C-like syntax and message-passing, inheritance and objects, etc.

Actually, I'll have you answer that for yourself. Watch the first lecture in the iOS dev series from Stanford on iTunes. Around minute 11 the professor goes over what concepts you need to understand in order to be able to follow along with the course. If you don't understand all of the concepts listed, then you aren't ready yet.

Also, you've got to have a Mac. Have at least a Mac Mini (which are the cheapest Macs you can get refurb'd / used).

Here's what I would do assuming I am correct about your programming experience:

1. Learn C on the Mac.

It's for beginners, and will go over the basics of C. Objective-C, the programming language for iOS, is a strict superset of C, so they share a lot of syntax.

1.a The C Programming Language (recommended)

This one isn't for beginners, and is a bit stale, but is the de facto book for learning all of the intricacies of C. While it isn't absolutely necessary, the better you understand C (including pointers, memory, etc.), the easier time you'll have with iOS dev. I absolutely recommend going through it in its entirety, though this isn't necessary. It'll also be good to know C in the future if you plan to pursue software development.

2. Programming in Objective-C

This will teach you Objective-C, related OOP, and using XCode 4.

3. Beginning iPhone 4 Development

This will probably rehash some stuff related to Objective-C and XCode, but for the most part is a great introduction to iPhone development.

Use this book in tandem with the Stanford lecture series. Read the first few chapters, watch the first 2 lectures, do the homework exercises as if you were in the course along with the examples from the book, and just go from there. There might be some redundancy, but I think the combination of reading, listening, and doing will really help you understand the material.

If you need short tutorial refreshers at any point, Cocoa Dev Central is a great resource.

From there, you should be able to start making your own apps, and just use Google, StackOverflow, and http://developer.apple.com/ for all of your questions not previously answered or if you get stuck.

As you go through the process of learning all of these new programming concepts, try to develop ideas for what apps you want to develop. As you learn more, try to piece together how you would accomplish certain aspects of the ideas, and if you can, maybe even code the bits (like certain functions) you can.

There are no set milestones.. it's a gradual process of learning and getting better at programming and iOS development. Your goal should be to just create your own working app entirely based of your own ideas and work.

As someone who has written several thousand lines of AppleScript, including a single application clocking in at over 3000 lines by itself, I cannot recommend Applescript 1-2-3 enough. The book is very clearly laid out, easy to read, and ramps up difficulty at a very mild pace. It's a few years old now, but not too much has happened to the language since the book's publication date. The only notable language addition that the book does not cover is the ability to create your own full-fledged libraries in Mavericks+.

Also, just to point out the inverse of Kingtheseus' point, it should be noted that any shell commands can be executed from within an AppleScript with a simple "do shell script" line.

While it is true that Apple is more prone to dropping features without warning than other companies, AppleScript has been around for 22 years –since System 7 in 1993. That's only 3 years younger than BASH, the shell that interprets most "Unix scripts".

Learning AppleScript has several benefits. Many OS X applications (particularly those that are "Mac first" or Mac exclusive) only expose certain functionality via AppleScript dictionaries, not shell script commands.

Applescripts can also have full Cocoa GUIs, has a type of variable (the "property") that stores its modified values across executions (a lot easier than writing a BASH shell script that stores and loads values from a text file,) you can display interactive GUI dialogs to users with a single line of code, easily package entire AppleScript "apps" that contain all sorts of program resources in a real app bundle, automate all native OS X GUIs (though that should always be a thing of last resort. Trust me.), and much, much more.

It is a wonderful language, and as a Casper sysadmin I have found it invaluable on numerous occasions.

Aside from the book, Script Debugger from Late Night Software is practically mandatory. It's been around nearly as long as AppleScript itself and is an invaluable tool for writing anything beyond a dozen-line quickie. Other useful tools include UI Browser from PFiddlesoft and Key Codes from Many Tricks, just in case you do need to script another application's GUI.

You can definitely learn, but don't think it'll be quick and painless. If you're a book guy This book will definitely get you going. However, I'll say it, starting programming in obj-c is a bitch. Syntactically it can be extremely overwhelming ( I tried to learn obj-c first ). If it becomes too much, take a step back and try good old C, or a much prettier language like Java, Python, or Lua which will help you understand all the concepts of programming before jumping into app development which can be extremely complex.

After being scared off by obj-c I officially started down my programming path by going through This book which was an absolute pleasure to read and a great "hold your hand" guide to basic programming. The great thing about this is that you'll be learning C concepts which all carry over to obj-C and you'll be getting very familiar with Xcode and the debugger which, again, carry right over into obj-C and app development.

0. Their plastic enclosure is obviously more prone to stress cracks and scuffing (than the unibody aluminum), but if you don't fall into the laziness of throwing it around and eating around it (see: the inside of your car) they can hold up very well. If the top case starts cracking, they're covered under a Quality Program and can be replaced at an Apple Retail Store.
   
   
1. Since you've got 2GB of RAM, you can upgrade to 10.6.8 (Snow Leopard) by ordering the $29 10.6 upgrade on Apple's site. I would probably stay there, but if you really want to make the jump to Lion (10.7, minimum RAM 2GB) you can then upgrade from the Mac App Store that Snow Leopard provides.
   
   
2. If it's an early '08, I think 4GB is your limit. Still worth the ~$50. I've used Crucial memory before, but I know there are some good brands/deals on Newegg/Amazon.
   
   
3. Not a programmer, more of a hardware guy :P
   
   
4. Most definitely. Quick and easy once you remove the battery and RAM door - slide the original out, buy a nice 7200rpm 2.5" drive and move the HD enclosure over, slide it back in.
   
   
5. If this is a frugal venture, you can check out third party options. Otherwise I'd say a new battery is worth it, but couldn't recommend much beyond Apple's own.
   
   
6. If you can work through a book the Missing Manual is well-written and details the overall OS. You'll learn some decent tricks/tips from r/Apple, and MacRumors' forums have been a long-time reliable source for questions/troubleshooting.
   
   Enjoy your new(ish) Mac!

Everybody's learning style is different. Here are some books I believe to be essential for any novice or pro.

Programming For Dummies. It has a stupid title, but it is well reviewed for good reasons. I read through this beast in three weeks. There is no coding involved, as it is mostly theory, but it covers most of the bases of computer science and programming logic. Looking back, much of it confused me at first read, but the big ideas are all presented here. Reading this during the summer before first semester was a huge boost for me. All of the major computer languages are discussed in the book.

Cracking the Coding Interview. A book meant for veterans trying to get into highly demanding top tech companies, the book is a great introduction to programming paradigms. There are numerous examples of problems in each chapter with answers at the back of the book. The whole thing is in Java, with a short chapter on C++.

Design Patterns. As you learn more about object oriented programming, the concept of design is introduced. This book is the holy grail of software architecture and recommended by many. I would hold off acquiring it until you are certain that CS is where you want to be, it is quite technical. This book follows C++, although a Java version of the patterns exists on Github.com

A non-technical book just for fun:
The Innovators is essentially the story of computer science and how it got to present day. It follows the characters, human beings, that were involved each step of the way right up until modern day. Your professors will be impressed that you know who Alan Turing, Grace Hopper, and Charles Babbage were. If only I had been at THE MOTHER OF ALL DEMOS! The actual stories of Microsoft, Apple, The internet, the PC, video games, the space program, etc. On Quiz Up, a trivia app, every other question in the CS category involves names from this book. Read it just to be a real geek that knows where this stuff came from, and the drama/tension that led to innovation. The book is actually really funny at times.

The codebase in my current project (OpenGL, C++) compiles and runs on Windows 7, Linux, Apple OS X and iOS. Use the boost libraries quite a lot, amongst other things to abstract many platform-specific details such as threads. There are also a lot of other useful libraries in boost (some which I use quite a bit are bind, function, string algorithms, regex, shared pointers, etc). Couldn't achieve this with Obj-C. Don't really use the math libraries in boost - there are libraries that are more suitable for linear algebra required in games, such as GLM. GLM is excellent aswell. If you are interested in setting up a cross platform codebase like this, I can warmly recommend the books iPhone 3D Programming and OpenGL Superbible 5th edition. Both these books are GREAT! The author of iPhone 3D programming doesn't seem to like Obj-C too much, so he jumps to C++ the first chance he gets. So don't get these books if you want to learn Obj-C.

I generally thing the basics can be picked up without much instruction (but I tend to like to dig around and find stuff vs reading books), but it is all those little tips and tricks you mention that really make a system truly useful. I was lucky enough to move over to OS X over 10 years ago, so I got to learn each piece as the system evolved vs trying to learn it all at once. The same goes for iOS.

With each release over those years, Apple has posted a page like this which lists out all the new features so you know what is available to you.

https://www.apple.com/osx/whats-new/features.html

The keynote when they announce stuff gives the big features (I don't know if those are captioned or not), but these pages fleshes it out and gives the rest of the picture. It doesn't take too long to go through and I find it amazingly helpful. Any time I see those "10 hidden tricks" articles I usually already know between 8-10 of them.

I'd say the basics from going from Windows to Mac are the following:

• Keyboard shortcuts generally use Command instead of Control. To help learn, check out the shortcuts listed in the menus next to the command. Use the search box in the Help menu to search the menu items if you can't find what you're looking for.
  
• Learn what a DMG file is and how to install applications from it. Some developers design the DMG in a way to make this obvious, others do not.
  
• When in doubt, drag and drop... it normally does what you want.
  
• Go through every pane in System Preferences to see what is in there.
  
  David Pogue (former tech columnist of the NY Times, now at Yahoo Tech) writes the "Missing Manual" for OS X when each new release comes out. It is a bit of a tongue in check title based of the very issue you're having. At this point, I'm not sure if you'd want to get the current version or wait for Yosemite to release and the book to come out, since it is right around the corner and the system has a huge UI overhaul.
  
  Here is the Missing Manual for Mavericks.... 880 pages.
  
  http://www.amazon.com/OS-X-Mavericks-Missing-Manual/dp/1449362249/ref=la_B000AP8Q6U_1_4?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1408986900&sr=1-4
  
  Here is the version for those switching from Windows. I'm not sure the exact differences, but it probably has some more stuff on migration and might use some Windows ideas to explain OS X (but I'm guessing here).... this one is 800 pages.
  
  http://www.amazon.com/Switching-Mac-Missing-Manual-Mavericks/dp/1449372260/ref=la_B000AP8Q6U_1_5?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1408986900&sr=1-5
  
  
  Hopefully some of this help. I haven't read any of the books, but my dad has the Missing Manual and in recent years as become a fan of Pogue's writing.

Here's my list of the classics:

General Computing

• But How Do It Know? - The Basic Principles of Computers for Everyone
  
  
• The Elements of Computing Systems: Building a Modern Computer from First Principles
  
  
• Code: The Hidden Language of Computer Hardware and Software
  
  
• Gödel, Escher, Bach: An Eternal Golden Braid
  
  Computer Science
  
  
• The New Turing Omnibus: Sixty-Six Excursions in Computer Science
  
  
• Compilers: Principles, Techniques, and Tools, 2nd Edition (aka The Dragon Book)
  
  
• The Art of Computer Programming
  
  
• Algorithms, 4th Edition
  
  
• Introduction to Algorithms, 3rd Edition (aka CLRS)
  
  
• Essential Algorithms: A Practical Approach to Computer Algorithms Using Python and C#, 2nd Edition
  
  
• Grokking Algorithms: An Illustrated Guide for Programmers and Other Curious People
  
  
• Structure and Interpretation of Computer Programs, 2nd Edition (aka SICP, available for free on the MIT website)
  
  
• Discrete Mathematics with Applications, 4th Edition
  
  Software Development
  
  
• Designing Data-Intensive Applications: The Big Ideas Behind Reliable, Scalable, and Maintainable Systems by Martin Kleppmann
  
  
• Design Patterns: Elements of Reusable Object-Oriented Software (aka The Gang of Four)
  
  
• Think Like a Programmer: An Introduction to Creative Problem Solving
  
  
• The Pragmatic Programmer: your journey to mastery, 20th Anniversary Edition, 2nd Edition
  
  
• The Mythical Man-Month: Essays on Software Engineering
  
  
• Code Complete: A Practical Handbook of Software Construction, 2nd Edition
  
  
• The Design of Everyday Things
  
  
• Clean Code: A Handbook of Agile Software Craftsmanship
  
  
• Programming Pearls, 2nd Edition
  
  
• Soft Skills: The Software Developer's Life Manual
  
  
• Hello, Startup: A Programmer's Guide to Building Products, Technologies, and Teams
  
  
• Hacker's Delight, 2nd Edition
  
  
• Peopleware: Productive Projects and Teams, 3rd Edition
  
  Case Studies
  
  
• The Soul of a New Machine
  
  
• Masters of Doom: How Two Guys Created an Empire and Transformed Pop Culture
  
  
• Hackers: Heroes of the Computer Revolution
  
  
• Where Wizards Stay Up Late: The Origins Of The Internet
  
  
• Fire in the Valley: The Birth and Death of the Personal Computer, 3rd Edition
  
  Employment
  
  
• Cracking the Coding Interview: 189 Programming Questions and Solutions, 6th Edition
  
  
• The Complete Software Developer's Career Guide: How to Learn Programming Languages Quickly, Ace Your Programming Interview, and Land Your Software Developer Dream Job
  
  
• The Self-Taught Programmer: The Definitive Guide to Programming Professionally
  
  
• The Passionate Programmer: Creating a Remarkable Career in Software Development
  
  Language-Specific
  
  C
  
  
• The C Programming Language, 2nd Edition
  
  Python
  
  
• Automate the Boring Stuff with Python: Practical Programming for Total Beginners, 2nd Edition
  
  
• Python Crash Course: A Hands-On, Project-Based Introduction to Programming
  
  
• Python Programming: An Introduction to Computer Science, 3rd Edition
  
  
• Effective Python: 59 Specific Ways to Write Better Python
  
  C#
  
  
• The C# Player's Guide, 3rd Edition
  
  C++
  
  
• The C++ Programming Language, 4th Edition
  
  
• Starting Out with C++: from Control Structures to Objects, 9th Edition
  
  Java
  
  
• Introduction to Java Programming and Data Structures: Comprehensive Version, 11th Edition
  
  
• [Java: A Beginner's Guide](https://www.amazon.com/Java-Beginners-Seventh-Herbert-Schildt/dp/1259589315/, 7th Edition)
  
  
• Java: The Complete Reference, 11th Edition
  
  
• Core Java Volume I - Fundamentals, 11th Edition
  
  
• Starting Out with Java: From Control Structures through Objects, 6th Edition
  
  
• Effective Java, 3rd Edition
  
  Linux Shell Scripts
  
  
• The Linux Command Line: A Complete Introduction, 2nd Edition
  
  
• Wicked Cool Shell Scripts: 101 Scripts for Linux, OS X, and UNIX Systems, 2nd Edition
  
  
• Linux Command Line and Shell Scripting Bible
  
  
• Mastering Linux Shell Scripting
  
  Web Development
  
  
• Learning Web Design: A Beginner's Guide to HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and Web Graphics, 5th Edition
  
  
• Eloquent JavaScript: A Modern Introduction to Programming, 3rd Edition (also available for free on the author's website)
  
  
• JavaScript and JQuery: Interactive Front-End Web Development
  
  
• HTML and CSS: Design and Build Websites
  
  
• You Don't Know JS: Up & Going
  
  Ruby and Rails
  
  
• Ruby on Rails Tutorial: Learn Web Development with Rails, 4th Edition (Note: this book is somewhat out of date compared to the live version on the author's website.)
  
  
• The Well Grounded Rubyist, 3rd Edition
  
  
• Practical Object-Oriented Design in Ruby: An Agile Primer
  
  
• Agile Web Development with Rails 5.1
  
  
• Programming Ruby 1.9 & 2.0: The Pragmatic Programmers' Guide, 4th Edition
  
  
• Eloquent Ruby
  
  Assembly
  
  
• Assembly Language for x86 Processors, 8th Edition

Ideas:

• How about learning programming? Learn Objective-C, then you could develop both mac and iOS apps on your iMac. They're great for coding!
  
• Even better, you could learn ruby, a modern and relatively easy to learn programing language and develop web applications with rails (A big part of the ruby community is using macs).
  
• Start learning Flash and make some good flash games.
  
• Or become an expert in Photoshop!
  
• Download and watch a few good HD movies. They look amazing on the iMac screen.
  
• Learn something new by taking an online Stanford class, for example computer science, anatomy or game theory.
  
  
  If that's not enough, browse the App store. I'm sure you'll find some inspiration.

If you're interested in learning about the software and tools the people you'll be helping might be using, or should be using, it seems like the book "Mac at Work" by Sparks would be worthwhile. I haven't read it, but his podcast is very good. A link to the book is here.

As for a general crash course, it seems like the linked thing will be pretty good.

Programming in Objective C (Amazon link) is pretty well thought of as the bible for Objective C programming (the language iPhone apps are written in). I'm making the assumption you're talking iPhone here. Once you've gone through that book, which actually doesn't take a whole lot of time, you can watch the Stanford University iTunes courses on Objective C and iOS development. They're pretty great. If you still want more hands-on learning, the Big Nerd Ranch guide is awesome. It is screenshotted the whole way through and basically tells you to drag this here, click this, etc. to guide you through the creation of some programs.

Also, if she wants something a little more in depth, I recommend David Pogue's "Switching to the Mac". It has a lot of valuable info for a switcher, some people like to have a book to reference, and he is an amusing writer. :)

You can pick it up used for under $10 on Amazon.

http://www.amazon.com/Switching-Mac-Missing-Mountain-Edition/dp/1449330290

Whatever anyone says—in my opinion—this is the most important book on C, if you're pretty new to programming and want to learn it:

https://www.amazon.com/C-Plain-English-Brian-Overland/dp/1558284303

I would recommend this, to go hand-in-hand with the above:

https://www.amazon.com/Learn-C-Mac-David-Mark/dp/1430218096

After that—assuming all goes well—you need to learn the C standard library. You should also probably pick up the K&R book (google it, if you don't know what it is) to drive home the language. Good luck!

There is one book you need to have i you're going to be using Cocoa. Once you get a footing with Objective C as a language, you should buy yourself a copy of Cocoa Design Patterns. This covers Cocoa by teaching you first the rationale behind it, then shows you how to do things.

Also, this would probably be a worthwhile read, if only for the terminology it introduces.

Good luck!

EDIT: I personally learned Objective C using this book, and I'd recommend it to you as well.

This book is really a great resource.

I had my Mom read it and my co-worker and it helped them both out a lot. I wish something like it was around when I made the change years ago now.

I've used Macs since 1996. OS X: The Missing Manual by David Pogue is a pretty good book and Don McAllister makes a good video series called ScreenCastsOnline. Apple Stores also provide help.

I'm trying to learn more about Windows.

please tell me there isn't rally an IPad for dummies book... I need to have some faith in humanity

Edit: Dear God!!!! 2 things 1....
http://www.amazon.com/iPad-Dummies-Computers-Edward-Baig/dp/0470580275

and 2..

http://29.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lm81l4MGrm1qz4eyeo1_500.png

• Head First iPhone and iPad Development: A Learner's Guide to Creating Objective-C Applications for the iPhone and iPad
  
  
• /r/SimpleiOS
  
  
• Bucky's Objective-C tutorials (since you say you don't know Objective-C) and then Bucky's iOS development tutorials (they're a bit out of date, but they're great for the basics).

If you want an overview from a business sense, this book might be helpful: http://www.amazon.com/The-Business-iPhone-iPad-Development/dp/1430233001/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1346362562&sr=8-4&keywords=iphone+app+development

If you want to actually learn I would recommend one of these:

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_1?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=iphone+app+development

http://www.amazon.com/iPhone-Application-Development-For-Dummies/dp/1118091345/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1346362562&sr=8-3&keywords=iphone+app+development

http://www.amazon.com/Beginning-iOS-Development-Exploring-SDK/dp/1430236051/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&qid=1346362562&sr=8-7&keywords=iphone+app+development

1. You should learn Objective-C. Start with Learning Objective-C from the Developer site, and follow the rabbit trail to other documents. Also, read up on iOS Application Design
   
   
2. Yes. You can register your app to be woken up in case of a significant location change. Or, you can register your app for continuous location updates in the background, which will kill the user's battery if not used correctly. See Executing Code in the Background.
   
3. It may be easier for you to pick up Cocoa programming on the Mac before going to the iPhone. Pick up Aaron Hillegass's excellent Cocoa Programming for Mac OSX and read the first five chapters. (I noticed that Hillegass has produced a new iPhone Programming textbook. I haven't read it but it has good reviews).

I found this a while ago.
This is a good book, and you should be able to get it cheaply.

Pretty much all of the big programming toolkits can be found on macintoshgarden.

Co Moderator Brandon Trebitowski wrote iPhone and iPad in Action - http://www.amazon.com/iPhone-iPad-Action-Brandon-Trebitowski/dp/1935182587

I worked on Objective-C Fundamentals - http://www.amazon.com/Objective-C-Fundamentals-Christopher-Fairbairn/dp/1935182536

They are both good for beginners and we would be looking here to answer questions you might have. Thanks!

I would recommend this book by David Pogue, a fun read.

I saw a book last time I was at Barnes & Noble on hackintosh building. It had a chapter on running OS X under VMWare. Perhaps the information there would be of use with Virtualbox.

The book is OSx86: Creating a Hackintosh by Peter Baldwin.

NOTE: I don't have a copy of the book. I just noticed it at B&N and spent a few minutes flipping around in it.

Thanks a whole lot!

I read a few basic books like this one for the first few weeks. Then I really just kept an idea journal and picked a few easy ideas out of it to get started. Once I decided what I thought should go into the app, I just dove in and started messing around until I eventually reached something that worked.

I only started programming a year before in Java and Android but decided to give iPhone development a shot because I used an iPhone.

I strongly recommend this book and this book

Do you have any previous programming experience? Are you just looking to learn the core Objective-C language or do you mean the Mac OS X Cocoa framework too?

If you're coming from C++ check out this PDF.

Learn Objective-C on the Mac assumes you know some C and it doesn't really touch on the Cocoa framework, it sticks to the command line. I have found it useful.

Programming in Objective-C 2.0 seems to covers Objective-C and Cocoa and the reviews look good, but I haven't read it.

If you're after a book, try Learn C on the Mac for the very fundamentals of C. It's a bit of a spend (but I know for a fact you can get the pdfs from other... less legal sources). I swear by the series, and I wholly recommend you give it a go!

I don't really like that book. Not that it's poorly written, it just didn't click with me.

I'd recommend "Learn Objective-C on the Mac". It's got a very solid Objective-C foundation, and it had very good examples which helped me make sense of the matter.

Note: I believe Apress is about to release (or maybe has released already) a book on Cocoa also, but I can't comment on that one yet.

http://www.amazon.com/Learn-Objective-ndash-C-Mac/dp/1430218150/ref=pd_bbs_3?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1239082003&sr=8-3

I’d really recommend The Missing Manual series by David Pogue (tech writer for the New York Times)…his writing is clear, concise and easy to understand without making the reader feel stupid.

Since you’re a “switcher” from PCs, I’d recommend you start with this one:
Switching to the Mac: The Missing Manual, Mavericks Edition

Here are some links for the product in the above comment for different countries:

Amazon Smile Link: Switching to the Mac: The Missing Manual, Mavericks Edition


|Country|Link|
|:-----------|:------------|
|UK|amazon.co.uk|
|Spain|amazon.es|
|France|amazon.fr|
|Germany|amazon.de|
|Japan|amazon.co.jp|
|Canada|amazon.ca|
|Italy|amazon.it|
|China|amazon.cn|




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I've only begun learning iOS and Objective-C, with very little previous coding experience (some work with Visual Basic in high school...Har har). I'm using The Big Nerd Ranch Guide to iPhone Programming and Programming in Objective-C 2.0. Both come pretty highly recommended, and are even suggested for beginners, though both seem geared towards those with some previous coding experience. Either way I haven't had too much trouble yet, so I imagine someone with expertise in another language shouldn't have issues with these books.

Get really familiar with the MVC pattern if you haven't already. It's fundamental in iOS programming. Aside from that, I learned it mostly from a For Dummies book I got at a bookstore. It made a simple app, and I followed along and then made my own using what I learned there. I look at Stack Overflow and the Apple Docs a lot too.

This book on Amazon

I say Border's Book - since they're going out of business, I got the Big Nerd Ranch guide to iPhone programming for 50% off.