OiReilly announced Thursday The Big Book of Apple Hacks, a collection of hacks for Apple hardware, including Macs, iPods, and iPhones. Written by Chris Seibold of Apple Matters, and is intended to help people who wish to get the most out of their Apple products do so.

"One of my favorite hacks is from a contributor (Rich Lefko)," Mr. Seibold said in a statement. "After he left a job he wanted to keep his work data (he used a PC at work) without having to buy a Windows PC. Richis hack was brilliant. He discovered a way to swap out the hard drive of the MacBook and install the hard drive from work and boot into Windows. So now, on the rare occasions he wants a Windows machine, he just switches out the drive in his MacBook."

According to OiReilly, other Mac-related hacks include:

• Optimize your operating system, whether you have Mac OS X Leopard or Tiger
• Customize the applications that come with Mac OS X, including Mail, Safari, Dashboard, and the iLife suite
• Tweak system and device settings in minutes with Quick Hacks
• Protect your data with backups and keep your secrets by tightening security
• Run Windows and other operating systems on your Mac

iPodObserver.com has more information on the iPod, Apple TV, and iPhone-related aspects of the book. The Big Book of Apple Hacks is priced at US34.99 ($23.09 - Amazon.com).