Showing posts with label android. Show all posts
Showing posts with label android. Show all posts

Droid X: The Missing Manual Review

Droid X: The Missing Manual
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The Droid X is one of the latest smart phones to use Google's Android Operating System (OS). While I love Google's products, they're not the most user friendly, especially when it comes to super technical devices. This is where Droid X The Missing Manual comes in. It covers in detail all the major features of the phone including calling, texting, web, apps, maps, calendars and much more. Preston tells you what to press and when to press it, including what issues you may have along the way. Unless you are extremely tech savvy and happy to make mistakes, this book is a wise purchase and a time saver.
However, this book comes to market relatively late for a phone that has been out for 8 months. By now many people (including myself) have muddled their way through Droid's various features. If you've had the phone for more than 3-4 months then much of the information will be redundant to you. I found the most helpful sections to be the tip boxes, often finding quicker ways to perform day to day tasks, while the bulk of the text reaffirmed my experiences. I can highly recommend this book for new users, less so for the Droid initiated.

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Get the most from your Droid X right away with this entertaining Missing Manual. Veteran tech author Preston Gralla offers a guided tour of every feature, with lots of expert tips and tricks along the way. You'll learn how to use calling and texting features, take and share photos, enjoy streaming music and video, and much more.

Packed with full-color illustrations, this engaging book covers everything from getting started to advanced features and troubleshooting. Unleash the power of Motorola's hot new device with Droid X: The Missing Manual.

Get organized. Import your contacts and sync with Google Calendar and Microsoft Exchange.
Go online. Get your phone to act as a portable hotspot or as a modem to get your laptop online.
Play music. Purchase music from Amazon and sync your Droid X with Windows Media Player and iTunes.
Shoot photos and video. Edit and share your photos, and use them as desktop or icon images. Record video and share it with your friends.
Connect to Google Maps. Use geotagging and get turn-by-turn directions.


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HTC ThunderBolt For Dummies (For Dummies (Computer/Tech)) Review

HTC ThunderBolt For Dummies (For Dummies (Computer/Tech))
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Great way to find out all the uses for this phone. You can download the 338 page manual in PDF form for free, and it is good, but this is far better.

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Full-color guide to the exciting HTC Droid ThunderBolt!
Now that you've got your high-powered new HTC ThunderBolt smartphone, you've got to figure out how to use it! If you're more than a little intimidated by the technology and somewhat put off by the formal documentation, this book can help. Written in the fun but clear and thorough For Dummies style, this book answers all your questions about Verizon's first 4G LTE Android device and helps you get the very most out of it.
Helps you get up to speed quickly on how to use the ThunderBolt smartphone
Delves into the basics?how the technology works, how to configure everything, and how to purchase apps through the Android Market or Verizon's AppSphere
Delivers a full slate of how-tos, tricks, features, and techniques, all in full color
Covers everything you need to know, including setup and configuration, texting, e-mailing, accessing the Internet, maps, navigation, camera, video, and synching with a PC
Shows you how to customize your HTC ThunderBolt, how to maintain it, and how to expand or upgrade it with new software

Once you learn all the bells and whistles, you'll be overjoyed with your new Android device. The fun starts with HTC ThunderBolt For Dummies.


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Android Application Development: Programming with the Google SDK Review

Android Application Development: Programming with the Google SDK
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I was expecting a lot more from this book, considering my respect for ORA. I was expecting something with the rigor of K&R and got something on par with "... For Dummies". The book presents the obligatory "hello world", discusses it briefly, and then plops a fully complete application on the reader's lap. Instead of building the application up from the ground, the book explains how the full application works. I'm not a neophyte developer; I could garner the same knowledge from looking at one of the open source Android applications (like the many apps in the source tree). I was hoping for a walkthrough for an unfamiliar environment, but rather received a technical review of a finished application. Most unhelpful. Here's hoping ORA realizes how this book failed and reinvent it in a second edition.

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Android Programming Tutorials, 2nd Edition Review

Android Programming Tutorials, 2nd Edition
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My only complaint is the page numbers are in the center and makes it harder when searching for a specific page.
Otherwise the book has some good code examples in it that helps fill in the gaps on the SDK examples. It has already helped answer a couple of questions I had without having to go write code to test things out to see how they work.

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Android Programming Tutorials show you what you can do with Android, through a series of 40 individual exercises. Android Programming Tutorials gives you hands-on instruction in how to build sophisticated Android applications, using many of the technologies outlined in CommonsWare's other Android books.These exercises lead you through the basics of creating Android applications, all the way through many fun Android features like Internet access, location tracking, maps, integrated WebKit browsers, cameras, accelerometers, home screen widgets, and much more. Full source code to all the exercise answers is available, to help you if you get stuck. Android Programming Tutorials makes an excellent companion volume to more traditional Android books that merely tell you what is possible.

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Motorola XOOM For Dummies Review

Motorola XOOM For Dummies
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I ordered this book prior to publication and was pleasantly surprised to receive it sooner than anticipated. I ordered this book because the downloadable user's manual from Motorola falls way short of hitting the target. I want to begin with the fact that I thought I had figured out just about everything there was to find in the XOOM which I am a really big fan of. I was sure wrong. This book has more tips, hints and solid information than I could ever have imagined. The author suggests the book as a reference rather than a sit down and read. However, I did sit down and read the whole thing cover to cover with my XOOM in my lap. I could only read a page or two before I had to try something new or change a setting that I didn't know about. The author clearly knows the XOOM and all of it's ins and outs as well as it's warts. After having read this book and having applied much of the content I value my XOOM even more than ever. This book clearly added much value. The pictures and layout are excellent and the 5th Wave cartoons that begin many sections just add to the enjoyment. The authors dry humor and wit added to the fun of reading and exploring.
After reading, I had two questions that weren't answered in the book. I e-mailed the author and received a reply overnight that answered them both. If you want a book that will enhance your XOOM experience, this is the one.

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Laptops and Tablet PCs with Microsoft® Windows® XP Step by Step: Keep in Touch and Stay Productive--At Work, At Home, and On the Go (Step by Step (Microsoft)) Review

Laptops and Tablet PCs with Microsoft® Windows® XP Step by Step: Keep in Touch and Stay Productive--At Work, At Home, and On the Go (Step by Step (Microsoft))
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While I'm in general a fan of the "step by step" series from MS Press, this book is a big disappointment.
The audience of this book is clearly laptop and tablet beginning users, folks who need a little handholding in getting the most of their hardware. While the book promises a lot -- "set up your own wi-fi!" and "take your laptop to the beach!" -- it falls short in delivering useful guidance. The chapter on wireless is way too short and leaves out all the important details a beginner needs in order to get things set up. Would you believe that the whole write-up on Bluetooth, the most notoriously difficult technology on the planet right now, consists of just two paragraphs?
This thin volume is pretty much a waste of money. If you want to a get-started book on laptops and tablets, check out the "How to do everything" series, or even -- oh, no, I can't believe I'm saying this -- a Dummies book.

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Teach yourself exactly what you need to know about using the mobility features in Microsoft Windows XP. With STEP BY STEP, you'll work at your own pace through easy-to-follow lessons and practice exercises. From the fun-to the fundamental-you'll learn how to stay connected and productive at home, at work, and on the road. Plus, the CD features software, eBooks, and other resources to help you go even further!

At Home

Set up a wired or wireless home network
Play games, music, and DVDs
Show digital photos on your TV
Take your digital camera and mobile PC on vacation

At the Office

Expand your vistas by connecting an extra monitor
Share notes and files using MSN Messenger
Work anywhere with offline folders and files-even Web pages
Synch with your PDA or cell phone

On the Go

Use your mobile PC from airplane to beach
Tap into wireless hotspots
Take your music and movies with you
Maximize battery life; help secure your mobile PC

Your CD includes:

Microsoft Power Toys for Windows XP software
Microsoft PowerToys for Windows XP Tablet PC Edition software
Windows Media Player 10 software
Tablet PC Edition 2005 Tutorials for Microsoft Windows XP with Service Pack 2
Microsoft Physics Illustrator for Tablet PC toy
Microsoft Office XP Pack for Tablet PC (Tablet Pack)
Microsoft Computer Dictionary, Fifth Edition, eBook
Microsoft Encyclopedia of Networking, Second Edition, eBook
Microsoft Encyclopedia of Security eBook
Complete STEP BY STEP eBook
Links to Windows XP-related downloads and additional information

A Note Regarding the CD or DVD

The print version of this book ships with a CD or DVD. For those customers purchasing one of the digital formats in which this book is available, we are pleased to offer the CD/DVD content as a free download via O'Reilly Media's Digital Distribution services. To download this content, please visit O'Reilly's web site, search for the title of this book to find its catalog page, and click on the link below the cover image (Examples, Companion Content, or Practice Files). Note that while we provide as much of the media content as we are able via free download, we are sometimes limited by licensing restrictions. Please direct any questions or concerns to booktech@oreilly.com.


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J2ME: The Complete Reference Review

J2ME: The Complete Reference
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This book should be retitled as MIDPand JDBC:The complete reference. It is in NO way a complete reference for J2ME.
If you are looking a book on using the MIDP profile, this is as comprehensive as a book can get.It has complete code listings to explain each concept and has extensive coverage of the MIDP API's.
J2ME also consists of CDC profile that is used to write J2ME applications for wireless devices that are NOT memory constrained. When one clainms that they are creating a complete reference for J2ME, they cannot leave out CDC. This book does not even devote 1 chapter to explain CDC which is such a crucial part of J2ME. Instead the author wastes space and piles on chapters by explaining JDBC and web services.
Buy this book if you want to learn only MIDP, else this one is not for you.

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J2ME allows developers to use Java and the J2ME wireless toolkit to create applications and programs for wireless and mobile devices. This is the most comprehensive resource for Java developers seeking to understand and utilise J2ME when building mobile applications and services. - Understand the core fundamentals of J2ME - Discover what makes J2ME unique with coverage on advanced topics like Mobile Information Device Profile (MIDP) and Connected Limited Device Configuration (CLDC) - Comprehend how to build robust mobile applications with examples on J2ME supported software development kits, databases, web services, and more - Learn from other people's mistakes with coverage on J2ME Best Practices and security

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Programming Mobile Devices: An Introduction for Practitioners Review

Programming Mobile Devices: An Introduction for Practitioners
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The biggest feature of this book is how you need to get accustomed to the limited resources on a cellphone, compared to a laptop or personal computer. Many programmers will come to mobile devices from developing on the latter 2 platforms. Still, if you have been programming long enough, the cellphone environments described in the text can be akin to working on the PCs of the 1980s.
It is a pity that there are two programming languages needed for cellphones. The book has examples drawn from Java and Symbian. The Java code is simpler than Java programs written for larger environments. The widget set is very limited. The Symbian examples are likewise easy to follow. What it does mean is that any commercial examples you develop have to be manually coded into both languages, if you are after the largest possible market.

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With forewords by Jan Bosch, Nokia and Antero Taivalsaari, Sun Microsystems.
Learn how to programme the mobile devices of the future!
The importance of mobile systems programming has emerged over the recent years as a new domain in software development. The design of software that runs in a mobile device requires that developers combine the rules applicable in embedded environment; memory-awareness, limited performance, security, and limited resources with features that are needed in workstation environment; modifiability, run-time extensions, and rapid application development.
Programming Mobile Devices is a comprehensive, practical introduction to programming mobile systems. The book is a platform independent approach to programming mobile devices: it does not focus on specific technologies, and devices, instead it evaluates the component areas and issues that are common to all mobile software platforms. This text will enable the designer to programme mobile devices by mastering both hardware-aware and application-level software, as well as the main principles that guide their design.
Programming Mobile Devices:
Provides a complete and authoritative overview of programming mobile systems.
Discusses the major issues surrounding mobile systems programming; such as understanding of embedded systems and workstation programming.
Covers memory management, the concepts of applications, dynamically linked libraries, concurrency, handling local resources, networking and mobile devices as well as security features.
Uses generic examples from JavaTM and Symbian OS to illustrate the principles of mobile device programming.

Programming Mobile Devices is essential reading for graduate and advanced undergraduate students, academic and industrial researchers in the field as well as software developers, and programmers.

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Android Programming Tutorials, 3rd Edition Review

Android Programming Tutorials, 3rd Edition
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Excellent book. Several chapters will build upon the same sample application and will explain each new piece of code. When later chapters don't fit the current sample application, it will start with a new sample application. One doesn't need to "follow along from chapter to chapter" as each chapter introduces new ideas and also has ability to download the code. I for one didn't code up any of the samples but simply followed along the explanations and applied the concepts and methods to my own application. It would have been nice if it went into depth on database handling and patterns as that seems to be troublesome for me if you don't follow the exact pattern as described. Other than that, great book to get you up and running quickly.

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Droid Pocket Guide, The (2nd Edition) (Peachpit Pocket Guide) Review

Droid Pocket Guide, The (2nd Edition) (Peachpit Pocket Guide)
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We are now staring to develop content for the Android Marketplace and I needed to catchup quick with what is possible on the Droid Operating system and its user interface. With this book I got a quick understanding of all that plus the multiple device form factors and was able to think through some design scenarios in front of a client with out looking stupid! Thanks Jason

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Bluetooth Application Programming with the Java APIs Essentials Edition (The Morgan Kaufmann Series in Networking) Review

Bluetooth Application Programming with the Java APIs Essentials Edition (The Morgan Kaufmann Series in Networking)
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Although it doesn't say so on the cover, this is actually a second edition of a book by the same name and the same authors. The first edition was good, but this technology moves quickly and a new edition was needed. There is plenty of practical instruction and lots of helpful figures in the book which, quite honesty, is often lacking in books published by Morgan Kaufmann - they tend to be a bit on the academic side. Plus the book has a website where there is plenty of additional code plus the javex.bluetooth and java.obex packages available for download. Also note that the old edition of the book has about two hundred more pages than this new edition. That's because much of what was previously in the book has been moved to the website, primarily code. The following is the table of contents for the new edition:
Ch 1: Introduction
Ch 2: An Overview of JABWT
Ch 3: High Level Architecture
Ch 4: RFCOMM
Ch 5: OBEX
Ch 6: Device Discovery
Ch 7: Service Discovery
Ch 8: L2CAP
Ch 9: Bluetooth and the Push Registry
Just because some of the chapter titles are the same doesn't mean the content is the same. Everything has been updated and so far it looks like a worthwhile purchase.

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The Nexus One Pocket Guide (Peachpit Pocket Guide) Review

The Nexus One Pocket Guide (Peachpit Pocket Guide)
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The Nexus One manual (pdf only) is very good as far as smart phone manuals go. Even so, The Nexus One Pocket Guide is very worthwhile. O'Grady offers lots of tips and tidbits that are not the in the manual. The Pocket guide is an enjoyable read and no matter how intuitive the Android OS is, you WILL learn things you don't know. O'Grady is a very gifted technical writer and has created a guide that does more just rehash the manual. If you recently got a Nexus One (or any Adroid phone) get this book!

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The Six Immutable Laws of Mobile Business Review

The Six Immutable Laws of Mobile Business
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Mobile phone technology is ascendant. With billions of subscribers across the globe and more signing on every day, it is the technology of today and tomorrow. Japanese firms are by far the leaders in the thriving "mobile market." Three experts on Japan's cellphone industry - Philip Sugai, Marco Koeder and Ludovico Ciferri - explain why, providing an in-depth, insightful report on where mobile is headed in the years to come. They also discuss six principles that mobile carriers and service providers around the world can learn from and may want to follow. getAbstract recommends this book - with its informative foreword by Martin Koelling, the Japan correspondent for the Financial Times Germany - as a worthy reference guide for professionals in the mobile arena. In this area, as Japan goes, so goes the globe.

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Valuable lessons from Japan's mobile industry yield 6 Immutable Laws for Mobile Business globally
Japan's mobile customers enjoyed better mobile devices, more content, and the most advanced functionality and services for the last 10+ years. This book helps cut through the many myths and all of the hype surrounding Japan's mobile dominance to identify the most important laws that will guide the success of mobile businesses around the world. Based on detailed market analysis and unprecedented access to the major players and pioneers of the Japanese mobile industry, this publication helps you understand the Six Immutable Laws of Mobile Business. These will help you and your business successfully navigate the challenges that the world's Wireless Revolution brings. From Law #1 through Law #6, authors Philip Sugai, Marco Koeder, and Ludovico Ciferri will help guide you to distinguish mobile myth from mobile fact, micro developments from macro trends, and regional characteristics from universal truths.
The book highlights Japan's incredible efforts to offer consumers complex, high-tech devices with enriched services that are nonetheless elegant and easy to use, a quest which the authors have labeled "Simplexity." Based on their interviews and observations, the authors assert that, "Simplexity will be what truly empowers individual users through their mobile devices.
Filled with case studies exploring all aspects of the Japanese mobile industry, this unique publication points carriers and content and service providers towards successful business models and practices for today's and tomorrow's mobile Internet.
This book is the beginning of the conversation of The Six Immutable Laws of Mobile Business, which is regularly being updated and expanded upon at:www.siximmutablelaws.com

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Google on the Go: Using an Android-Powered Mobile Phone Review

Google on the Go: Using an Android-Powered Mobile Phone
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This is a good book, very readable and accurate. Unfortunately it is already out of date as it came out before the current "Cupcake" ROM but it is still useful. I read it quickly and definitely picked up enough pointers to justify the price, which was very low (although shipping was expensive!)
Recommended for the average user who wants to get the most out of their Android experience.

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Google on the GoTHE EASY, FUN, PRACTICAL GUIDE TO GOOGLE ANDROID PHONES!So you've got one of those hot new Android-powered phones? Awesome! Now, get the most out of it with Google on the Go! This friendly, easy book shows exactly how to use your phone to make your life more productive, more efficient, and more fun! Making calls? Playing MP3s? Sending Gmail? Taking pictures? It's all covered here—one step at a time, in plain English. There's no faster way to master the great Google tools built into your new phone: calendar, messaging, web browsing, chat, Google Maps, YouTube, you name it!Want to customize your phone? Here's how. Need to troubleshoot a problem? No sweat: you'll find easy, step-by-step directions. Whether you're using the T-Mobile G1 or another Android-powered smartphone, this book answers all your questions so you can harness the power of Google applications and tools in the palm of your hand. •Set up your Google Android phone fast!•Quickly master phone basics, from speakerphone to call waiting•Transfer contacts from your computer or another phone•Add new Calendar appointments and reminders •Make the most of your free Gmail account•Take photos, and send them instantly to your contacts•Watch videos and upload them to YouTube•Find practically anything with Google Search•Use Google Talk's handy chat features•Get directions and traffic info with Google Maps... even use GPS!•Install new software tools and even start writing your own•Fix the most common problems with service and hardwareJohn Eddy is a long-time gadget hobbyist who has spent most of his career helping everyday people use technology, in roles ranging from product support to moderation of online forums. Patricia DiGiacomo Eddy is an accomplished technology author and mobile phone geek whose books include Special Edition Using Microsoft Office Outlook 2007, The Absolute Beginner's Guide to OneNote, and Access 2003: VBA Programmer's Reference.CATEGORY: Digital Media

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My Droid Review

My Droid
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I purchased this book to learn how to use the features of my new Droid. The book is very well organized which allowed me to solve my problem with voice dialing in just ten minutes. It allows me to go directly to sections of high interest without having to read it like a novel. If the book had been published earlier, I would have bought it before getting my phone so that I would understand how the device works and be up to speed with it much faster. Managing battery life is important with a phone with so many high energy consumption apps and this book does a great job explaining the process. The book is printed on high quality paper with beautiful graphics. After purchase, you will be able to acivate a free online addition as well as be able to reach the author by email; he was super responsive to my inquiry.

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Step-by-step instructions with callouts to Droid photos so that you can see exactly what to doHelp when you run into Droid problems or limitationsTips and Notes to help you get the most from any Droid model: Droid Incredible, Droid Eris, Droid X, Droid 2, or Droid 1Full-color, step-by-step tasks walk you through getting and keeping your Droid working just the way you want. Learn how to:• Get started fast!• Make the most of Droid's Android software and state-of-the-art hardware• Discover hidden Droid shortcuts and goodies, from the Droid X Swype keyboard to face recognition• Master the unique features built into your Droid Incredible, Droid Eris, Droid X, or older Droid• Save time and money with powerful phone tools such as voicemail, automated transcription, three-way calling, and Google Voice• Set up and use any email account, from Gmail and Exchange to POP3 or IMAP• Send and receive text and multimedia messages• Communicate with contacts, including Facebook, Gmail, or Exchange contacts• Create and manage appointments, and sync them with Google Calendar• Play music and videos, search YouTube, and upload your own videos• Capture, store, and share photos…even take perfect portraits of yourself!• Connect to the Internet, Bluetooth devices, and your company's VPN• Get instant information updates with real-time widgets• Browse the Web• Find, choose, install, and work with new Droid apps• Keep your Droid up-to-date, reliable, and running smoothly• Even if you have other Android Smartphone models, this book can help you make the most out of them

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Designing the iPhone User Experience: A User-Centered Approach to Sketching and Prototyping iPhone Apps Review

Designing the iPhone User Experience: A User-Centered Approach to Sketching and Prototyping iPhone Apps
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I design and create iPhone and mobile apps for a living, so I've seen my share of carbon-copied iPhone HIG's with little thought about the user research, experience design overall device navigation. Suzanne's book is not this! She covers all of these important mobile user experience topics plus some. She starts you off with a classic interaction design approach, then dives into how these research elements apply to device design, and provides a great deal of exemplars to back up her thoughts.
For those already familiar with user experience design, Suzanne's discussion of the device capabilities, navigation and interface elements/interplay is equally as valuable. Suzanne's book actually changed the way I approached my soon-to-be-released iPhone App DrivingBuddy. You could spend hours looking for examples of well-designed mobile apps and diagnosing why exactly they are great, or you could just read Suzanne's book :)
This book is clearly written for a designerly audience, but also lays the groundwork for user experience newbies. I highly recommend this book to anyone tackling the difficult task of designing for mobile.

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"In her book Designing the iPhone User Experience, Suzanne Ginsburg takes a fresh look at cutting-edge, user-centered design from the perspectiveof designing mobile user experiences for the iPhone. Her book brings together everything you need to know to design great products for mobilecontexts."—Pabini Gabriel-Petit, UX Strategy & Design Consultant and Publisher and Editor in Chief of UXmatters"It's about time! Suzanne Ginsburg takes the best of User-Centered Design (UCD) principles and tweaks them with a dash of mobile and a lot of hintsabout what it means to implement the Apple Human Interface Guidelines for iPhone. Your idea for an iPhone app has much better chances of beingaccepted by iPhone owners (and by the iTunes watchdogs guarding entry to the App Store) if you follow even half of the suggestions in this book."—Nancy Frishberg, Ph.D., User Experience Strategist and past Chair of BayCHI



Given the fiercely competitive state of the iPhone app landscape,it has become increasingly challenging for app designers and developers to differentiate their apps. The days are long gone when it was possible to crank out an app over the weekend and refine it after receiving a few not so flattering user reviews. Users now have choices -- lots of them. If your app is difficult to use or doesn't meet their needs, finding another one is just a tap away.
To illustrate, consider the ever-growing field of Twitter clients. There are hundreds of variations in the App Store but only a handful stand out from the pack (such as Tweetie or Twitterific). For most apps, it boils down to one thing: the user experience. The same is true for countless other categories within the App Store; well-designed apps are more likely to attract and retain users. Of course there are other critical aspects of iPhone app development: the coding, the marketing, the customer support. All of the elements must come together.
Designing the iPhone User Experience will help you tackle the user experience part of the iPhone challenge. Three key themes will be reinforced throughout the book: Know thy user, the Design Lifecycle, and Attention to Detail:

Know Thy User Millions of people depend on iPhone apps to get them to work, find their next meal, and stay in touch with family and friends. Professionals of all kinds also rely on iPhone apps: doctors look up drug interactions; photographers fine-tune lighting; cyclists find the best routes. To truly understand how your apps can fit into their lives, designers and developers must learn how users do things today, what's important to them, and what needs have not been met. Part II, Introduction to User Research, will introduce a variety of user research methods.
The Design Lifecycle Award-winning designs rarely happen overnight; they usually only occur after many rigorous design cycles. To illustrate this point, consider USA TODAY's iPhone application, which went through at least seven iterations for the article view in their app. These kinds of iterations should happen before you launch your app, since it will save valuable time and money, not to mention the headaches a bad design could create for your user. More importantly, you may only have one chance to impress your users -- you do not want to sell them half-baked ideas. Part III, Developing your App Concept, will explain how to iteratively design and test your app concepts.
Attention to Detail Most professionals know that attention to detail is important, but hundreds of apps fail to incorporate even the most basic design principles. This lack of attention is not merely an aesthetic issue (which is important) it also affects the way apps function. For example, a news article without proper alignment will be difficult to read, and a poorly rendered icon will be challenging to interpret. Apps with a razor sharp attention to detail will stand out because their apps will look good and perform well. Part IV, Refining your App Concept, will show you how to make to your app shine, from visual design and branding to accessibility and localization.
Mastering these three areas will help set your app apart from the crowd. You may not have an award-winning app over night. But knowing your users, iterative design, and attention to detail are important first steps.


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Droid 2 For Dummies (For Dummies (Computer/Tech)) Review

Droid 2 For Dummies (For Dummies (Computer/Tech))
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I am writing this review for those who are not already smartphone users (which includes me). Perhaps the most important thing to point out is that this book is intended to serve as a reference, not necessarily to be read cover-to-cover, which at over 300 pages might seem like a lot to have to plow through. Thankfully, each chapter is self-contained, so you can jump around to find those that are best suited to addressing your interests.
Basically, I found this book easy to read, nicely illustrated (with color photographs), and definitely informative. (The author has written many books on technology topics, including the very first "For Dummies" book--on DOS--way back in 1991.) The book is organized in six parts:
Part I: Droid 2: The Sequel. This is your basic introduction and familiarization.
Part II: Phone 101. How to use your Droid 2 as a phone.
Part III: Beyond Telephone Communications. Text messaging, sending and receiving emails, web browsing, social media, networks.
Part IV: More than a Mere Mortal Cell Phone. Addresses other things you can do, such as find locations on a map, get verbal driving directions, shoot videos, and play music and games.
Part V: Hither and Thither. Using your phone overseas, making international calls, customizing for maintenance and troubleshooting.
Part VI: The Part of Tens. A traditional end for "For Dummies" books. Tips, tricks, things to remember, and some of the author's favorite apps.
In short, although even an experienced smartphone user might find some useful information and tips in this book, I am not sure these users would find the book worth the time, effort or price. However, if you are new to smartphones (and if you just got a Droid 2), then this book is well written, easy to use and sufficiently complete to merit your careful consideration. I am glad to have it.


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Find out what your Droid 2 does with this indispensable, full-color reference!
The highly anticipated arrival of the Droid 2 runs on the latest version of Google's mobile operating system and boasts a suite of apps that wirelessly synchronize with Gmail, Calendar, Contacts, Maps, and Microsoft Exchange. Ultimate For Dummies author Dan Gookin shows you how to maximize the performance of your Droid 2 smartphone in his unique fun-and-friendly manner, holding your hand the entire way. Sure, the basics of setup and configuration are covered, but you'll also explore texting, e-mailing, accessing the Internet, using maps and navigation, syncing with a PC, and more. Gookin's accessible and fun writing style strikes a perfect balance for explaining important content in a way that is easily digestible.
Delves into the basics and beyond by covering the new and exciting Droid 2
Shows you how to set up and configure your Droid 2
Walks you through texting, e-mailing, accessing the Internet, synching with a PC, using maps and navigation, shooting pictures and video, and more
Explains how to expand the phone's potential with cool apps from the Android Market
Encourages you to refer to the various fun-but-straightforward chapters as you explore the exciting new features of your Droid 2 phone

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