Showing posts with label iphone. Show all posts
Showing posts with label iphone. Show all posts

iPhone 4 Portable Genius Review

iPhone 4 Portable Genius
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The Portable Genius series of books is consistently excellent, well illustrated and well indexed. The iPhone4 book is no exception. Many years ago Apple offered excellent documentation with its products but today it is a pamphlet, an inscrutable website and 3rd party publishers. Portable Genius and David Pogue and others have done an excellent job of filling the gap. Unfortunately ever secretive Apple does not share its' new product information with the outside publishers during development so user-orientied books lag product introduction by several months if not longer.
The current example of Apple's disregard for its early adopters is iLife 11 released October 20, 2010. The portable Genius book will not be available until February 8, 2011 and David Pogue not until March 15, 2011. As a committed Apple customer I wish that Apple would become collaborate with the writing community during development and not subject its customers to a six month wait from time of release until something coherent was available. Until then Portable Genius, David Pogue, Jeff Carlson and others fill the void but not until the product is half-way towards the next release.

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Handheld Usability Review

Handheld Usability
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I am an experienced interface designer who has never designed for a handheld. So, when I faced a new project that would be deployed on a handheld, I looked here to further my education. This is the only book I could find that is specific to handhelds.
When I was considering this book I read seven glowing reviews, and one total pan. The pan got it right. This book may be more useful for someone who knows very little about interaction design, usability testing, prototyping, and all that, and who isn't interested in gaining more than a superficial understanding of these topics. (If you are new to usability design, you'll find a much better place to start with Mayhew's "The Usability Engineering Lifecycle: A Practitioner's Handbook for User Interface Design.") If, however, you are a usability professional looking for insight on how you need to think differently now that your screen is the size of a Post-it note, wait for the next book to be written. I could have written this book, and the sum of my handheld experience is that I own a Palm and a cell phone.

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Offering an overview of usability, testing, and information architecture for EPOC, WAP, PDAs, handhelds, and handsets, this how-to guide dives into the details about medium-specific issues and design strategies.* Discusses designing for the current wireless platforms: cellular phones and PDAs* Covers both stand alone as well as Web-based application design* Contains a case study of a usability test

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Using the iPhone (covers 3G, 3Gs and 4 running iOS4) Review

Using the iPhone (covers 3G, 3Gs and 4 running iOS4)
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I picked this book up for a friend and this is what he had to say:
"It is a guide to basic iPhone operation with step by step instructions for most
tasks. I don't think this is widely needed due to the iPhone being fairly intuitive or
at least consistent in design. But the book is much more explicit than the
small "manual" included with the iPhone, so some will find value.

There are a handful of interesting tips that are not obvious, but I would have
liked more. In my case, it was marginally helpful for a different reason. I did not yet
have access to an iPhone and needed to know more about it for a work-related project.
The purchase includes online access to audio and video clips. Videos can be
helpful for some things, but I'd much rather read a transcript of the audio. I
mean, I got the book, right? I can obviously read.

That said, after 2 days of various registration attempts, I was unable to
actually access the online media.

Note that Apple does have a fairly detailed user guide online and available on
the phone itself.
Suggest 3 stars as it mostly delivers what it claims."


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iPhone for Programmers: An App-Driven Approach (Deitel Developer Series) Review

iPhone for Programmers: An App-Driven Approach (Deitel Developer Series)
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What to say about Deitel books? When I was learning Java, a Deitel book teaches me how to program smoothly, and I did read all that 800 pages. After some frustrations trying to learn iPhone program, I decide to buy a book. First I bought "The iPhone Developer's Cookbook" because a friend of mine told me that this book could be perfect to start. Well, it was completely useless to me. Of course the book is not for
beginners. Then I decide to buy "Beginning iPhone Development" from Dave Mark and Jeff LaMarche. This is a great book, but I couldn't fix the ideas on my mind. I think it is very difficult, especially because I've never saw a Mac before. Although I am a Senior Java Developer, I've never heard about Objective-C or Mac programming before. So, again, the book is great but not for me. Then I bought two more books from Apress: "iPhone Cool Projects" and "iPhone Game Projects". Again, more frustration. I was thinking either I'm so dumb to learn this or I'm not able to do self-study. In a sunny morning I was searching for some news at Amazon and I saw that Deitel was written a new book of how to program in iPhone. I thought maybe was not a good idea to buy another book, since I couldn't learn from the four previous books I had. Thinking in how easy I learned Java from Deitel series, I decided to bet again. I can't describe how amazing this book is. It's very easy. It comes from the real beginning. At first, no delegates, no properties, no memory management. It teaches you using very easy and useful examples. The method is also pretty good. The book introduces you with the example, which works by the way, and after you see what it is then you move to development part. It's very motivational. The codes are clear and well commented. The examples are real, viable, specially the games, and you end each chapter with more hope to become a real iPhone Developer. Congratulations, Deitel. You did it again.


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The professional programmer's DEITEL® guide to iPhone app development using iPhone SDK 3.x, Xcode®, Objective-C® and Cocoa®More than 1.5 billion iPhone apps were downloaded from Apple's App Store in just one year! This book gives you everything you'll need to start developing great iPhone apps quickly and–once you've joined Apple's fee-based iPhone Developer Program–to get them up and running on the App Store. The book uses an app-driven approach–each new technology is discussed in the context of 14 fully tested iPhone apps (7700 lines of code), complete with syntax shading, code walkthroughs and sample outputs. Apps you'll develop include:
Welcome
Spot-On Game
Route Tracker
Tip Calculator
Cannon Game
Slideshow
Favorite Twitter® Searches
Painter
Voice Recorder
Flag Quiz Game
Address Book
Twitter® Discount Airfares
By Chapter 3 you'll be building apps using Xcode®, Cocoa® and Interface Builder. You'll learn object-oriented programming in Objective-C® and build apps using the latest iPhone 3.x technologies including the Game Kit, iPod library access and more. iPhone for Programmers include practical, example-rich coverage of:

• iPhone SDK 3.x, XCode®, Interface Builder
• Object-Oriented Programming in Objective-C® and Cocoa®
• Collections, GUI, Event Handling
• Controllers, Application Templates
• UIView, Multi-Touch™
• Core Audio, Core Animation, NSTimer
• Tables, UINavigationController
• Map Kit, Core Location, GPS, Compass
• Photos, iPod Library Access
• Serialization



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iPhone App Development: The Missing Manual Review

iPhone App Development: The Missing Manual
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I've been looking to get into iPhone OS development this spring, and most books I've come across have fallen into one of two categories:
1) they expect you to have a background in Mac OS X's Objective-C development frameworks or...
2) they're written like a reference book and thus make it difficult to learn the ropes in a step-by-step fashion.
Craig Hockenberry's iPhone App Development: The Missing Manual changes that frustrating pattern. By introducing the world of developing an iPhone app in a way that requires just a bit of programming experience, Hockenberry makes instantly accessible the Objective-C language, the XCode IDE, and the design processes that go into taking your app from notepad sketch to App Store success and beyond. The text is clear and approachable, and Craig's jolly writing style makes grasping important concepts and following along with examples both fun and memorable.
I highly recommend this book to anyone with any C-like programming experience who is interested in writing apps for the iPhone OS.

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Core Data for iOS: Developing Data-Driven Applications for the iPad, iPhone, and iPod touch Review

Core Data for iOS: Developing Data-Driven Applications for the iPad, iPhone, and iPod touch
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Note: I did receive the example code from the author of this book. He is working with the Publisher to get the code available on their website. Meantime he noted he is glad to make it available simply by emailing him a request.
Got my copy yesterday and have been skimming through it. Recently started another book on the same topic by APress. Both appear to be good books but this one I have been waiting over a year for. I am not disappointed in the wait because the book is up to date on the latest iOS at the time of publishing. Just glancing through the book, I can tell it is written by two iOS veteran programmers who are there to guide the reader with best practices and a lot of things to watch out for. For example, there is a section describing various ways of storing binary large objects (BLOBS) and the authors present a handful of options and explain when each can be useful and what to watch out for with respect to memory management and future needs to adjust the object model with new versions.
I plan to update this review after working through the sample code and reading the book cover to cover. But for now, I can say that in the handful of pages I have read over, the book has well paid for itself in helping me understand how to write a professional class application. I am fairly new to iPhone development having only a single app for sale on Apple's App Store. If I had this book during development of that application, it would be a far better app in many respects related to data storage. Looking forward to my next app which will use Core Data with the help provided in this book. Thanks to the authors!
2nd Update (7/6/11)
I felt compelled to update my review and also to comment on the other reviewer who noted that chapter 5 is confusing. Well, that reviewer states correctly that chapter five takes chapter 4 and reworks the code. Chapter five shows how to use an NSFetchedResultsController, a class that works as a go-between of in the example a SQLite database and the in-memory object context "object graph". It is a difficult concept to grasp but nonetheless, I think the authors do a good job showing the standard methods used by Core Data. I think the authors intent is to build up to showing the more excellent way of working with data by way of showing a more primitive way first. Chapter four used a basic array to hold the data but that would not scale well with an application that had hundreds or thousands of data objects. Yes they could have probably went straight into the chapter 5 content but in my opinion, since the whole subject is rather complex to grasp, leaving out chapter 4 would have made it very difficult to understand the technology explained in chapters five and onward. I am now nearing the end of this book and still feel that it was a very good investment. I am about to jump back over to completing the Apress book on Core Data which I bought at the same time as this book and will later post back if I feel this book is as good or better. I find this book to be a very valuable desk reference. Both books do require a good understanding of Objective-C and are written with the expectation that the reader is well versed in using the XCode IDE. So if you don't know Objective-C or the basics of working in XCode, I recommend getting that foundation before jumping into either of these books.

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Today, virtually every non-trivial iPhone and iPad app must manage data—quickly, smoothly, reliably, and with minimal impact on the CPU to conserve battery life. Core Data, Apple's ready-made data persistence layer, can help you achieve all these goals. In Core Data for iOS, two leading iOS developers teach you the entire Core Data framework from the ground up. Writing for intermediate-to-advanced iOS developers, Tim Isted and Tom Harrington thoroughly explain how Core Data is used on iOS devices, introduce each of its primary classes, and show how they interact to provide amazing functionality with minimal configuration. You'll learn how to store, fetch, and validate data; provide it efficiently to views; and much more. Isted and Harrington first give you a firm grounding in the technology, and then present real-world examples. They present multiple sample projects, as well as a start-to-finish, chapter-length case study. Coverage includes• Understanding Core Data's features, classes, and interactions• Using Core Data in MVC-based iOS app development• Mapping relational data to object models, and building them with Xcode 4's Data Modeler• Working with managed objects and using UITableView to display them• Creating predicates to match numbers, data, and objects• Maintaining compatibility across versions of an app's data model• Tracking managed object contexts across view controllers• Using Core Data's automatic Undo functionality • Integrating abstract entities, entity inheritance, and multiple view controllers into a complete app• Optimizing for iOS devices' tight memory limits• Diagnosing and fixing common Core Data problems Introducing Addison-Wesley's new Core Frameworks Series, written for experienced iOS developers by world-class Mac and iOS developers, these are the first comprehensive, code-rich reference guides to Apple's Core Frameworks.

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iPhone For Dummies (For Dummies (Lifestyles Paperback)) Review

iPhone For Dummies (For Dummies (Lifestyles Paperback))
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This book is generally very helpful to understand basic iPhone functionality - great for first time users. However, there are many new features of the iPhone IOS 4 that are not addressed. If you have the latest version of iPhone, get a book written specifically for it.

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Head First iPhone Development: A Learner's Guide to Creating Objective-C Applications for the iPhone Review

Head First iPhone Development: A Learner's Guide to Creating Objective-C Applications for the iPhone
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This is the book you want if you want to build applications for the iPhone, you are an experienced programmer, and if you do not already know Objective C. The only book as good as or better than this one is Beginning iPhone 3 Development: Exploring the iPhone SDK. The first two-thirds of that book guides you through iPhone OS programming in general, concentrating on the display. Later chapters cover more advanced topics. What that book has in detail though, it somewhat lacks in perspective. In other words - it fails to step back and give you the big picture. This head first book excels in the big picture as well as the details.
This head first book covers everything you need to know just as long as programming is not something that is new to you. In particular, object-oriented concepts should be familiar to you as well as programming in a procedural language such as C. The book takes it from there. If you have used the head-first series of books before then you know what you are in for. The book uses cartoons, crossword puzzles, Q&A sessions, fake interviews with devices and programs, and strange looking photographs to make your brain remember what it sees. The book is not a reference book on Objective C, and honestly, if you are going to go far with iPhone application development, then you probably should have a conventional book on that very topic after you finish this book and all of its exercises.
This book also gets you going by building an iPhone app in the first chapter. It will also do odd things that make you think about a design, such as leading you down the wrong path in the design cycle so that you remember the right path. For that very reason it is important to go through this book from beginning to end and do all of the exercises. You won't get the most out of it if you do not. Highly recommended if you are teaching yourself this subject.
The table of contents is not yet listed for this book, so I show that next:
getting started
iPhone app patterns
objective-c for the iPhone
multiple views
plists and modal views
saving, editing, and sorting data
tab bars and core data
migrating and optimizing with core data
camera, map kit, and core location
leftovers
preparing an app for distribution
None of these chapter names will probably mean that much to you until you finish the book. Highly recommended for the experienced programmer who is a novice at writing iPhone applications.

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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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Incredible iPhone Apps For Dummies Review

Incredible iPhone Apps For Dummies
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Good attempt! If you are buying this book in 2010 or beyond be aware that is quite dated... A new edition should speak better volume...

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A full-color directory of must-have iPhone and iPod touch apps!
The App Store allows you to browse and download thousands of applications that were developed with the iPhone SDK and published through Apple. The popularity of iPhone and iPod touch apps is exploding and this handy guide helps you sort through the tens of thousands of available apps so you can find the ones that are ideal for you.
Packed with tips and tricks on how to make the most of each app, this book escorts you through a vast selection of apps and then helps you narrow down the most essential and most entertaining apps for your needs and interests. You'll encounter amazing apps in business, education, entertainment, finance, cooking, nutrition, games, healthcare, news, music, social networking, news, weather, and more.
Helps you sort through the tens of thousands of available apps for the iPhone and iPod touch so you can find what's right for you
Shares unique tips and tricks for making the most of the apps that appeal to you
Shows you a variety of apps in the fields of weather, news, photography, cooking, entertainment, business, education, healthcare, social networking, sports, and more
Presents information in the straightforward but fun language that defines the For Dummies series

With Incredible iPhone Apps For Dummies, you'll discover how to have fun, get more done, and make the most of your iPhone or iPod touch.

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Windows Phone 7 Companion Review

Windows Phone 7 Companion
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It doesn't matter if you've owned your phone for a week or a month, this book is for you. The author does an excellent job of explaining the ins and outs of the newest Microsoft Windows Phone operating system. It's complete with easy-to-follow diagrams and pictures that easily explain the tasks being described. You're sure to learn something from this gem, no matter what you're trying to do.
From initial setup, and getting your contacts organized, through personalization and daily use, he's got it covered in full detail. Pick up this book and you're soon to find out how well-written it is, and how easy one of these phones is to use.
In fact, after he helps you get your contacts organized, he walks you through making a telephone call with the device, and shows you the various buttons associated with that task. He makes it all easy, and shows you everything you need to know.
Since these phones are based so heavily on the newer Microsoft Zune media players, there's a large section devoted to the media functions on the phone. It helps you understand everything from installing the Zune desktop to listening to the radio on your phone.
He effortlessly explains the camera application, and the new features and functionality associated with it. He also tells you about Microsoft's easy accessibility to the camera, as seen in the skydiving commercials so popular on TV. And using the camera is just the beginning, he tells you how to use the online photo sharing services as well that are so nicely integrated with your new phone.
Matthew tells you how to use the GPS functionality built into the phone, and teaches you how to use the device for navigation and routing purposes. He also explains how to connect to others using Xbox Live and play games with them while on the move. There's even a small section explaining some of the other features and functions available in the Xbox Live Marketplace. And he also explains how to use the Microsoft Office applications included on the phone, Microsoft Word, Excel, OneNote, PowerPoint, and even SharePoint. Next, he explains how to download more applications from the Marketplace, if you should wish to add something more to your phone. And finally, he even gives you some troubleshooting assistance, should you run into difficulty.
All in all, this is an excellent book, whether you're a new user, or someone who's had the phone for a while. I highly recommend it.

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Get the most out of your Windows Phone 7 device with this handy Companion by your side! Windows Phone 7 Companion goes where you go-and goes beyond the basics to show you how to take advantage of Office features; work with pictures, video, and music; and tap into Xbox LIVE so you can play real-time games with friends and family. Full-color screenshots work together with a clear and concise writing style to present you with invaluable advice on how to download the most anticipated apps and get your phone to exceed your expectations. You'll find little-known tips, easy-to-navigate shortcuts, and useful tools that will save you time and effort so you can enjoy your Windows Phone to the max. If you're eager to make the most of your Windows Phone, then this book is the ideal companion.

Coverage includes:

How Do I Set Up and Customize My Windows Phone 7 Device?
How Do I Get Around My New Windows Phone?
How Can I Make Calls and Send Text Messages?
How Do I Connect with My Family and Friends?
How Can I Set Up and Sync Services to My New Windows Phone?
How Do I Connect My Windows Phone to My Computer?
How Can I Enjoy Music and Videos on My Windows Phone?
How Can I View, Share, and Capture Pictures on My Windows Phone?
How Can I Read and Use Email on My Windows Phone?
How Do I Get More Organized Using My Windows Phone?
How Do I Use GPS Navigation and Mapping on My Windows Phone?
How Do I Surf the Internet from My Windows Phone?
How Can I Play Games and Connect with Others Using Xbox LIVE on My Windows Phone?
How Do I Use Word Mobile 2010 on My Windows Phone?
How Do I Use Excel Mobile 2010 on My Windows Phone?
How Do I Use OneNote Mobile 2010 on My Windows Phone?
How Do I Use PowerPoint Mobile 2010 on My Windows Phone?
How Do I Use SharePoint Mobile 2010 on My Windows Phone?
What Other Apps are Loaded and How Do I Get More from the Marketplace?
How Do I Manage Settings on My Windows Phone?
How Do I Deal with Problems on My Windows Phone?
Amazon.com Exclusive: Seven Windows Phone 7 Tips from the AuthorYou will find plenty of tips, tricks, functions, and capabilities described in Windows Phone 7 Companion.Here are seven cool things you can do with your Windows Phone 7 device. Check out the book for even more detail on these functions.
Find Your Phone: The ability to go to a website to find your phone -- whether you misplace it in silent mode or leave it behind -- is a very handy feature that is available for Windows Phone 7 for free.You simply log into your Live.com account and choose how you wish to find your phone, including seeing it on a Bing Map.

Pinning Miscellaneous Items to Start: You may know you can pin apps and people to the Start screen, but did you know that you can pin your favorite radio stations, games (even those within the Xbox Live hub), favorite web pages (even shows a thumbnail of the page), OneNote and Office docs, and more? Tap and hold to find out what you can pin to Start.

Voice Command: Microsoft included a very powerful Voice Command solution on Windows Phone 7 that is activated by pressing and holding the Start button. You can use this to call people or numbers, find destinations through Bing Maps, or launch applications on your device. As you build up your collection of apps, you may find this to be the faster and more efficient option to control your device.

Quick Calling: You can call people in your Call History or people who are pinned to Start with just two simple taps. Tap on the Phone tile, and then tap the phone icon to the left of their number in the Call History. If you tap their name, you will open up their contact card instead. If they are one of your Start tiles, tap the tile and then tap Call.

Change Your Start Background: I have had several people ask me about this since it isn't easy to find. If you tap and hold on a photo there is an option to set it as wallpaper, but this is the wallpaper for the lock screen only. Changing the background image in the Pictures hub will also change the picture on your Startscreen.Simply tap and hold on the main Pictures hub page, and select to change the background.

Use Outline View to Navigate: Within Word, Excel, and PowerPoint files, you can simply tap the Outline icon and quickly navigate to other sections, spreadsheets, or slides within Office Mobile 2010.

Let Them Know You Will be Late: If you have appointments set up that have attendees, you will see an option in the bottom menu (access by tapping the More three-dot icon) that shows a person running as an icon. If you tap this, you will see the quick option to inform other attendees you will be late.


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iPhone SDK Development (The Pragmatic Programmers) Review

iPhone SDK Development (The Pragmatic Programmers)
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Bought a Macbook, bought an iPod Touch, bought iPhone SDK Development book (in beta at the time) ... read, experimented, followed tips and used on-line examples from excellent web site associated with book ... result: "BeatTheSwine09" game now for sale in iTunes app store. Thank you Dudney and Adamson for providing the right stuff at the right time.
Clearly written, well-organized, comprehensive (includes chapters on debugging, performance tuning and marketing). The right mix to train and guide programmers through all stages of the development and deployment of an iPhone app.

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Packing the power of desktop applications into a small mobile device, the iPhone SDK offers developers the ability to create dynamic, visually-appealing, and highly-capable mobile applications, using the same APIs and tools that Apple uses for its own applications. However, harnessing that power means learning new tools, new APIs, and even a whole new programming language.iPhone SDK Development is a Pragmatic guide to get you started developing applications for iPhone and iPod touch.With it, you'll get a complete understanding of the tools and techniques needed to succeed on the platform: Use the XCode IDE to manage your source code, images, sounds, database files, and other application resources, building your app and deploying it onto your own device for testing. Develop your user interface the visual, code-free way, with Interface Builder. Master the iPhone's unique user interface components, including tables, tab bars, navigation bars, and the multi-touch interface. Connect your iPhone to the outside world with networking, exploit the power of a relational database with SQLite, and rock out with first-class support for audio and video. Make use of the iPhone's unique mobile APIs, like geolocation and the motion-sensing accelerometer Use XCode's powerful performance and debugging tools to eliminate memory leaks, zombies, and other hazards. * Understand the process for packaging your application for end-user distribution through Apple's App Store. With explanations of the big picture and an eye to the little details that you'll need, iPhone SDK Development will help you succeed on today's most important mobile platform.


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iPhone SDK Programming: Developing Mobile Applications for Apple iPhone and iPod touch Review

iPhone SDK Programming: Developing Mobile Applications for Apple iPhone and iPod touch
Average Reviews:

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I bought this book after I'd gone through Beginning iPhone Development: Exploring the iPhone SDK (Beginning from Novice to Professional), hoping to get another set of useful skills and tools to use, such as a reference for XML & RSS, SQLite, and a little more depth on the collections objects such as NSArrays, etc. that was only brushed over in the Beginning iPhone Development book. Overall, this book does fill in some of those gaps, but it really doesn't stand well as a standalone iPhone programming book. I'm glad this is my second choice, because if it were my first I'd probably be more confused!
If you're building your foundation, this book may be worth your while.
My largest complaint about this book is actually the way the code is written out on the page. Instead of clear, Courier-font code blocks, the editors just stuck code in Times Roman font. Anyone who's ever read their share of programming books knows this just complicates life by making it harder to differentiate code from content and better recognize typos, etc. I hope they revise this and publish another edition of the book - it's extremely noticeable. Also, I think this book was pushed to market without double-checking that the graphic examples are copyright compliant, because instead of icons in some of the screenshots the author substituted ugly character graphics that just looked dumb.
Overall, this is an okay programming book. There are some nuggets of good information, but as a beginner's book it's too complex, nor does it have enough depth to be a compendium for an advanced programmer.

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With iPhone SDK Programming, developers have the expert guidance they need to begin building native applications for Apple's new iPhone 3G as well as the iPod touch. Inside, veteran mobile developer and Bell Labs scientist Maher Ali begins with a foundational introduction to Objective C and Cocoa programming, and then guides you through the building programs with Apple's iPhone SDK.

iPhone SDK Programming covers a wide range of topics, including:
The Objective-C programming language

Collections

Cocoa Touch

Building advanced mobile user interfaces

Core Animation and Quartz 2D

Model-View-Controller (MVC) designs

Table Views File management

Parsing XML documents using SAX and DOM

Working with Google Maps API

Consuming REST Web Services

Building advanced location-based applications

Developing database applications using the SQLite engine

Building Multimedia applications

Making use of the camera and video Working with the accelerometer





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iPhone For Dummies: Includes iPhone 4 Review

iPhone For Dummies: Includes iPhone 4
Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)
The Dummies people have really stepped up their game.
The paper is better.
The pictures are in color.
The information is up to date and applicable to the iPhone 4.
This is the only book you need to get up and running and enjoying the phone.

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The full-color guide to getting the most out of your iPhone
Completely updated and revised throughout, this full-color guide covers Apple's new iPhone and iOS 4. Bestselling veteran authors Baig and LeVitus introduce you to the capabilities of the iPhone whether you're making phone calls, browsing the Internet, sending and receiving e-mails, working with the calendar, watching videos, taking great photos, or much more. You'll discover how to set up iTunes, buy music and videos from the iTunes store, protect your information, troubleshoot, multitask, and download the hundreds of thousands of apps available from the App Store.
Gets you started with your iPhone, and puts you on your way to mastering the multitouch interface, synchronizing your data, making phone and video calls, texting, working with the calendar, and more
Explains setting up iTunes, watching videos, taking photos, and buying music
Walks you through connecting to the Internet, sending and receiving e-mails, getting directions from GPS maps, protecting your information, and troubleshooting
Addresses browsing and downloading any of the hundreds of thousands of applications from the App Store
Includes coverage of iPhone 3G, iPhone 3GS, and the iPhone 4, available from AT&T, Verizon, Vodafone, Rogers, Telus, and other major carriers

Presented in the straightforward-but-fun style that defines the Dummies series, iPhone For Dummies, 4th Edition is the only book you'll need to get comfortably acquainted with your new iPhone.

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BlackBerry Planet: The Story of Research in Motion and the Little Device that Took the World by Storm (Wiley) Review

BlackBerry Planet: The Story of Research in Motion and the Little Device that Took the World by Storm (Wiley)
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The good news is that chapter 2 was interesting and good and shows that the author has potential writing skills. The bad news is that chapter 1 was total drivel like obama likes his blackberry a lot and a lot of people use it. The rest of the book was boring and lacked any substantial real information.
Unfortunately I would recommend that others spare themselves the agony of reading it.

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BlackBerry Planet is a new tribe of people who simply cannot get along without their favorite device, Research in Motion's innovative electronic organizer, the BlackBerry. This omnipresent device has gone beyond being the world's foremost mobile business tool and entered the consumer mainstream as the Swiss Army Knife of smart phones.
BlackBerry Planet tells the behind-the-scenes story of how this little device has become the machine that connects the planet. Starting with the early years of Mike Lazaridis' invention and his founding of RIM at age 23, it details his drive to innovate, developing what was a glorified pager into the essential corporate communicator, used by everyone from dealmakers to the Queen, from movie stars to the entire US Congress. Since 1992, Lazaridis and co-CEO Jim Balsillie together have been the driving force behind the RIM story.
With access to senior staffers and former RIM employees, BlackBerry Planet tells the inside story about the branding and marketing success of the BlackBerry, from its use during 9/11, which earned RIM a reputation for security and reliability, to the cultural adoption of the iconic device as a must-have symbol, to the backlash against the addictive properties of the "CrackBerry," and the various patent suits RIM has had to fight off – including the five-year court battle that resulted in the largest technology patent settlement in US history.
As the incredible story of the BlackBerry unfolds, and as RIM battles global giants like Nokia and Apple in the emerging super-phone marketplace, users, fans, investors and competitors can look to BlackBerry Planet for the insight and context of where they've been, to try and predict where they're going.

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The Droid Pocket Guide (Peachpit Pocket Guide) Review

The Droid Pocket Guide (Peachpit Pocket Guide)
Average Reviews:

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Good breadth but not huge depth. Any more depth and this would not be a "pocket guide". Well written, easy to understand and worth the money even though the Droid comes with its own free user guide (which you can also get online as a downloadable PDF). If you are looking for an in-depth guide to the Droid and/or the Android operating system then this is not the appropriate book for you.

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In this handy new Pocket Guide, mobile device expert Jason O'Grady reveals the secrets to using the DROID. He covers everything from how to make phone calls, send text messages and email to synching data with your Google account. In addition he covers how to surf the web with the built-in browser, use the phone's GPS, Google Maps, how to download and use apps found on the app store, and much more. This handy, low-priced book is packed with quick results for people who want to jump in and master DROID by Motorola and HTC Droid mobile phones.
Snappy writing and eye-catching graphics walk readers through the most common features of the DROID Phone
Jason O'Grady is a leading expert on mobile technology; his O'Grady's PowerPage blog has been publishing daily news on mobile technology since 1995
Covers popular features including the camera, keyboard, search, music, and Android Market


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How to Do Everything iPod, iPhone & iTunes, Fifth Edition Review

How to Do Everything iPod, iPhone and iTunes, Fifth Edition
Average Reviews:

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I have the Sony e-book edition of this title, which has the same content as this paperback edition.
This book, now in its 5th edition (published June 2009), is probably the best book that covers the basics of using an iPod (classic, nano and shuffle), iPod touch, iPhone 3G, and the iTunes software. It's by no means an advanced user's guide, so if you're looking for expert tips and hacks, this is not it. Indeed, it doesn't even tell you much about the sound-quality options in iTunes and on iPod and iPhone; it just scratches the surface, that's it.
That said, if you're a novice to the iPod/iPhone/iTunes dynasty, this book will help you aplenty. Contrary to what Apple's marketing tells us or what its collaborators in the "unbiased" mass media would like us to believe, iPod, iPhone and iTunes are actually quite difficult to use, with many features hidden in places you don't expect to find them. That's why there're so many iPod and iPhone books on the market.
This book succeeds in being a beginner's guide because it's easy to understand and covers areas where a beginner usually stumbles, from understanding the iPod or iPhone's controls to using iTunes to organize one's music. You'll find plenty of screenshots to help you along, and both PC and Mac versions of iTunes are covered. The index is pretty good, making the book a good basic reference on various topics related to the iPod, iPhone, iTunes empire.
So, if you need a book to help you get to the many features of iPod or iPhone and iTunes, this book is your best bet. But if you want in-depth coverage of these products, you'll have to look elsewhere -- or wait, as I have not found a single book that covers the many advanced features (e.g., real interaction between sound check and volume adjustment and EQ) and many bugs and annoyances of the iPod and iTunes.

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Enjoy your iPod, iPhone, and iTunes to the fullest!

Fully revised and updated, this easy-to-use guide covers the iPod touch, iPod classic, iPod nano, iPod shuffle, iPhone, and iTunes--including the App Store. Download music, podcasts, videos, games, and applications; load your calendar and contacts; select accessories; and connect to the Web. Discover how to easily manage your iTunes library, convert file formats, use networking features, troubleshoot your device, recover data, and so much more. How to Do Everything: iPod, iPhone & iTunes, Fifth Edition covers it all!

Configure iTunes and load your iPod or iPhone with music, video, and data
Select accessories, including speakers, cases, adapters, docks, remote controls, and radio transmitters
Use your iPod or iPhone as a home or car stereo
Create high-quality AAC or MP3 files from CDs, vinyl, or other sources
Synchronize your iPod or iPhone with multiple computers
Create video files that work with the iPod or iPhone
Use your iPod or iPhone as an external drive or backup device
Troubleshoot problems with your iPod, iPhone, or iTunes
Connect to wireless networks and use VPNs
Set up e-mail accounts and surf the Web
Install applications and play games


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