Showing posts with label smartphone. Show all posts
Showing posts with label smartphone. Show all posts

Foundation Flash Applications for Mobile Devices Review

Foundation Flash Applications for Mobile Devices
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This book will take a flash developer a long way towards publishing applications on mobile phones. I didn't see anything on utilizing web services (something that is easy to do with flash lite 2.x) nor how to create .cab files (which was why I actually bought the book), but it covers just about everything else to a good level of working depth.
I wouldn't suggest this book to someone without any flash actionscript experience (or at least some object oriented programming experience) but you don't have to be a comp. sci. major either. Well written and not too witty (some programmer books can read like geek joke books) this book approaches the flash mobile development process from a practical hands on stance which works well with those who like to get their hands dirty while learning.
Strongly recommended reading for next gen phone app development in flash.
~Gabriel

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Wireless developers seek an integrated platform that allows them to create commercial content for cell-phones, PDAs, and any other mobile device extant. Since the technology has evolved with Flash and its low-power-device-optimized cousin, FlashLite, you can create applications, games, and animation. Development times are slashed with Flash. The reward is a rapid and flexible workflow. Flash provides scalable vector graphics for any size screen size. Flash incorporates a variety of media formats, such as MP3, MIDI, JPG, and PNG. Flash is the perfect choice for wireless development given that device abilities can vary substantially.This book is for anyone wishing to learn how to implement Flash applications on mobile devices, including Flash and J2ME. It discusses the pluses and minuses of this platform. But its focus is to show how Flash surpasses J2ME for a superior rich user experience.

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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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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

Don't be left in the dark with what the new Droid does—dive into the full-color Droid 2 For Dummies today!

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Samsung Galaxy S For Dummies (For Dummies (Computer/Tech)) Review

Samsung Galaxy S For Dummies (For Dummies (Computer/Tech))
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Fills in the specific operation steps not given with the unit purchase. Makes unit much more utilitarian. Apparently Samsung believes every purchaser of their smart phones is an IT tech at birth, which in my case definitely isn't so. Consequently, I now have a fighting chance to understand and get the best use out of my Samsung Vibrant smart phone.

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Palm webOS Review

Palm webOS
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It is a good book, but the errata is just too much. You can't even get the first few lines of code to work because they won't fix the file names. Basically, WebOS made an engine change in their file naming schema after the book was published. Therefore the entire book uses naming conventions that won't work. I've spent hours trying to find all the instances of incorrect file name reference to no avail.
Wait for another book to come out or until they fix this one.

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A Note from the Author and from O'Reilly Media about what this book does--and doesn't--do: Palm webOS is a brand new platform and represents a very different type of operating system where the web runtime is used as the basis for the UI and Application model. Palm and O'Reilly felt that it was important to have a book available to help developers get a basic understanding of the new Palm platform at the time that the SDK was released; this timing played a major role in the content and structure of the book. Ideally this book would have been a complete reference of the new platform but that wasn't possible since the content was written at the same time as the software SDK was being developed by the Palm engineering team. Thebook does provide a complete overview of Palm webOS, a thorough description of the application model and gives details on many key design concepts. There are descriptions and examples of UI widgets, services, storage, notifications, dashboards and background applications, serving as a great introduction but not as a definitive source. The book uses a simple News reader application to illustrate the technical descriptions but the examples are not intended to serve as a cookbook tutorial. Experienced developers should be able to use the examples to build up a working application chapter by chapter but others may not find the loose descriptions adequate for recreating the application unaided. Over time, these different needs will be filled by other books, but in the meantime we hope that this book will serve a valuable role introducing developers to webOS and giving them a way of getting started with webOS application development. A second printing of the book will update any original coverage obsoleted by subsequent Mojo SDK builds. For owners of the original printing of the book, all of these updates are posted on the "View/Submit Errata" link (please see left-hand column of this web page). Thanks for understanding that book publishing and coverage of rapidly moving technologies can sometimes be an inexact science; we knew there'd be a need for a book such as Palm webOS: The Insider's Guide to Developing Applications in JavaScript using the Palm MojoT Framework, and there's certainly no better person to write that book that Mitch Allen; that said, we understand that because it is such a new operating system and SDK, there would (and will continue to be) changes that at best can't be documented and explored until new printings of the books are released. In the meantime we will be diligent in posting updates to this book's O'Reilly Media catalog page.
Description This is the official guide to building native JavaScript applications for Palm's new mobile operating system, Palm® webOS™. Written by Palm's software chief technology officer along with the Palm webOS development team, Palm webOS provides a complete tutorial on the design principles, architecture, UI, tools, and services necessary to develop webOS applications-including the Mojo JavaScript framework and Palm's SDK. Palm webOS is designed to support a fast and superb user experience using established web standards, so if you're familiar with HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, you're ready to build applications for any webOS-based device, including the Palm Pre. You'll gain expertise, chapter by chapter, as you build a working mobile application through the course of the book. You'll also learn how to extend existing web apps to work with the new generation of mobile phones.
Get a thorough overview of the webOS platform and architecture
Understand the critical concepts for application design: what separates webOS from other web and mobile platforms
Learn the details of Mojo's development tools and SDK for building and testing mobile applications
Examine best practices, important considerations, and guiding principles for developing with webOS and the Mojo framework


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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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Windows Phone 7 Secrets Review

Windows Phone 7 Secrets
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I recently picked up this book via Kindle and it is a great supplement to my new HTC HD7 phone. Essentially the phone came with only enough info to charge the battery and get you started. The details of the phone just are not explained with that product's documentation.
Thurrott's book is very readable, and very thorough. There are many pictures of critical screens in the book for those that are more visually oriented. In addition to the actual phone software, Thurrott explains the ecosystem of non-phone software that you will want to interface with (for example Zune software).
Windows Phone 7 has very impressive capabilities and if you want to rapidly discover these and utilize them this book is great.
Notes on the Kindle version: I did see some formatting errors in a few places. There were more than I have seen in some other books but not a big deal. The graphics by and large look okay but some are a little hard to make out. I would say these are actually better than average for the Kindle, but a hardcopy would still be a bit better. I intend on buying future tech books in Kindle format as I just don't have the space for large hardcopies and the presentation is perfectly adequate for my uses.


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Listen up! Bestselling author Paul Thurrott whispers little know Windows Phone 7 tips, tricks, and advice



The newly revamped Windows Phone platform boasts sophisticated new features and functionality. Sharing his years of training and experience, bestselling author and Windows expert Paul Thurrott reveals little known tips, valuable insight, and unbeatable advice so you can get the most from your Windows Phone 7. You'll benefit from the simple, straightforward solutions to common problems, all of which will go a long way to help if you are new to the Window Phone 7.

Written with access to unique information from the team at Microsoft, Windows Phone 7 Secrets is the ultimate guide to this exciting new mobile platform. Unlike other books, this title reveals the inner workings of the Windows Phone and how to make it work the way you want it. Thurrott begins with the basics of choosing the right Windows Phone, setting it up, and upgrading from another smart phone. He then moves on to customizing the screen; downloading applications; and using the Internet, e-mail, calendar, Microsoft Office; and more.

Coverage includes:

Pre-Flight Checklist: What to Do Before You Get Your Windows Phone

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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)
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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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Mobile Phone Programming: and its Application to Wireless Networking Review

Mobile Phone Programming: and its Application to Wireless Networking
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I have more than 6 years experience in this industry and can tell that this is the first book of this kind I saw. It will allow you to get your own hands-on experience with many different platforms, from Series 60 to Qtopia. Due to real programming examples, it is very praxis oriented, but also with several scientific aspect rising open questions. And all this without any "hypes" or "bubbles", as you maybe know from other books about "mobile". If you are an expert, it will also allow you to get a piratical impression of other platforms in a short time. So, in the nutshell, this books is worth each $$ use spent on it! Great book!

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Android Wireless Application Development Review

Android Wireless Application Development
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This is my fourth Android book and by far the best. Concepts that I was uncertain about are explained clearly and completely. I especially like the order in which the topics are covered. The other books launched into developing an application without much underlying explanation of the individual topics - putting that off until later, and not doing it as well. If I had bought this book first, I probably wouldn't have or need the others.

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