Hardware Books

Simply put this is the definitive CL book. Jim Sloan is the most recognized CL expert in the industry and the creator of TAATOOLS. From beginner to 'expert' this book has something for everyone, and I guarantee you'll learn something (probably a whole lot)!

Simply put this is the definitive book on CL on by the single most recognized CL expert in the industry. For beginners to 'experts' this book has something for everyone and I guarantee you will learn something(probably a whole lot) from this book.

For those, like myself, who like to hold a book, look in the index and find the topic, then learn it, this is an invaluable resource. In todays day and age where real manuals are almost non existant, it's nice to have a real resource

I've read several Photoshop Elements 3 books and scanned several others and as an introduction I found this the best of the lot. The author has the knack to cover the essentials very clearly. The high quality of the printing and the excellent layout add greatly to the clarity of the presentation. Highly recommended!

If you need to know what wireless technology is about, but don't want to wade through mountains of technical detail, this book is for you. Ian does a great job of laying out what's most important about wireless, and gives a framework for figuring out how to use it successfully in your business. This book is an excellent resource for any business person or IT manager involved in or considering a wireless project. Congratulations Ian!

By cutting through the confusing acronyms and technocratic garble that earmark most wireless technology discussions, Ian Hayes delivers solid advice for creating and refining a corporate wireless strategy. Hayes provides readily actionable advice to managers, executives and IT personnel who need to quickly come up to speed on the ins and outs of wireless technology. Most impressive is his use of case studies and concrete examples to communicate how wireless technology can be deployed within corporate environments. Hayes offers cost justification guidelines that include how to communicate and sell a wireless solution to executives. This book is highly readable and offers practical advice on how to move forward with a corporate wireless computing strategy. If you are confused by the endless jargon that seems to accompany every wireless conversation and need to cut to the chase, this book is highly recommended reading for you and your management team.

Today more and more Website designers are taking advantage of creative graphics design to enhance the appearance and functionality of their sites. A number of commercial graphics programs are available to them to create real attention-getting graphics. Kai's Power Tools 3 (KPT) is a leading collection of filters and tools that can be used with many of them to create truly phenomenal graphic image results.

Nick Clarke has produced Kai's Power Tools 3: An Illustrated Guide to offer an extraordinary gallery of cool KPT special effects! This book is a comprehensive and beautifully illustrated tutorial guide to understanding how to use this filter collection. Clarke takes his readers on a grand tour of the description, operation, and use of each filter. Exceptional color photographs of every filter interface control panel and their individual controls are provided to assist Clarke as he demonstrates just how easy KPT is easy to use. His own mastery of the use of KPT is evident throughout the book.

The book is accompanied by a CD loaded with KPT presets, KPT graphics, a graphic image showcase featuring the work of KPT users from around the world, a portfolio of KPT artist work, tutorial resources, software, and links to Websites offering additional information about this amazing collection of graphics filters! The graphics on this CD provides some of the most breathtaking illustrations ever created to bring out the rich details of this product!

As I read through this book it became clear that Clarke enjoys sharing the use of KPT with others. I experienced his enthusiasm as I read every page. This book also left me with the impression that I had just completed a full course on the use of this product. This book will inspire readers to create their own cherished works of art which may one day be featured in a book! Highly recommended!

An excellent choice for unlocking the beautiful world of Kai Having purchased KPT3 and KPT5 for Windows to beef up the capabilities of CorelPhotoPaint8 (also new to me) I found myself floundering to understand the user interface and minimal help documentation. Nick Clarkes book is an absolute god-send - not only does he demonstrate the basics, he knocks you dead with the advanced capabilities and unleashes the "secret" controls within KPT3. So well is this explained that KPT5, though not specifically covered in the book is just as easy to utilise fully.

I am a self taught designer running a new CD and flyer design business and this book is as powerful a tool as the Kai program itself . How about a follow up on KPT5 and an advanced techniques book please Nick - you get my vote?

I really hate Netbeans, but in spite of that fact, and the fact that this book makes heavy use of the technology, I dug into the book. I have a real interest in learning about the development of Java programs on cell phones past the writing of small local applications and games, and this book seemed to fit the bill. I'm the happy owner of many of the author's past books, and this one didn't disappoint me either. At first glance parts of the book look rather sparse. That is because, for one, Knudsen doesn't see the point in just regurgitating the standard. The second reason is that much of the source code is on the book's accompanying website. If you are interested in writing mobile applications with Java, I highly recommend this book. I discuss the book's contents chapter by chapter as follows:

Section: I Getting Started
Chapter 1. Overview - explains why MIDP is such a good fit for mobile devices and describes how MIDP and the rest of the band fit together to form a powerful platform for mobile applications.
Chapter 2. Tools - Building MIDP applications is surprisingly easy. This chapter describes several development alternatives and explains some of the magic that these tools provide. Also justifies Netbeans, which I dislike, but it's a fair trade-off to play with such cool stuff.
Chapter 3. Quick Start -Describes a few simple parts of MIDP so that you can get something running right away. You'll also have a basic scaffolding upon which to build your later knowledge.
Chapter 4. Core APIs - Don't assume that you know all this stuff, even if you're experienced with Java technology on the desktop or in a server environment. The constraints of small devices dictate that these APIs are more compact and less rich than their desktop counterparts.

Section: II The Lives of MIDlets
Chapter 5. The MIDlet Habitat - learn the details of how MIDlets live and die and how devices prevent bad MIDlets from performing bad deeds.
Chapter 6. Starting MIDlets Automatically - Incoming network connections can start a MIDlet. For example, a Short Message Service (SMS) message arriving on a certain port or an incoming socket connection could launch a MIDlet. MIDlets can request to be started at a specific time. MIDlets can respond to specific types of content. For example, an audio player MIDlet can be set to handle one or more audio file types. Other applications can ask the device to launch a MIDlet to handle a certain type of content.

Section: III User Interface
Chapter 7. Basic User Interface - This chapter and Chapter 8 discuss the screens that LCDUI, the user interface, supplies and their supporting baggage.
Chapter 8. More User Interface

Section: IV Graphics
Chapter 9. Creating Custom Screens - If the plain old LCDUI screens are not sufficiently jazzy or flexible for your application, you can create your own screen using a canvas. It's more work, but it's more fun. You can control almost all of the drawing on the display and you get fine-grained event information as well.
Chapter 10. Custom Items - A middle ground lies between the easy path of canned LCDUI screens and the raw bravado of using Canvas. Custom items are your own items that can be placed into standard forms. A custom item is very similar to a canvas, but it has some additional equipment to allow it to be part of a form.
Chapter 11. Using the Game API - One popular category of Java ME applications is games. Even when faster data networks make other types of applications more popular, games will always be an important part of the Java ME ecosystem. MIDP has a Game API designed to help you create 2D action or board games. It has a souped-up canvas and supports building a screen using multiple layers. The entire API consists of five classes that are discussed in this chapter.
Chapter 12. Scalable Vector Graphics - The shortcomings of images on small devices are addressed by JSR 226, the Scalable 2D Vector Graphics API for J2ME. Scalable Vector Graphics (SVG) is a kind of XML for describing pictures. Because it is essentially a programming language, SVG can also describe animations and user interactions. JSR 226 is a standard API for displaying and manipulating SVG documents.
Chapter 13. 3D Graphics - The Mobile 3D Graphics (M3G) API, gives MIDlets the ability to show 3D content. It is a scaled-down version of the desktop Java platform 3D API. The M3G API is a scene graph API, which means it knows how to render scenes that are described as a hierarchy of groups and objects. How to use the API is discussed here.

Section: V Storage and Resources
Chapter 14. Record Stores - MSA devices provide three ways to work with persistent storage. The first way is with record stores, which are tiny databases that contain records. The official name for this API is the Record Management System (RMS), which is covered in this chapter.
Chapter 15. Reading and Writing Files - MIDP devices often have some kind of hierarchical file system. The PDA Optional Packages define a FileConnection API that provides access to a device's file system. It is a mandatory part of MSA and MSA subset. The FileConnection API is the subject of this chapter.
Chapter 16. Contacts and Calendars - The Personal Information Management (PIM) API provides access to contact lists, calendars, and to-do lists on mobile devices. The API is the subject of this chapter.
Chapter 17. Mobile Internationalization - A fancy phrase that means making your application run in different languages. Internationalization is handled by Mobile Internationalization API, the subject of this chapter.

Section: VI Networking
Chapter 18. The Generic Connection Framework - All network access in MIDP devices works through the Generic Connection Framework (GCF). The fundamental idea of GCF is very simple. Your application supplies a connection string, and GCF hands back the corresponding input and output streams.
Chapter 19. Text and Multimedia Messaging - This chapter covers the Wireless Messaging API (WMA) which extends this capability of transmitting and receiving text messages to MIDlets.
Chapter 20. Bluetooth and OBEX - teaches you the fundamentals of Bluetooth communication but does not attempt to cover the Bluetooth and OBEX (Object Exchange) APIs in meticulous detail.
Chapter 21. XML and Web Services - describes how to use the XML parsing API, how to call Web services using the JAX-RPC API, and how to work with RESTful Web services. Examples will show how to parse a Rich Site Summary (RSS) feed and how to write a RESTful client for the Flickr photo-sharing service.
Chapter 22. Session Initiation Protocol - Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) is a standard way to set up a call, videoconference, or other session between two network endpoints. This chapter is a broad overview.

Section: VII Multimedia
Chapter 23. Playing and Recording Sound and Video - Discusses the Mobile Media API (MMAPI) for working with images, audio, and video. There are some good detailed examples here.
Chapter 24. Advanced Multimedia - expands on the promise of MMAPI with 3D audio, image processing and encoding, camera and radio control. The basics are in the book, the online software has more detailed examples.

Section: VIII Security and Transactions
Chapter 25. Smart Cards and Cryptography - an introduction to the Security and Trust Services APIs (SATSA). SATSA actually contains four separate APIs. Two of these are for communicating with smart cards, while the other two relate to cryptography. Only the basics are covered.
Chapter 26. Mobile Payments - discusses The Payment API, which provides MIDlets with a simple API for making payments.
Chapter 27. Know Where You Are - discusses the Location API for using GPS to determine where you are or where you want to go.
Chapter 28. Application Architecture - a good capstone chapter presents ideas to help you with your application design. This chapter gets you in the right frame of mind to design your own application effectively and imaginatively.

This book has many topics very well writen, i really recomend it.
And it have new technology for J2ME

Para todos los palm-users, que como yo, alguna vez empezamos a dar los primeros pasos en esta plataforma, para los que no supieron como hacer una cita, configurar un calendario, o simplemente, para aquellos que desean sacarle el maximo provecho a su organizador, pues bien, este es su libro. Esta escrito en un lenguaje simple y ameno. Estan enfocados con claridad los puntos mas importantes, tanto para los principiantes, como para los que tienen alguna experiencia con estos equipos. Abarca desde conociones basicas como uso del calendario, contactos y demas, hasta manejo de internet, mails y algunos consejos para hacer nuestra relacion con estas "pequeñas", mas facil. Lo recomiendo como herramienta de consulta y para los que se inician en este apasionante mundo de palm.

Para todos aquellos usuarios de palm, que alguna vez no supieron como realizar una cita, que se preguntaron como hacer para solucionar algun problema concreto o simplemente,como un servidor, darse cuenta que solo estaba utilizando un 10% de las capacidadades de su organizador.......bien, esta guia de supervivencia no debe faltarle. Esta escrita claramente, en un lenguaje ameno, y abarca desde las mas simples tareas diarias (agenda, calendario, contactos) hasta cosas mas avanzadas como el manejo de mails e internet. Soy usuario de la plataforma palm desde hace meses, y debo decir que encontre en esta "biblia", muchas herramientas para hacer que mi 3III sea imprescindible.

Siendo como soy un principiante sin mucho tiempo libre. Este libro te quitara todos los miedos con el programa. Te dara la valentia necesaria para ponerte a experimentar, y probar las diferentes herramientas.
Muy recomendable.

Good one! This book guides you step by step on everything (Modeling, Layout, Rendering and many more). At first I thought that Lightwave was very complex but when I finish the book I found out that it's simple, very easy to work and you can do amazing things in no time. This book also serves as a reference resource once you're working with the software. I highly recommend this book to beginner-intermediate users.

The Linux Web Server CD Bookshelf gave me everything I needed right at my finger tips. If there was only one major reason that you should buy this Bookshelf it would be the search capabilities alone. This Bookshelf comes with the ability to search all 6 books at once for any subject you want. This was the first type of CD Bookshelf that I have ordered. If it is possible I will only buy CD Bookshelves from now on.

Sean Seely

Putting aside the CD-Roms, the alpha layout of the book itself is wonderful and just what I was looking for. Very concise and and again the book itself is worth the money. It is made to be used as a resource and a reference. I wish other books were laid out this way. After spending hrs and hrs looking thru books I finally found my first choice.

A great book, I love it. This is not an "All you need to know about the Mac" book.It provides simple clear guidence to the first time Mac user. I thought I knew a lot about Computers but the Mac had me stumped... this book really helped alot!

This book is an absolute must for anyone that wants (like myself) give the Mac mini a try looking for a change from the tired PC platform. It will guide you trough avery aspect of, not only the hardware, but the OS X as well. It is a great and well illustrated guide. Well written and, I would say, targeted to the non initiated Mac would be user.
I truly recomend it as the basic guide to get into the Mac brave new world.

I became a Mac convert in 1986 while editing a magazine (Living Among Nature Daringly) but overseas work forced me to switch to a Windows-driven PC 18 months ago. At that time I was using Mac OS 9.

Thus, I had to learn more complicated procedures for getting my prime writing and editing done.

During that 18 months I went bonkers with almost daily freeze-ups and system crashes. Finally, exasperated, I surrendered and bought a Mac iBook in Cairo, Egypt, even though almost no individual in this country uses one.

This iBook is running on Jaguar. In other words, it runs on system 9 (of which I am well-experienced), and system X in which I have not a clue! To make a long story short, I bought Mac OS X Jaguar Hands-on Training because I was having troubles trying to re-learn 9 and to learn to use X in a manner similar to 9.

The explanation of the differences between 9 and X helped bail me out of deep schisms I was falling towards.

The training in iLife programs, especially iTunes, iPhoto and iCalendar has given a deep appreciation for Apple - the corporation that knows how to provide a real system and computer for people who want to get a mission accomplished instead of impressing folks with how computer literate they are. In other words, engineers will use Windows, managers, writers and editors will use Mac.

This book is a quick read despite its 800-plus pages. The included lessons and examples on the accompanying CD are extremely helpful, especially for my wife, Dina, who has never used a MAC!

Allow me to use a metaphor. God made man in His image. Eventually, man made computers in his image - that is the MAC.

Mac is a Godsend. Mac OS X Hands-On Training is my first choice for learning to use a computer that acts like a human.

Bottom line: buy the best book for most easily learning the best computer operating system!

I've been a Mac guy for years, running good old dependable, only crashes sometimes, System 9. But I finally broke down (after my aging PowerBook did) and bought an iBook 700 with a fast (when I bought it) G3 processor, running System X, Jaguar. And after a couple weeks stumbling through the new, but not as intuitive could have been, operating system, I bought a couple books. Fortunately, this was one of them. If you are running Jaguar, this is the only book you'll need. You'll find simple exercises here, some a little more complicated. You'll find a little humor and you'll find all the help you'll ever need. As far as I'm concerned, among all of the Jaguar books out there, this book is the best of the bunch. A terrific two thumbs up from me.