Beginning Windows Phone 7 Application Development: Building Windows Phone Applications Using Silverlight and XNA (Wrox Programmer to Programmer) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)From Google Translate--->
Great book to start programming in the new Windows Phone 7.
Clearly explained and very progressive in content and examples that will teach. And not only that they are well explained, they are very complete, and that goes from the basic components of an application to the use of Web services.
On the downside, and it is something you see much in the last books that are coming out, is that just touches XNA, just one chapter focuses on Silverligth. So if you want to make applications, this book is an excellent choice, but if you also want to enter the world of games, we should find something else.
Estupendo libro para comenzar a programar en los nuevos Windows Phone 7.
Claramente explicado y muy progresivo en los contenidos y ejemplos que va enseñando. Y ya no es solo que estén bien explicado, además son muy completos, ya que va desde los componentes básicos de una aplicación, hasta el uso de servicios web.
En el lado negativo, y es algo que se ve mucho en los últimos libros que están saliendo, es que apenas toca XNA, apenas un capítulo y se centra en Silverligth. Así que si quieres hacer aplicaciones, este libro es una excelente elección, pero si también quieres entrar en el mundo de los juegos, habría que buscar otra cosa.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Beginning Windows Phone 7 Application Development: Building Windows Phone Applications Using Silverlight and XNA (Wrox Programmer to Programmer)

Discover the core concepts essential for developing apps for Windows Phone
Silverlight and XNA provide you with a powerful development platform and key tools for programming Windows Phone 7 series applications. This book offers a foundation for using the tools required for Windows Phone 7 development, including Visual Studio 2010 Express Edition, the Windows Phone 7 Series SDK, and Silverlight. Experienced authors provide you with detailed coverage on developing accordingly for an application's lifetime, accessing cloud services, and developing notification services.
Explains how to use the most up-to-date tools and development platforms to create applications for the Windows Phone 7
Walks you through developing notification services and location services
Demonstrates ways to generate revenue by deploying your apps to the Windows Phone Marketplace
Details the steps for enabling trial periods for applications and providing updates and new versions of apps

If you're eager to get started developing applications for the Windows Phone 7, then this is the beginner guide for you.

Click here for more information about Beginning Windows Phone 7 Application Development: Building Windows Phone Applications Using Silverlight and XNA (Wrox Programmer to Programmer)

Read More...

Learning iOS Game Programming: A Hands-On Guide to Building Your First iPhone Game Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Having nearly finished the book I thought it would be a good idea to write a review.
Reading the last review I felt even more compelled to write my own. The last reviewer really hasn't got a clue about what this book is about! He tries to pitch it as a book that covers many different technologies in great detail and fails. There is a note on the first page of chapter 2 that tells that totally contradicts what he says.
Note
It is not intended that this book will teach you how to develop in Objective-C or C or teach you everything you need to know about the other technologies in their own right; there are many excellent books and online resources that cover OpenGL and OpenAL in greater detail. We will however cover these topics in enough detail to allow you to understand why we are using them and how.
Thats what I love about this book! It tells you how to write an entire game from start to finish and doesn't bore you with incredibly complex algorithms or low level code or the ins and outs of every technology.
As for the game engine you write, it's very modular so you can include only the bits you need in your game. I wanted to recreate the JetPack game I played when I was younger. With this book I'm well on the way. It's saved me a huge amount of time trying to learn from other resources on the net.
Their forum and blog is quite active too, I've posted a few questions and they've answered promptly.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Learning iOS Game Programming: A Hands-On Guide to Building Your First iPhone Game

Get Started Fast with iOS Game ProgrammingSince the launch of the App Store, games have been the hottest category of apps for the iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad. That means your best chance of tapping into the iPhone/iPad "Gold Rush" is to put out a killer game that everyone wants to play (and talk about). While many people think games are hard to build, they can actually be quite easy, and Learning iOS Game Programming is your perfect beginner's guide. Michael Daley walks you through every step as you build a killer 2D game for the iPhone. In Learning iOS Game Programming, you'll learn how to build a 2D tile map game, Sir Lamorak's Quest: The Spell of Release (which is free in the App Store). You can download and play the game you're going to build while you learn about the code and everything behind the scenes. Daley identifies the key characteristics of a successful iPhone game and introduces the technologies, terminology, and tools you will use. Then, he carefully guides you through the whole development process: from planning storylines and game play all the way through testing and tuning. Download the free version of Sir Lamorak's Quest from the App Store today, while you learn how to build the game in this book.Coverage includesPlanning high-level game design, components, and difficulty levels

Click here for more information about Learning iOS Game Programming: A Hands-On Guide to Building Your First iPhone Game

Read More...

My BlackBerry Curve Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Despite having upgraded from my Curve to a Tour last summer, I found this book to be the best smartphone reference I've had. Craig has done a great job with the layout and design, with clear explanations of the inner workings of a great family of smartphones. Even the first few pages were helpful, as I finally found the speakerphone key! The Curve is a classic powerhouse of a Blackberry smartphone, and this book is a must-have reference for not only newbies to the BB world, but also those (like me) who couldn't/didn't want to read the carrier manual or just want to know how to get more out of these devices. The color pictures are very helpful, especially for those of us that need to SEE something to understand it. Technology can be daunting to many, but Craig has written a thorough guide to not only Blackberry Curves, but also to the basics of the Blackberry world.
Thanks to Craig for a great job on a great reference!

Click Here to see more reviews about: My BlackBerry Curve

Step-by-step instructions with callouts to BlackBerry Curve photos that show you exactly what to do.Help when you run into BlackBerry Curve problems or limitations.Tips and Notes to help you get the most from your BlackBerry Curve.Full-color, step-by-step tasks walk you through getting and keeping your BlackBerry Curve working just the way you want. The tasks include:• How to get started fast with any BlackBerry Curve: 8300 Series, 8500 Series, or 8900 Series• How to make, receive, and manage calls and emails efficiently• How to use the BlackBerry Curve's powerful contact management and calendar software• How to listen to audio and watch video• How to connect to the Internet, Bluetooth devices, and your company's VPN• How to browse the Web from your BlackBerry Curve• How to use the BlackBerry Curve's messaging tools, including text, multimedia, PIN, and IM• How to find, choose, and install new BlackBerry Curve applications• How to connect with social networking sites and tools• How to use Airplane Mode to watch videos, read emails, and listen to music during flights• How to keep your BlackBerry Curve up-to-date, reliable, and running at top performance

Click here for more information about My BlackBerry Curve

Read More...

Pro Android 2 Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Pro Android 2 is aimed at developers who want to take Android to the next level. This large book serves as a manual for how to do almost anything on Android. The book starts by giving a refresher of the platform, and then quickly dives into explaining XML files, GUI layout and Views, and working with mapping. Building and consuming services are explained, giving the first example of working with Apache's HttpClient libs that I have seen in an Android book. Examples of working with the Telephony API, searching, using gestures, you name it. The book even offers an alternative way of creating applications using Titanium Mobile. Finally time is spent explaining the Android Marketplace and things you should know before making your application public.
The information contained in this book is at the same time enlightening and overwhelming. In just the first few chapters, I had already found better ways to handle several things in my own Android applications. That alone was worth the time spent reading this book.
Although the book was written by three different authors, I found the writing style and flow of the book well done and congruous.
The book explains that the intended audience should have previous exposure to developing on the Android platform and to Java, and they mean it. While an introduction is given to the various parts of an Android application, a new developer wouldn't be able to get enough understanding to use this book as a starting point for developing Android applications. Previous exposure to any number of beginning Android books is recommended before you attempt to tackle this one. The publisher suggest you start with Beginning Android 2.
If you are an Android developer, do yourself a favor and pick up this book. If you spend 2 minutes flipping through the various chapters, I promise you will walk out of the book store with Pro Android 2 in hand. My rating, 5 stars. The book delivers exactly what it advertises and does so in a manner that is enjoyable to read and very helpful.


Click Here to see more reviews about: Pro Android 2

Android is Google's software platform answer to the iPhone and BlackBerry, and at the very least, has advantages in terms of multitasking, running apps in the background and others.Google's partners in the Open Handset Alliance - supporting Android -- provide the devices, with HTC G1 and G2 already available now and 18 more Google Phones set to debut later this year according to Google I/O Conference news. Among these 18 apparently will be Nokia, currently 40% of world cell phone market share.Pro Android 2 is the first or one of the first on Android 2.0. This book is a detailed look at all aspects of application development on Google's Mobile OS and Development Platform including detailed discussion of the APIs and how to use them.This book focuses on giving developers the essential tools and examples required to make viable commercial applications work on mobile devices and even Netbooks.

Click here for more information about Pro Android 2

Read More...

iPhone and iPad Apps for Absolute Beginners Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)First, to all the people giving low ratings because of a few typos - Get Over It! Any first printing of a technical book like this will have them, especially when things like the OS, SDK and dev tools are updated all the time. You have to judge the book on it's content, not a few mistakes in printing.
As for the book, this is EXACTLY what I needed. I've never programmed anything before in my life, but like everyone else I want to learn iPhone programming & make a million dollars. :P
I started with a few other "beginning iPhone programming" books and every one of them was way too out of my league. Inevitably the first chapter would say "You need to know Objective-C first...". So I'd grab a book on Objective-C for beginners and that would be over my head & the first chapter of those would say "You need to know C first..." So I'd grab a book on C for beginners. The one thing all of these books had in common was THEY DIDN'T EXPLAIN WHY THINGS WORK. So after reading a couple books on C, a couple on Objective-C, I was still completely lost when I started on the iPhone books.
Then I found this book. It is really the start I needed. Things are explained quite well and I was finally able to actually understand what I was doing, not just memorizing code. When learning something this foreign, it is much more helpful to have it explained thus; "This piece of code controls... and make the program do this..." or "This bit of code makes... happen because...". Analogies are used in a terrific way so you can understand the mechanics behind it all.
To use an analogy, if you never worked on a car engine,it would be far more helpful if someone explained what a spark-plug does than just telling you you need to have them. That is the kind of teaching Dr. Lewis provides in this book. I can't praise it and thank him enough for writing it & can't wait for more from him.
As for the typos (and there are really only a few), I actually benefited because it gave me a bit of a crash course in debugging and figuring out how things should really work. If you get confused or lost because of them, don't fret it, just come to the forum for this book and one of us will be happy to help out. [...]
If you are like me, "An Absolute Beginner", then you'll be hard pressed to find a better book to get you started. Trust me, I wasted many months trying.

Click Here to see more reviews about: iPhone and iPad Apps for Absolute Beginners

There have been over 1 billion downloads on the App Store so far, and by the end of 2009 there will be 45,000,000 iPhones in use. Clearly, this is not a market purely for a few expert programmers. That's like having millions of hungry people, and only letting a couple hundred Michelin-starred chefs prepare the food for them - what's there is nice, but it's nowhere near enough. The aim of this book is to open the floodgates and let anybody get cooking.iPhone is incredibly hot, and everybody wants to get their own apps up on the App Store and start making their millions. This book empowers readers to do just that. It also leads directly on to our iPhone development line for those who want to take things a step further.

Click here for more information about iPhone and iPad Apps for Absolute Beginners

Read More...

Building Android Apps with HTML, CSS, and JavaScript Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I had bought an iPad when they were first announced. I had the expressed intention of creating some very specific apps; I did not need Wired Magazine to tell me that mobile apps are the future.
My plans were delayed by Apple's delay in releasing a new iPad OS. I didn't want to waste a lot of time struggling with things in the original OS that might become easier in the next.
I'd rather not struggle at all. As I have gotten older, the thrill of twisting C and C++ to my will is far less alluring than it used to be. Honestly, there is no allure left at all: I saw learning the Apple API as an onerous but necessary task. I was not looking forward to it.
Then this book arrived and opened my eyes. Yes, there is that "Android" in the title, but this is really about building device agnostic apps and I saw that long before the author off handedly mentioned iPhones in Chapter 7. Yeah, baby - if you think I was reluctant to learn Apple API's, well, that's nothing compared to how I feel about futzing around with Java to drive Android stuff. No thank you. But CSS and Javascript? That's different.
Not that I still don't have a learning curve. I have done very little with CSS or Javascript because of browser quirks. I realized that Jquery could smooth a lot of that out for me, but I just did not have enough of a need to invest any time learning that either. Mobile apps provides that incentive.
This book opened my eyes to a lot of possibilities I was just not aware of. For example, I did not know about the Web SQL Database abilities in HTML5. The author said that rocked his world; well, it rocked mine also.
I am looking forward to sitting down and playing with the ideas this book has exposed me to. This really changes my plans, and this is one case where I am very happy to veer off course. Jquery, here I come!

Click Here to see more reviews about: Building Android Apps with HTML, CSS, and JavaScript


If you know HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, you already have the tools you need to develop Android applications. This hands-on book shows you how to use these open source web standards to design and build apps that can be adapted for any Android device -- without having to use Java.

You'll learn how to create an Android-friendly web app on the platform of your choice, and then convert it to a native Android app with the free PhoneGap framework. Discover why device-agnostic mobile apps are the wave of the future, and start building apps that offer greater flexibility and a broader reach.

Learn the basics for making a web page look great on the Android web browser
Convert a website into a web application, complete with progress indicators and more
Add animation with jQTouch to make your web app look and feel like a native Android app
Take advantage of client-side data storage with apps that run even when the Android device is offline
Use PhoneGap to hook into advanced Android features -- including the accelerometer, geolocation, and alerts
Test and debug your app on the Web under load with real users, and then submit the finished product to the Android Market
This book received valuable community input through O'Reilly's Open Feedback Publishing System (OFPS). Learn more at http://labs.oreilly.com/ofps.html.

Click here for more information about Building Android Apps with HTML, CSS, and JavaScript

Read More...