Green to Gold: How Smart Companies Use Environmental Strategy to Innovate, Create Value, and Build Competitive Advantage
Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
  • Superior Primer for the Green Movement
  • Excellent Book
  • Straightforward sustainability manual
  • Green to Gold
  • Best Available Primer for Top Management
Green to Gold: How Smart Companies Use Environmental Strategy to Innovate, Create Value, and Build Competitive Advantage
Daniel C. Esty , and Andrew S. Winston
Manufacturer: Yale University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0300119976

Book Description

The essential guide for forward-thinking business leaders who see the Green Wave coming and want to profit from it
This book explores what every executive must know to manage the environmental challenges facing society and business. Based on the authors' years of experience and hundreds of interviews with corporate leaders around the world, Green to Gold shows how companies generate lasting value, cutting costs, reducing risk, increasing revenues, and creating strong brands, by building environmental thinking into their business strategies. Daniel C. Esty and Andrew S. Winston provide clear how-to advice and concrete examples from companies like BP, Toyota, IKEA, GE, and Nike that are achieving both environmental and business success. The authors show how these cutting-edge companies are establishing an “eco-advantage” in the marketplace as traditional elements of competitive differentiation fade in importance. Esty and Winston not only highlight successful strategies but also make plain what does not work by describing why environmental initiatives sometimes fail despite the best intentions.
Green to Gold is written for executives at every level and for businesses of all kinds and sizes. Esty and Winston guide leaders through a complex new world of resource shortfalls, regulatory restrictions, and growing pressure from customers and other stakeholders to strive for sustainability. With a sharp focus on execution, Esty and Winston offer a thoughtful, pragmatic, and inspiring road map that companies can use to cope with environmental pressures and responsibilities while sparking innovation that will drive long-term growth. Green to Gold is the new template for global CEOs who want to be good stewards of the Earth while simultaneously building the bottom line.

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Superior Primer for the Green Movement.......2007-09-17

This book was a primary resource for the development of my client's green program. It was focused enough to provide a thorough understanding of the hot environmental issues, without being too tree-huggerish. It highlights the responsibilities of global stewardship along with those of being financially accountable in the business arena.

5 out of 5 stars Excellent Book.......2007-09-10

Green to Gold is a very thorough, well written book. Anyone involved in marketing should definitely take the time to read this book. I learned a great deal from this book it was well worth my investment of money and time.

5 out of 5 stars Straightforward sustainability manual.......2007-06-15

Sesame Street's Kermit the Frog famously observed, "It's not easy being green." Whether easy or not, environmental and social pressures are pushing more and more companies to ride the "green wave" to ecological sustainability. In this beautifully organized, crisply written book, Daniel C. Esty and Andrew S. Winston, both Yale professors, describe how sustainability can create competitive advantage. They succinctly make the business case for sustainability, and then provide a playbook of green strategies and tactics. The presentation is neither too abstract nor too detailed: It's just right. Nor is their presentation one-sided: They enumerate many ways sustainable products and strategies can go wrong. While some of their suggestions may seem obvious, the authors deserve praise for collecting so many excellent tips and tricks, and for describing them in memorable (mostly) jargon-free prose. We highly recommend this smart book to any business leader who wants to move beyond rhetoric to action. While Kermit's wisdom is doubtless correct, this handbook makes being green much easier.

4 out of 5 stars Green to Gold.......2007-05-14

I bought the book because of the title. I was not disappointed. The book is more focused on business prospects than on real environmental issues but it was what I was looking for.

5 out of 5 stars Best Available Primer for Top Management.......2007-03-15

I have read and praised "Natural Capitalism," "Ecology of Commerce," and "Cradle to Cradle," here at Amazon, and I mention them to emphasize that this book, "Green to Gold," is the hands-down no-contest best primer for top management. The others are intellectual presentations. This is a business oriented primer with lots of facts, lists, and resources.

It is a pro-business book that focuses on opportunities. It is extremely well-organized, with three parts, twelve chapters, and three appendices including a superb list of active web sites relevant to doing well by doing good.

This book is based on hundreds of interviews over four years, and every aspect of it is professional presented, including boxes with "10 second overviews" interspersed throughout.

The authors are compellingly pointed in their discussion of how the environment, and attendant regulations and attendant risks of catastrophic costs, is no longer a fringe issue. Mistakes in cadmium content of connecting cables can cost hundreds of millions.

The authors excel at discussing the new pressures from natural limits that are now visible (changes that used to take 10,000 years now take 3--see my reviews on Ecological Economics, the Republican War on Science, the varied books on Climate Change, etc) and the fact that there is a growing range of stake-holders who are altering the balance of power.

The authors are clear in noting that environmental compliance and wisdom is neither easy nor cheap, but they are equally detailed in documenting that most investments to reduce environmental costs are recouped within 12-18 months. In one cited example, 3M saves $1 billion in the first year alone on pollution reduction, and over the course of a decade, was able to reduce its pollution by 90%.

On page 33 they list the top 10 environmental issues and I like this list very much as an expansion on "Environmental Degradation" which is the over-all threat that the High Level Threat Panel of the United Nations ranked as third out of ten, to Poverty and Infectious Disease. They are:

01 Climate Change
02 Energy
03 Water
04 Biodiversity and Land Use
05 Chemicals, Toxics, and Heavy Metals
06 Air Pollution
07 Waste Management
08 Ozone Layer Depletion
09 Oceans and Fisheries
10 Deforestation

The authors do a superb job in summarizing each of these in several pages perfectly suited to the busy manager. For those desiring more in-depth looks, see my many reviews across the board, including "Priority One," various books on energy, "WATER: The Fate of Our Most Precious Resource," "Pandora's Poison," and "Blue Frontier."

The bottom line for the first part of the book: extremes can no longer be dampened down; and we now recognize the eco-system value of the wetlands that we have paid the Army Corps of Engineers to eradicate for decades.

The authors devised a schema for businesses to develop an understanding and then a strategy for reducing their environmental footprint. The authors do extremely well with their organized examination of Aspects, Upstream, Downstream, Issues, and Opportunities (AUDIO), and anyone looking at the book in a store can go directly to pages 62-63. This is an operational management handbook.

There is an excellent overview of the many new stake-holders (or significantly matured stake-holders including NGOs, religions, and local citizens. Business can no longer bribe government--government cannot "deliver" the way it used to (see my review of "Class War" for a sense of how corruption of other elites by our elites has accelerated all the ills of the world).

Regulations, according to these authors, should be seen as vital incentives and parameters for both reducing costs and gaining trust.

Forty global banks, and many insurance companies, now demand proper examination of ecological costs as a condition for funding or coverage.

The authors remind me of General Tony Zinni, whose books I have reviewed, in their emphasis on relationships developed over time. They urge a strong focus on relationships NOW, across the board, as a means of building a "trust bank" as well as a deeper understanding. Blocks that used to be labels "not our problem" or "not legally liable" are now labeled "IMPORTANT TO US."

In the middle of the book they explore the digital information advantages that can accrue to those who get out of their closed loops and increase innovation. In one instance, simply adding load to trucks reduced fuel consumption and emissions considerably.

The middle of the book contains 8 detailed "Green to Gold" plays, and I won't spoil it by listing them. A box in this section says "Truth Matters" and I applaud silently.

The authors stress that mind-set, not just a check-book, is required to get this right. Five basic rules are 1) See the forest; 2) Start at the top; 3) No is not an option; 4) Feelings are facts; and 5) Do the right thing, morality DOES pay.

Pages 168-169 are sheer brilliance, and illustrate why the value chain must be completely integrated into the environmental strategy of each element of that value chain and most especially the largest and most powerful of the elements, which must carefully consider and accept responsibility for demanding improvements by the smallest elements.

Eight lessons of partnering, 13 problems and their solutions, and a final chapter of very specific actions that managers can take, conclude the book.

My final note on this book: a pleasure to read, easy to read, so well done I got through it in half the time characteristic of denser or less well designed books. This is first rate stuff!
The Trouble With Physics: The Rise of String Theory, the Fall of a Science, and What Comes Next
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • Scientific progress is never cut and dried
  • physics from many angles
  • A mixed bag
  • The Endless Quest Continues
  • Outstanding piece of writing, A must-read for any science enthusiast.
The Trouble With Physics: The Rise of String Theory, the Fall of a Science, and What Comes Next
Lee Smolin
Manufacturer: Houghton Mifflin
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0618551050

Book Description

In this groundbreaking book, the renowned theoretical physicist Lee Smolin argues that physics—the basis for all other science—has lost its way. The problem is string theory, an ambitious attempt to formulate "a theory of everything" that explains all the forces and particles of nature and how the universe came to be. With its exotic new particles and parallel universes, string theory has captured the public"s imagination and seduced many physicists. But as Smolin reveals, there"s a deep flaw in the theory: no part of it has been proven, and no one knows how to prove it. As a scientific theory, it has been a colossal failure. And because it has soaked up the lion's share of funding, attracted some of the best minds, and penalized young physicists for pursuing other avenues, it is dragging the rest of physics down with it. With clarity, passion, and authority, Smolin charts the rise and fall of string theory and takes a fascinating look at what will replace it. A group of young theorists has begun to develop exciting new ideas that are, unlike string theory, testable. Smolin tells us who and what to watch for in the coming years and how we can find the next Einstein. This is a wake-up call, and Lee Smolin—a former string theorist himself— is the perfect person to deliver it.

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Scientific progress is never cut and dried.......2007-10-08

Lee Smolin presents a harsh critique of the last 30 years in theoretical physics, written by one of its practitioners. He makes the excellent point that science is a human activity like anything else. Progress is always hard to predict; scientists can and do get caught up in dead ends. Smolin thinks string theory is one such dead end, and makes a good case for it.

I think that, if anything, Smolin is a little too gentle on the field. The development of the atomic and hydrogen bombs left a tremendous impression that big money put into physics would bring big results. In recent years that hasn't happened. There are so many unanswered questions out there in science, so many important fields where solutions are desperately needed. When I consider the construction and operation of particle accelerators and other high-tech equipment, I can't help but think of the huge cost. The same amount of cash invested elsewhere might have brought much more in the way of useful results.

I am the mother of a 10-year-old boy attending public school. His instruction sometimes seems to me like a mishmash of well-meaning educational reforms that have been implemented with little or no testing to see if they worked or not. I am frankly disgusted by the quality of most research in the area of education--sample sizes too small, no proper controls, subjects followed for too short a time, etc. The cost of operating a single particle accelerator for six weeks probably exceeds all the funding for educational research around the world for the entire year. Yet which has the most potential for making major progress? Maybe it's time to back off on funding big physics projects for a while.

I would also like to point out that the building and use of instrumentation for high-energy physics is highly dependent on cheap fossil fuels. The future supply of such fuels is by no means guaranteed. The peak oil problem appears to be largely ignored by high-energy physicists today, but has the potential to significantly affect their ability to conduct experiments.

I really enjoyed Smolin's chapters on looking for seers rather than technicians in science. I especially liked his description of how unconventional scientists have built a career without a university job. Smolin points out that a typical professor spends a majority of his week on teaching, grant proposals, administrative tasks, and the like, leaving a surprisingly small amount of time available for actual research. Having a day job outside the field is not as big a hurdle as it might seem.

I tend to agree with Smolin that the big advances of the future are likely to come from completely unexpected directions. I can't wait to see what they are.

4 out of 5 stars physics from many angles.......2007-10-05

This book provided several discussions pf physics and quantum theory. its good because the author speaks of the history the the originators of physics theory and the current champions of thought.

2 out of 5 stars A mixed bag.......2007-10-04

At the moment, string theory appears to have many (possibly an infinite number) of "metastable vacua", each of which would allow for a universe with its own laws of physics. (For a brief, comic, yet essentially correct summary of the history of this idea, see Peter Shor's review here. For those who don't know, Shor is a celebrated quantum-information theorist.) According to the (far from established) inflationary model of cosmology, there is a vast collection of universes (the "multiverse") with diverse laws of physics. Which universe we find ourselves in is a matter of random selection, but of course we must be in a "biofriendly" universe, one whose laws of physics allow for the appearance of intelligent life.

The core argument of this book is presented on page 164-165 (US hardcover edition), where Smolin writes, "when it comes to the biofriendliness of our universe, we have at least three possibilities:

"1. Ours is one of a vast collection of universes with random laws.

"2. There was an intelligent designer.

"3. There is a so-far-unknown mechanism that will both explain the biofriendliness of our universe and make testable predictions by which it can be confirmed or falsified.

"Given that the first two possibilities are untestable in principle, it is most rational to hold out for the third possibility. Indeed, that is the only possibility we should consider as scientists, because accepting either of the first two would mean the end of our field."

I find this to be an astonishing argument. First of all, I don't know what "most rational" is supposed to mean. More importantly, to reject a scientific hypothesis for purely personal reasons (it "would mean the end of our field") is at best novel, and at worst absurd.

Very few string theorists are happy that #1 seems, at this point, to be the most likely outcome of string theory, and many hope that #3 will somehow eventually emerge. But to throw out the whole framework, simply because we don't like the result, cannot be said to be a scientific attitude.

One thing you won't learn in this book (unless you read it very carefully, and between the lines) is that the other approaches to quantum gravity advocated by Smolin have not come any closer to predicting specific experimental results than string theory has. Smolin talks about possible violations of special relativity, but these are not (as he admits on page 237) a definite prediction of loop quantum gravity. He has said (on Peter Woit's blog) that any quantum field theory in any number of dimensions is compatible with loop quantum gravity. If true, this would make loop quantum gravity even less capable than string theory of picking out our particular laws of physics.

Smolin also discusses issues of sociology in physics. On page 335-336, he asserts that the all the truly negative characterizations of job candidates that he has ever heard have had a component of racism and/or sexism. I am on the faculty of the physics department of a research university, and I can only say that my experience has been entirely different. I have simply never heard a racist or sexist denigration of one scientist by another, nor have I ever felt that anyone was being evaluated by criteria other than merit. I think that there are definitely issues of culture and how we can construct scientific communities that have broader appeal, and that there are physicists who are not as sensitive to these issues as they might be, but I cannot accept Smolin's claim that the relatively small percentage of women and blacks in physics is due to "blatant prejudice".

Finally, Smolin discusses the issues of "seers" vs "craftspeople" in science, and argues that we should be supporting more "seers". Among the existing seers, he lists some (such as Roger Penrose and Gerard 't Hooft) who made their reputations primarily as craftspeople ('t Hooft received the Nobel Prize for his work on the renormalization of gauge theories, and Penrose did celebrated work on the singularity theorems of general relativity). Their record as seers has been less successful; none of their recent ideas on modifications of quantum mechanics have panned out as yet. Smolin laments the fact that more attention is not paid to these forays into alternatives to quantum mechanics. But 't Hooft and Penrose do not agree on what modifications are needed. Other seers identified by Smolin propose violations of special relativity, rather than (or in addition to) violations of quantum mechanics. Perhaps this is all deep thought, but there is little to decide, at this point, which if any of these avenues should be pursued. Most physicists have therefore sensibly adopted a "wait and see" attitude.

Even if we accept Smolin's argument that we need new seers, how are we to find them? Smolin writes (page 353) that in order to discover "the visionaries who ignore the mainstream and follow their own ambitious programs", we should "find at least one accomplished person in the candidate's field who is deeply excited about what the candidate is trying to do". So, the candidate's program had better not be *too* far off the mainstream; there has to be at least one "accomplished person" who is "deeply excited" about it. But if one deeply excited professional is good, wouldn't more be better? Wouldn't that up the odds that the program was, indeed, worthwhile? Oh wait, that would be just what we have now ... a system where there is constant debate, emergent consensus on the most promising approaches, and distribution of research funds primarily (but by no means exclusively!) to those approaches that appear, in the consensus view, to be most promising. To paraphrase Winston Churchill on democracy, this system for distributing funds for science may be the worst ever devised, except for all the others.

So, should you buy the book? I feel that it gives a distorted picture, by emphasizing the weak points of string theory while ignoring the (many more, in my view) weak points of the alternatives. It seems to me that the essence of the book's argument against string theory is captured by the excerpts above, and by Shor's review. Then there is a lot of discussion of groupthink in scientific culture. For me, it doesn't add up to an appealing package, but your mileage may vary.

4 out of 5 stars The Endless Quest Continues .......2007-10-04

I like Lee Smolin and this is a good exposition of the current quandary in Physics. When the mathematicians "hijacked" physics in the 1920's, they created ever-so elegant formulas and abstraction upon abstraction upon abstraction. "Just give me a formula!" was their mantra, and what it all really "means" was not their concern. This is the essence of Bohr's position (no pun intended), and Einstein was not able to answer, even though he knew something was missing.

String theory has many intriguing ideas, and it's supporters should not be easily dismissed. Again and again, we come back to the basic question...particle or wave? Wavicle? Partiwave? String?

5 out of 5 stars Outstanding piece of writing, A must-read for any science enthusiast........2007-09-22

I found this book to be superbly written and full of fascinating insights. I really loved reading it. Many of the longer reviews here do a great job of reviewing the content of the book, so I'll stick to offering my opinion.

I will no doubt read this book again in the future as much of the content was way over my head. However, as with any great book on any subject, this did not prevent me from thoroughly enjoying it and learning a lot. What makes it so great is that each time I read it I will learn more.

I want to thank Lee Smolin for putting the current state of his field in some perspective. I highly, highly recommend this book!
SAP Smart Forms
Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
  • SAP PRESS SMARTFORM
  • good book... a comprehensive reference
SAP Smart Forms
Werner Hertleif , and Christoph Wachter
Manufacturer: Galileo Pr Inc
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 1592290108

Book Description

Move over, SAPscript. SAP Smart Forms are far more convenient. This book shows you how to use this key tool, released in 4.6C, and gives you all the basic knowledge for the production, functions, and handling of Smart Forms. Learn the ins and outs of integrating text, graphics, and data into your forms, plus discover the printing, e-mail, and Web options that are available. In addition, numerous practice exercises enable you to hit the ground running with form production procedures. An extensive appendix offers volumes of highly-detailed information. This book is an indispensable technical reference.

Highlights include:
· Essential tools for creating forms
· Expert advice on form layout
· Elementary knot types
· What you need to know about form data
· Data output and logical sequence
· ABAP programming with forms
· Implementing and using a support program
· Special output procedures
· Migration of SAPscript forms
· New developments in Basis Release 6.10
· Plus much more!

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars SAP PRESS SMARTFORM.......2007-05-15

As usual SAP PRESS has done an excellent job with this book. About 90% is excellent to the point that taking an SAP class is really NOT necessary so save your money. Class instructions really will not assist you further anyhow. The 10% that falls short is in examples that would be better served with either more direct screen prints or less verbage.

5 out of 5 stars good book... a comprehensive reference.......2004-06-11

It's very well organized and detailed. The authors don't leave anything in vague terms - they explain it all. There aren't really any other books on this topics, so it's not hard to say that this is the best one. this book was all i needed to get started since programming skills are not needed. Actually I kind of use this book as a guide to avoid programming altogether. I definitely recommend it.
RFID Handbook: Fundamentals and Applications in Contactless Smart Cards and Identification 2nd Edition
Average customer rating: 4 out of 5 stars
  • Needs an update... but still a must for every RFID professional
  • RFID (RF Coupling in the Near field)
  • Good collection of concepts
  • Great book for understanding the concepts and applications
RFID Handbook: Fundamentals and Applications in Contactless Smart Cards and Identification 2nd Edition
Klaus Finkenzeller
Manufacturer: Wiley
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0470844027

Book Description

RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) is used in all areas of automatic data capture allowing contactless identification of objects using RF. With applications ranging from secure internet payment systems to industrial automation and access control, RFID technology solutions are receiving much attention in the research and development departments of large corporations. RFID is a major growth are in auto ID, allowing emergency vehicles to safely trip traffic signals, and providing the technology behind contactless smart cards, "autopiloting" cars, and production automation. Fully revised and updated to include all the latest information on industry standards and applications, this new edition provides a standard reference for people working with RFID technology. Expanded sections explain exactly how RFID systems work, and provide up-to-date information on the development of new tags such as the smart label. A leading edge reference for this rapidly evolving technology, this text is of interest to practitioners in auto ID and IT designing RFID products and end-users of RFID technology, computer and electronics engineers in security system development and microchip designers, automation, industrial and transport engineers and materials handling specialists. Also a valuable resource for graduate level students in electronics and industrial engineering design. 

Customer Reviews:

4 out of 5 stars Needs an update... but still a must for every RFID professional.......2006-05-19

Book provides a solid foundation for RFID physics and the fundamental concepts. It gets really boring at times because of its staright forward approach and technical jargon. There is no other book in the market that capture RFID in such a depth; however the book is requires a immediate update to incorporate EPCglobal standards and other recent developments in the RFID industry.

4 out of 5 stars RFID (RF Coupling in the Near field).......2005-04-07

RFID is a well written book. It covers hardware, regulations,
and RFID applications.
What I like about RFID is that it explains rF devices
in the near -field. Almost every other book I have read is about RF far-field.
The knowledge is useful in understanding the sources of noise in lab equipment caused by high frequency induction fields.
(These signals go right through the usual metal enclosures.)
Its useful.

4 out of 5 stars Good collection of concepts.......2004-04-16

This book has a very good collection of most of the concepts related to RFID and is very useful especially for beginners in RFID. I gave only 4 stars as I was dissappointed not to see any examples for any or almost all the concepts explained. For what it costs, I think it makes sense to add some examples liked to some important concepts.

5 out of 5 stars Great book for understanding the concepts and applications.......2003-06-04

If you are an Engineer looking to understand the history, technical aspects, implementation, standards and details of RFID systems, this book provides an excellent introduction for you.

The chapters are well laid out and paced. The author explains the most common devices and systems available in the market, their technology and concepts quite well. Most of the RFID related standards have been covered along with relevant examples. The author covers such things as the hardware design specifications for devices, software requirements, and some basic RF concepts that are required to understand Transponder and Receiver designs.

If you need specifics about recent products however, you might want to research for other sources of information because this book does not cover vendors and products in detail. For readers without technical background, the book introduces the concepts well; but some content might not be relevant because of the [technical] nature.
Smart Card Handbook
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • Just Worth the Price
  • This books is worth its price ... technically sound
  • SmartCard Bible
  • Superb
  • It is a kind of worth to buy book in spite of its price.
Smart Card Handbook
Wolfgang Rankl , and Wolfgang Effing
Manufacturer: Wiley
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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  4. RFID Handbook: Fundamentals and Applications in Contactless Smart Cards and Identification 2nd Edition RFID Handbook: Fundamentals and Applications in Contactless Smart Cards and Identification 2nd Edition
  5. Smart Card Application Development Using Java Smart Card Application Development Using Java

ASIN: 0470856688

Book Description

Building on previous editions, this third edition of the Smart Card Handbook offers a completely updated overview of the state of the art in smart card technology. Everything you need to know about smart cards and their applications is covered! Fully revised, this handbook describes the advantages and disadvantages of smart cards when compared with other systems, such as optical cards and magnetic stripe cards and explains the basic technologies to the reader. This book also considers the actual status of appropriate European and international standards.

Features include:

New sections on:

Revised and updated chapters on:

“The book is filled with information that students, enthusiasts, managers, experts, developers, researchers and programmers will find useful. The book is well structured and provides a good account of smart card state-of-the-art technology… There is a lot of useful information in this book and as a practicing engineer I found it fascinating, and extremely useful.”  Review of second edition in Measurement and Control.

'The standard has got a lot higher, if you work with smart cards then buy it! Highly recommended.’  Review of second edition in Journal of the Association of C and C++ Programmers.

Visit the Smart Card Handbook online at www.wiley.co.uk/commstech/

Download Description

"Building on previous editions, this third edition of the Smart Card Handbook offers a completely updated overview of the state of the art in smart card technology. Everything you need to know about smart cards and their applications is covered! Fully revised, this handbook describes the advantages and disadvantages of smart cards when compared with other systems, such as optical cards and magnetic stripe cards and explains the basic technologies to the reader. This book also considers the actual status of appropriate European and international standards.

Features include:

New sections on:

Customer Reviews:

4 out of 5 stars Just Worth the Price.......2006-12-12

The book is well written and clear. I must say one thing this is physically the heaviest book I have ever felt for its size. It appears to have very good quality paper. The photos, drawing, and unique diagrams are superb in understanding. The Handbook provides a comprehensive coverage of card components; best I've seen explaining contactless card operation; operating system workings; and data transmission protocol. Of course the details of data transmission are not necessary to know unless you cover how coding of APDU (e.g., Java) which is needed. The discuss on the types of memory used on Smart Card (ROM, EEPROM, FRAM, Flash Memory, RAM) and its use could provide a summary table at the end similar to GSA report Government Smart Card Handbook found free on the Internet.

The section on Java Card (5.14.1) starts well but falls short in providing next logical part of discussing the coding process and how the card protocol relates to its use. I expected Java Card programming model to be discussed with sample applet and its components. I'm not looking at this to me some sort of programming book. However, technical people are reading this book and those that are not can stop short of reading on. Java Card programming model discussion material is found in a lighter book titled "Smart Cards the Developer's Toolkit" by Timothy M. Jurgensen which is more like this book but fails to be a programmer's book. It also covers Multos model as well. For this Handbook, there is practically no information on Multos model and the author uses the excuse that this is proprietary. Anyhow the Java Card seems to be the standard, explaining the programming process and the anatomy of a Java Card applet relating to operation (see Sun Microsystems article on net "Writing a Java Card Applet") brings to light the understanding on how it all works and what's involved in programming for this device. It makes sense to discuss this since the book discusses such details as the EF file structures to store data which is very well done.

The Handbook concentrates on Smart Cards for telecommunication, payment systems, and health insurance information. No reference is made of Smart Card for use in physical and logical access such as ID Badges which is becoming a base for all other uses. However, a small section does provide a summary paragraph for sample applications including personal identification; not much use, but nice to have.

Very little coverage is made of Card Management Systems (CMS). In fact the author groups Application (Applet) Management Systems (AMS) and CMS into Card Management System (CMS). The fact is that a CMS concentrates more on card inventory and issuance, while AMS is used for personalization and its application management. A little more than two pages on this subject is needed. It would be nice to see a discussion on the integration of a CMS-AMS and its relationship to Card Life Cycle Phases 3, 4, and 5. The book gives the impression that personalization is done at the manufacturer or a service facility when it could be done at the issuer's location using an integrated CMS-AMS.

The book is 1066 pages of which 170 pages are useful appendices. Even though it was rather expensive, missing a discussion on card programming and CMS, I think I still got my money's worth.

5 out of 5 stars This books is worth its price ... technically sound.......2006-03-20

Technically sound contents, deep review and knowledge, no beating around the bush. A must reference for engineers who work with smartcards, its application and develop related systems. This book covers broad range of topics within smartcard technology. It is worth the price.

5 out of 5 stars SmartCard Bible.......2003-08-01

This is really a bible. It includes everthing you need to know about smart cards. If you can read German order the new edition of "Handbuch der Chipkarten" that was published in September 2002. However if you are new to that field or starting to develop or maintain desktop applications that use smartcards and you need quick introduction to smartcards' inner details you should buy "SmartCards, the Developer's Toolkit, 2nd edition".

5 out of 5 stars Superb.......2002-10-07

Extremely broad and deep review of smart card technology. This is an essential item on the bookshelf of any engineer, designer or architect of smart card systems. Exhaustive material on card technology, security applications, production.

4 out of 5 stars It is a kind of worth to buy book in spite of its price........2000-01-20

Buying a book without having a glance in it is a high risk for me. But I found this book worth to buy. I would recommend it for all interested people in all categories. The negative site is, you have to order free SW by filling and posting a form given in this book. I did it. Publishing house sent me the URL address instead of a CD or diskette. I had to DL from there. I did it again. But unfortunately, I had to format my PC without backing it up urgently. So, I've lost everything, even the URL address. It is not possible to find it again. I'll do the same what I did before, or somebody will send me the simulation SW by mail.
Not Even Wrong: The Failure of String Theory And the Search for Unity in Physical Law
Average customer rating: 4 out of 5 stars
  • The Fall of Strings
  • Woit dissects "the only game in town"
  • Right on the button
  • contains interesting information on physics as well as criticism of String Theory
  • A Good Proposal for Using Government Funds More Effectively
Not Even Wrong: The Failure of String Theory And the Search for Unity in Physical Law
Peter Woit
Manufacturer: Basic Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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  1. The Trouble With Physics: The Rise of String Theory, The Fall of a Science, and What Comes Next The Trouble With Physics: The Rise of String Theory, The Fall of a Science, and What Comes Next
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ASIN: 0465092756

Book Description

Has physics gone off in the wrong direction? Peter Woit presents the other side of the growing debate on string theory--arguing that it's not even science

At what point does theory depart the realm of testable hypothesis and come to resemble something like aesthetic speculation, or even theology? The legendary physicist Wolfgang Pauli had a phrase for such ideas: He would describe them as "not even wrong," meaning that they were so incomplete that they could not even be used to make predictions to compare with observations to see whether they were wrong or not.

In Peter Woit's view, superstring theory is just such an idea. In Not Even Wrong, he shows that what many physicists call superstring "theory" is not a theory at all. It makes no predictions, even wrong ones, and this very lack of falsifiability is what has allowed the subject to survive and flourish.

Not Even Wrong explains why the mathematical conditions for progress in physics are entirely absent from superstring theory today and shows that judgments about scientific statements, which should be based on the logical consistency of argument and experimental evidence, are instead based on the eminence of those claiming to know the truth.

In the face of many books from enthusiasts for string theory, this book presents the other side of the story.

Customer Reviews:

3 out of 5 stars The Fall of Strings.......2007-10-06

String theorists have so far been unable to use their results to predict new experimental findings. This book and Smolin's 'The Trouble with Physics' both attempt to document this failure of string theory. Smolin's book is better, but a tougher read. But this book is not bad, and you may want to read them both.

5 out of 5 stars Woit dissects "the only game in town".......2007-10-02

"The fundamental problem with string theory is that, as far as its central goal of unifying physics goes, over the last nearly 25 years it has not only not made any progress toward explaining anything about particle physics, but, quite the opposite. Everything that has been learned about string theory makes it more and more clear that the original hopes for getting unification this way were just misguided and can't work. The derivative here is the wrong sign." Peter Woit, posted on his weblog September 13, 2007.

Some readers may think that this book gets off to a painfully slow start, given the author's long telling of the history of particle physics, particularly as regards work done with particle accelerators/ colliders. But stay with it [it's worth it!]. Woit holds degrees from Harvard and Princeton (PhD, theoretical physics) and has taught both mathematics and physics at Columbia. He happily describes himself as a mathematician, in large part because that is indeed the career he has chosen but also in large part because he is obviously disgusted with the current state of theoretical physics--in so far as the superstring/ M-theory disciples of Witten have abandoned anything resembling orthodox science. Woit shows no hesitation in acknowledging Witten's great genius, but unlike most theorists of recent decades he is not interested in worshiping at Witten's feet, no matter what the cost. And Woit isn't just some disgruntled nay-saying spoilsport (I can't strictly judge the psychological state of someone I don't personally know, but he doesn't strike me in this way at all). His concern is that there are other prospects for a unified theory that have been summarily brushed aside by the popular mantra that "string theory is the only game in town." [Federal] research funding, positions of influence notably including department chairs, academic and research hirings, increasingly all have played what we are told (by string/brane theorists themselves) is "the only game in town." But after three decades of glowing hype, this "game"--superstrings/'M-theory'/'brane-world'--has failed to move forward. It has essentially demonstrated that it cannot move forward in any scientific sense.

"Superstring theory is to a large degree thought of by mainstream physicists as mathematics and by mainstream mathematicians as physics, with each group convinced that it makes no sense within their frame of reference but presumably does within someone else's." pg 204

Like so many other armchair theorists, I've read and enjoyed books like Greene's `Elegant Universe' and Hawking's glossy `Universe in a Nutshell'. But any astute reader has to notice that no real connection is made between what we are told are compellingly "beautiful mathematics" and the physical world we can examine, and, given a sound theory, even interrogate, to any degree at all. It is particularly instructive to consider strings/ brane-world from the critical perspective of pure mathematics, i.e., Woit's perspective in this volume. It seems that the abstract equations ARE strangely "beautiful" UNTIL the math must be patched to conform to a universe with precisely three large spatial dimensions; as soon as we are forced to manipulate the additional dimensions, the beauty of the mathematics begins to fade. That `beauty' has been fading for 20 years at this writing. Woit finds the equations of strings/branes to be growing uglier at every turn. After decades of contortion, strings/branes are ever becoming less beautiful than advertised. And, as Woit briefly explains with stark, non-glossy frankness, strings/branes are NOT the only game in town, or at least they shouldn't be.

Many mathematicians would cautiously agree that strings/branes make for interesting mathematics--if they can be divorced from physics. There may be sufficient cause to suggest, as some have, that strings/branes make for interesting theology as well. But are strings/branes SCIENCE? At this late date it seems that the answer is probably `no'.

"If someone could come up with a legitimate, distinctive, testable prediction of string theory that gave even the correct order of magnitude for some experimental result, that would be a huge breakthrough."

As I have suggested to anyone willing to listen, read Peter Woit's thought-provoking book, especially if you've read Greene, Hawking, and/or Susskind.

5 out of 5 stars Right on the button.......2007-08-30

What can I say? Like Peter Woit, I am a recovering mathematician, and this book has given me hope. "Not Even Wrong" carries my highest recommendation, especially for those empirically-inclined investigators who have become demotivated by the crisis in science. One proviso, though - don't read it in isolation. Essential companions are Lee Smolin's "The Trouble with Physics", and my own impassioned plea "The Virtue of Heresy - Confessions of a Dissident Astronomer". The Virtue of Heresy: Confessions of a Dissident Astronomer

Hilton Ratcliffe
Astrophysicist

5 out of 5 stars contains interesting information on physics as well as criticism of String Theory.......2007-07-11

As most people know Not Even Wrong is critical of String Theory. What I did not realize going into the book was the detail it delves into in describing events leading up to String Theory, especially events having to do with the Standard Model. I think the book is worth reading just for this information which spans half of the book. I don't know whether String Theory is right or not as I am not a physicist but I do believe that criticism is a healthy thing and that the author is clear in his criticism of String Theory. I would have wished for more information on other Unified Theories but he devotes only one chapter to this. I guess, as the author points out, there is only one game in town and it is String Theory.

5 out of 5 stars A Good Proposal for Using Government Funds More Effectively.......2007-06-23

Woit's book will be very helpful to technical people who do not work daily in the field of physics but want to remain up to date on the progress of this field. Woit's conclusions and recommendations will be widely accepted. Interestingly, in my book review of Leonard Susskind's book on The Cosmic Landscape in December 2005, I said, "I hold hopes for physicists but not much for strings." I made this statement because the length of a string is divisible and cannot be modeled by a zero-point. So, string theory was completely wrong on day one.

Woit gave me a clear view of the histories of particle physics, strings, and the standard model. In Ch. 6, my mind became glued to the Yang-Mills theory and the new behavior named `asymptotic freedom.' This new behavior is consistent with other theories: (1) the infinite gap that separates a creator God from the universe; (2) the Riemann hypothesis on prime numbers; (3) the true atoms (Leibniz's monads); (4) Cantor's transfinite number; (5) and the origin of inertia of Bernard Haisch (see `The God Theory). So, Woit is right. It is time for physicists to return to basics and The Standard Model. But, they might also consider the reality of an active God.
Analysis and Performance of Fiber Composites
Average customer rating: 4 out of 5 stars
  • Falls short on design
  • Excellent overview of composite material performance and anlysis
Analysis and Performance of Fiber Composites
Bhagwan D. Agarwal , Lawrence J. Broutman , and K. Chandrashekhara
Manufacturer: Wiley
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0471268917

Book Description

The updated edition of the cornerstone introduction to analyzing composite materials.

Analysis and Performance of Fiber Composites, Third Edition is a revision of the classic fundamentals book on composite materials. It provides a complete, up-to-date treatment of the mechanics, materials, analysis, fabrication, characterization, and performance of composite materials, complete with numerous worked examples and exercise problems. The book features new material on such cutting-edge topics as analyzing structures, smart composite structures, and computer software for composite structure analysis.

This Third Edition of the classic text includes greater coverage of composites technology and presents new material on: Complete with guidance for using the latest MATLAB software for analysis, Analysis and Performance of Fiber Composites, Third Edition is a must-have for every engineer, scientist, and student in the field.

Customer Reviews:

3 out of 5 stars Falls short on design.......2007-09-19

This textbook is aimed at graduate students but it is not good for an undergraduate course such as senior technical elective because it is very light on design considerations and design examples. No software is provided so the students will have to spend lots of time programming. Appendix 5 "Computer Programs for Laminate Analysis" is worthless; a one-page table listing Matlab, Mathcad, Maple, and references to commercial finite element programs, none of which are used in the textbook. The 3rd Edition only adds a chapter on "plates and beams" and another on "emerging composite materials"; if you have the 2nd edition you don't need a new copy.

5 out of 5 stars Excellent overview of composite material performance and anlysis.......2007-07-04

This book is written in a very systematic manner and covers a broad range of composite materials performance starting from basic mechanics. Some contents are quite unique and I never found other composite books. For example, failure modes of composite materials are well-described and almost all-inclusive. This book shoould be a must read for the begginers who want to learn the subject of composite materials in a short time. Someone who understands the basic of composite and wants to do deep-down research, chapter 3 and 4 would be a great review for them.
Overall, I would rate this book as an excellent overview of performance and mechanics of composite materials.
Smart Mobs: The Next Social Revolution
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • incohesive writing
  • A whirlwind tour through the world next year.
  • Smart Mobs. Smarter Marketers.
  • Remote Control To The World
  • Keen on Smart Mobs
Smart Mobs: The Next Social Revolution
Howard Rheingold
Manufacturer: Basic Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0738208612
Release Date: 2003-10-14

Book Description

Smart Mobs takes us on a journey around the world for a preview of the next techno-cultural shift. The coming wave, says Rheingold, is the result of super-efficient mobile communications-cellular phones, wireless-paging, and Internet-access devices-that will allow us to connect with anyone, anytime, anywhere.

Rheingold offers a penetrating perspective on the new convergence of pop culture, cutting-edge technology, and social activism. He also reminds us that the real impact of mobile communications will come not from the technology itself but from how people use it, resist it, and adapt to it.

Customer Reviews:

3 out of 5 stars incohesive writing.......2006-01-20

This book suffers from incohesive writing and lacks a clear framework that covers the theme of smart mobs. The sequence of chapters does not provide a progressive build-up of a framework of any sort. Even more, the sequence inside each chapter does not carry the reader towards any defined theme. On one section the author describes teenagers in Finland sending text messages, then he jumps to his meeting with a company executive, then jumps to describing the mobile phone standards in Europe, etc.

The only common thread among sections in chapters and among the chapters is the smart mobs theme, obviously, but the author does not break down clearly this central theme into its parts. This makes for a very confusing and bothersome reading.

5 out of 5 stars A whirlwind tour through the world next year........2005-10-09

Howard Rheingold has excellent credentials to write this book through his long involvement at Wired magazine. He blends an effervescent interest in smart new gadgetry (point your phone-cam at some foreign signwriting and have it translated into your own language) with a thirsty desire to understand what it means to our society. To hunt down the story he structures the narrative in a breathtaking first-person style that takes us from Shibuya Station in Tokyo to the wireless capital of the world, Helsinki, and then back across the Atlantic to Bell Laboratories - and beyond.

Clearly our society has been undergoing massive underlying change since the advent of the internet and mobile phones - but few writers have really grappled with the wider implications. If, as McLuhan said, the Medium is the Message then wireless technology provides a medium that totally re-engineers the way people can interact with their physical and social environment.

Rheingold calls on dramatic examples of how individuals, wireless and mobile, can outwit the top down forces of the establishment - for example in the World Trade protests at Seattle, and political protests in the Philippines. He uses these as a metaphor for how the top-down 20th Century style organisations, political, industrial or media are increasingly out of step in the mobile age. Rheingold looks to young urban people - urban tribes if you like - as a bellwether to tomorrow's society.

I loved this book. The writing is sharp, the insights deep and Rheingold's ability to take us into the labs of tomorrow a real treat. I strongly recommend it.

5 out of 5 stars Smart Mobs. Smarter Marketers........2004-09-08

The cool thing about "Smart Mobs" is that it's really happening. People are behaving in "linked" ways that transcend the obvious demographic definitions of groups we typically think of as "behaving in unison." As technology and the infrastructure arriving with it enable increasingly extemporaneous networks between people, marketers are similarly challenged to reach outside of traditional mass channels. Howard Rheingold brings us a really nice set of actual examples--combined with his own unique insights--that provide the basis for next-generation communications strategies as what had been cohesive groups fragment into a foam of indivduals united (only) by this moments current interest and the task at hand. For marketers, it's a great read...and a big clue. Anyway, I liked it.

5 out of 5 stars Remote Control To The World.......2004-04-08

How many of you recall that EF Hutton commercial that started off by saying, "When EF Hutton talks, people listen". The same thought can be applied to Howard Rheingold.

Rheingold is veteran technology watcher and well-publised futurist. He has identified yet another transformative technology. In 'Smart Mobs' he describes in vivid detail how large, geographically dispersed groups connected only by thin threads of communications techology, such as text messaging, e-mail, cell phones, two-way pagers, and web sites, can draw together in the blink of an eye, groups of people together for a collective cause.

From various parts of the world, Rheingold, has gathered stories about engineers and inventors of all sorts, working feverishly to create ever-smaller and more powerful devices that contribute to this new paradigm.

In this book,Rheingold points out examples of Smart Mobs such as the swarms of demonstrators who used mobile phones, Web sites, laptops and handheld computers to coordinate their protests against the World Trade Organization in November of 1999.

Rheingold shows a concern of smart mobs other than describing the weath of new communications technology that is available and coming. He is also concerned about the social, political, economic, environmental and even genetic consequences of the ever-expanding and more intrusive plethora of multidirectional communications technology.

This book is a must read.

4 out of 5 stars Keen on Smart Mobs.......2004-04-07

As one who needed a basic primer on various areas of technology--past, present, and future--and their implications for the human being, I found "Smart Mobs" to be both helpful and conversational. Rheingold's journalistic style kept the topics easy to understand, interesting to read, and fairly light hearted in spite of some rather daunting conclusions that one could draw from his research. As well, those who want to delve further into the various topics discussed will find his endnotes quite helpful--annotated are works from a number of key figures who a) are making, or have made, breakthroughs in technology, or b) provided insightful critiques on those breakthroughs. I found that engaging in "Smart Mobs" opened the door to further research and understanding of this seemingly complex and very progressive area of study.
Smart Homes for Dummies, Second Edition
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • Good Guidance
  • Food for thought.
  • Good reading.
  • Only for dummies
  • Smart Review
Smart Homes for Dummies, Second Edition
Danny Briere , and Pat Hurley
Manufacturer: For Dummies
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Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0764525395

Book Description

Most people have had some contact with a network through their work environment – computer local area networks (LANs) in the office, control networks in factories, telephone networks in many mid-sized or larger businesses. The Internet itself is one big network.

Although some folks may think of a network as simply something that helps them do their work, the network concept has begun to move from the workplace to the home address. Smart home builders and remodelers (and forward-looking owners of otherwise perfect existing homes) are starting to think in terms of wiring (or wirelessing) their homes both to make use of a network today and to prepare for future structural requirements.

Smart Homes For Dummies, 2nd Edition, lays out a richly landscaped spread of possibilities in networking your home devices – for convenience, cost control, time-savings, safety, and increased property values. This forward-thinking, fun guide spells out how to

Smart homes never want for innovation; people are constantly inventing things. Stuff that seems niche-oriented and expensive today may be high-volume consumer products tomorrow. Smart Homes For Dummies, 2nd Edition, invites you to take advantage of the latest techno developments as you rev up for the upcoming gee-whiz things that'll make your home a twenty-first century castle.  You'll meet the most recent information and insight on

A home network opens the world to your entire household, and Smart Homes For Dummies, 2nd Edition, provides a plan for your home, sweet home to enjoy all that awaits in an infinite space.

Customer Reviews:

4 out of 5 stars Good Guidance.......2007-09-20

Lots of info for x10 systems but not leaning to any particular vendor. Very much like that they wrote from personal experience. I did wish they were a bit more clear in regards to whole house audio, but the section on impedance was adequate.

5 out of 5 stars Food for thought........2007-08-16

My husband and I are in the midst of a major remodel/expansion of our 1968 tract home so we have read pretty much every remodeling book we could find. This book offers a lot of information and food for thought on how to bring an outdated home into the technology age. Our budget is not unlimited and this book helped us decide which features were essential to add now and what could be added later (and how to add the foundation work while the walls were stripped to the studs for those future improvements to save us money in the long run). This book does not give reviews on specific products, that is not it's purpose. Technology is changing so fast, that any product reviews would have been obsolete by the time the book hit the shelves. I recommend you use this book to plan out the framework for your smart house and use magazines like THE PERFECT VISION, HOME THEATER, etc. to fill in the blanks. My husband subscribed to both magazines through Amazon (very inexpensively) for 2 years and did a lot of research on the Internet before making his preliminary choices. Since we aren't at the "fun stage" of our remodel yet, where we get to go buy all the equipment, those choices might still change because prices our dropping and items that were out of our price range 2 years ago are now more affordable. The bottom line is this book is the BEST for helping you plan your smart house because it is easy to understand by even those of us who are not tech savy (like me) and it shows you options that you may have never even thought of before. And believe me, in a remodel the time for thought, planning and innovation is before you put the drywall back up!

5 out of 5 stars Good reading........2007-02-20

I am very much into the X-10 gadgets and have been for several years. This book was intended for the average DUMMY homeowner interested in inexpensive home security and automation. Although I own other books on this particular subject, I found this one to be the most down to earth.

2 out of 5 stars Only for dummies.......2005-09-29

Very little information of any real help here. No reviews of current equipment, or help in wiring. Very basic descriptions of home automation. Only for the truly dumb.

5 out of 5 stars Smart Review.......2004-03-30

I have read this book in its whole entirety. It is very well written, thorough, and sectionally organized. It covers a diverse range of interesting issues in relation to the title's subject. The approach to reading this book can be tackled from a stand-alone-chapter format, and/or in a chapter-linking format, and/or obviously as a whole book format.
Mobile Application Development with SMS and the SIM Toolkit
Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
  • No frills, fast pace and for SmartTrust developers
Mobile Application Development with SMS and the SIM Toolkit
Scott Guthery , and Mary Cronin
Manufacturer: McGraw-Hill Professional
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0071375406

Book Description

Get mobile messaging going on virtually any platform, in any language

Mobile Application Development Using SMS and the SIM Toolkit is just the guide you’ve been looking for if you’re building applications for GSM or 3G networks, wish you had sample code for reality-based applications, or want to add mobile extensions to your software products and corporate network. In this straight-talking tutorial, smart card expert Scott Guthery teams with information management specialist Mary Cronin to provide you with authoritative guidance on SIM application design, integration, and management for any platform. Seasoned developers will quickly learn how to:

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars No frills, fast pace and for SmartTrust developers.......2002-05-23

Because 3G is on the verge of being rolled out in the US by major carriers I purchased this book to explore how to best integrate the next generation cell phone with system management information for our data center. Although this book will work with GSM phones as well, our company is standardized on a carrier that will be making 3G available, so if you're using GSM my comments will also apply.

This book will get you started in mobile development quickly if you're using or going to use the SmartTrust toolset, which I highly recommend. This book is about those tools, so if you are not going to use them don't get this book.

The authors do not mess around. They introduce the basics, then very quickly jump into design, development and testing. If you're a developer you'll appreciate the lack of fluff and the fast pace. The book lives up to its title in all respects and is outstanding for anyone who needs realistic information about developing mobile applications using proven tools and techniques.

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