Why?, 04 Jan 2009
You don't need to buy this... The iPhone is extremely user friendly and intuitive. Yet you can download the apple iPhone manual from the Apple webpage if you need it, which will cover everything you need and is illustrated.

Just what anyone new to iphone 3G needs, 22 Oct 2008
Can only suggest that anyone thinking of or just having purchased an amazing iphone 3G orders a copy of this fabulous book. It covers just about everything in language/terms that everyone can follow. The only downside is - the dimensions would be better if a bit more pocket size (I had trouble concealing the fact I was reading it during office hours!)iPhone UK: The Missing Manual

The best of the bunch ..., 03 Jan 2008
To put it simply I have just spent quite a long time in a book store checking out all of the iPhone guide books ... and this is the one I have decided to buy. Its the easiest to follow with pictures and annotations to guide you through each step, it seemed to cover each function in the most detail, and didn't waste pages and pages on what I considered to be pointless subjects (like it just has 4 pages for accessories, not 15 like one of the others). It also has great 'tips/hints' highlighted notes on almost every page which give you great shortcuts/ideas which are invaluable. The only downside is that this book isn't as small (i.e. easy to carry in a handbag) as the others like The Rough Guide but I decided it was worth giving this up.

Get the most from your iPhone, 20 Dec 2007
This is a great starter for all iPhone users - easy to understand and follow text with plenty of pictures.

Why?, 04 Jan 2009
You don't need to buy this... The iPhone is extremely user friendly and intuitive. Yet you can download the apple iPhone manual from the Apple webpage if you need it, which will cover everything you need and is illustrated.

Just what anyone new to iphone 3G needs, 22 Oct 2008
Can only suggest that anyone thinking of or just having purchased an amazing iphone 3G orders a copy of this fabulous book. It covers just about everything in language/terms that everyone can follow. The only downside is - the dimensions would be better if a bit more pocket size (I had trouble concealing the fact I was reading it during office hours!)iPhone UK: The Missing Manual

The best of the bunch ..., 03 Jan 2008
To put it simply I have just spent quite a long time in a book store checking out all of the iPhone guide books ... and this is the one I have decided to buy. Its the easiest to follow with pictures and annotations to guide you through each step, it seemed to cover each function in the most detail, and didn't waste pages and pages on what I considered to be pointless subjects (like it just has 4 pages for accessories, not 15 like one of the others). It also has great 'tips/hints' highlighted notes on almost every page which give you great shortcuts/ideas which are invaluable. The only downside is that this book isn't as small (i.e. easy to carry in a handbag) as the others like The Rough Guide but I decided it was worth giving this up.

Get the most from your iPhone, 20 Dec 2007
This is a great starter for all iPhone users - easy to understand and follow text with plenty of pictures.

This is a book written for people who don't need to read a book about iPhone development, 26 Nov 2008
I was utterly disappointed with this book as I've been a long-time reader of Erica's posts on TUAW.com and have enjoyed her efforts on MacBreakWeekly and her less official iPhone development.

Unfortunately the problem with this book is that she is too experienced to talk to anyone but other experienced developers. With her 'Hello World' app, traditionally the first app you will learn to write in any language, you are told to throw away parts of the folder structure that Apple sets up in XCode, along with some of the pre-written code and use the code she writes with absolutely no real explanation of why. The net effect is to leave you utterly lost, not really knowing what you can and cannot do with the tools you are given.

The second problem is that it seems that Erica seems to have written the book in a huge hurry. No time is taken to explain anything. Maybe I'm not the target audience for the book but I was absolutely none the wiser about the basic tools in the SDK after reading the first thirty or so pages and I am an object-oriented ActionScript developer with some experience with the MVC design pattern so should have some affinity with the OOP code used in Objective-C (even if the syntax is a bit more alien).

I have since bought Beginning iPhone Development - Exploring the iPhone SDK by Dave Mark and Jeff LaMarche and have found it's pace much more manageable and feel much more able to take on the examples after reading through the theory.

Colour me unimpressed!, 10 Nov 2008
I've learned a large number of languages, toolkits and SDKs over the years and been part of the review process of a fairly well known book as well, so believe me when I say this is not a great quality book!

If you read the back cover and even the prerequisites, you might think this book is for you. The prerequisites page only mentions the following with regards to knowledge required: "Familiarity with Objective-C". No mention is made of familiarity with writing software for OS X, but by page 23 we're seeing statements like "These essential frameworks enable you to build your iPhone applications using the same fundamental classes and calls you are familiar with from the Macintosh". This is followed on 24 by a comment about Info.plist - "It works the same way Info.plist files work on the Mac." Even as early as page 7 we're seeing things like "As with the Macintosh..." This book does not stand well on its own and that will make it less accessible to some people.

Then we get to the missing stuff - in the very first project, we're instructed to "Drag the three image files from the Chapter One Project folder provided with this book..." Provided where? There's no CD in the back, and I've not found anything in Chapter 1 so far that tells me where this resource is supposed to be included.

The first code listing spans almost two full pages as a single block of text. While the code is commented, there is no in-line breakdown of what each section is and you'll find yourself flipping back to previous pages to tie what you read there back to the code being displayed. Once this two page block of code is over, you don't see it again during this chapter - there is no further discussion of the code so you have to take it on faith for now and learn about it later. That's fine for a 10 line "hello world" app, but not really acceptable for an introduction to a language / framework like Cocoa.

All in all, first impressions are not good. This is not a book to rival the kind of book we've become used to with the Aaron Hillegass definitive reference for starting OS X programming. It will serve more experienced Apple developers well, but will be frustrating for new users.

Good book, but lacking in places, 10 Nov 2008
I found this book useful, but it definitely lacks in places. I am using it as a resource for finding out little tricks or tips on how another programmer lays out their work. It's a useful resource, however it won't teach you the SDK from a beginner to an expert - grab Cocoa Programming for Mac OS X for that!

Useful samples, not for beginners however, 05 Nov 2008
I thought this book was well written but be aware it does throw you into the deep end pretty much immediately. I would recommend this book mainly to developers who are already familiar with the basics of building iPhone applications as there really isn't much of a beginners introduction here.


The book we've all been waiting for!, 29 Oct 2008
This is a brilliant book, and contains a whole host of fantastic examples that shed a lot of like on developing using the iPhone SDK. Clearly written, great examples, and covering all topics needed to create a great application. This book will take some beating.

Of course, there is much more possible with the SDK than is covered in the book but this book will give you all the knowledge you need to push forward on your own.

Why?, 04 Jan 2009
You don't need to buy this... The iPhone is extremely user friendly and intuitive. Yet you can download the apple iPhone manual from the Apple webpage if you need it, which will cover everything you need and is illustrated.

Just what anyone new to iphone 3G needs, 22 Oct 2008
Can only suggest that anyone thinking of or just having purchased an amazing iphone 3G orders a copy of this fabulous book. It covers just about everything in language/terms that everyone can follow. The only downside is - the dimensions would be better if a bit more pocket size (I had trouble concealing the fact I was reading it during office hours!)iPhone UK: The Missing Manual

The best of the bunch ..., 03 Jan 2008
To put it simply I have just spent quite a long time in a book store checking out all of the iPhone guide books ... and this is the one I have decided to buy. Its the easiest to follow with pictures and annotations to guide you through each step, it seemed to cover each function in the most detail, and didn't waste pages and pages on what I considered to be pointless subjects (like it just has 4 pages for accessories, not 15 like one of the others). It also has great 'tips/hints' highlighted notes on almost every page which give you great shortcuts/ideas which are invaluable. The only downside is that this book isn't as small (i.e. easy to carry in a handbag) as the others like The Rough Guide but I decided it was worth giving this up.

Get the most from your iPhone, 20 Dec 2007
This is a great starter for all iPhone users - easy to understand and follow text with plenty of pictures.

This is a book written for people who don't need to read a book about iPhone development, 26 Nov 2008
I was utterly disappointed with this book as I've been a long-time reader of Erica's posts on TUAW.com and have enjoyed her efforts on MacBreakWeekly and her less official iPhone development.

Unfortunately the problem with this book is that she is too experienced to talk to anyone but other experienced developers. With her 'Hello World' app, traditionally the first app you will learn to write in any language, you are told to throw away parts of the folder structure that Apple sets up in XCode, along with some of the pre-written code and use the code she writes with absolutely no real explanation of why. The net effect is to leave you utterly lost, not really knowing what you can and cannot do with the tools you are given.

The second problem is that it seems that Erica seems to have written the book in a huge hurry. No time is taken to explain anything. Maybe I'm not the target audience for the book but I was absolutely none the wiser about the basic tools in the SDK after reading the first thirty or so pages and I am an object-oriented ActionScript developer with some experience with the MVC design pattern so should have some affinity with the OOP code used in Objective-C (even if the syntax is a bit more alien).

I have since bought Beginning iPhone Development - Exploring the iPhone SDK by Dave Mark and Jeff LaMarche and have found it's pace much more manageable and feel much more able to take on the examples after reading through the theory.

Colour me unimpressed!, 10 Nov 2008
I've learned a large number of languages, toolkits and SDKs over the years and been part of the review process of a fairly well known book as well, so believe me when I say this is not a great quality book!

If you read the back cover and even the prerequisites, you might think this book is for you. The prerequisites page only mentions the following with regards to knowledge required: "Familiarity with Objective-C". No mention is made of familiarity with writing software for OS X, but by page 23 we're seeing statements like "These essential frameworks enable you to build your iPhone applications using the same fundamental classes and calls you are familiar with from the Macintosh". This is followed on 24 by a comment about Info.plist - "It works the same way Info.plist files work on the Mac." Even as early as page 7 we're seeing things like "As with the Macintosh..." This book does not stand well on its own and that will make it less accessible to some people.

Then we get to the missing stuff - in the very first project, we're instructed to "Drag the three image files from the Chapter One Project folder provided with this book..." Provided where? There's no CD in the back, and I've not found anything in Chapter 1 so far that tells me where this resource is supposed to be included.

The first code listing spans almost two full pages as a single block of text. While the code is commented, there is no in-line breakdown of what each section is and you'll find yourself flipping back to previous pages to tie what you read there back to the code being displayed. Once this two page block of code is over, you don't see it again during this chapter - there is no further discussion of the code so you have to take it on faith for now and learn about it later. That's fine for a 10 line "hello world" app, but not really acceptable for an introduction to a language / framework like Cocoa.

All in all, first impressions are not good. This is not a book to rival the kind of book we've become used to with the Aaron Hillegass definitive reference for starting OS X programming. It will serve more experienced Apple developers well, but will be frustrating for new users.

Good book, but lacking in places, 10 Nov 2008
I found this book useful, but it definitely lacks in places. I am using it as a resource for finding out little tricks or tips on how another programmer lays out their work. It's a useful resource, however it won't teach you the SDK from a beginner to an expert - grab Cocoa Programming for Mac OS X for that!

Useful samples, not for beginners however, 05 Nov 2008
I thought this book was well written but be aware it does throw you into the deep end pretty much immediately. I would recommend this book mainly to developers who are already familiar with the basics of building iPhone applications as there really isn't much of a beginners introduction here.


The book we've all been waiting for!, 29 Oct 2008
This is a brilliant book, and contains a whole host of fantastic examples that shed a lot of like on developing using the iPhone SDK. Clearly written, great examples, and covering all topics needed to create a great application. This book will take some beating.

Of course, there is much more possible with the SDK than is covered in the book but this book will give you all the knowledge you need to push forward on your own.

What a great book to compliment Lego Mindstorms, 21 Jan 2008
My 12 year old son received Lego Mindstorms for Xmas in 2006 and I recognised that we needed further guidance and inspiration to learn and go beyond the basics. Therefore we bought this book for Xmas 2007,, and it's been fantastic. It offers a reference guide to all the pieces and how to work with gears and axles etc,, it explains and provides a reference for all the programming blocks. Then it provides 6 robots with clear step by step instructions on how to build them, and provides the programming code for each. The programmes build up in complexity to a level where the robots could be believed to be intelligent. The other great thing is that the author has provided free of charge all the programmes featured in the book on his website. We have downloaded a few for "tag-bot" with no difficulty. We have had great fun running tag-bot around the house. The programme downloads avoid you having to write the programme steps from scratch, and allow you to review them and learn from them. We are now using our understanding of the author's programmes to create alternatives. The authors work is clear, well written and authoritative. If you want your child or any adult for that matter to master Automation and Control, then you won't go wrong with this great Lego Mindstorms package and this book. Great Mr Perdue!!

This is the one!!!, 10 Nov 2007
OK, you have the brilliant Lego Mindstorms NXT set. You made Spike the Scorpion and were amazed but then there's a big gap - what do you do next?

This book arrived 3 hours ago. I've waited 4 months for it. It really teaches you robotics. I now understand gears!!

The diagrams are clearer than 'The Mayan Adventure' which has greyish black and white photographs. I'm confident the chapters on programming will explain NXT-G. The 6 robots - based on 4 designs look incredible. They start simple and get complex. If number 6 does what it says (and I think it will) I will be amazed.

This book, the Mindstorms NXT set and some well chosen storage containers (essential!) combine to make the best £200 Christmas present around.

Why?, 04 Jan 2009
You don't need to buy this... The iPhone is extremely user friendly and intuitive. Yet you can download the apple iPhone manual from the Apple webpage if you need it, which will cover everything you need and is illustrated.

Just what anyone new to iphone 3G needs, 22 Oct 2008
Can only suggest that anyone thinking of or just having purchased an amazing iphone 3G orders a copy of this fabulous book. It covers just about everything in language/terms that everyone can follow. The only downside is - the dimensions would be better if a bit more pocket size (I had trouble concealing the fact I was reading it during office hours!)iPhone UK: The Missing Manual

The best of the bunch ..., 03 Jan 2008
To put it simply I have just spent quite a long time in a book store checking out all of the iPhone guide books ... and this is the one I have decided to buy. Its the easiest to follow with pictures and annotations to guide you through each step, it seemed to cover each function in the most detail, and didn't waste pages and pages on what I considered to be pointless subjects (like it just has 4 pages for accessories, not 15 like one of the others). It also has great 'tips/hints' highlighted notes on almost every page which give you great shortcuts/ideas which are invaluable. The only downside is that this book isn't as small (i.e. easy to carry in a handbag) as the others like The Rough Guide but I decided it was worth giving this up.

Get the most from your iPhone, 20 Dec 2007
This is a great starter for all iPhone users - easy to understand and follow text with plenty of pictures.

This is a book written for people who don't need to read a book about iPhone development, 26 Nov 2008
I was utterly disappointed with this book as I've been a long-time reader of Erica's posts on TUAW.com and have enjoyed her efforts on MacBreakWeekly and her less official iPhone development.

Unfortunately the problem with this book is that she is too experienced to talk to anyone but other experienced developers. With her 'Hello World' app, traditionally the first app you will learn to write in any language, you are told to throw away parts of the folder structure that Apple sets up in XCode, along with some of the pre-written code and use the code she writes with absolutely no real explanation of why. The net effect is to leave you utterly lost, not really knowing what you can and cannot do with the tools you are given.

The second problem is that it seems that Erica seems to have written the book in a huge hurry. No time is taken to explain anything. Maybe I'm not the target audience for the book but I was absolutely none the wiser about the basic tools in the SDK after reading the first thirty or so pages and I am an object-oriented ActionScript developer with some experience with the MVC design pattern so should have some affinity with the OOP code used in Objective-C (even if the syntax is a bit more alien).

I have since bought Beginning iPhone Development - Exploring the iPhone SDK by Dave Mark and Jeff LaMarche and have found it's pace much more manageable and feel much more able to take on the examples after reading through the theory.

Colour me unimpressed!, 10 Nov 2008
I've learned a large number of languages, toolkits and SDKs over the years and been part of the review process of a fairly well known book as well, so believe me when I say this is not a great quality book!

If you read the back cover and even the prerequisites, you might think this book is for you. The prerequisites page only mentions the following with regards to knowledge required: "Familiarity with Objective-C". No mention is made of familiarity with writing software for OS X, but by page 23 we're seeing statements like "These essential frameworks enable you to build your iPhone applications using the same fundamental classes and calls you are familiar with from the Macintosh". This is followed on 24 by a comment about Info.plist - "It works the same way Info.plist files work on the Mac." Even as early as page 7 we're seeing things like "As with the Macintosh..." This book does not stand well on its own and that will make it less accessible to some people.

Then we get to the missing stuff - in the very first project, we're instructed to "Drag the three image files from the Chapter One Project folder provided with this book..." Provided where? There's no CD in the back, and I've not found anything in Chapter 1 so far that tells me where this resource is supposed to be included.

The first code listing spans almost two full pages as a single block of text. While the code is commented, there is no in-line breakdown of what each section is and you'll find yourself flipping back to previous pages to tie what you read there back to the code being displayed. Once this two page block of code is over, you don't see it again during this chapter - there is no further discussion of the code so you have to take it on faith for now and learn about it later. That's fine for a 10 line "hello world" app, but not really acceptable for an introduction to a language / framework like Cocoa.

All in all, first impressions are not good. This is not a book to rival the kind of book we've become used to with the Aaron Hillegass definitive reference for starting OS X programming. It will serve more experienced Apple developers well, but will be frustrating for new users.

Good book, but lacking in places, 10 Nov 2008
I found this book useful, but it definitely lacks in places. I am using it as a resource for finding out little tricks or tips on how another programmer lays out their work. It's a useful resource, however it won't teach you the SDK from a beginner to an expert - grab Cocoa Programming for Mac OS X for that!

Useful samples, not for beginners however, 05 Nov 2008
I thought this book was well written but be aware it does throw you into the deep end pretty much immediately. I would recommend this book mainly to developers who are already familiar with the basics of building iPhone applications as there really isn't much of a beginners introduction here.


The book we've all been waiting for!, 29 Oct 2008
This is a brilliant book, and contains a whole host of fantastic examples that shed a lot of like on developing using the iPhone SDK. Clearly written, great examples, and covering all topics needed to create a great application. This book will take some beating.

Of course, there is much more possible with the SDK than is covered in the book but this book will give you all the knowledge you need to push forward on your own.

What a great book to compliment Lego Mindstorms, 21 Jan 2008
My 12 year old son received Lego Mindstorms for Xmas in 2006 and I recognised that we needed further guidance and inspiration to learn and go beyond the basics. Therefore we bought this book for Xmas 2007,, and it's been fantastic. It offers a reference guide to all the pieces and how to work with gears and axles etc,, it explains and provides a reference for all the programming blocks. Then it provides 6 robots with clear step by step instructions on how to build them, and provides the programming code for each. The programmes build up in complexity to a level where the robots could be believed to be intelligent. The other great thing is that the author has provided free of charge all the programmes featured in the book on his website. We have downloaded a few for "tag-bot" with no difficulty. We have had great fun running tag-bot around the house. The programme downloads avoid you having to write the programme steps from scratch, and allow you to review them and learn from them. We are now using our understanding of the author's programmes to create alternatives. The authors work is clear, well written and authoritative. If you want your child or any adult for that matter to master Automation and Control, then you won't go wrong with this great Lego Mindstorms package and this book. Great Mr Perdue!!

This is the one!!!, 10 Nov 2007
OK, you have the brilliant Lego Mindstorms NXT set. You made Spike the Scorpion and were amazed but then there's a big gap - what do you do next?

This book arrived 3 hours ago. I've waited 4 months for it. It really teaches you robotics. I now understand gears!!

The diagrams are clearer than 'The Mayan Adventure' which has greyish black and white photographs. I'm confident the chapters on programming will explain NXT-G. The 6 robots - based on 4 designs look incredible. They start simple and get complex. If number 6 does what it says (and I think it will) I will be amazed.

This book, the Mindstorms NXT set and some well chosen storage containers (essential!) combine to make the best £200 Christmas present around.

Its ok, but not enough detail, 03 Jan 2007
This book is a really easy read (not unexpected from a "For Dummies" book). It gives a very good overview on the subject and covers a lot of ground (e.g. how to get a company to make up your own PCBs; how to use an oscilloscope etc). For me though it just isn't detailed enough in the basics. I am a complete novice and hoped to be able to start building some basic circuits of my own from this book. I now understand at a high level what all the basic components do, and can construct a circuit from a schematic. I do not however feel I have enough information to design a circuit of my own beyond the very very simple.

Often schematics are presented with only cursory explanations of how they work. This did not help me really get under the covers of what was going on, and understand why the circuit behaved as it did.

The book is clearly written for an American audience, with lots of hints and tips about where to source supplies from in the US. Completely meaningless to me in the UK! I found this quite irritating after a while.

In summary its ok if you want a high level look at the subject. If you want more than that though I'd look elsewhere. I have just ordered another book, to see if I get any further with that one.


Real basic, and in American., 29 Sep 2006
Not a bad book. Really basic - as you would expect from a "for dummies" book. The sense of humour can get a little tiresome but they are trying to make it light and easy to read. It is basically perparing you to do electronics projects at home, (building simple circuits and stuff). Includes descriptions of the basic electronic components, help on soldering and making your own PCBs.

I thought I spotted some mistakes, (4 on one page!). On one page anodes are positive, on the next they are negative.

Note that the units, and symbols are American and not always the same as British. They don't have crocodile clips, they have alligator clips. That made me laugh.

On the whole, I though it was good for beginners or even just to brush up on some basic knowledge. Good to keep for reference to formulas and things to.

It's OK but..., 22 Aug 2006
Not bad, but I think there are better books out there. Needs more detail in some areas.

Give it a try!, 31 Mar 2006
What you get out of this book will largely depend on your experience. I have been asked for my new job to do a course in Electrical/Electronic Engineering.

I have no prior knowledge and joined the course a month late. I'm now doing ok in the course and it's with no small ammount of thanks to this book.

It's a brilliant into to Electronics, but Electronics only. Depending on your course you will need a separate book for Electrical principles which isn't really covered here. I'd recommend a John Bird book for that.

This book is a really easy intoduction to the subject and at this price would definately suggest you look at it if you want a pretty thorough introduction based at beginner level.

okay I guess, 14 Nov 2005
Perhaps a bit too patronising if you're not a total novice. It seems to go into great detail on some areas whilst skimping on others. Or maybe I'm just too >dumb< to understand...?

Why?, 04 Jan 2009
You don't need to buy this... The iPhone is extremely user friendly and intuitive. Yet you can download the apple iPhone manual from the Apple webpage if you need it, which will cover everything you need and is illustrated.

Just what anyone new to iphone 3G needs, 22 Oct 2008
Can only suggest that anyone thinking of or just having purchased an amazing iphone 3G orders a copy of this fabulous book. It covers just about everything in language/terms that everyone can follow. The only downside is - the dimensions would be better if a bit more pocket size (I had trouble concealing the fact I was reading it during office hours!)iPhone UK: The Missing Manual

The best of the bunch ..., 03 Jan 2008
To put it simply I have just spent quite a long time in a book store checking out all of the iPhone guide books ... and this is the one I have decided to buy. Its the easiest to follow with pictures and annotations to guide you through each step, it seemed to cover each function in the most detail, and didn't waste pages and pages on what I considered to be pointless subjects (like it just has 4 pages for accessories, not 15 like one of the others). It also has great 'tips/hints' highlighted notes on almost every page which give you great shortcuts/ideas which are invaluable. The only downside is that this book isn't as small (i.e. easy to carry in a handbag) as the others like The Rough Guide but I decided it was worth giving this up.

Get the most from your iPhone, 20 Dec 2007
This is a great starter for all iPhone users - easy to understand and follow text with plenty of pictures.

This is a book written for people who don't need to read a book about iPhone development, 26 Nov 2008
I was utterly disappointed with this book as I've been a long-time reader of Erica's posts on TUAW.com and have enjoyed her efforts on MacBreakWeekly and her less official iPhone development.

Unfortunately the problem with this book is that she is too experienced to talk to anyone but other experienced developers. With her 'Hello World' app, traditionally the first app you will learn to write in any language, you are told to throw away parts of the folder structure that Apple sets up in XCode, along with some of the pre-written code and use the code she writes with absolutely no real explanation of why. The net effect is to leave you utterly lost, not really knowing what you can and cannot do with the tools you are given.

The second problem is that it seems that Erica seems to have written the book in a huge hurry. No time is taken to explain anything. Maybe I'm not the target audience for the book but I was absolutely none the wiser about the basic tools in the SDK after reading the first thirty or so pages and I am an object-oriented ActionScript developer with some experience with the MVC design pattern so should have some affinity with the OOP code used in Objective-C (even if the syntax is a bit more alien).

I have since bought Beginning iPhone Development - Exploring the iPhone SDK by Dave Mark and Jeff LaMarche and have found it's pace much more manageable and feel much more able to take on the examples after reading through the theory.

Colour me unimpressed!, 10 Nov 2008
I've learned a large number of languages, toolkits and SDKs over the years and been part of the review process of a fairly well known book as well, so believe me when I say this is not a great quality book!

If you read the back cover and even the prerequisites, you might think this book is for you. The prerequisites page only mentions the following with regards to knowledge required: "Familiarity with Objective-C". No mention is made of familiarity with writing software for OS X, but by page 23 we're seeing statements like "These essential frameworks enable you to build your iPhone applications using the same fundamental classes and calls you are familiar with from the Macintosh". This is followed on 24 by a comment about Info.plist - "It works the same way Info.plist files work on the Mac." Even as early as page 7 we're seeing things like "As with the Macintosh..." This book does not stand well on its own and that will make it less accessible to some people.

Then we get to the missing stuff - in the very first project, we're instructed to "Drag the three image files from the Chapter One Project folder provided with this book..." Provided where? There's no CD in the back, and I've not found anything in Chapter 1 so far that tells me where this resource is supposed to be included.

The first code listing spans almost two full pages as a single block of text. While the code is commented, there is no in-line breakdown of what each section is and you'll find yourself flipping back to previous pages to tie what you read there back to the code being displayed. Once this two page block of code is over, you don't see it again during this chapter - there is no further discussion of the code so you have to take it on faith for now and learn about it later. That's fine for a 10 line "hello world" app, but not really acceptable for an introduction to a language / framework like Cocoa.

All in all, first impressions are not good. This is not a book to rival the kind of book we've become used to with the Aaron Hillegass definitive reference for starting OS X programming. It will serve more experienced Apple developers well, but will be frustrating for new users.

Good book, but lacking in places, 10 Nov 2008
I found this book useful, but it definitely lacks in places. I am using it as a resource for finding out little tricks or tips on how another programmer lays out their work. It's a useful resource, however it won't teach you the SDK from a beginner to an expert - grab Cocoa Programming for Mac OS X for that!

Useful samples, not for beginners however, 05 Nov 2008
I thought this book was well written but be aware it does throw you into the deep end pretty much immediately. I would recommend this book mainly to developers who are already familiar with the basics of building iPhone applications as there really isn't much of a beginners introduction here.


The book we've all been waiting for!, 29 Oct 2008
This is a brilliant book, and contains a whole host of fantastic examples that shed a lot of like on developing using the iPhone SDK. Clearly written, great examples, and covering all topics needed to create a great application. This book will take some beating.

Of course, there is much more possible with the SDK than is covered in the book but this book will give you all the knowledge you need to push forward on your own.

What a great book to compliment Lego Mindstorms, 21 Jan 2008
My 12 year old son received Lego Mindstorms for Xmas in 2006 and I recognised that we needed further guidance and inspiration to learn and go beyond the basics. Therefore we bought this book for Xmas 2007,, and it's been fantastic. It offers a reference guide to all the pieces and how to work with gears and axles etc,, it explains and provides a reference for all the programming blocks. Then it provides 6 robots with clear step by step instructions on how to build them, and provides the programming code for each. The programmes build up in complexity to a level where the robots could be believed to be intelligent. The other great thing is that the author has provided free of charge all the programmes featured in the book on his website. We have downloaded a few for "tag-bot" with no difficulty. We have had great fun running tag-bot around the house. The programme downloads avoid you having to write the programme steps from scratch, and allow you to review them and learn from them. We are now using our understanding of the author's programmes to create alternatives. The authors work is clear, well written and authoritative. If you want your child or any adult for that matter to master Automation and Control, then you won't go wrong with this great Lego Mindstorms package and this book. Great Mr Perdue!!

This is the one!!!, 10 Nov 2007
OK, you have the brilliant Lego Mindstorms NXT set. You made Spike the Scorpion and were amazed but then there's a big gap - what do you do next?

This book arrived 3 hours ago. I've waited 4 months for it. It really teaches you robotics. I now understand gears!!

The diagrams are clearer than 'The Mayan Adventure' which has greyish black and white photographs. I'm confident the chapters on programming will explain NXT-G. The 6 robots - based on 4 designs look incredible. They start simple and get complex. If number 6 does what it says (and I think it will) I will be amazed.

This book, the Mindstorms NXT set and some well chosen storage containers (essential!) combine to make the best £200 Christmas present around.

Its ok, but not enough detail, 03 Jan 2007
This book is a really easy read (not unexpected from a "For Dummies" book). It gives a very good overview on the subject and covers a lot of ground (e.g. how to get a company to make up your own PCBs; how to use an oscilloscope etc). For me though it just isn't detailed enough in the basics. I am a complete novice and hoped to be able to start building some basic circuits of my own from this book. I now understand at a high level what all the basic components do, and can construct a circuit from a schematic. I do not however feel I have enough information to design a circuit of my own beyond the very very simple.

Often schematics are presented with only cursory explanations of how they work. This did not help me really get under the covers of what was going on, and understand why the circuit behaved as it did.

The book is clearly written for an American audience, with lots of hints and tips about where to source supplies from in the US. Completely meaningless to me in the UK! I found this quite irritating after a while.

In summary its ok if you want a high level look at the subject. If you want more than that though I'd look elsewhere. I have just ordered another book, to see if I get any further with that one.


Real basic, and in American., 29 Sep 2006
Not a bad book. Really basic - as you would expect from a "for dummies" book. The sense of humour can get a little tiresome but they are trying to make it light and easy to read. It is basically perparing you to do electronics projects at home, (building simple circuits and stuff). Includes descriptions of the basic electronic components, help on soldering and making your own PCBs.

I thought I spotted some mistakes, (4 on one page!). On one page anodes are positive, on the next they are negative.

Note that the units, and symbols are American and not always the same as British. They don't have crocodile clips, they have alligator clips. That made me laugh.

On the whole, I though it was good for beginners or even just to brush up on some basic knowledge. Good to keep for reference to formulas and things to.

It's OK but..., 22 Aug 2006
Not bad, but I think there are better books out there. Needs more detail in some areas.

Give it a try!, 31 Mar 2006
What you get out of this book will largely depend on your experience. I have been asked for my new job to do a course in Electrical/Electronic Engineering.

I have no prior knowledge and joined the course a month late. I'm now doing ok in the course and it's with no small ammount of thanks to this book.

It's a brilliant into to Electronics, but Electronics only. Depending on your course you will need a separate book for Electrical principles which isn't really covered here. I'd recommend a John Bird book for that.

This book is a really easy intoduction to the subject and at this price would definately suggest you look at it if you want a pretty thorough introduction based at beginner level.

okay I guess, 14 Nov 2005
Perhaps a bit too patronising if you're not a total novice. It seems to go into great detail on some areas whilst skimping on others. Or maybe I'm just too >dumb< to understand...?

Much more than Quick Mastering Tips, 05 Jul 2007
I must say I found this book an excellent read. I'm currently self producing an album of some of my songs and got this book in the hope that I'd get some quick tips to try and do a half decent master of the mixes. What it actually did was make me go back to the mixes and question the decisions I'd made to get there.

The author's technical knowledge is extremely high and has definitely given me a clearer understanding of the scope and limitations of the gear at my disposal. More important though is his insistance on not always using processing as a crutch and encouraging you to LISTEN before and after plugging in the standard fallback eq/compressor. I found it refreshing that he focused on music as an art and insisted that within all the requisite science of audio production you should never lose sight of the musical line of the recording your producing.

In a way this book has been temporarily counter productive for me as rather than giving me quick fixes for the last step in production its set me back a few stages to reflect. Hopefully though this will lead to a better, more transparent final product. I suspect that, as a long serving mastering engineer, this is more than a little of the author's intention. As he states several times a good mix is the key to a great master. I think the truly intended sense of this book's title is, therefore, a more all encompassing Mastering the Art and Science of Audio.

A must buy, 13 Dec 2006
If your serious about music and want to really produce some excellent sounds you must buy this book.
Professional or home studio, dance music or band producer this is where to get ahead.

One of the few authoritative books about audio, 27 Aug 2004
The world of audio is full of stupid explanations for largely misunderstood problems. People seem to suffer paranormal phenomena with audio, and there are people who claim that a green marker can enhance the sound of a CD!

This book is a welcome exception to that. It does a wonderful job describing (as the title states) the art *and* the science of mastering. The explanations of digital audio problems are scientific and rigurous, without a single exception.

And the author knows his job indeed; he isn't the typical person obsessed with gear. He deeply understands how the different processors work, and the different issues with them. Following his recommendations, my editions are now much better.

Moreover, the author is a member of the very small group of talented technical writers. The book is even fun to read, written in a lively style, and very interesting.

Detailed Mastering Bible, 31 Jan 2004
The degree in which the author masters the audio & digital domains is truly amazing. It goes down to the lowest physical level and lets you understand _why_ things behave as they behave, instead of just giving you a list of what not to do. This, together with invaluable examples from his more than impressive 32 years of experience in the field, makes this book more vital to your work than various pieces of expensive equipment.
So, all in all, 5 out of 5. If you are a sound engineer and you haven't bought this book yet, buy it now (or wait a little - a revision is in the pipeline for 2007!) :-)

The best book on mastering., 09 Jan 2004
If you are thinking of buying a book on the topic of mastering, then this should be it. It contains explanations of the principals and processes involved in mastering along with excellent technical explanations. If you are interested in mastering audio, whether at beginner, intermediate or expert level then you will learn something from this book. It's set out nicely and is interesting throughout. You'll soon be turning good sounding tracks into great sounding ones!

Why?, 04 Jan 2009
You don't need to buy this... The iPhone is extremely user friendly and intuitive. Yet you can download the apple iPhone manual from the Apple webpage if you need it, which will cover everything you need and is illustrated.

Just what anyone new to iphone 3G needs, 22 Oct 2008
Can only suggest that anyone thinking of or just having purchased an amazing iphone 3G orders a copy of this fabulous book. It covers just about everything in language/terms that everyone can follow. The only downside is - the dimensions would be better if a bit more pocket size (I had trouble concealing the fact I was reading it during office hours!)iPhone UK: The Missing Manual

The best of the bunch ..., 03 Jan 2008
To put it simply I have just spent quite a long time in a book store checking out all of the iPhone guide books ... and this is the one I have decided to buy. Its the easiest to follow with pictures and annotations to guide you through each step, it seemed to cover each function in the most detail, and didn't waste pages and pages on what I considered to be pointless subjects (like it just has 4 pages for accessories, not 15 like one of the others). It also has great 'tips/hints' highlighted notes on almost every page which give you great shortcuts/ideas which are invaluable. The only downside is that this book isn't as small (i.e. easy to carry in a handbag) as the others like The Rough Guide but I decided it was worth giving this up.

Get the most from your iPhone, 20 Dec 2007
This is a great starter for all iPhone users - easy to understand and follow text with plenty of pictures.

This is a book written for people who don't need to read a book about iPhone development, 26 Nov 2008
I was utterly disappointed with this book as I've been a long-time reader of Erica's posts on TUAW.com and have enjoyed her efforts on MacBreakWeekly and her less official iPhone development.

Unfortunately the problem with this book is that she is too experienced to talk to anyone but other experienced developers. With her 'Hello World' app, traditionally the first app you will learn to write in any language, you are told to throw away parts of the folder structure that Apple sets up in XCode, along with some of the pre-written code and use the code she writes with absolutely no real explanation of why. The net effect is to leave you utterly lost, not really knowing what you can and cannot do with the tools you are given.

The second problem is that it seems that Erica seems to have written the book in a huge hurry. No time is taken to explain anything. Maybe I'm not the target audience for the book but I was absolutely none the wiser about the basic tools in the SDK after reading the first thirty or so pages and I am an object-oriented ActionScript developer with some experience with the MVC design pattern so should have some affinity with the OOP code used in Objective-C (even if the syntax is a bit more alien).

I have since bought Beginning iPhone Development - Exploring the iPhone SDK by Dave Mark and Jeff LaMarche and have found it's pace much more manageable and feel much more able to take on the examples after reading through the theory.

Colour me unimpressed!, 10 Nov 2008
I've learned a large number of languages, toolkits and SDKs over the years and been part of the review process of a fairly well known book as well, so believe me when I say this is not a great quality book!

If you read the back cover and even the prerequisites, you might think this book is for you. The prerequisites page only mentions the following with regards to knowledge required: "Familiarity with Objective-C". No mention is made of familiarity with writing software for OS X, but by page 23 we're seeing statements like "These essential frameworks enable you to build your iPhone applications using the same fundamental classes and calls you are familiar with from the Macintosh". This is followed on 24 by a comment about Info.plist - "It works the same way Info.plist files work on the Mac." Even as early as page 7 we're seeing things like "As with the Macintosh..." This book does not stand well on its own and that will make it less accessible to some people.

Then we get to the missing stuff - in the very first project, we're instructed to "Drag the three image files from the Chapter One Project folder provided with this book..." Provided where? There's no CD in the back, and I've not found anything in Chapter 1 so far that tells me where this resource is supposed to be included.

The first code listing spans almost two full pages as a single block of text. While the code is commented, there is no in-line breakdown of what each section is and you'll find yourself flipping back to previous pages to tie what you read there back to the code being displayed. Once this two page block of code is over, you don't see it again during this chapter - there is no further discussion of the code so you have to take it on faith for now and learn about it later. That's fine for a 10 line "hello world" app, but not really acceptable for an introduction to a language / framework like Cocoa.

All in all, first impressions are not good. This is not a book to rival the kind of book we've become used to with the Aaron Hillegass definitive reference for starting OS X programming. It will serve more experienced Apple developers well, but will be frustrating for new users.

Good book, but lacking in places, 10 Nov 2008
I found this book useful, but it definitely lacks in places. I am using it as a resource for finding out little tricks or tips on how another programmer lays out their work. It's a useful resource, however it won't teach you the SDK from a beginner to an expert - grab Cocoa Programming for Mac OS X for that!

Useful samples, not for beginners however, 05 Nov 2008
I thought this book was well written but be aware it does throw you into the deep end pretty much immediately. I would recommend this book mainly to developers who are already familiar with the basics of building iPhone applications as there really isn't much of a beginners introduction here.


The book we've all been waiting for!, 29 Oct 2008
This is a brilliant book, and contains a whole host of fantastic examples that shed a lot of like on developing using the iPhone SDK. Clearly written, great examples, and covering all topics needed to create a great application. This book will take some beating.

Of course, there is much more possible with the SDK than is covered in the book but this book will give you all the knowledge you need to push forward on your own.

What a great book to compliment Lego Mindstorms, 21 Jan 2008
My 12 year old son received Lego Mindstorms for Xmas in 2006 and I recognised that we needed further guidance and inspiration to learn and go beyond the basics. Therefore we bought this book for Xmas 2007,, and it's been fantastic. It offers a reference guide to all the pieces and how to work with gears and axles etc,, it explains and provides a reference for all the programming blocks. Then it provides 6 robots with clear step by step instructions on how to build them, and provides the programming code for each. The programmes build up in complexity to a level where the robots could be believed to be intelligent. The other great thing is that the author has provided free of charge all the programmes featured in the book on his website. We have downloaded a few for "tag-bot" with no difficulty. We have had great fun running tag-bot around the house. The programme downloads avoid you having to write the programme steps from scratch, and allow you to review them and learn from them. We are now using our understanding of the author's programmes to create alternatives. The authors work is clear, well written and authoritative. If you want your child or any adult for that matter to master Automation and Control, then you won't go wrong with this great Lego Mindstorms package and this book. Great Mr Perdue!!

This is the one!!!, 10 Nov 2007
OK, you have the brilliant Lego Mindstorms NXT set. You made Spike the Scorpion and were amazed but then there's a big gap - what do you do next?

This book arrived 3 hours ago. I've waited 4 months for it. It really teaches you robotics. I now understand gears!!

The diagrams are clearer than 'The Mayan Adventure' which has greyish black and white photographs. I'm confident the chapters on programming will explain NXT-G. The 6 robots - based on 4 designs look incredible. They start simple and get complex. If number 6 does what it says (and I think it will) I will be amazed.

This book, the Mindstorms NXT set and some well chosen storage containers (essential!) combine to make the best £200 Christmas present around.

Its ok, but not enough detail, 03 Jan 2007
This book is a really easy read (not unexpected from a "For Dummies" book). It gives a very good overview on the subject and covers a lot of ground (e.g. how to get a company to make up your own PCBs; how to use an oscilloscope etc). For me though it just isn't detailed enough in the basics. I am a complete novice and hoped to be able to start building some basic circuits of my own from this book. I now understand at a high level what all the basic components do, and can construct a circuit from a schematic. I do not however feel I have enough information to design a circuit of my own beyond the very very simple.

Often schematics are presented with only cursory explanations of how they work. This did not help me really get under the covers of what was going on, and understand why the circuit behaved as it did.

The book is clearly written for an American audience, with lots of hints and tips about where to source supplies from in the US. Completely meaningless to me in the UK! I found this quite irritating after a while.

In summary its ok if you want a high level look at the subject. If you want more than that though I'd look elsewhere. I have just ordered another book, to see if I get any further with that one.


Real basic, and in American., 29 Sep 2006
Not a bad book. Really basic - as you would expect from a "for dummies" book. The sense of humour can get a little tiresome but they are trying to make it light and easy to read. It is basically perparing you to do electronics projects at home, (building simple circuits and stuff). Includes descriptions of the basic electronic components, help on soldering and making your own PCBs.

I thought I spotted some mistakes, (4 on one page!). On one page anodes are positive, on the next they are negative.

Note that the units, and symbols are American and not always the same as British. They don't have crocodile clips, they have alligator clips. That made me laugh.

On the whole, I though it was good for beginners or even just to brush up on some basic knowledge. Good to keep for reference to formulas and things to.

It's OK but..., 22 Aug 2006
Not bad, but I think there are better books out there. Needs more detail in some areas.

Give it a try!, 31 Mar 2006
What you get out of this book will largely depend on your experience. I have been asked for my new job to do a course in Electrical/Electronic Engineering.

I have no prior knowledge and joined the course a month late. I'm now doing ok in the course and it's with no small ammount of thanks to this book.

It's a brilliant into to Electronics, but Electronics only. Depending on your course you will need a separate book for Electrical principles which isn't really covered here. I'd recommend a John Bird book for that.

This book is a really easy intoduction to the subject and at this price would definately suggest you look at it if you want a pretty thorough introduction based at beginner level.

okay I guess, 14 Nov 2005
Perhaps a bit too patronising if you're not a total novice. It seems to go into great detail on some areas whilst skimping on others. Or maybe I'm just too >dumb< to understand...?

Much more than Quick Mastering Tips, 05 Jul 2007
I must say I found this book an excellent read. I'm currently self producing an album of some of my songs and got this book in the hope that I'd get some quick tips to try and do a half decent master of the mixes. What it actually did was make me go back to the mixes and question the decisions I'd made to get there.

The author's technical knowledge is extremely high and has definitely given me a clearer understanding of the scope and limitations of the gear at my disposal. More important though is his insistance on not always using processing as a crutch and encouraging you to LISTEN before and after plugging in the standard fallback eq/compressor. I found it refreshing that he focused on music as an art and insisted that within all the requisite science of audio production you should never lose sight of the musical line of the recording your producing.

In a way this book has been temporarily counter productive for me as rather than giving me quick fixes for the last step in production its set me back a few stages to reflect. Hopefully though this will lead to a better, more transparent final product. I suspect that, as a long serving mastering engineer, this is more than a little of the author's intention. As he states several times a good mix is the key to a great master. I think the truly intended sense of this book's title is, therefore, a more all encompassing Mastering the Art and Science of Audio.

A must buy, 13 Dec 2006
If your serious about music and want to really produce some excellent sounds you must buy this book.
Professional or home studio, dance music or band producer this is where to get ahead.

One of the few authoritative books about audio, 27 Aug 2004
The world of audio is full of stupid explanations for largely misunderstood problems. People seem to suffer paranormal phenomena with audio, and there are people who claim that a green marker can enhance the sound of a CD!

This book is a welcome exception to that. It does a wonderful job describing (as the title states) the art *and* the science of mastering. The explanations of digital audio problems are scientific and rigurous, without a single exception.

And the author knows his job indeed; he isn't the typical person obsessed with gear. He deeply understands how the different processors work, and the different issues with them. Following his recommendations, my editions are now much better.

Moreover, the author is a member of the very small group of talented technical writers. The book is even fun to read, written in a lively style, and very interesting.

Detailed Mastering Bible, 31 Jan 2004
The degree in which the author masters the audio & digital domains is truly amazing. It goes down to the lowest physical level and lets you understand _why_ things behave as they behave, instead of just giving you a list of what not to do. This, together with invaluable examples from his more than impressive 32 years of experience in the field, makes this book more vital to your work than various pieces of expensive equipment.
So, all in all, 5 out of 5. If you are a sound engineer and you haven't bought this book yet, buy it now (or wait a little - a revision is in the pipeline for 2007!) :-)

The best book on mastering., 09 Jan 2004
If you are thinking of buying a book on the topic of mastering, then this should be it. It contains explanations of the principals and processes involved in mastering along with excellent technical explanations. If you are interested in mastering audio, whether at beginner, intermediate or expert level then you will learn something from this book. It's set out nicely and is interesting throughout. You'll soon be turning good sounding tracks into great sounding ones!

Poor description, 27 Jun 2008
I was very disappointed to find that this book is not compatable with Premier Elements 4 and I had to return it.
There was already a return form in the book from a previous customer who had the same problem!
Please put the book description right.


Brilliant, 03 Jun 2005
This book is well worth a look and your money, it explains everything in detail with simple to follow instructions.
It covers every part of Premiere elements from importing your footage to exporting it onto DVD and other formats.
It gives you ideas on what requirements and equipment you should/could use to improve your films, and also a small part on shooting the film itself.
It explains about transitions, all the different effects, how to find commands and editing windows, about the timelines, sound, editing in general and everything you could possibly think of and more.
I highly recommend this book, and will be buying more from the series.
It's the only book on adobe premeire elements you will ever need!!

Adobe Premiere Elements for Dummies, 11 Jan 2005
Well done Adobe for bringing out such an excellent program and well done to the author Keith Underdahl for this easy to follow and fun to use book.
I gave up on Pinnacle Studio a while ago due to it constantly crashing and thus was excited about Premiere Elements and have now followed the chapters through and can say my editing skills have advanced considerably.
This is my second "Dummies" book,the first was Macromedia Dreamweaver MX for Dummies,on the strength of that book I bought Premiere Elements,need I say more ?

Written by experts who are closely involved in preparing the IEE Wiring Regulations (BS 7671) Seventeenth Edition, this book is designed for candidates of the City & Guilds Level 3 Certificate in the Requirements for Electrical Installations BS 7671: 2008 (2382-10). Exam Success IEE Wiring Regulations 2382-10: * Reinforces learning and understanding of course content. * Gives learners focused exam practice. * Answers candidates most frequently asked questions. * Offers practical advice and expert tips on sitting the exam. * Follows the exam structure. * Covers all parts of the exam content. * Prepares learners for the online GOLA examination.

Why?, 04 Jan 2009
You don't need to buy this... The iPhone is extremely user friendly and intuitive. Yet you can download the apple iPhone manual from the Apple webpage if you need it, which will cover everything you need and is illustrated.

Just what anyone new to iphone 3G needs, 22 Oct 2008
Can only suggest that anyone thinking of or just having purchased an amazing iphone 3G orders a copy of this fabulous book. It covers just about everything in language/terms that everyone can follow. The only downside is - the dimensions would be better if a bit more pocket size (I had trouble concealing the fact I was reading it during office hours!)iPhone UK: The Missing Manual

The best of the bunch ..., 03 Jan 2008
To put it simply I have just spent quite a long time in a book store checking out all of the iPhone guide books ... and this is the one I have decided to buy. Its the easiest to follow with pictures and annotations to guide you through each step, it seemed to cover each function in the most detail, and didn't waste pages and pages on what I considered to be pointless subjects (like it just has 4 pages for accessories, not 15 like one of the others). It also has great 'tips/hints' highlighted notes on almost every page which give you great shortcuts/ideas which are invaluable. The only downside is that this book isn't as small (i.e. easy to carry in a handbag) as the others like The Rough Guide but I decided it was worth giving this up.

Get the most from your iPhone, 20 Dec 2007
This is a great starter for all iPhone users - easy to understand and follow text with plenty of pictures.

This is a book written for people who don't need to read a book about iPhone development, 26 Nov 2008
I was utterly disappointed with this book as I've been a long-time reader of Erica's posts on TUAW.com and have enjoyed her efforts on MacBreakWeekly and her less official iPhone development.

Unfortunately the problem with this book is that she is too experienced to talk to anyone but other experienced developers. With her 'Hello World' app, traditionally the first app you will learn to write in any language, you are told to throw away parts of the folder structure that Apple sets up in XCode, along with some of the pre-written code and use the code she writes with absolutely no real explanation of why. The net effect is to leave you utterly lost, not really knowing what you can and cannot do with the tools you are given.

The second problem is that it seems that Erica seems to have written the book in a huge hurry. No time is taken to explain anything. Maybe I'm not the target audience for the book but I was absolutely none the wiser about the basic tools in the SDK after reading the first thirty or so pages and I am an object-oriented ActionScript developer with some experience with the MVC design pattern so should have some affinity with the OOP code used in Objective-C (even if the syntax is a bit more alien).

I have since bought Beginning iPhone Development - Exploring the iPhone SDK by Dave Mark and Jeff LaMarche and have found it's pace much more manageable and feel much more able to take on the examples after reading through the theory.

Colour me unimpressed!, 10 Nov 2008
I've learned a large number of languages, toolkits and SDKs over the years and been part of the review process of a fairly well known book as well, so believe me when I say this is not a great quality book!

If you read the back cover and even the prerequisites, you might think this book is for you. The prerequisites page only mentions the following with regards to knowledge required: "Familiarity with Objective-C". No mention is made of familiarity with writing software for OS X, but by page 23 we're seeing statements like "These essential frameworks enable you to build your iPhone applications using the same fundamental classes and calls you are familiar with from the Macintosh". This is followed on 24 by a comment about Info.plist - "It works the same way Info.plist files work on the Mac." Even as early as page 7 we're seeing things like "As with the Macintosh..." This book does not stand well on its own and that will make it less accessible to some people.

Then we get to the missing stuff - in the very first project, we're instructed to "Drag the three image files from the Chapter One Project folder provided with this book..." Provided where? There's no CD in the back, and I've not found anything in Chapter 1 so far that tells me where this resource is supposed to be included.

The first code listing spans almost two full pages as a single block of text. While the code is commented, there is no in-line breakdown of what each section is and you'll find yourself flipping back to previous pages to tie what you read there back to the code being displayed. Once this two page block of code is over, you don't see it again during this chapter - there is no further discussion of the code so you have to take it on faith for now and learn about it later. That's fine for a 10 line "hello world" app, but not really acceptable for an introduction to a language / framework like Cocoa.

All in all, first impressions are not good. This is not a book to rival the kind of book we've become used to with the Aaron Hillegass definitive reference for starting OS X programming. It will serve more experienced Apple developers well, but will be frustrating for new users.

Good book, but lacking in places, 10 Nov 2008
I found this book useful, but it definitely lacks in places. I am using it as a resource for finding out little tricks or tips on how another programmer lays out their work. It's a useful resource, however it won't teach you the SDK from a beginner to an expert - grab Cocoa Programming for Mac OS X for that!

Useful samples, not for beginners however, 05 Nov 2008
I thought this book was well written but be aware it does throw you into the deep end pretty much immediately. I would recommend this book mainly to developers who are already familiar with the basics of building iPhone applications as there really isn't much of a beginners introduction here.


The book we've all been waiting for!, 29 Oct 2008
This is a brilliant book, and contains a whole host of fantastic examples that shed a lot of like on developing using the iPhone SDK. Clearly written, great examples, and covering all topics needed to create a great application. This book will take some beating.

Of course, there is much more possible with the SDK than is covered in the book but this book will give you all the knowledge you need to push forward on your own.

What a great book to compliment Lego Mindstorms, 21 Jan 2008
My 12 year old son received Lego Mindstorms for Xmas in 2006 and I recognised that we needed further guidance and inspiration to learn and go beyond the basics. Therefore we bought this book for Xmas 2007,, and it's been fantastic. It offers a reference guide to all the pieces and how to work with gears and axles etc,, it explains and provides a reference for all the programming blocks. Then it provides 6 robots with clear step by step instructions on how to build them, and provides the programming code for each. The programmes build up in complexity to a level where the robots could be believed to be intelligent. The other great thing is that the author has provided free of charge all the programmes featured in the book on his website. We have downloaded a few for "tag-bot" with no difficulty. We have had great fun running tag-bot around the house. The programme downloads avoid you having to write the programme steps from scratch, and allow you to review them and learn from them. We are now using our understanding of the author's programmes to create alternatives. The authors work is clear, well written and authoritative. If you want your child or any adult for that matter to master Automation and Control, then you won't go wrong with this great Lego Mindstorms package and this book. Great Mr Perdue!!

This is the one!!!, 10 Nov 2007
OK, you have the brilliant Lego Mindstorms NXT set. You made Spike the Scorpion and were amazed but then there's a big gap - what do you do next?

This book arrived 3 hours ago. I've waited 4 months for it. It really teaches you robotics. I now understand gears!!

The diagrams are clearer than 'The Mayan Adventure' which has greyish black and white photographs. I'm confident the chapters on programming will explain NXT-G. The 6 robots - based on 4 designs look incredible. They start simple and get complex. If number 6 does what it says (and I think it will) I will be amazed.

This book, the Mindstorms NXT set and some well chosen storage containers (essential!) combine to make the best £200 Christmas present around.

Its ok, but not enough detail, 03 Jan 2007
This book is a really easy read (not unexpected from a "For Dummies" book). It gives a very good overview on the subject and covers a lot of ground (e.g. how to get a company to make up your own PCBs; how to use an oscilloscope etc). For me though it just isn't detailed enough in the basics. I am a complete novice and hoped to be able to start building some basic circuits of my own from this book. I now understand at a high level what all the basic components do, and can construct a circuit from a schematic. I do not however feel I have enough information to design a circuit of my own beyond the very very simple.

Often schematics are presented with only cursory explanations of how they work. This did not help me really get under the covers of what was going on, and understand why the circuit behaved as it did.

The book is clearly written for an American audience, with lots of hints and tips about where to source supplies from in the US. Completely meaningless to me in the UK! I found this quite irritating after a while.

In summary its ok if you want a high level look at the subject. If you want more than that though I'd look elsewhere. I have just ordered another book, to see if I get any further with that one.


Real basic, and in American., 29 Sep 2006
Not a bad book. Really basic - as you would expect from a "for dummies" book. The sense of humour can get a little tiresome but they are trying to make it light and easy to read. It is basically perparing you to do electronics projects at home, (building simple circuits and stuff). Includes descriptions of the basic electronic components, help on soldering and making your own PCBs.

I thought I spotted some mistakes, (4 on one page!). On one page anodes are positive, on the next they are negative.

Note that the units, and symbols are American and not always the same as British. They don't have crocodile clips, they have alligator clips. That made me laugh.

On the whole, I though it was good for beginners or even just to brush up on some basic knowledge. Good to keep for reference to formulas and things to.

It's OK but..., 22 Aug 2006
Not bad, but I think there are better books out there. Needs more detail in some areas.

Give it a try!, 31 Mar 2006
What you get out of this book will largely depend on your experience. I have been asked for my new job to do a course in Electrical/Electronic Engineering.

I have no prior knowledge and joined the course a month late. I'm now doing ok in the course and it's with no small ammount of thanks to this book.

It's a brilliant into to Electronics, but Electronics only. Depending on your course you will need a separate book for Electrical principles which isn't really covered here. I'd recommend a John Bird book for that.

This book is a really easy intoduction to the subject and at this price would definately suggest you look at it if you want a pretty thorough introduction based at beginner level.

okay I guess, 14 Nov 2005
Perhaps a bit too patronising if you're not a total novice. It seems to go into great detail on some areas whilst skimping on others. Or maybe I'm just too >dumb< to understand...?

Much more than Quick Mastering Tips, 05 Jul 2007
I must say I found this book an excellent read. I'm currently self producing an album of some of my songs and got this book in the hope that I'd get some quick tips to try and do a half decent master of the mixes. What it actually did was make me go back to the mixes and question the decisions I'd made to get there.

The author's technical knowledge is extremely high and has definitely given me a clearer understanding of the scope and limitations of the gear at my disposal. More important though is his insistance on not always using processing as a crutch and encouraging you to LISTEN before and after plugging in the standard fallback eq/compressor. I found it refreshing that he focused on music as an art and insisted that within all the requisite science of audio production you should never lose sight of the musical line of the recording your producing.

In a way this book has been temporarily counter productive for me as rather than giving me quick fixes for the last step in production its set me back a few stages to reflect. Hopefully though this will lead to a better, more transparent final product. I suspect that, as a long serving mastering engineer, this is more than a little of the author's intention. As he states several times a good mix is the key to a great master. I think the truly intended sense of this book's title is, therefore, a more all encompassing Mastering the Art and Science of Audio.

A must buy, 13 Dec 2006
If your serious about music and want to really produce some excellent sounds you must buy this book.
Professional or home studio, dance music or band producer this is where to get ahead.

One of the few authoritative books about audio, 27 Aug 2004
The world of audio is full of stupid explanations for largely misunderstood problems. People seem to suffer paranormal phenomena with audio, and there are people who claim that a green marker can enhance the sound of a CD!

This book is a welcome exception to that. It does a wonderful job describing (as the title states) the art *and* the science of mastering. The explanations of digital audio problems are scientific and rigurous, without a single exception.

And the author knows his job indeed; he isn't the typical person obsessed with gear. He deeply understands how the different processors work, and the different issues with them. Following his recommendations, my editions are now much better.

Moreover, the author is a member of the very small group of talented technical writers. The book is even fun to read, written in a lively style, and very interesting.

Detailed Mastering Bible, 31 Jan 2004
The degree in which the author masters the audio & digital domains is truly amazing. It goes down to the lowest physical level and lets you understand _why_ things behave as they behave, instead of just giving you a list of what not to do. This, together with invaluable examples from his more than impressive 32 years of experience in the field, makes this book more vital to your work than various pieces of expensive equipment.
So, all in all, 5 out of 5. If you are a sound engineer and you haven't bought this book yet, buy it now (or wait a little - a revision is in the pipeline for 2007!) :-)

The best book on mastering., 09 Jan 2004
If you are thinking of buying a book on the topic of mastering, then this should be it. It contains explanations of the principals and processes involved in mastering along with excellent technical explanations. If you are interested in mastering audio, whether at beginner, intermediate or expert level then you will learn something from this book. It's set out nicely and is interesting throughout. You'll soon be turning good sounding tracks into great sounding ones!

Poor description, 27 Jun 2008
I was very disappointed to find that this book is not compatable with Premier Elements 4 and I had to return it.
There was already a return form in the book from a previous customer who had the same problem!
Please put the book description right.


Brilliant, 03 Jun 2005
This book is well worth a look and your money, it explains everything in detail with simple to follow instructions.
It covers every part of Premiere elements from importing your footage to exporting it onto DVD and other formats.
It gives you ideas on what requirements and equipment you should/could use to improve your films, and also a small part on shooting the film itself.
It explains about transitions, all the different effects, how to find commands and editing windows, about the timelines, sound, editing in general and everything you could possibly think of and more.
I highly recommend this book, and will be buying more from the series.
It's the only book on adobe premeire elements you will ever need!!

Adobe Premiere Elements for Dummies, 11 Jan 2005
Well done Adobe for bringing out such an excellent program and well done to the author Keith Underdahl for this easy to follow and fun to use book.
I gave up on Pinnacle Studio a while ago due to it constantly crashing and thus was excited about Premiere Elements and have now followed the chapters through and can say my editing skills have advanced considerably.
This is my second "Dummies" book,the first was Macromedia Dreamweaver MX for Dummies,on the strength of that book I bought Premiere Elements,need I say more ?

Highly relevant to the modern web developer, 03 Nov 2008
As a web developer working outside "the enterprise" (CTO at Dopplr, the social network for smarter travel), I was initially put off from this book by its title. However, after it was recommended to me at a conference, I took a look and was very impressed.

Its approach to systems architecture - the decomposition of serverside applications into small pieces, loosely and asynchronously joined - is a great fit for modern Web 2.0 apps. I've incorporated many of its ideas into the architecture of Dopplr, and I have referenced it often in my conference presentations.

Great overview and reference, 10 Feb 2008
This book is a great overview of what can be achieved with MOM. If you are new to integration/messaging, as I was, this book is an invaluable resource to get you up to speed on the major concepts and challenges faced by developers using this technology.
The book is vendor independent, although a lot of examples are shown for JMS or MQMQ, the concepts could easily be applied to other MOM technologies such as WebSphere MQ.


A Must Have Reference, 02 Feb 2008
This is one of those books that I have kept refering to through various stages of my career and I have always found it invaluable. This is the book that you pick up every now and then, read a couple of chapters depending on what you are working on and it never disappoints.

If something you do or see doesnt look or feel right, this is the book that will give you the reason why it isnt.

I thoroughly recommend this book for anyone who is a senior developer, software architect, solution architect or enterprise architect.


Essential Guide for Enterprise or Integration Architects, 24 Jan 2008
This is an "essential" and useful guide for all systems architects working on integration projects of all sizes, irrespective of underlying implementation technologies. First few sections provide valuable insights into enterprise integration, which would help architects and technology managers at all levels. The following sections provde structured overview of the patterns with useful examples.

Formalise you're learning regarding Messaging, 02 Apr 2006
I use Tibco RendezVous amongt a few other lesser known messaging products and enjoyed this book as it reinforced what I had already learned from experience and furthered this some more. None of the content is rocket science, but then that's what makes it easy to pickup and make sense of. I also liked the way the author made a solid effort to apply examples to multiple platforms/packages. It makes you realise how it's much more important to come up with the right design first at an enterprise level and you can then pick the appropriate product afterwards.

Why?, 04 Jan 2009
You don't need to buy this... The iPhone is e