Wow! eBook – Blog

Book Description

An all-in-one tutorial for planning, developing, and launching iPhone and iPad apps

The number of applications in the Apple app store is growing at a staggering rate. Want to get in the game, but don’t know iOS? This book-and-DVD package will help! With even little or no prior programming experience, you can learn the code necessary to build an app by following the how-to instructions in this book-and-video combo. Comprised of clear, no-nonsense lessons, the book walks you through each tutorial and then encourages you to work through simple exercises so that you can immediately apply what you just learned.

These lessons are backed by video demonstrations on the accompanying DVD to further illustrate the instruction and drive home the main points. In addition, the book’s appendices contain helpful information such as obtaining a device UDID, testing, and distributing an app and also lists common reasons why applications are rejected, so you can prepare to take precautionary measures to avoid these instances.

• Introduces iOS and helps you set up a development environment
• Highlights the basics of object-oriented programming principles as well as key objective-C concepts
• Examines Cocoa touch and the Cocoa touch framework, including using various classes in the UIKit and Foundation frameworks
• Looks at advanced concepts such as tab bars, web views Download Now »

Book Description

Developers, build mobile Android apps using Android 4

The fast-growing popularity of Android smartphones and tablets creates a huge opportunities for developers. If you’re an experienced developer, you can start creating robust mobile Android apps right away with this professional guide to Android 4 application development. Written by one of Google’s lead Android developer advocates, this practical book walks you through a series of hands-on projects that illustrate the features of the Android SDK. That includes all the new APIs introduced in Android 3 and 4, including building for tablets, using the Action Bar, Wi-Fi Direct, NFC Beam, and more.

• Shows experienced developers how to create mobile applications for Android smartphones and tablets
• Revised and expanded to cover all the Android SDK releases including Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich), including all updated APIs, and the latest changes to the Android platform.
• Explains new and enhanced features such as drag and drop, fragments, the action bar, enhanced multitouch support, new environmental sensor support, major improvements to the animation framework, and a range of new communications techniques including NFC and Wi-Fi direct.
• Provides practical guidance on publishing and marketing your applications, best practices for user experience, and more

This book helps you learn to master the design, lifecycle, and UI of an Android app through practical exercises, which you can then use as a basis for developing your own Android apps. Download Now »

Book Description

There are two types of new photographers: those satisfied with their low-cost point-and-shoot cameras, and those more enthusiastic photographers who recognize the limitations of low-cost equipment and want to improve their pictures. No longer satisfied with simple snapshots, the enthusiast moves up to a more complex digital camera-one with interchangeable lenses and manual controls-to satisfy their artistic urge.

Assuming little to no knowledge of photographic terms, techniques, or technology, Beyond Point-And-Shoot is intended to help smooth the transition from photographic newbie to “real” photographer who is experienced, in-control, and passionate about their craft. Author Darrell Young explores various types of interchangeable-lens cameras, focusing on those with larger imaging sensors, such as digital single-lens reflex (DSLR) cameras.

Learn how to get the most out of your camera’s automatic and semi-automatic exposure modes, as well as how to move beyond those modes and take full, manual control of your camera. Watch your photography improve as you discover how to apply important photographic principles, such as depth of field, white balance, and metering. With this newfound knowledge you’ll move beyond point-and-shoot and begin taking truly great photographs.

Other topics include:

• Camera types Download Now »

Book Description

Learn how to quickly build cool electronic gadgets with .NET Gadgeteer. With the easy-to-follow instructions in this guide, you’ll tackle five fascinating projects, using Microsoft’s rapid prototyping Gadgeteer platform. There’s no soldering involved—you simply plug in modules that make gadget-building quick and easy.

Ideal for beginners, this book shows you how to work with modules and other hardware in the popular Fez Spider Starter Kit, and teaches you how to program your gadgets with Visual Studio C# Express and the .NET Micro Framework 4.1 SDK. You’ll soon learn a wide range of programming techniques along with the skills to design your own projects.

• Get to know the software and hardware with a simple LED project
• Download code from the companion site to build and test each project
• Build a spy camera that automatically captures and saves images at regular intervals
• Construct a simple animated game with the joystick module
• Create a web server that sends messages you draw or write on the touchscreen module
• Build a gadget that backs up digital images from an SD card to a USB flash drive
• Learn about other .NET Gadgeteer modules for creating environmental sensors, an MP3 player, and a WiFi network

Download Now »

Book Description

Apple’s third-generation iPad has a new, razor-sharp Retina display and a robust processor that will dazzle you with their looks and speed, but you won’t get far without an owner’s manual to all the tablet’s features. This comprehensive guide shows you how to transfer media to your iPad, sync and shop wirelessly, tap into WiFi and 4G cellular networks, and use iTunes for media management.

The important stuff you need to know:

• Build your media library. Fill your iPad with music, photos, movies, TV shows, games, eBooks, and more.
• Sync wirelessly. Keep your iPad’s apps, media, and email messages current without cabling up.
• Capture stunning images. Take photos and HD video with the tablet’s new 5 megapixel iSight camera.
• Get online. Connect via WiFi or the blazing-fast 4G LTE cellular network—and create a free Wi-Fi hotspot with Verizon’s iPad.
• Take dictation. “Speak” email messages and notes, and have the iPad type them up.

Table of Contents
Chapter 1. Set Up Your iPad
Chapter 2. Tour Your iPad
Chapter 3. Interact with Your iPad
Chapter 4. Get Online
Chapter 5. Surf the Web Download Now »

Book Description

Essential Windows Phone 7.5is the definitive guide to creating powerful, visually compelling mobile applications that take full advantage of Microsoft’s Windows Phone 7.5 platform. Nine-time Microsoft MVP Shawn Wildermuth draws on his extensive experience teaching Silverlight and Windows Phone development, helping you to get started fast and master techniques that lead to truly outstanding apps.

After introducing the latest version of Windows Phone, Shawn Wildermuth dives directly into the essentials, emphasizing best-practice examples and illustrating with code. You’ll build a complete application from start to finish, then build on your skills with increasingly sophisticated techniques.

From planning and design through application delivery, Shawn Wildermuth guides you through the entire mobile development lifecycle, showing how to make the most of Windows Phone 7.5’s most important new capabilities. Whether you’re a .NET or Silverlight developer going mobile, or an experienced mobile developer moving to Windows Phone, Essential Windows Phone 7.5 delivers all the skills you’ll need.

Coverage includes:

• Leveraging Microsoft’s breakthrough Metro design language
• Using phone features such as email, calling, search, Web browsing, and the camera
• Designing the look and feel of your user interface with XAML Download Now »