Book Description

Motorola Xoom is the first tablet to rival the iPad, and no wonder with all of the great features packed into this device. But learning how to use everything can be tricky—and Xoom doesn’t come with a printed guide. That’s where this Missing Manual comes in. Gadget expert Preston Gralla helps you master your Xoom with step-by-step instructions and clear explanations. As with all Missing Manuals, this book offers refreshing, jargon-free prose and informative illustrations.

• Use your Xoom as an e-book reader, music player, camcorder, and phone
• Keep in touch with email, video and text chat, and social networking apps
• Get the hottest Android apps and games on the market
• Do some work with Google Docs, Microsoft Office, or by connecting to a corporate network
• Tackle power-user tricks, such as barcode scanning, voice commands, and creating a Wi-Fi hotspot
• Sync your Xoom with a PC or a Mac

About the Author
Preston Gralla is the editor of WindowsDevCenter.com and OnDotNet. He is the author of more than 30 books, including Internet Annoyances, PC Pest Control, and Windows XP Hacks, Second Edition, and co-author of Windows XP Cookbook. As an award-winning author and technology expert, Preston has written articles for major national newspapers and magazines and has also appeared on several TV and radio programs.

Download Now »

Book Description

Bridging the gap between the palm-sized iPod touch and a full-sized computer, Apple’s iPad 2 offers enough screen area and horsepower to perform the day-to-day tasks most people want to do. Packed with practical knowledge, this book will walk readers through how to manage their most common projects, from the simple (setting up a calendar event) to the complex (planning a vacation) and everything in between. Readers will learn to use the iPad 2 tools and applications by using them to create practical real-world projects and to master everyday tasks.

In this practical hands-on guide, you’ll learn how to

• Organize a party: Set up the calendar event, create invitations, invite attendees, and mail out the invites.
• Build a recipe scrapbook: Write up recipes in Pages (or find recipes via one of the useful recipe apps) and import pictures of the finished dish to go with the recipe in the book. Even learn iPad kitchen tips!
• Plan a vacation: Buy tickets, find destination activities, and map out directions.
• Watch videos: Stream videos with Air Video, convert high-quality movies from DVDs, and buy or rent videos from the iTunes Store. Download Now »

Book Description

Create mobile services and applications regardless of your computer programming knowledge. This extraordinary book introduces you to App Inventor for Android, a powerful tool that exposes you to the world of computer programming, so you can create technology rather than merely consume it.

You don’t need years of training to build your own Android apps. This book teaches you how to quickly design and code apps for anything from texting to location awareness to data storage on the Web, using App Inventor’s unique visual interface. Ideal for beginning and intermediate Android developers, hobbyists and makers, and students of any age, App Inventor will help you turn your great idea into a full-functioning app in no time.

• Take advantage of App Inventor’s GPS-location sensor: Build an app shows the location of friends or colleagues at a concert or conference, or one that gives you a custom tour of your school, workplace, or a museum.
• Use an Android device’s phone features: Write an app that periodically texts “missing you” to loved ones, an app that responds to texts automatically when you’re driving, and an app that reads incoming texts aloud.
• Communicate with the Web: Create Android apps that talk to your favorite web sites, such as Amazon and Twitter. Download Now »

Book Description

The iPad is an amazing media device, once you really know how to use it. In this entertaining book, New York Times tech columnist and iPad expert Jude Biersdorfer shows you how to get the most out of this sleek tablet to surf the Web, send and receive email, watch movies and TV shows, read eBooks, listen to music, play games, and even do a little iWork. It’s the book that should have been in the box.

The important stuff you need to know

• Learn undocumented tips and tricks. Get the lowdown on cool iPad secrets
• Build and play your media library. Fill up your iPad with music, movies, TV shows, eBooks, photos, music videos, audiobooks, and podcasts
• Get online. Connect through Wi-Fi and Wi-Fi+3G—on both GSM and CDMA networks
• Discover state-of-the-art e-reading. Buy and read books and magazines in full color
• Consolidate your email accounts. Read email from your personal and work accounts
• Shop iTunes and the App Store. Navigate Apple’s media emporiums, and learn how to get free music, video, books, and apps

About the Author
J.D. Biersdorfer is a best-selling, veteran Missing Manual author. J.D. wrote Best iPad Apps and iPad: The Missing Manual (First Edition) Download Now »

Book Description

The field of industrial electronics covers a plethora of problems which must be solved in industrial practice. Electronic systems control many processes that begin with the control of relatively simple devices like electric motors, through more complicated devices such as robots, to the control of entire fabrication processes.An industrial electronics engineer works with many physical phenomena as well as the sensors which are used to measure them. Thus the knowledge required by this type of engineer is not only traditional electronics but also specialized electronics, such as those required for high power applications. The importance of electronic circuits extends well beyond their use as a final product in that they are also important building blocks in large systems. Therefore, the industrial electronics engineer must also possess knowledge of the areas of control and mechatronics. Since most fabrication processes are relatively complex, there is an inherent requirement for the use of communication systems that not only link the various elements of the industrial process, but are tailor-made for the specific industrial environment.

Finally, the efficient control and supervision of factories requires the application of intelligent systems in a hierarchical structure to address the needs of all components employed in the production process. This latter need is accomplished through the use of intelligent systems such as neural networks, fuzzy systems or evolutionary methods. The Industrial Electronics Handbook, now in its second edition, addresses all these issues in five separate volumes which can be purchased individually or as a set: Fundamentals of Industrial Electronics, Industrial Communication Systems, Intelligent Systems, Power Electronics and Motor Drives, and Control and Mechatronics. Download Now »

Book Description

CREATE FIENDISHLY FUN tinyAVR MICROCONTROLLER PROJECTS

This wickedly inventive guide shows you how to conceptualize, build, and program 34 tinyAVR microcontroller devices that you can use for either entertainment or practical purposes. After covering the development process, tools, and power supply sources, tinyAVR Microcontroller Projects for the Evil Genius gets you working on exciting LED, graphics LCD, sensor, audio, and alternate energy projects.

Using easy-to-find components and equipment, this hands-on guide helps you build a solid foundation in electronics and embedded programming while accomplishing useful–and slightly twisted–projects. Most of the projects have fascinating visual appeal in the form of large LED-based displays, and others feature a voice playback mechanism. Full source code and circuit files for each project are available for download.

tinyAVR Microcontroller Projects for the Evil Genius:

• Features step-by-step instructions and helpful illustrations
• Allows you to customize each project for your own requirements
• Offers full source code for all projects for download

Build these and other devious devices:

• Flickering LED candle Download Now »