by Matt Baxter-Reynolds ‧ RELEASE DATE: Sept. 16, 2013
A concise, competent evaluation of computing trends, written for a technologist audience.
A computer professional encourages his fellow technologists to understand the real-world impact of smartphones, tablets and other devices that represent the next generation of computers.
Baxter-Reynolds (Programming Windows Store Apps in C#, 2013, etc.) draws on his experience writing for the Guardian and other general-interest publications to explain why computer technology is entering the post-PC era and what that means. Post-PC devices, for Baxter-Reynolds, are the easily portable devices we carry that offer a constant connection to the Internet; they focus mainly on one task at a time and are “relationship-centric”—e.g., for accessing Facebook and Twitter. The book encourages those who are more accustomed to dealing with desktops and servers to understand that post-PC devices fall into a different pattern of use, one less appropriate for work tasks but ideal for broader use. Central to Baxter-Reynolds’ explanation is his somewhat-convoluted contention that post-PC “devices are designed to support another activity as the primary activity, relegating whatever you’re doing on the device to just being the secondary activity.” For instance, text messaging, he says, “is really the first situation where we see people able to use technology to quickly branch off from a primary activity, dip into a relationship-centric activity, and then return to the primary activity.” Rather than average users of technology, the book’s primary audience is technology specialists, which he affirms in a clear understanding of that community’s mentality: “Technologist users often do not like this controlled and locked-down approach, because a lot of the emotional reward they get from engagement in technology comes from pushing technology beyond its limits.” Knowing his audience allows Baxter-Reynolds to freely toss in acronyms like OEM and BYOD without always defining them. In particular, discussions of the differences between Intel and ARM chips or implementing CRM solutions on mobile platforms will primarily be of interest to specialists. On the whole, though, Baxter-Reynolds offers a well-reasoned analysis of the current state of the computing environment and the possibilities it offers, although a few of his statements—like the claim that “Angry Birds” has earned a place in the history books—may raise eyebrows.
A concise, competent evaluation of computing trends, written for a technologist audience.Pub Date: Sept. 16, 2013
ISBN: 978-0957177840
Page Count: 150
Publisher: The Platform
Review Posted Online: Nov. 26, 2013
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
Share your opinion of this book
by E.T.A. Hoffmann ‧ RELEASE DATE: Oct. 28, 1996
This is not the Nutcracker sweet, as passed on by Tchaikovsky and Marius Petipa. No, this is the original Hoffmann tale of 1816, in which the froth of Christmas revelry occasionally parts to let the dark underside of childhood fantasies and fears peek through. The boundaries between dream and reality fade, just as Godfather Drosselmeier, the Nutcracker's creator, is seen as alternately sinister and jolly. And Italian artist Roberto Innocenti gives an errily realistic air to Marie's dreams, in richly detailed illustrations touched by a mysterious light. A beautiful version of this classic tale, which will captivate adults and children alike. (Nutcracker; $35.00; Oct. 28, 1996; 136 pp.; 0-15-100227-4)
Pub Date: Oct. 28, 1996
ISBN: 0-15-100227-4
Page Count: 136
Publisher: Harcourt
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 1996
Share your opinion of this book
More by E.T.A. Hoffmann
BOOK REVIEW
by E.T.A. Hoffmann ; adapted by Natalie Andrewson ; illustrated by Natalie Andrewson
BOOK REVIEW
by E.T.A. Hoffmann & illustrated by Julie Paschkis
by Ludwig Bemelmans ‧ RELEASE DATE: Feb. 23, 1955
An extravaganza in Bemelmans' inimitable vein, but written almost dead pan, with sly, amusing, sometimes biting undertones, breaking through. For Bemelmans was "the man who came to cocktails". And his hostess was Lady Mendl (Elsie de Wolfe), arbiter of American decorating taste over a generation. Lady Mendl was an incredible person,- self-made in proper American tradition on the one hand, for she had been haunted by the poverty of her childhood, and the years of struggle up from its ugliness,- until she became synonymous with the exotic, exquisite, worshipper at beauty's whrine. Bemelmans draws a portrait in extremes, through apt descriptions, through hilarious anecdote, through surprisingly sympathetic and understanding bits of appreciation. The scene shifts from Hollywood to the home she loved the best in Versailles. One meets in passing a vast roster of famous figures of the international and artistic set. And always one feels Bemelmans, slightly offstage, observing, recording, commenting, illustrated.
Pub Date: Feb. 23, 1955
ISBN: 0670717797
Page Count: -
Publisher: Viking
Review Posted Online: Oct. 25, 2011
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 1955
Share your opinion of this book
More by Ludwig Bemelmans
BOOK REVIEW
developed by Ludwig Bemelmans ; illustrated by Steven Salerno
BOOK REVIEW
by Ludwig Bemelmans ; illustrated by Steven Salerno
BOOK REVIEW
© Copyright 2024 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Hey there, book lover.
We’re glad you found a book that interests you!
We can’t wait for you to join Kirkus!
It’s free and takes less than 10 seconds!
Already have an account? Log in.
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
Welcome Back!
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
Don’t fret. We’ll find you.