Ubiquitous Computing: Smart Devices, Environments and Interactions Review

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Ubiquitous Computing: Smart Devices, Environments and Interactions ReviewMuch has been said and written on the ideas and technologies of Ubiquitous Computing since Mark Weiser's pioneering work at Xerox PARC in the late 1980's to mid 1990's. There have been conferences in many related areas, proceedings books and journal articles, and Adam Greenfield's popular yet wide-ranging book "Everyware", reviewing some of the relevant technologies, social implications, and policy concerns. Yet, until now there has been no comprehensive textbook suitable for a course in the Computer Science curriculum covering all of the component technologies of Ubiquitous and Pervasive Computing. Professor Poslad's comprehensive textbook provides a tutorial and reference on all of the component technologies and study areas relevant to this increasingly important field, covering such topics as sensors and actuators, distributed systems, embedded operating systems, various form factors including "smart dust" and wearable systems, and the HCI and security issues which are concerns for research and development in this area. This well-organized and comprehensive textbook will serve for classroom teaching and reference in the Computer Science curriculum and ancillary fields including Architecture, Psychology and Public Policy that will be profoundly affected by these technologies in the coming years.
I heartily recommend this text as a comprehensive and technical introduction to the fields and literature of Ubiquitous and Pervasive Computing, a research, development and human endeavor that will become increasingly important in the near future.
--Ira LaefskyUbiquitous Computing: Smart Devices, Environments and Interactions OverviewThis book provides an introduction to the complex field of ubiquitous computing
Ubiquitous Computing (also commonly referred to as Pervasive Computing) describes the ways in which current technological models, based upon three base designs: smart (mobile, wireless, service) devices, smart environments (of embedded system devices) and smart interaction (between devices), relate to and support a computing vision for a greater range of computer devices, used in a greater range of (human, ICT and physical) environments and activities. The author details the rich potential of ubiquitous computing, the challenges involved in making it a reality, and the prerequisite technological infrastructure. Additionally, the book discusses the application and convergence of several current major and future computing trends.

Key Features:
Provides an introduction to the complex field of ubiquitous computing
Describes how current technology models based upon six different technology form factors which have varying degrees of mobility wireless connectivity and service volatility: tabs, pads, boards, dust, skins and clay, enable the vision of ubiquitous computing
Describes and explores how the three core designs (smart devices, environments and interaction) based upon current technology models can be applied to, and can evolve to, support a vision of ubiquitous computing and computing for the future
Covers the principles of the following current technology models, including mobile wireless networks, service-oriented computing, human computer interaction, artificial intelligence, context-awareness, autonomous systems, micro-electromechanical systems, sensors, embedded controllers and robots
Covers a range of interactions, between two or more UbiCom devices, between devices and people (HCI), between devices and the physical world.
Includes an accompanying website with PowerPoint slides, problems and solutions, exercises, bibliography and further reading


Graduate students in computer science, electrical engineering and telecommunications courses will find this a fascinating and useful introduction to the subject. It will also be of interest to ICT professionals, software and network developers and others interested in future trends and models of computing and interaction over the next decades.

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The Green and Virtual Data Center Review

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The Green and Virtual Data Center ReviewGreg Schulz has delivered with both a timely and informative book. With the economic meltdown occurring in 2008 every company has become focused on cost containment both for Cap Ex and Op Ex and the data center is in forefront. This is taking place at the same time as heighten awareness of our planets ecology and the impact of IT and data centers. As Schulz states in his summary chapter: "The objective is to lower cost, boost productivity, and improve service delivery to meet performance and availability objectives in a flexible or agile manner that also helps the environment."
In the first chapter Schulz coins the acronym PCFE for power, cooling, floor space and environmental to aggregate the IT infrastructure issues that are core to green initiatives. As I read through the book I substituted PC Fe for Politically Correct Iron because in my mind it reflects what Schulz calls the "green gap".This "green gap" is the separation of ecological and economic factors that are tied to the data center. On one hand we have the concerns about global warming, green-house gases, and carbon emissions while on the other we have data growth, power and cooling cost, stock holders looking for profits and the perceived cost to be green. The case is presented that this gap is more one of language and attitude as opposed to reality. If IT directors and facility managers implement best practices to design and run their data centers they will find in most cases they align with green objectives because it makes business sense.
The book is divided into four sections. In the first section there is a summary of the issues facing CIOs and IT directors around energy consumption, safety requirements for the disposal or equipment, and what green IT means. The second section looks at current trends in data center infrastructure and how they can be effectively monitored and managed. The third examines the technologies which are enabling virtualization and driving current trends like cloud computing. This is Mr. Schulz's area of core competency and has the most in depth coverage. In the final portion of the book there are practical applications of the concepts discussed in the other sections. I found the format to be a good organization that kept key areas together and the overall coverage of the topics to be of sufficient depth. I would recommend this book to anyone wants to understand the impact of "green IT" as well how the convergence of a number of technologies has created potential for virtual IT infrastructure.
About the reviewer
Paul Collins is CTO for Total Tec Systems a leading enterprise solution provider for data center infrastructure, and server and storage virtualization. He has a 20 year history of helping customers design, implement and manage IT infrastructure. Total Tec Systems is headquartered in Edison, NJ.
The Green and Virtual Data Center OverviewThe Green and Virtual Data Center sets aside the political aspects of what is or is not considered green to instead focus on the opportunities for organizations that want to sustain environmentally-friendly economical growth. If you are willing to believe that IT infrastructure resources deployed in a highly virtualized manner can be combined with other technologies to achieve simplified and cost-effective delivery of services in a green, profitable manner, this book is for you. Savvy industry veteran Greg Schulz provides real-world insight, addressing best practices, server, software, storage, networking, and facilities issues concerning any current or next-generation virtual data center that relies on underlying physical infrastructures. Coverage includes: Energyand data footprint reductionCloud-based storage and computingIntelligent and adaptive power managementServer, storage, and networking virtualizationTiered servers andstorage, network, and data centersEnergy avoidance and energy efficiencyMany current and emerging technologies can enable a green and efficient virtual data center to support and sustain business growth with a reasonable return on investment. This book presents virtually all critical IT technologies and techniques to discuss the interdependencies that need to be supported to enable a dynamic, energy-efficient, economical, and environmentally-friendly green IT data center. This is a path that every organization must ultimately follow. Take a tour of the Green and Virtual Data Center website.
CRC Press is pleased to announce that The Green and Virtual Data Center has been added to Intel Corporation's Recommended Reading List. Intel's Recommended Reading program provides technical professionals a simple and handy reference list of what to read to stay abreast of new technologies. Dozens of industry technologists, corporate fellows, and engineers have helped by suggesting books and reviewing the list. This is the most comprehensive reading list available for professional computer developers.

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Matlab for Neuroscientists: An Introduction to Scientific Computing in Matlab Review

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Matlab for Neuroscientists: An Introduction to Scientific Computing in Matlab ReviewI had no previous background in programming or computer science, but based on the reviews I bought this book as an introduction to learning Matlab because it was more specific to the field I'm in. I am REALLY surprised at the reviews that say this book is for beginners. I agree with the previous review that says the book starts off easy to understand, and then it feels like it leaves you on your own to figure out a lot of things.
For example, I was trying to complete the first project on my own and using only the commands covered in the previous chapters. I had to ask for help from friends and despite me telling them "I don't think I'm supposed to use that command because they haven't explained it yet" they still gave me other ways to write certain functions that weren't covered. Since I couldn't figure out how to integrate some of the previous material, I wrote the project program with commands that weren't covered by the book up to that point. It was pretty unsatisfying and discouraging. Not the book's fault that my friends didn't use what was taught, but it does lack some guidance for the projects.
My biggest complaint is that I can't find sample programs for the projects! I've checked the companion website and tried to buy the answer manual online, but you have to prove that you're a professor in order to buy it. Available answers would really help someone like me (who has ZERO intuition for programming) get started on projects and find more efficient ways of writing programs. It's not the advanced math or methods described that make this text hard to get through, which some reviewers are attributing to the bad reviews.
There are lots of comments that accompany the examples, a color insert, and a really helpful appendix that quickly reviews some matrix algebra. This seems like a good book for someone in neuroscience or psychology who already has some background in Matlab. But if you're just starting out, especially without any background in programming, this book will likely discourage you. Also, I could see how this book would be good for a beginning course because you've got a professor to guide you through the text. However, I'd recommend David Rosenbaum's "Matlab for Behavioral Scientists" for a beginning text if you're teaching yourself. After reading that book, I've looked back at this book and can understand everything much better.
Matlab for Neuroscientists: An Introduction to Scientific Computing in Matlab OverviewMatlab is the accepted standard for scientific computing, used globally in virtually all Neuroscience and Cognitive Psychology laboratories. For instance, SPM, the most used software for the analysis and manipulation of fMRI images in research and clinical practice is fully programmed in matlab, and its use of the possibility to allow for sophisticated software modules to be freely added to the software has established it as the by far dominant software in the field. Many universities now offer, or are beginning to offer matlab introductory courses in their neuroscience and psychology programs. Nevertheless, so far there hasn't been a textbook specific to this market, and the use of the plethora of existing engineering focused Matlab textbooks is notoriously difficult for teaching the package in those environments.This is the first comprehensive teaching resource and textbook for the teaching of Matlab in the Neurosciences and in Psychology.Matlab is unique in that it can be used to learn the entire empirical and experimental process, including stimulus generation, experimental control, data collection, data analysis and modeling.Thus a wide variety of computational problems can be addressed in a single programming environment.The idea is to empower advanced undergraduates and beginning graduate students by allowing them to design and implement their own analytical tools. As students advance in their research careers, they will have achieved the fluency required to understand and adapt more specialized tools as opposed to treating them as "black boxes".Virtually all computational approaches in the book are covered by using genuine experimental data that are either collected as part of the lab project or were collected in the labs of the authors, providing the casual student with the look and feel of real data. In some rare cases, published data from classical papers are used to illustrate important concepts, giving students a computational understanding of critically important research. The ability to effectively use computers in research is necessary in an academic environment that is increasingly focused on quantitative issues.Matlab represents an ideal language of scientific computing. It is based on powerful linear algebra structures which lend themselves to empirical problems on the one hand, while at the same time allowing the student to make rapid problem-oriented progress (particularly in terms of visualization of data points) without having to lose focus by worrying too much about memory allocation and other "plumbing" minutiae as would be required in other, more low-level programming languages such as C or C++. Currently, there are several books that provide introductions to Matlab that are either too generic and fundamental or too irrelevant for neuroscientists and cognitive psychologists who typically face a very circumscribed range of problems in data collection, data analysis and signal processing. Some non-book tutorials and primers that are in use in the community are typically out of date. Matlab versions are usually not backwards compatible. Many commands and functions used in older tutorials and primers, such as "flops" won't work in current versions of Matlab, necessitating a book that is timely and up-to-date.The complete lack of a relevant resource in this area, combined with a clearly felt need for such a text provided the primary and initial impetus for this project. The authors provide such a dearly needed resource adapting and pooling materials that developed for and used in highly rated courses involving the use of Matlab in Neuroscience at the University of Chicago.Two co-authors (PW and NH) have presented their respective work on teaching Matlab at national meetings and two of the co-authors (PW and MB) were awarded the coveted University of Chicago's Booth Prize for excellence in teaching these courses. (http://chronicle.uchicago.edu/070524/boothprize.shtml ).* The first comprehensive textbook on Matlab with a focus for its application in Neuroscience* Problem based educational approach with many examples from neuroscience and cognitive psychology using real data* Authors are award winning educators with strong teaching experience* Instructor's Website with figurebank, additional problems and examples, solutions, etc

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Management Strategies for the Cloud Revolution: How Cloud Computing Is Transforming Business and Why You Can't Afford to Be Left Behind Review

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Management Strategies for the Cloud Revolution: How Cloud Computing Is Transforming Business and Why You Can't Afford to Be Left Behind ReviewDrawing on his extensive experience in the IT world and his position as "editor-at-large" of the well respected InformationWeek, author Charles Babcock aims to offer "..the first book to provide practical cloud computing understanding and strategy for business".
So does the book meet/exceed the promise made?
Based around a promising synopsis the book begins with a solid foundation in the chapter layout and topics to be covered which include the potential pitfalls of adopting cloud technology.
The author provides his own thoughts on what cloud computing actually is (a subject of some intense debate even now) - although the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)'s formal definition is included as one of the book's appendices and it is clear the writer understands that whilst flexibility is one of cloud computing's main attributes it also contributes to people's confusion..
In answer to those that might argue that cloud computing is simply the latest buzz word based around pre-existing technologies - such as traditional mainframe computing, whilst acknowledging the contributions of what has gone before the author argues that although this is true to an extent it is the way these and emerging technologies have been combined and refined - virtualization in particular as well as a number of cultural changes that truly is leading to a paradigm shift.
Indeed, whilst an understanding of the machinations behind the cloud may be considered unimportant if not to a degree desirable for the majority of service consumers it is critical for those that wish to take full advantage of the opportunities it presents such as CIO's/IT professionals and progressive business managers and it is this audience I feel the book is most appropriate for. It tackles the hype commonly associated with the subject matter head on and the chapter entitled "Overcoming Resistance to the Cloud" covers the main issues with a focus on vendor lock-in all using an easy to read, conversational tone.
The author is clearly an advocate of the cloud, but presents his case without vendor bias whilst referencing the main players in the field as appropriate and concludes by means of a glimpse of the potential that current and future implementations may provide that although cloud based computing at present could be considered a disruptive technology it may provide the most intoxicating blank sheet of "paper" on which the future will be written.
Management Strategies for the Cloud Revolution: How Cloud Computing Is Transforming Business and Why You Can't Afford to Be Left BehindManagement Strategies for the Cloud Revolution: How Cloud Computing Is Transforming Business and Why You Can't Afford to Be Left Behind Overview
Increase efficiency while saving money with "on-demand" computing

The biggest game-changing force in business since the creation of the Internet,cloud computing simplifies and lowers the cost of operations while providing flexibilityand power you never dreamed possible. Make your strategic move now, with ManagementStrategies for the Cloud Revolution!

"Management Strategies for the Cloud Revolution is an important work that captures theconcepts and technological advances fueling the rapid adoption of cloud computing today.It illuminates how specific core technologies have led to the emergence of those patterns asthe foundation for the next generation of IT-managed infrastructure."—Rich Wolski, Chief Technology Officer and cofounder of Eucalyptus Systems, Inc.,and Professor of Computer Science at the University of California, Santa Barbara

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About the Book

Everyday business as we know it is poisedfor a monumental shift, courtesy of cloudcomputing—the biggest game-changer since thecreation of the Internet itself. There's no doubtabout it: If you want to compete in the future,you must begin educating yourself about cloudcomputing now.

From InformationWeek editor Charles Babcock, aleading authority on the business benefits and pitfallsof cloud computing, Management Strategiesfor the Cloud Revolution provides the tools everymanager needs to create a new business strategythat harnesses all the power cloud computing hasto offer.

Cloud computing is the equivalent of renting timeon a computing infrastructure over the Internet, ratherthan building your own from the ground up. Accessto the cloud is growing quickly, and the benefits areundeniable. Those who begin incorporating cloudcomputing into their business strategy will enjoy:
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Working on the cloud, your analysts, business intelligenceexperts, and researchers can access large-scale,high-speed, highly reliable systems whilepaying only for short-term use.

You didn't set up your own electrical grid to poweryour computers. Why pay big money to use themwhen you don't have to? The cloud is on the horizon,and it's looming larger by the day. Learn how to takefull advantage of it with Management Strategies forthe Cloud Revolution.


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