News Blog @ Wellington City Libraries

These new computing books include something to suit everyone’s level. From guides on Twitter and iPads, all the way to programming games for social networks.

Final jeopardy : the story of Watson, the computer that will transform our world / Stephen Baker.Final Jeopardy: The Story of Watson, the Computer That Will Transform Our World
“Researchers at IBM launched a billion-dollar project to develop a machine that could compete in the quiz show Jeopardy — and win. The machine faced off in a high-ratings match against two former champions, Ken Jennings and Brad Rutter. Journalist Stephen Baker carries readers on a captivating journey from the IBM labs to the showdown in Hollywood. The story features brilliant Ph.D.s, Hollywood moguls, knowledge-obsessed Jeopardy masters — and a very special collection of silicon and circuitry named Watson. It was a classic match of Man vs. Machine, not seen since the chess-playing computer Deep Blue bested the world’s reigning grandmaster, Garry Kasparov. And Watson needed to do more than churn through chess moves or find a relevant Web page — it had to understand language, including puns and irony, and master everything from history and literature to science, arts, and entertainment.” – (adapted from Publisher’s description)

Social game design : monetization methods and mechanics / Tim Fields, Brandon Cotton.
“Social Game Design reveals what you need to know in order to create and monetize online social games. Using examples from successful game designs, you’ll learn what makes these games compelling, and why people will pay to play them. This book will inspire you to apply these principles in order to meet the challenges of this new space, creating original games that both delight players and generate profit. We’ll talk about different business models, how to acquire and keep players, how to sell virtual goods, and how to keep players coming back day after day.” – (adapted from Syndetics summary)

iWork for dummies / by Jesse Feiler.
“What the book covers: This friendly guide shows readers how to harness the creative possibilities of the unique iWork office productivity suite to create stunning presentations using the Pages, Numbers, and Keynote applications for documents, spreadsheets, and presentations, respectively. Readers who are tired of the dreary, workaday layouts possible with Microsoft Office will be fully prepared to “dress to impress” their office documents with iWork. An entire new showcases iWork for iPad and how to share information with the Mac version and online. Series features: Information presented in the straightforward but fun language that has defined the “Dummies” series for more than fifteen years.” – (adapted from Syndetics summary)

HTML5 multimedia : develop and design / Ian Devlin.
“One of the most exciting and talked about aspects of the HTML5 specification is the introduction of in-browser multimedia. Websites no longer have to rely on a third-party tool such as Flash or Silverlight to play video and audio. This book is an easy, approachable guide to building native HTML5 multimedia into a website, from the simplest addition to more advanced features. It’s written in a simple, straightforward style that’s not too techy, yet advanced enough for the more experienced coder who just needs to get up to speed on these powerful new capabilities. The book’s companion website provides all the examples in a working format for easy access and enhanced visualization for the reader.” – (adapted from Syndetics summary)

The Photoshop Elements 10 book for digital photographers / Scott Kelby and Matt Kloskowski.
“Uncover the inside tips and tricks of the trade for organizing, correcting, editing, sharpening, retouching, and presenting your photos like a pro.” – (adapted from Book cover summary)

Alan Turing : the enigma / Andrew Hodges.Alan Turing: The Enigma
“A reissue in Vintage with a new preface. Andrew Hodges’s biography of Alan Turing, the brilliant Cambridge mathematician who masterminded the cracking of the German Enigma code and indeed was the father of the modern computer, was regarded as ‘the paperback buy of the season’ (Sunday Times) when it was first published.” – (adapted from Syndetics summary)

The Twitter book / by Tim O’Reilly and Sarah Milstein.
“Twitter is not just for talking about your breakfast anymore. It’s become an indispensable communications tool for businesses, non-profits, celebrities, and people around the globe. With the second edition of this friendly, full-color guide, you’ll quickly get up to speed not only on standard features, but also on new options and nuanced uses that will help you tweet with confidence. Co-written by two widely recognized Twitter experts, The Twitter Book is packed with all-new real-world examples, solid advice, and clear explanations guaranteed to turn you into a power user.” – (adapted from Amazon.com summary)

Mac application development for dummies / by Karl G. Kowalski.
“The App Store extends to the Mac desktop!…. This fun, full-color guide shows you how to create killer Mac apps on, and for, a desktop Mac. The book takes you step by step through the development of two apps while you get up to speed on the Mac App SDK, Xcode 4, how a Mac app runs, cryptography, views, and much more. Shows you how to download the Mac App SDK, set up Xcode 4, and how Mac apps run. Takes you step by step through the development of two Mac desktop apps. Explains views, view controllers, interface objects, gesture recognizers, cryptography, security, network awareness, and much more. The App Store for the Mac desktop is the next big thing for developers! Be ready with this book at your disposal. Note: Apple’s iOS SDK tools are only accessible on Intel-powered Mac and MacBook devices.” – (adapted from Syndetics summary)

iOS 5 in the enterprise : a hands-on guide to managing iPhones and iPads / John Welch.
“In this book, readers will learn to how manage iOS in business settings, from small to large, using Apple’s iOS configuration and management utilities. The first half of the book will provide a strong foundation of managing iOS devices, looking at the various methods of management, from the simple to the complex. The second half of the book will cover advanced topics, such as server setup.” – (adapted from Syndetics summary)

An introduction to the new iPad / Andrew Edney.
“Apple iPad’s are becoming ever more popular especially with the release of the new iPad with its enhanced features. This book guides you through setting up and using your new iPad for the first time. It provides many useful hints and tips and also warnings about possible pitfalls that you may encounter.” – (adapted from Globalbooksinprint.com summary)