Digital Storytelling: A Creator's Guide to Interactive Entertainment Review

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(More customer reviews)DIGITAL STORYTELLING
Carolyn Handler Miller
From sitting in front of the camp fire to sitting in front of a computer, story-telling has always been rewarding, yet often frustrating. The challenges of telling a story using different media, particularly a new one, can be intimidating, especially to someone who wasn't born with a mouse in their mouth.
Not to worry, though, for in the first chapter of Carolyn Miller's book, she lays those concerns to rest by noting that interactive stories are similar to myths, rituals, and games. I immediately felt better and dove right into this comprehensive book.
DIGITAL STORYTELLING is valuable on a number of levels.
It's a scholarly revue and investigation of interactive media and thus an excellent resource for researchers.
It explains the terminology and theories.
It offers specific tools for digital storytelling development of plot, structure, and characters.
It has guidelines for specific uses of digital storytelling such as information, education, and advertising.
Children's projects have their own helpful chapter.
As a story consultant moving more into games design work, and as a writer desiring to keep up with the latest techniques and technologies, I know I'll be reaching for DIGITAL STORYTELLING a lot. And I know I'll always find it a rich resource of information and inspiration.


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The Beverly Hills Organizer's Home Organizing Bible: A Pro's Answers to Your Organizing Prayers Review

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(More customer reviews)I was excited to buy this book after hearing rave reviews about it. When I got it, I set aside some time and started pouring over all the chapters. Unfortunately, I rent a small apartment with not a lot of storage, small closets, and not many cupboards. I figured this book would be perfect. Boy, was I wrong. If you don't have large closets, a ton of cupboards or a pantry, this book will be a waste of your money. The only good tips I got from it was how to fold my clothes, socks, etc., so that I could fit more in my drawers. The rest of it I skimmed through, and then put the book away since I couldn't use it. As I said, if you own a home, this book would be perfect for you. If you rent a small apartment with not a lot of closets and storage, then don't waste your money.

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At last...an easy-to-follow, step-by-step visual guide to organizing your home room by room and piece by piece. Most organizing books are too complicated to actually use—you have to read them cover-to-cover, search for the information you need, then try to remember it once you finally find it. And after all that, it may be useless! With The Beverly Hills Organizer's Home Organizing Bible, you can quickly turn to the section they need, and then follow organizing ace Linda Koopersmith's decluttering "recipe" step by step, just like a cookbook. Everything you'll need is there on one spread! Linda's practical strategies and smart storage systems help you clear out the clutter and stay organized for good.


Packed with organizational tips and techniques that are easy, inexpensive, obtainable and simple to maintain
Recommends the best products for each task
Includes do-it-yourself tips that could save readers thousands of dollars
Reveals the "30-Second Rule" that makes staying uncluttered and organized a snap
Based on the author's experience with thousands of clients

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Creating A Vibrant City Center Review

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(More customer reviews)This accessible, 200-page book offers a terrific overview of urban design principles and how they can be applied to regenerate/revitalize downtowns and city centers. It covers all the basics in 15 easy-to-digest chapters that contain informative images with detailed captions. Best of all, a collection of case studies offers live examples of how cities as diverse as Kenosha Wisconsin, Portland Oregon and Manchester England (along with another 14 case studies) have successfully integrated the principles outlined in the book.

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What makes a city great? This book will give you the key planning and design guidelines you need to create a lively, appealing city center in any metropolitan area. The author, a leading expert in urban design, explains techniques for designing a complementary mix of uses and inviting public spaces that will be a magnet for continued economic development, attracting people to live, work, and visit. Full of examples and color photographs, the book is ideal for public officials, planners, developers, and business leaders.

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Building the Perfect PC Review

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(More customer reviews)There are very few folks who know their subject as well as Robert Bruce Thompson. He has been keeping a web-log for several years now where he discusses many subjects, especially about is daily adventures with building computers, managing a home-network and diagnosing problems with them.
Probably the single biggest reason that many people don't put together their own systems is the simple lack of knowledge on how to do it. This book provides a great introduction on how to do it.
The best reason to do it for yourself is then you will have the piece of mind that you have quality parts in your system. Picking good hard drives, video cards, motherboards, means you are less likely to have a computer failure. Cheap parts are the major reason large corp. retailers put out a lot bad systems... they got some parts that were cheap, but that fail a lot. Thus, causing their customers a lot of headaches. Sure, you might get a dirt-cheap computer system, but you get what you pay for.
The other best reason to build a system on your own is that you will learn something in the process. If you can build your own system you will start to be able to do your own tech support. You won't have to wait to get your system fixed: you'll have the knowledge to do it yourself.
Better than the simple list of hardware (which since this is a physical book will be out of date very soon after publication) is the discussion on how to do it. The questions you need to ask yourself before picking hardware, etc. What do you want to do with the system? Do you want to play high-power games? Maybe you just want to surf the web and do some light word processing. The system can then be customized for you and you don't get one-size fits all system from some corp. retail giant.
And don't forget about his web site. He keeps updated lists of recommended hardware on it, as well as details as to his adventures of computer-problem land. A lot of tips can be picked up there. A good way to keep abreast of the authors thoughts and opinions as to the state of the industry.
Anything by Thompson is worthwhile.

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Build a PC that will outperform any brand-name box on the market

Yes, even if you're not a total geek you can build your own PC -- and we guarantee it's worth the effort. You'll discover that the quality is better and the cost is much lower than any comparable off-the-shelf PC you can buy. Design the custom computer you want, and have fun doing it.

Get high-quality PC hardware from local stores and online vendors
Plan your computer project with a complete checklist
Create the ideal PC that will run Windows 7 or Linux
Take advantage of the latest multi-core CPUs
Assemble, test, and configure your PC with ease
Build a PC that meets your needs and fits your budget

Written by hardware experts, this book delivers complete instructions for building your own dream machine with high-quality components, whether it's a PC for general use, extreme gaming, a media center, or home server. Straightforward language, clear directions, and easy-to-follow illustrations make this guide a breeze for computer builders of any skill level, even those with no experience.

Building the Perfect PC presents six in-depth custom PC projects:

Mainstream PC -- Fast, flexible, quiet, and reliable at a reasonable price
Extreme System -- A wicked fast PC for video editing, gaming, and more
Media Center -- One PC to replace your TiVo, game console, DVD, and CD player
Home Server -- Ideal home network hub to store, share, and secure data
Appliance PC -- A tiny, quiet, inexpensive PC you can put anywhere
Budget System -- Reliable and highly functional at a low, low price

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The Woman I Was Born to Be: My Story (Center Point Platinum Nonfiction) Review

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(More customer reviews)If this book does not inspire you, you simply cannot be inspired! A poignant, but often hilarious journey with Susan Boyle from her humble beginnings to her dizzying heights of success. This is a book for people of all faiths. One of struggle,courage,and determination. It should be in the hands of anyone who has ever struggled with being considered "different", of those who work with young people, or people with any kind of disability, and anyone who simply enjoys a good story well told.

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In April 2009, a modest middle-aged woman from a village in Scotland was catapulted to global fame when the YouTube video of her audition for "Britain's Got Talent" touched the hearts of millions all over the world. From singing karaoke in local pubs to live performance with an eighty-piece orchestra in Japan's legendary Budokan arena and a record-breaking debut album, Susan Boyle has become an international superstar. This astonishing transformation has not always been easy for Susan, faced with all the trappings of celebrity, but in the whirlwind of attention and expectation, she has always found calm and clarity in music. Susan was born to sing. Now, for the first time, Susan tells the story of her life and the challenges she has struggled to overcome with faith, fortitude and an unfailing sense of humour. 'When I strutted onto the stage for that audition, I was a scared wee lassie, still grieving for my mother, not caring how I looked. I think I've grown up a lot in the last year, become more of a lady, and I'm not so frightened anymore.I'm telling my story to try and show that you shouldn't judge a book by its cover, that you shouldn't just look at the label - you must look at the whole person, emotionally, physically, mentally and spiritually. I hope that it will show that dreams are not impossible, if you've got courage and a willingness to go on no matter what the circumstances.'--This text refers to the Paperback edition.

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A Whole New Mind: Why Right-Brainers Will Rule the Future Review

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(More customer reviews)A Whole New Mind $16.47 US, is a 2005 release from Daniel H. Pink that covers creative thinking and other aspects of success. Ostensibly geared toward career pros, this non-fiction title analyzes transitions in society as America migrates from an Information Age to a Conceptual Age economy. The text in Dan's book is not academic -- instead it is more biographical, intuitive, observational, and playful. His book is a real triple threat of content, style, and visual presentation.
Word to the wise -- you are in for a slightly different book here -- right of the bat, the author walks us through the procedure of having his brain scanned as part of a project conducted at the National Institute of Mental Health in Washington D.C. This unorthodox introduction (with four photo illustrations) is welcomed by the reader, as it gives the chapter an introspective quality. Pink shares this experience to illustrate normal brain function -- to note a few misconceptions about the way the brain divides work -- and then posits that while most people integrate both left and right brain activity, R-Directed Thinking will increasingly be relied upon in the future, by people that want to succeed in business or life.
Here is the crux of what Pink is trying to relay. America is currently organized around a cadre of accountants, doctors, engineers, executives and lawyers. These "knowledge workers" excel at the ability to acquire and marry facts to data, and these abilities are typically accrued through a series of standardized tests such as the PSAT, SAT, GMAT, LSAT and MCAT. (As an aside, Bush's test-happy Department of Education only serves to increase the number of L-Directed Thinkers, providing corporations cheap labor in abundance.) Pink asserts this regime of L-Directed Thinking in America is diminishing due to three factors: Abundance, Asia, and Automation.
Our guide Dan conjectures -- that in this age of Abundance -- appealing only to functional, logical, and rational requirements is not enough. Design, empathy, play, and other "soft" aptitudes have become the focal point for individuals and companies that want to stand out above the others in a crowded marketplace. Look no further than Apple's design-triumph, the physically appealing and emotionally compelling iPod, for quick confirmation of this notion!
Looking at trends, Pink concludes outsourcing of white-collar jobs (knowledge work) to nations in Asia will have profound "long term effects" on the economic well-being of Australia, Germany, Japan, the UK and the US. Just as factory jobs flowed out of the country during the eighties, globalization of white-collar jobs will soon follow. Consequently, most Americans will need to come up with a new skill set that is not abundant overseas.
Even if Pink is wrong, and Abundance and Asia aren't transforming America, rest assured that Automation is. In long paragraphs, Pink cites specific examples of how Computer Programming, Law, and Medicine have been radically altered by technology. You'll notice this trend in even simpler venues (like self-checkout at supermarket and department store chains) throughout the US. Implication of Pink's research? Transaction based jobs may soon start declining.
Now here are a few key items worthy of consideration -- when it comes to your present or future career track -- according to Dan. Can computers do it faster? Can overseas labor do it cheaper? Are your skills in demand? Are your skills overly abundant?
Eventually we'll all have to find new jobs, Pink theorizes. The Agricultural Age and Industrial Age have fallen away, and the Information Age is fading fast. We're hurtling into the Conceptual Age, where the majority of jobs will be held by people that create something, or by people that are capable of empathizing with others. Most of these jobs will require care, humor, imagination, ingenuity, instinct, joyfulness, personal rapport, or social dexterity.
Writer Pink explains High Concept, High Touch, avenues of growth that are likely to appear, delves into the importance of gaining an MBA or MFA, and then compares the differences between IQ and Emotional Intelligence in rough metaphor. He then closes Part One with two pages of observation on the baby boomer generation, and their newfound gravitation toward meaning and transcendence, and away from the allure of wealth.
Most of A Whole New Mind actually resides in Part Two, wherein Mr. Pink delineates a complex theory of the "six senses" that one could harvest to build a whole new mind. In Dan's worldview, Design is an asset above function. Story is an asset above argument. Symphony is an asset above focus. Empathy is an asset above logic. Play is an asset above seriousness, and Meaning is an asset above accumulation. After an extensive essay about each of these six components, Pink includes a "portfolio" of exercises (further reading, tools, and websites) that one could call upon to enhance this mindset, all being useful.
In the interest of keeping this review at one thousand words I've concentrated on the first half of the book -- since that is the framework that the book is built around. I will allow you the pleasure of reading the majority of part two on your own, but I'll lightly sketch some factoids that I enjoyed in the "portfolios" accompanying Dan's groupings.

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Smile Southern California, You're the Center of the Universe: The Economy and People of a Global Region (Stanford General Books) Review

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(More customer reviews)I am overwhelmed by the intolerance running amuck these days between the political left and the right. The huge hubbubb over Lavine's book is causing such a stir that a book of calm reflection, such as Mr. Flanigan's Smile Book can get unfairly overshadowed
Finding a book with facts and personal success stories which point to a positive economic future for California is really a pleasant breath of clean and fresh air.
I was enthralled by Mayor Reardon's comments and the rest of the book is just as interesting and full of uplifting observations about our beloved California. Hooray for Flanigan and his huge smile! This book radiates with a warmth, understanding and respect for our times as no other
book I have found. Read it and share the good news with others.

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Windows 7 All-in-One For Dummies Review

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(More customer reviews)I purchased this book even before I received Windows 7. I wanted a "heads up" on what I was geting into. Boy was I pleasantly surprised. Woody Leonhead spells it out and tells you exactly as it is. Even questions you wouldn't think to ask. And, to top that off, he even has put in information that Microsoft wouldn't tell you, e.g., if you download your pictures from either your camera or your memory stick, Windows 7 AUTOMATICALLY deletes your pictures from your camera or memory stick, whichever one you are using. So, photo people, BEWARE and find another way to keep your pictures. I'm sure there is a lot more very interesting items that Woody will let all of us know, only if you are willing to purchase his book. BTW, he used to work at Microsoft and is a now a BETA tester for them. So, you know you are getting all the "ins" and outs" of Windows. I am definitely recommending to everyone that they purchase this book. One of a kind that you will not find in any other book.

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Eight references in one-fully revised to include all the new features and updates to Windows 7

As the #1 operating system in the world, Windows provides the platform upon which all essential computing activities occur. This much-anticiapted version of the popular operating system offers an improved user experience with an enhanced interface to allow for greater user control.
This All-in-One reference is packed with valuable information from eight minibooks, making it the ultimate resource. You'll discover the improved ways in which Windows 7 interacts with other devices, including mobile and home theater.
Windows 7 boasts numerous exciting new features, and this reference is one-stop shopping for discovering them all!
Eight minibooks cover Windows 7 basics, security, customizing, the Internet, searching and sharing, hardware, multimedia, Windows media center, and wired and wireless networking
Addresses the new multi-touch feature that will allow you to control movement on the screen with your fingers

With this comprehensive guide at your fingertips, you'll quickly start taking advantages of all the exciting new features of Windows 7.

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Broadband Entertainment: Digital Audio, Video and Gaming in Your Home Review

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(More customer reviews)Broadband Entertainment is an excellent book. It gives a thorough explanation of both the trends in home entertainment and the digital technology that is making them possible. It is written in a very interesting style and covers material ranging from the generations of entertainment and distribution technology to the politics of broadband access and digital rights management. There are also a lot of interesting tidbits about some of the technical details, such as audio and video coding, capacity of storage technologies, etc. This book is worth the price for its large, informative, full-color illustrations alone.

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Broadband Entertainment explores the convergence of the information age with the entertainment industry. Advanced technology and digital entertainment are converging in living rooms around the world to provide commercial-free access to every movie ever made, every song ever sung and every game ever played. The entertainment server is the new device that will deliver digital television, broadband Internet access and FM stereo throughout the home.

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Street Smart: Intelligence Preparation of the Battlefield for Urban Operations Review

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(More customer reviews)Should be in the library of every tactical intelligence officer. Although the title suggests it is for urban warfare, this text is perfectly written for the counterinsurgency fight we are currently engaged in. The sad part is that this book discusses and teaches IPB better than the recent editions of U.S. Army doctrinal manuals that are intended to focus on COIN IPB.
My only complaint is that this book (as does Army doctrine) does not go far enough in showing how to develop a course of action that will influence a commander's decision. It discusses some good points, but never moves to the next step and show how to actually display and describe the enemy COA.


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Offers enhancements to the intelligence preparation of the battlefield (IPB) process to improve its usefulness for urban operations.

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The Church Librarian's Handbook: A Complete Guide for the Library and Resource Center in Christian Education Review

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(More customer reviews)The Church Librarian's Handbook is a wonderful resource. It describes how to start a church library, where to place it, what it should contain, how to select staff, how to prepare and categorize books and other media materials and how to finance the library. There is a detailed list of Dewey Decimal Classification. There are surveys throughout the book that tell you what other churches are doing. I was lost as a church librarian until I found this book!

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Design Details for Health: Making the Most of Interior Design's Healing Potential (Wiley Series in Healthcare and Senior Living Design) Review

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(More customer reviews)I am a professional Health Care interior designer who is always looking for resources to enhance my knowledge base for creating healing enviornments in the health care market. A few years ago I attended, along with about 300 other designers, a presentation by a nationally known health care designer. At the end of the 1.5 hr. lecture, there were six of us left. The focus of the talk was entirely philosophical: there were no gems of knowledge or tools we could take back to our design practices to make our projects better. Ms. Leibrock certainly doesn't have to worry about anyone leaving her presentation. The book has been delegated to my reference shelf and I am sure will become dog-earred.
The specific types of healing environments included in the book range from birthing centers to long-term care facilities and all that is in-between. The philosophical issues are presented and then followed by research findings and case studies which support those concepts. Then the GEMS! Lists and lists and lists of hands-on guidelines which are distilled from the vast experience and research of the author.

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Using design details to improve today's health care-an inspiring, comprehensive guideAs Cynthia Leibrock writes in the Preface, "The power of a healing environment comes from the little things, the design details that empower patients to take responsibility for their own health." In Design Details for Health, she offers specific design details that can improve patient outcomes by returning authority to the patient, along with fascinating case studies and research demonstrating the positive role design details can play in reducing healthcare costs. Practical and inspiring, this innovative book is essential reading for architects, interior designers, facility managers, and healthcare professionals.Attention to detail is the cornerstone of success in virtually every enterprise. This is especially true in the field of healthcare design, where design details can have a profound impact on the quality and efficacy of care.In Design Details for Health, Cynthia Leibrock gives designers and other industry professionals specific examples showing how design details can offer patients greater comfort and independencewhile also giving healthcare facilities a competitive edge-saving staff time, cutting overhead costs, and reducing liability.With the help of nearly 200 images, many in full color, she offers flexible, innovative design solutions in key areas such as lighting, acoustics, color, furnishings, and finishes. From acute carehospitals to specialized ambulatory care and home treatment settings, she addresses a variety of healthcare environments and includes inspiring case studies that reveal how effective design details work in the real world.Throughout the book, Cynthia Leibrock presents findings from the cutting edge of design research-including results published here for the first time-reflecting the experience and expertise of hundreds of healthcare designers and architects in the United States and abroad. Covering topics ranging from acoustics to lighting, this valuable data includes citations for further reference.When design empowers rather than disables, everybody wins. Sensitive to the needs of both patients and the providers that serve them, Design Details for Health is essential reading for today's architects, interior designers, facility managers, and healthcare professionals involved in commercial and residential healthcare facilities.". . . this book is a reference standard with timeless value." -Wayne Ruga, Founder, The National Symposium on Healthcare Design

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Making It in the Business: Overcoming Obstacles and Achieving Your Goals in the Entertainment Industry Review

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(More customer reviews)This book is a one of a kind look at the psychological issues that actors have. As a person who has been persuing acting for 10 years, I believe that this a a very unique and helpful book. Each chapter presents a real life problem and goes on to discuss, analyze and suggest contructive solutions. It has something for everyone from depression due to losing a role, to eating disorders. I personally found the chapter on structure and discipline very motivating.
This book should be in every actors' library. I have not seen anything else like it.

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Influenced by letters written to her while a contributing editor at Drama-Logue Magazine (the leading entertainment industry publication in Southern California), therapist and drama coach Andrea Hill Ph.D.,MFT., creates an authoritative in depth advice book on how to overcome many of the roadblocks so common in the entertainment industry.The book is sensitive and practical for anyone interested in succeeding in the entertainment business.This book provides critical support for actors, directors, musicians, dancers and other performers by showing them ways to manage such key issues as performance anxiety, rejection, call backs, character development, and emotional assessment.In addition, chapters include ways to find a great agent and to deal with casting directors.

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Home Theater For Dummies Review

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(More customer reviews)I went out and got Home Theater for Everyone (Harley), Build Your Home Theater in a Weekend (Bruyn/Karabian), The Complete Idiot's Guide to Home Theater Systems (Miller), Use Your PC to Build An Incredible Home Theater System (Farkas and Govier), and Home Theater for Dummies (Briere and Hurley). (I've posted this review in each of the books).
There's a clear difference among these books, and approaches. In order, I would get these books:
1. (tie) Home Theater for Everyone; Home Theater for Dummies. This surprised me. I've heard a lot about Harley's book and it is great. It's getting dated though, and some stuff was simply way over my head for what I'm going to do with my home theater. But it's one of those books you have to read even if you don't understand a lot of it (and mind you, I've got seven computers in my house, a 100Meg LAN, multiple wireless systems, etc...I'm not scared of technical stuff.) It's not so much not understanding it, as much as it is that a lot of it while important to a magazine editor such as Harley, it's not something that you're going to use in putting in your home theater.
Home Theater for Dummies surprised me. I must say, I found it incredibly well researched, practical, and more homey and less academic than Harley's book. I think the title would keep a lot of the HT mags from reviewing it, thinking it beneath them. And the authors clearly know how to have fun (they have sections on how to create your own drive-in and another on bathroom theater.) They cover home theater PCs and Windows XP Media Center PCs, as well as wireless projectors -- so this is truly up to day at publication time because these are relatively new things. (Harley's book does not even mention HTPCs and gives relatively small coverage to personal video recorders (PVRs) which HT for Dummies covers well. I'd say just get this book, but no one would believe me.
3. User Your PC To Build An Incredible Home Theater System. This is a niche book for the techies that like to build their own PCs. Sort of like me :-) I found it knowledgeable and fun, but like I said, you would not buy this book to build a home theater.
4. The Complete Idiots Guide to Home Theater Systems. I liked this book's coverage of budgets and little facts in the book. However there was nothing on HTPCs, the pricing is already dated, and there was nothing in it not covered in Home Theater for Dummies. So if I have to choose between being a Dummy or an Idiot, I'd say I'm a Dummy.
5. Build Your Home Theater In A Weekend. This was basically a waste of money. It was a nice effort, but outclassed by the competition above. It's not worth a longer review.
If you are looking to put a home theater in your home, I'd recommend Harley and Briere/Hurley. Briere/Hurley also wrote Smart Homes for Dummies which they referenced in the HT book -- I'm getting that now, because it basically tells me how to extend my home theater all over the house. Since I spent a lot of money on my home theater, I'm betting, based on HT4Dummies, that their book is worth the $$$.
My two cents.

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Overwhelmed with big screen TV and home theater audio options? What do you need to build the perfect home theater experience? Home Theater For Dummies, 3rd Edition shows you how to plan a home theater system and choose components that fit your budget and your room.
Beginning with the most basic information, this guide helps you choose what you need and put it all together. It explains DLP, 3LCD, HDMI, DTV, and HDTV so you can talk intelligently with salespeople at the electronics store. You'll find out about Blu-ray, explore HD and satellite radio options, and see how to incorporate a Wii, Xbox, or Playstation 3 into your set-up. Learn to:
Choose among plasma, LCD, and projection TVs
Know the difference between digital TV and HDTV
Assess and choose an LCD TV, a new 3D TV, or an HD radio
Set up your audio system and TV for maximum performance
Use a Media Center or Home Theater PC
Fine-tune your system and add cool touches such as accessing home theater content from your cell phone
Explore HD and satellite radio options, CD players, DVD-Audio disks, and options for old cassettes and vinyl
Set up your system with the proper cables for each component, or learn what it takes to go wireless
Calibrate your video with a calibration disk, an optical comparator, or a DVD containing THX Optimizer

Get the perfect home theater experience by following the expert tips and techniques presented in Home Theater For Dummies, 3rd Edition. You'll be watching movies and listening to audio in no time!

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The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People Review

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(More customer reviews)As the title of the book implies, Covey describes the seven habits of highly effective people and techniques for adopting the seven habits. Covey makes clear that an individual must make a paradigm shift before incorporating these habits into his/her own personal life. A paradigm is essentially the way an individual perceives something. Covey emphasizes that if we want to make a change in our lives, we should probably first focus on our personal attitudes and behaviors. He applies different examples via family, business, and society in general.
This book's focal point is on an approach to obtain personal and interpersonal effectiveness. Covey points out that private victories precede public victories. He makes the example that making and keeping promises to ourselves comes before making and keeping promises to others.
Habits 1, 2, and 3 deal with self-mastery. They move an individual from dependency on others to independence. Habits 4, 5, and 6 deal with teamwork, cooperation, and communication. These habits deal with transforming a person from dependency to independence to interdependence. Interdependence simply means mutual dependence. Habit 7 embodies all of the other habits to help an individual work toward continuous improvement.
Habit 1 discusses the importance of being proactive. Covey states that we are responsible for our own lives; therefore, we possess the initiative to make things happen. He also points out that proactive people so not blame various circumstances for their behaviors but they realize behavior comes from one's conscious. Covey also explains that the other type of person is reactive. Reactive people are affected by their social as well as physical surroundings. This means that if the weather is bad, then it affects their behavior such as their attitude and performance.
He also explains that all problems that are experienced by individuals fall into one of three categories, which are direct control, indirect control, or no control. The problems that are classified under direct control are the problems that involve our own behavior. The problems classified as indirect control encompasses problems that we can do nothing about. The problems classified as no control are those that we can do nothing about.
Habit 2 focuses on beginning with the end in mind. Covey wants the reader to envision his/her funeral. This may sound disheartening but his goal is to help you think about the words that you wish to be said about you; it can help the individual visualize what you value the most.To begin with the end simply means to start with your destination in mind. That gives an individual a sense of where he/she presently is in their life. One has to know where they are going to make sure that they are headed in the right direction. Covey also mentions that the most effective way to begin with the end is by developing a personal mission statement. After doing that, you should identify your center of attention. Are you spouse centered, money centered, family centered, etc. The he tells you depending on you core of interest, your foundation for security, guidance, and power.
Habit 3 is the practical fulfillment of Habits 1 and 2. Covey accentuates that Habits 1 and 2 are prerequisite to Habit 3. He states that an individual cannot become principle centered developing their own proactive nature; or without being aware of your paradigms; or the capability of envisioning the contribution that is yours to make. One must have an independent will. This is the ability to make decisions and to act in accordance with them.
Habit 4 deals with the six paradigms of interaction, which are win/win, win/lose, lose/win, lose/lose, win, and win/win or no deal. Win/win is a situation in which everyone benefits something. It is not your way or my way; it is a better way. Win/lose declares that if I win then you lose. Simply put, I get my way; you don't get yours. Win/lose people usually use position, power, possessions, or personality to get their way. The win/lose type of person is the person that feels that if I lose; you win. People who feel this way are usually easy to please and find the strength of others intimidating. When two win/lose people get together both will lose resulting in a lose/lose situation. Both will try to get the upper end of the stick but in the end, neither gets anything. The person that simply thinks to win secures their own ends and leaves it up to others to secure theirs. The win/win or no deal person means that if there is not a suitable solution met that satisfies both parties then there is no agreement.
Habit 5 deals with seeking means of effective communication. This habit deals with seeking first to understand. However, we usually seek first to be understood. Most people to not listen with the intent to understand but with the intent to reply. The act of listening to understand is referred to as empathic listening. That means you try to get into the person's frame of mind and think as they are thinking.
Habit 6 discuses combining all of the other habits to prepare us for the habit of synergy. Synergy means that the sum of the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. Possessing all of the habits will benefit an individual more than possessing one or two of them. Synergism in communication allows you to open your mind to new possibilities or new options.
Habit 7 involves surrounds the other habits because it is the habit that makes all of the others possible. It is amplifying the greatest asset you have which is yourself. It is renewing your physical, emotional, mental, and social nature. The physical scope involves caring for yourself effectively. Spiritual renewal will take more time. Our mental development comes through formal education. Quality literature in our field of study as well as other fields help to broaden our paradigms. Renewing the social dimension is not as time consuming as the others. We can start by our everyday interactions with people.
Moving along the upward spiral requires us to continuously learn, commit, and do on higher planes. This is essential to keep progressing. At the end of each habit, there are application suggestions or exercises that help you become a more effective person. This is definitely not a quick fix it book. The concepts should be studied in order to be fully achieved. I think if you learn to use these 7 habits, it will change your life.
This is a must-have book.

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iPod: The Missing Manual Review

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(More customer reviews)I read the 2008 edition and there are no worthwhile additions in this version. It still reads like a sales pub from Apple (who probably was subbed to write it) with heavy emphasis on the iTunes Store, all of the different models of iPods, and, of course, the Genius feature, another Apple sales tool. The Genius feature is a brain child of the Apple marketing department, which suggests songs to buy for those people who don't know what they like. There's nothing genius about the feature, it relies on iTunes Store buying patterns. It shows, for instance, that Megadeth buyers also buy Pantera. Do you need to have someone snooping through your collection to tell you that? Now that you know what the Genius feature really is, you don't need to read the manual. Well, maybe some do...
The book fails to enlighten in areas where it could really shine. Smart Playlists are skimmed over on just two pages, most of which, like the rest of the book, is occupied by space-wasting, life-sized screen displays. There are a lot of Smart Playlist examples and tricks that could have been discussed, but nothing is shared. I use Smart Playlists for many purposes, like telling me which songs haven't been backed-up, controlling what goes into complex playlists which show me which songs haven't been played enough; none of this is in the Missing Manual. How about, nesting Playlists or using the ellipsis feature? Nope, not there, though it's shown on a screen capture!
The manual says that you can control the start and stop times of a song after you rip it, but doesn't suggest that you might do so before you rip a CD, which eliminates space-wasting bytes. Another topic may have been how to eliminate unwanted parts in-between the start and end of a song. This can be done either totally within iTunes (the long way) or with the aid of an external utility. But nothing cool like this is in the book.
Everything that you will ever do on iTunes is dependent on the correctness of the data that you put into it. This isn't so much a problem with iTunes Store purchases, but is a real problem with ripped CDs. The information obtained from the GraceNote database is often either missing or incorrect. There are misspelled song, album and artist titles. There are incorrect or missing recording dates and composer names. All of those errors and omissions will mean that your Playlists will be compromised. The astute user will also want to organize music differently depending on whether the song is classical or rock. Nothing this interesting is discussed or even suggested in the manual. These topics would have been the starting point for a good iTunes manual.
The book contains still contains errors, like misdirecting the user of the iPod Classic to access the (worthless) Alarm Clock through the Extras Menu. You have to go through the Clock feature to get to the Alarm which beeps only 2 times before turning off. I can't imagine ever using it and I can't believe that Apple built speakers into the iPod so it could be used.
I could go on and on, but you get the point. If you're a new user, then save yourself some dough and Goggle the Internet for all of the info that you'll ever need to manage your music. If you need a book to get started, then maybe get this, but be aware that there is a lot missing from this manual.
I expected to learn tricks, but instead, felt tricked. Two stars because of the misleading title.

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With the new Shuffle, the Nano, the Classic, and the Touch, Apple's gotten the world hooked on portable music, pictures, videos--and the iPod. One thing they haven't delivered, though, is an easy guide for getting the most from this sleek entertainment center. Enter iPod: The Missing Manual, 8th Edition--a book as breathtaking, satisfying, and reliable as its subject. In a handy, travel-friendly size, this new edition provides a no-nonsense view of iTunes and everything in the latest iPod line, with crystal-clear explanations, easy-to-follow color graphics, and guidance on all the amazing things you can do, including:


Out of the box and into your ears. Find out how to install iTunes and load music on your iPod. And get advice on buying copy-protection-free songs from stores like Amazon and Rhapsody.
Bopping around the iPod. Learn everything from turning it on and off to shaking your iPod Nano to shuffle your tracks.
In tune with iTunes. Choose which parts of your iTunes library load onto your iPod, move your sacred iTunes Folder to a bigger hard drive, and add album covers to your collection.
Picking playlists like a Genius. Let iTunes' new Genius feature whip up smart playlists from your library, and suggest songs from the iTunes Store that fit with what you already own.
The power of the 'Pod. Download movies and TV shows and learn how to start watching them on your iPod and finish viewing them on your TV. Play photo slideshows, find cool podcasts, and more.
Welcome to the App Store. Soup up your iPod Touch, from upgrading to the 2.0 firmware to installing the iTunes Store's nifty new collection of programs -- including games that turn the Touch into a pocket 3-D arcade.

Even if you don't buy one of the new iPod models, this Missing Manual has plenty of information on the latest version of iTunes, the App Store, and everything else you want to know about this incredible device.

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Ready Player One Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Brief summary and review, no spoilers.
The year is 2044 and the world is an unpleasant and grim place. Famine and poverty are rampant, and to escape the bleakness of real life most people choose to instead enter the world of OASIS.
Let me explain OASIS - this is a virtual world that is very elaborate and realistic,and it contains multiple planets and landscapes. It was created in main part by a man named James Halliday, the ultimate lonely computer geek, who was obsessed with the 1980's. Halliday died some time before the start of this story but had stated in his will that his vast fortune would go to the person who could find three magical keys hidden in OASIS, pass the portals associated with them, and then find the ultimate prize - the hidden egg. Over the years many people have searched for these magic keys and gates but none have prevailed. Those who search call themselves gunters. Also at play is a villainess corporation called IOI led by a man named Sorrento - who's agents searching for the egg are called Sixers.
The main protagonist of this story is an 18 year old named Wade Watts. Wade lives in abject poverty with his uncaring and cruel aunt. Because Wade's life is so grim, like so many others he spends almost all of his time in OASIS. It's where he goes to school and it's in OASIS where he meets his friends - avatars named Aech and Art3mis. Because everyone he meets via OASIS is an avatar, it's hard for anyone to distinguish friend from foe.
Because of his real world lack of money and help, Wade has few powers and weapons for his avatar (which he named Parzival, a takeoff of Percival the Knight which was already taken.) Even with this disadvantage, because of his intelligence and his obsession with anything Halliday or 80's related he is able to figure out how to find the first key - the copper one, and figures out how to pass that first gate. The race is on, with other gunters and the Sixers in hot pursuit. The future of OASIS is at risk because Sorrento intends to start charging money for the use of OASIS, which would keep so many offline and unable to access it. And this competition poses real life dangers for the players as well.
This is really a quest novel in the grand tradition of great fantasy literature. We have obstacles to overcome and evil-doers to defeat, and "magic," albeit computer generated, along the way.. There is plenty of action in this book and you will be turning the pages eagerly to read what happens next.
One of the (many) things that makes this book so wonderful are all the 80's references, especially to the video games and music and movies that so many of us fondly remember.
Note - don't worry if you weren't or aren't a big video game player or don't remember a lot about the 80's - if you are it might only add to your enjoyment of this novel but anyone can follow along. The story is both innovative and old-fashioned and it should appeal to anyone who loves to lose themselves inside a good novel.
At heart, this is a book for anyone who has ever felt like an outsider or a geek, and for those of us who love to read. I haven't fallen in love with a book like this in a long time and I hope it gets the recognition and readership that it deserves. As an added plus, and without giving away any spoilers, there is an interesting twist of sorts at the end, that poses an ethical dilemma for anyone wielding power over OASIS.
Highly recommended. Just a magical book with a cast of characters that you will really care about. Even though this takes place in the year 2044, the sense of nostalgia and the world created will take you back in time to the way you felt when you were 18. I promise.

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