Spread Spectrum: Hedy Lamarr and the mobile phone [Paperback]

Rob Walters (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 19, 2006

Hedy Lamarr was a famous Hollywood star and the first woman to appear naked on film. George Antheil was a piano player and composer. So just how did these two come to invent the latest technology used by the mobile phone? She was labelled 'the most beautiful girl in the world' and he 'the bad boy of music' yet way back in 1942 they took out a patent covering the vital radio technique that we now call spread spectrum.

This absorbing book traces the eventful and sometimes scandalous lives of Hedy and George. It tells the fascinating story of radio and the ongoing battle to make it secure and of similar quality to wired communication. Spread spectrum emerges from that battle to become the solution of choice for anything from mobile phones to wireless computer networks.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Though now concentrating on a non-technical writing career Rob Walters is a successful author of approachable technical books. He wrote five during the 1990s, published by Artech House, Wiley and Blackwell. His interest in Hedy Lamarr and George Antheil arose whilst researching the area of spread spectrum, a period during which he spent much of his time teaching people of all backgrounds about mobile communications. He is an accomplished communicator via the written word (magazine articles, books, newsletters, etc), and the spoken word at conferences and in the classroom. Rob is a patent holder. He therefore has a good understanding of the world of invention in addition to expertise in the technology which Hedy Lamarr and George Antheil unearthed. He has been writing seriously for well over a 15 years, his current projects include a novel, a travel book and a book on the two Richard Burtons. He also enjoys guiding people around the beautiful city of Oxford where he now resides. More details on current and past activities are available at Rob's website: www.satin.co.uk.

Product Details

• Paperback: 290 pages
• Publisher: BookSurge Publishing (January 19, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1419621297
• ISBN-13: 978-1419621291
• Product Dimensions: 7.9 x 5.2 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,044,611 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Entertaining Biography of the mobile phone and Hedy Lamar, July 17, 2007

By 

aethr "aethr" - See all my reviews

This review is from: Spread Spectrum: Hedy Lamarr and the mobile phone (Paperback)

If you're looking for a biography of Hedy Lamarr, there may be better but this is good. If you're looking for a biography of George Antheil, there may be better but this is good. If you're looking for the history of radio with an emphasis on spread spectrum, this is very good. And if you're looking for a book that weaves all three together you've come to exactly the right place.

This book is well written, with only the occasional editorial nit to pick. The style is casual and entertaining. The technology discussions are satisfying without being intimidating. Even the technologically unsophisticated will be able to understand the descriptions in this book. A great book about fascinating people and a fascinating technology.

10 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars More than For Mobile Phones, July 23, 2008

By 

David R. Hughes (Colorado Springs, CO, USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Spread Spectrum: Hedy Lamarr and the mobile phone (Paperback)

Since I am the person who got Hedy Lamarr world fame in 1995 after I nominated her for the Electronic Pioneer Award for her inventing by patent in 1941 what is now evolved into what is known as 'Wi-Fi'broadband as well as security for Mobile Phones I think I am in a position to review it. (he does give me credit)

It is an excellent 275 page technical and human story of all the steps and people who were involved with getting that seminal patent for 'frequency hopping' radio security.

I only take issue with his tying her work to just 'mobile phones' and the CDMA security that was in it. In fact the 'unlicensed' - not just 'secure' - characteristics that flowed from her work was, more world revolutionary. For it permitted people with technologies such as Wi-Fi to be used NOT just pay-per-minute but also broadband internet between any two radios within range of each other. From across a room, to 20, 50 miles away with NO per minute charge.

It is a little heavy duty for the technologically challenged, but it does explain just how 'things wireless work' for those, such as computer students who are vague about digital radio.

Well worth reading by any intelligent person.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Continues to Amaze!, August 29, 2008

By 

Norman A. Faber - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Spread Spectrum: Hedy Lamarr and the mobile phone (Paperback)

Hedy Lamarr continues to amaze with her beauty, acting abililty, and perhaps her most importnt contribution as an inventor.