The Unauthorized Guide to Pocket PC [Paperback]

Michael Morrison (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 13, 2000 | ISBN-10: 0789724723 | ISBN-13: 978-0789724724 | Edition: 1

The Unauthorized Guide to Pocket PC is the best place to start for someone seriously considering the purchase of a Pocket PC, or someone who has just made the purchase and is eager to hit the ground running and use it to its full potential. Along with exploring the major software components of the Pocket PC platform, the book also guides the reader through other aspects of using a Pocket PC such as establishing an online connection and taking advantage of wireless communications. This book is for anyone who wants to learn how to get the most out of their Pocket PC, even beginners. No matter what model the reader has, this book will be a useful reference and learning tool.

Editorial Reviews

From the Inside Flap

Special Pocket PC software discounts through Handango with purchase!

About the Author

Michael Morrison is a writer and developer with extensive experience with new technologies. Michael’s first book was Windows 95 Game Development Guide Using the Game SDK. From there, Michael went on to immerse himself in Java and other Internet technologies, which led to a wide range of writing projects including the original Java Unleashed, Java 1.1 Unleashed, Complete Idiot's Guide to Java 2, Teach Yourself Internet Game Programming with Java, Presenting JavaBeans, Teach Yourself MFC, and XML Unleashed, among others.

Although not reflected in his professional writing, Michael also has considerable experience with handheld computing devices, dating back to HP’s successful series of scientific calculators. He is in the process of developing several games for the Pocket PC under his toy and game company, Gas Hound Games. Gas Hound Games is also the publisher of a traditional board game titled “Inc. The Game of Business”, which Michael co-created.

Product Details

• Paperback: 432 pages
• Publisher: Que; 1 edition (November 13, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0789724723
• ISBN-13: 978-0789724724
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,373,098 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Michael Morrison is a writer, developer, toy inventor, and author of a variety of computer technology books and interactive web-based courses. In addition to his primary profession as a writer and freelance nerd for hire, Michael is the creative lead at Stalefish Labs (http://www.stalefishlabs.com), an entertainment company he co-founded with his wife, Masheed. The first commercial debut for Stalefish Labs is a traditional social/trivia game called Tall Tales: The Game of Legends and Creative One-Upmanship. When not glued to his computer, playing hockey, skateboarding, or watching movies with his wife, Michael enjoys hanging out by his koi pond while he daydreams about new Web creations. You can visit Michael on the Web and discuss this book at http://www.michaelmorrison.com/.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

29 of 29 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent guide to the Pocket PC, February 25, 2001

By 

Gadgester "No Time, No Money" (Mother Earth) - See all my reviews
(HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)   

This review is from: The Unauthorized Guide to Pocket PC (Paperback)

Your Pocket PC likely did not come with adequate information about how to use it, whether in print or on the CD-ROM. This book comes to the rescue. Unlike the other Pocket PC book I bought ("How to Do Everything with Pocket PC and Handheld PC"), this book is written expressly for the Pocket PC and the author never mistakenly uses the technically correct but politically incorrect "WinCE" name. This shows he knows who his audience is.

The book starts off with a brief history of Pocket PC (and its WinCE predecessors) and a quick overview of the hardware specs. It even lists benchmark results of a few Pocket PCs, although the list is a bit outdated at this point (Feb. 2001). It then delves into the issues of using your Pocket PC daily. From Pocket Outlook to Pocket IE to Pocket Streets, this book covers them all. There are also a lot of tips to help you get to know your Pocket PC better.

The author's writing style is also laudable. Unlike the other book which is difficult to read, this one is very easy to follow and you'll want to read it again and again, like I do. Beginners and intermediate users alike will find this book invaluable. (Now I wish there were a book for power Pocket PC users...) The author even gives a lot of tips about switching over from Palm.

I highly highly recommend this book to every newcomer to the wonderful world of Pocket PC.

23 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Handy Reference....easy read, November 21, 2000

By 

Chaleigh (Alpharetta, GA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Unauthorized Guide to Pocket PC (Paperback)

I recd. this book as a joke gift (a Palm user gave it to me after I bought my iPAQ).

When I started using my iPAQ, I didn't have many questions or problems.... which is good because it didn't come with ~any~ reference material! I think Compaq was taken off guard by the iPAQ's popularity!

Eventually, I did find that I was curious about how to do some advanced tasks with the iPAQ. Since Compaq didn't have a reference guide, I opened up my "joke gift" and found this book to provide basic information to match my needs.

If you want detailed instructions or want to read advanced topics, this book is NOT for you. This book is perfect for the new "handheld" user. I also recommend keeping this book in your library for a reference guide (if you have an iPAQ) since none was provided with the product.

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Almost useless, September 12, 2001

By 

[e-mail] - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Unauthorized Guide to Pocket PC (Paperback)

I won a PocketPC recently, which I have fallen in love with. The first day I had it, I looked at a few books and chose this one. Inside the cover, it had a date of 2001, not 2000, so it seemed newer than most of the other books I found. Apparently, 2001 is a reprint date, as the majority of the info is old and useless.

The book is not completely ..., as it did help me get around the PocketPC. However, most of the info it helped on, I could have figured out with a bit more experimentation. If I decide I need another book, I may go for the Microsoft Press book. It is about half the price and seems about as complete.