5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
e-Everywhere : Think mCommerce !!, February 13, 2001
This review is from: Wireless Internet Enterprise Applications: A Wiley Tech Brief (Paperback)
'Wireless Internet Enterprise Applications' authored by Chetan Sharma provides an overview of the latest industry trends driving the proliferation of 'm-Commerce'. The book discusses wireless Internet applications and services using several examples that touch our daily life. The technology that brings these applications to life is dealt with in a simple, brief and effective way. This section of the book is its backbone and is an eye-opener. The book also provides you with a rough sketch on how to plan an effective strategy for transformation of existing web-centric applications to Internet services over wireless medium to any personal device. The book serves a dual purpose - to educate the reader about wireless applications, and increase ones' awareness of existing wireless services being offered. The author has peppered the book with several web-site URLs that serve as examples as well as useful resources. To the potential user, this is a sea of information to check out, and to the entrepreneur or a business manager; it provides a seed for business ideas.
The book presents the reader with a wireless primer outlining a wireless network and its component. The brief discussion of time-lines associated with adoption of wireless technologies adopted in Europe, Japan and America sets the scene for future trends. The issues that are driving the developments of Internet applications into the wireless world are discussed concisely. Widespread adoption of standard protocols such as WAP, Bluetooth and XML, improved accuracy in position location and convergence of communications and computing will facilitate the adaptation of the Web-centric Internet model to the wireless world. While making the case for wireless Internet enterprise applications the author maintains a balanced view. The author cites the example of iMode to illustrate that there is a demand and awareness amongst consumers for wireless applications. However, he correctly points out that, all of that can go waste if there is a dearth of useful and exciting information to the user or oddly enough even if there is an deluge of information on the screen.
The chapter titled Technology Landscape is the strength of the book. It reviews in further detail the computing technologies such as transcoding and markup, web clipping, Jini, IP based technologies, compression and encryption, Smart Cards, Smart materials, and wireless technologies such as Bluetooth, HomeRF, Position Location Technologies, GPS and Smart Antennas. By the end of the chapter, you cover a lot of ground on a variety of technology options. It is brief and relevant. It was felt that sections on the popular WAP could have been more detailed while sparing those like Biometrics for authentication. Nevertheless, it provides the background for a discussion on the players of the value chain and how the content filters through to the consumers. The author outlines three approaches to wireless Internet solutions - accessing desktop email/ calendar applications, modifying existing Web-based applications to wireless devices and building fresh e-business solutions. The discussion of the third approach makes a useful reading because it provides a quick checklist for defining and implementing a wireless e-business application. Among the critical success factors, the author suggests that simplicity of end user experience, presentation of a subset of user web-site content and device-independent rendering of underlying services and data on disparate devices will be the decisive factors in early adoption of this exciting technology.
In summary, the book meets its objective in providing a good macroscopic view of wireless Internet applications. The examples, illustrations, charts and the web-site resources complement the text in making it a "un-put-down-able" book. It is what it is - an excellent "tech brief". A web-site with a list of all the URLs mentioned in the book would have been a great plus.
K. Rajesh Jagannath, Member, IEEE.
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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Great book. Highly recommended!, January 8, 2001
This review is from: Wireless Internet Enterprise Applications: A Wiley Tech Brief (Paperback)
In his very first book, Sharma has exhibited great command on the material and his presentation is extremely lucid. In packing the book with practical information about the industry and nearly 150 illustrations to clearly articulate the material, the author reviews the wireless internet marketplace, in a very reader-friendly fashion. If you are new to wireless, this is a good book to get your feet wet. If you are not new to the field, it is a great book to get up to speed with the state-of-the-art. This book contains a good overview of the wide spectrum of wireless technologies.
The following are the highlights of the book: overview of the wireless internet realm, overview of competing technologies, references to the key players in the relevant industry segments, extremely informative graphics and diagrams, and the great set of references (URLs and books) at the very end. The author's ability to weave seamlessly in to the middle of the book, several great articles by industry experts speaks volumes to his writing ability and flexibility.
The chapters on market drivers and evaluation of competing technologies are very well written. The book (Chapters 3 and 7 in particular) can effectively bring a corporate decision-maker up to speed with the state-of-the-art and help her/him make better-informed decisions by separating the chaff from the real stuff.
The book contains a concise history (a bit too concise, though) of the development of the wireless world. A little bit more detail to the evolution of the wireless internet would have been more helpful. Similarly, the section on Wireless Internet tomorrow seemed to lack punch. However, (in cutting the author some slack), that is more due to the nature of the industry than anything else. On the whole, I have never seen a book without any shortcomings; however, I must say, this book is the best overview of wireless enterprise applications that I have seen to date. Once I picked it up, I could not put it down easily. I look forward to Sharma's next book.
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Comprehensive, December 19, 2000
This review is from: Wireless Internet Enterprise Applications: A Wiley Tech Brief (Paperback)
This is a book that has been written to put wireless internet applications related crucial information at one's fingertips. Both the technical and business aspects of the technology have been covered in considerable depth. The material is presented in a very readable manner, and real-world scenarios help the reader grasp the subject matter readily. A must read for anyone in the eBusiness field.
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