New: All Things O'Reilly

News Release: Dozens of Product Launches and Announcements Planned for Web 2.0 Expo New York

Jackie Hadley, Communications Associate — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 11:29:47 PST

Next-generation Web conference features exclusive exhibitor announcements

SAN FRANCISCO, Nov. 9 - O'Reilly Media, Inc. and TechWeb today preview several breaking announcements that will be made at the upcoming Web 2.0 Expo New York. Web 2.0 Expos are the leading global gatherings of developers, designers, marketers, and business professionals building the next generation Web. Web 2.0 Expo New York returns on November 16-19, 2009 to the Javits Convention Center. More information, including registration, is available at ny.web2expo.com.

"The announcements being made next week are proof that the world of the Web continues innovating, thriving and growing," said Jennifer Pahlka, Web 2.0 Expo General Manager and Co-Chair. "The companies that will be making headlines at Web 2.0 Expo New York couldn't have chosen a better place to do so."

The line-up of Web 2.0 Expo New York exhibitors making announcements or demonstrating new products for the first time will grow as the event nears and currently includes:

Read the full press release.

Great Java

Brett McLaughlin — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 10:30:53 PST

Great Java: Level 1 will teach you the fundamentals of Java, from the basics of compilation through methods, objects, and the key concepts of good programming. By the time you're through these lessons, you'll be programming, and programming well.

Throughout the course, you'll progressively learn to code and compile programs, work extensively with text, and declare, convert, and cast between data types. You'll also read files, get user input, and build arrays, including multi-dimensional arrays. Finally, you'll move into objects, modeling your data and behavior into core Java structures.

Featured Gov2.0 Video: The Three Revolutions in American Law

O'Reilly Media — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 08:39:50 PST

Four short links: 10 November 2009 - DIY Diagnostic Chips, Genetics on $5k a Genome, Cellphones as Diagnostic Microscopes, AR-Equipped Mechanics Do It Heads-Up

Nat Torkington — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 08:40:50 PST

A children's toy inspires a cheap, easy production method for high-tech diagnostic chips -- Microfluidic chips (with tiny liquid-filled channels) can cost $100k and more. Michelle Khine used the Shrinky Dinks childrens' toy to make her own. "I thought if I could print out the [designs] at a certain resolution and then make them shrink, I could make channels the right size for microfluidics," she says. This and more in today's Four Short Links!

E-Readers Up Close: Getting to know the Sony Readers, Part 2

William Stanek — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 08:41:50 PST

William Stanek here, continuing with the in-depth look at e-readers and e-books. In my earlier blog entries, I introduced EPDs, discussed how the technology works, and delved briefly into ways they're being used. Now, I'm examining the Sony Reader as a case study in how e-readers work. My hope is that if you are better informed, you can decide whether an e-reader is right for you. And who knows, an e-reader may just replace your MP3 player as your favorite device. And now, back to the Sony Reader discussion of the PRS 505 and the PRS-700.

C# 4.0 in a Nutshell: Rough Cuts Version

O'Reilly Media, Inc. — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 00:04:46 PST

When you need to look up the essentials of C# 4.0 language syntax and usage, or locate key information in the .NET base class libraries, this concise reference helps you find it quickly. C# 4.0 in a Nutshell thoroughly covers C# 4.0 programming as implemented in Microsoft's Visual Studio 2010, including new CLR 4.0 features such as dynamic typing and the PLINQ/TPL threading libraries.

Windows 7 Annoyances: Rough Cuts Version

O'Reilly Media, Inc. — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 00:05:46 PST

Windows 7 is much faster and more stable than Windows Vista, but that doesn't mean it's free of irritating glitches. With Windows 7 Annoyances, you'll learn how to deal with a wide range of nagging problems before they deal with you. Annoyances.org founder David Karp offers you the tools to fix all sorts of Windows 7 issues, along with along with solutions, hacks, and timesaving tips to make the most of your PC.

Today in O'Reilly Answers - The Droid, Tip-of-the-Tongue Effect, Technology for Political Candidates, and more

O'Reilly Media — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 14:10:32 PST

Should I Dump My iPhone for an Android? If the Droid's "unlimited" data plan from Verizon is only 5 GB a month, how much data do people usually use? How to Overcome the Tip-of-the-Tongue Effect I'm a Political Candidate. What Technology Do I Need for My Campaign? Share knowledge, ask questions on O'Reilly Answers today.

5 Tips For Flash Unit Testing

Jesse Freeman — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 08:12:25 PST

Advanced Flash Tactics or AFTs are techniques that come from deep within the Flash Art Of War, the oldest Flash military treatise in the world. In this AFT I will go over 5 Tips for Unit Testing. Unit Testing and Test Driven Development are a hot topics in the Flash community lately, especially on Twitter. A few weeks ago, after realizing how complex my F*CSS library was getting, I decided to go back and write FlexUnit test for the library in a hope to use TDD moving forward.

The Minds Behind Some of the Most Addictive Games Around - If you've wasted half your life playing Peggle, Bejeweled, Zuma or Plants vs. Zombies, blame these guys!

James Turner — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 08:13:25 PST

The gaming industry tends to focus on the high end products, first person shooters that crank out a bazillion polygons a seconds and RPGs which spend more time developing the plot in cut scenes than in actual gameplay. But for every person playing Borderlands, there are scores playing casual games like Bejeweled and Zuma. PopCap Games has been at the forefront of casual game development, with a catalog that includes bestselling titles like Peggle and Plants vs Zombies, in addition to the two previously mentioned. I recently had a chance to talk to Jason Kapalka, one of the founders and the creative director of PopCap. We discussed the evolution of PopCap, how the casual gaming industry differs from mainstream gaming, and the challenges of creating games that can be engaging, without being frustrating.

Four short links: 9 November 2009 - Moth Mind Readers, Shiny UI Futures, Usable Newspapers, Hardware Testing

Nat Torkington — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 08:14:25 PST

New Microsoft Interface Technology -- videos from Craig Mundie (Chief Research and Strategy Officer) on the MS Campus Tour talking about the future of UI using a sexy glass prototype that features tablet PC, gesture, speech recognition, and even eye tracking. Lustable. This and more in today's Four Short Links.

Unlikely Group Working Happily Together To Solve Patent Problem

Carl Malamud — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 08:15:25 PST

People following the issue of open sourcing the U.S. Patent Database might have been surprised to read an announcement in the official business opportunities web site of the U.S. Government: Synopsis for Public Data Dissemination Sole Source Contract to Google, Inc. While the first reaction of many might be "OMG, WTF, how could they," this is actually good news, with an unlikely cast of characters working together including Google, Intellectual Ventures, and the Internet Archive.

E-Readers Up Close: Getting to know the Sony Readers, Part 1

William Stanek — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 08:16:25 PST

William Stanek here, taking an up close look at e-readers. First up, the Sony e-readers. Sony unveiled its first reader device in January 2006 and the device became available in early 2007. The Sony Reader, like all currently available e-readers, has a black-and-white active matrix EPD display. As with other devices and E Ink itself, the Sony Reader has evolved through several generations of products.

Three Paradoxes of the Internet Age - Part Three

Joshua-Michle Ross — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 08:17:25 PST

As we move from the "web of information" to the "web of people" (aka the Social Web) the output of all of this social participation is massive dossiers on individual behavior (your social network profiles, photos, location, status updates, searches etc.) and social activity. This loss of control over personal information is on a collision course with the law of unintended consequences Amidst this barrage of good news for how much power we wield in the transaction of commerce one has to wonder if we are giving away something quite precious in the bargain.

Debug It!

Paul Butcher — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 00:13:33 PST

Some developers thrash around aimlessly looking for a bug without concrete results. Others have the knack of unerringly zeroing in on the root cause of a bug. Are they geniuses? Just lucky? No, they've learned the secrets of professional debugging. This book will equip you with the tools, techniques and approaches-proven in the crucible of professional software development-to ensure that you can tackle any bug with confidence.

You'll learn how to handle every stage of the bug life-cycle, from constructing software that makes debugging easy, through detection, reproduction, diagnosis and rolling out your eventual fix.

iPhone Game Development

Joe Hogue, Paul Zirkle — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 00:14:33 PST

Developing 2D & 3D games in Objective-C

How to Make an Atlatl Throwing Spear - A Make Magazine Weekend Project

O'Reilly Media — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 17:51:38 PST

Practicing the Art of Less - Web 2.0 Expo Co-chairs Jennifer Pahika and Brady Forrest on Minimalism

O'Reilly Media — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 14:21:03 PST

The Power of Less — "Practicing the art of less, whether it's agile development, minimalist business plans or spare graphic design, has had a momentum all its own during the rise of Web 2.0," write Jennifer Pahika and Brady Forrest in new O'Reilly Insights on Forbes.com. "But the art of less got a significant boost since economic conditions deteriorated, and less became the one thing we all had plenty of. In the best case scenarios, creative "power of less" responses to dramatic budget cuts have resulted in outcomes much better than the status quo, especially when technology was leveraged," add the chairs of the upcoming Web 2.0 Expo in NYC. See if you agree. Read more.

Why Speakers Earn $30,000 an Hour - Scott Berkun's Confessions--A Sneak Peek

O'Reilly Media — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 14:22:03 PST

"I know I'm paid for something that, in the grand scheme, is not Work." writes Scott Berkun in his new book, Confessions of a Public Speaker. In this free excerpt, Scott discusses speakers' fees, his and others, along with what's cool or not so hot about talking for a living. Scott adds: "The unspoken risk I run is having no salary. I have no pension. I have no extended contract guaranteeing me lecture gigs forever. This book could bomb or be destroyed in reviews, and my speaking career could come to an unfortunate and immediate end, which in the grand scheme of things would be OK." Read the entire excerpt now.

Will Google Wave Reinvent the Way We Communicate or Fall Flat? - Share Your Knowledge of Google Wave

O'Reilly Media — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 09:23:55 PST

Today in Answers, a user wants more info and less hype on Google Wave: "What's so revolutionary about Google Wave? Can somebody break down the features and benefits of the service in such a way as to convince the average user of its ability to change the way we communicate?" Join the conversation and share your knowledge or ask a question of your own in O'Reilly Answers.

Featured Ignite Video: Visualizing the US Senate by Social Graph - Ignite Presentation by Andrew Odewahn

O'Reilly Media — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 09:24:55 PST

Four short links: 6 November 2009 - Barcode Scanning, Downloadable Community Book, Gov Hack Day, Android Kludges

Nat Torkington — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 09:25:55 PST

Red Laser -- "impossibly accurate barcode scanning". Uses Google Product Search to identify products that you scan using the camera on the phone. I remember Rael and I talking to Jeff Bezos about this years ago, before camphones had the resolution to decode barcodes. The future is here and it's $1.99 on the App Store. This and more in today's Four Short Links.

Dean Wampler at QCon San Francisco 2009 - Nov 16 2009

Dean Wampler — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 17:48:18 PST

Dean Wampler (Programming Scala) is teaching a full-day tutorial on Scala at QCon San Francisco.

Core Data--New from Pragmatic Bookshelf: Apple's API for Persisting Data on Mac OS X

O'Reilly Media, Inc. — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 13:48:48 PST

Photoshop Elements 8 for Mac: The Missing Manual New from O'Reilly

O'Reilly Media, Inc. — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 13:49:48 PST