GPRS is a packet based wireless communication service that offers data rates from 9.05 up to 171.2 Kbps and continuous connection to the Internet for mobile phone and computer users. GPRS is based on GSM communications and complements existing services such as circuit switched cellular phone connections and the Short Message Service (SMS).

GPRS represents the bridge between 2G and 3G mobile telecommunications and is commonly referred to as 2.5G.

Implementation of GPRS requires modification of the existing GSM networks in that GSM is a circuit switched technology while GPRS is packet oriented. GPRS enables packet data (the same as is used by an Ethernet LAN, WAN or the Internet) to be sent to and from a mobile station - e.g. mobile phone, PDA or Laptop.

WAP and SMS can also be sent using GPRS and individuals working with GPRS need to learn and understand how the mobile stations, the air interface, network architecture, protocol structures and signalling procedures must be modified.
GPRS offers much higher data rates than GSM and can be combined with 3G technologies such as EDGE to give even higher bit-rates. It offers many benefits for customers and network operators: such as volume (rather then time) dependent billing and more efficient use of network resources.

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Tired of clawing your way through computer books that start at the beginning of recorded history just to find one tiny nugget of information you need? Tired of wrenching your back to pull that massive Windows tome off your bookshelf? Tired of wishing you could find a simple answer to what should be a simple problem? If you answered yes to any of these questions, then 100 Things You Need to Know about MicrosoftA (R) Windows VistaaA A is just the book you've been looking for. Chock full of timesaving tips, heady solutions, and expert know-how, this book doesn't break the bank nor does it require a Bowflex body to hoist it around. Inside you'll find step-by-step help for the 100 things every Windows user needs to know when making the big switch between Windows XP and Vista. Even if you're brand new to Windows (meaning Vista is your first-ever operating system), you'll find the advice here indispensable. In this book, we assume, for instance, that you really don't give a hoot about what TCP/IP is. We're betting you just want to get your Internet connection up and running, and leave the techy muck to the propeller heads. (more…)

Certain technologies bring out everyone's hidden geek, and iPhone did the moment it was released. Even though Apple created iPhone as a closed device, tens of thousands of developers bought them with the expressed purpose of designing and running third-party software. In this clear and concise book, veteran hacker Jonathan Zdziarski - one of the original hackers of the iPhone - explains the iPhone's native environment and how you can build software for this device using its Objective-C, C, and C++ development frameworks."iPhone Open Application Development" walks you through the iPhone's proprietary development environment, offers an overview of the Objective-C language you'll use with it, and supplies background for the iPhone operating system. You also get detailed recipes and working examples for everyone's favorite iPhone features - graphics and audio programming, interfaces for adding multitouch functionality to games, the use of hardware sensors, and the device's vast user interface kit. (more…)

For introductory through advanced courses in Linux. Addressing the growing popularity of Linux in the academic setting, this text is based on the widely used book by these authors, "UNIX for Programmers." It applies to major inexpensive or free distributions of Linux, and documents the most commonly needed topics for both new and experienced Linux users and programmers (including over 100 utilities and their common options). Students will gain a solid foundation of understanding for the most often-used Linux utilities. (more…)

The most overlooked component in 3D animation is design. This is a cross-platform book that will show how to apply the techniques of pre-visualisation through sketching, colour, and photo reference to enhance your 3D. As a CGI producer/director, Geoffrey Kater communicates to 3D artists on a daily basis about the importance of using traditional design techniques to improve and fully realise animation projects. When faced with your next 3D project, this book will have you reaching for the pencil first, instead of your keyboard. (more…)

Taking care to focus solely on those topics that will have the most impact on experienced PHP developers, Pro PHP is written for readers seeking to take their understanding of both PHP and sound software development practices to the next level. Advanced object–oriented features, documentation, debugging, software patterns, and the Standard PHP Library are just a few of the topics covered in extensive detail.

Author and noted PHP expert Kevin McArthur also examines emerging practices and trends such as the MVC architecture as applied to PHP, with special emphasis placed upon the increasingly popular Zend Framework.

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The revised edition of the classic Core Java™, Volume II–Advanced Features, covers advanced user-interface programming and the enterprise features of the Java SE 6 platform. Like Volume I (which covers the core language and library features), this volume has been updated for Java SE 6 and new coverage is highlighted throughout. All sample programs have been carefully crafted to illustrate the latest programming techniques, displaying best-practices solutions to the types of real-world problems professional developers encounter. (more…)

Since the emergence of Google Maps 12 months ago, Ajax programming techniques have become one of the hottest topics in the programming arena. To date, the frameworks available for creating these applications have been complex and have separated the development of the client–side Ajax (on the user’s machine) from the server–side supporting technology (on the company’s machines). This separation has made development slow and difficult.

ASP.NET AJAX is Microsoft’s solution to this problem. ASP.NET AJAX (formerly code–named Atlas) is a set of extensions to the existing ASP.NET 2.0 technology that provides you with a fast-and-simple environment to create Ajax applications. Microsoft has combined Ajax with ASP.NET technology and provided a unified set of development tools within Visual Studio 2005. For the first time, Ajax applications can be developed seamlessly in conjunction with a supporting technology.

Foundations of ASP.NET AJAX (written by Laurence Moroney the author of Apress successful Foundations of Atlas) gives you a detailed grounding in how ASP.NET AJAX works. It takes you swiftly through the basic principles of Ajax, then deep into the heart of the technology, where every namespace is discussed and every function considered. By the end of the book, you’ll know all the essentials to confidently produce cutting-edge ASP.NET AJAX applications swiftly and professionally. You will not need any reference beyond this book.

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C# in Depth is a completely new book designed to propel existing C# developers to a higher level of programming skill. One simple principle drives this book: explore a few things deeply rather than offer a shallow view of the whole C# landscape. If you often find yourself wanting just a little more at the end of a typical chapter, this is the book for you.

Expert author Jon Skeet dives into the C# language, plumbing new C# 2 and 3 features and probing the core C# language concepts that drive them. This unique book puts the new features into context of how C# has evolved without a lengthy rehearsal of the full C# language.

C# in Depth briefly examines the history of C# and the .NET framework and reviews a few often-misunderstood C# 1 concepts that are very important as the foundation for fully exploiting C# 2 and 3. Because the book addresses C# 1 with a light touch, existing C# developers don't need to pick through the book in order to find new material to enhance their skills.

This book focuses on the C# 2 and 3 versions of the language, but clearly explains where features are supported by changes in the runtime (CLR) or use new framework classes. Each feature gets a thorough explanation, along with a look on how you'd use it in real life applications.

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This guide is strikingly different from other books on Microsoft ADO.NET. Rather than load you down with theory, the new edition of ADO.NET 3.5 Cookbook gives you more than 200 coding solutions and best practices for real problems you're likely to face with this technology using Visual Studio 2008 and the .NET 3.5 platform. Organized to help you find the topic and specific recipe you need quickly and easily, this book is more than just a handy compilation of cut-and-paste C# code. ADO.NET 3.5 Cookbook also offers clear explanations of how and why each code solution works, and warns you of potential pitfalls so you can learn to adapt the book's problem-solving techniques to different situations. This collection of timesaving recipes covers vital topics including: Connecting to data Retrieving and managing data Transforming and analyzing data Modifying data Binding data to .NET user interfaces Optimizing .NET data access Enumerating and maintaining database objects Maintaining database integrity Ideal for ADO.NET programmers at all levels, from the relatively inexperienced to the most sophisticated, this new edition covers the significant 3.5 upgrade, including new programming tools such as LINQ. ADO.NET 3.5 Cookbook offers a painless way for those of you who prefer to learn by doing when it comes to expanding your skills and productivity. (more…)