New and Notable 2002

January 15, 2002:  We just received a very interesting book for review The Intelligent Wireless Web by H. Peter Alesso and Craig F. Smith   On initial scan, it appears quite timely and comprehensive at an easy to understand level.  As we study it in detail, we will post more information. Alesso also authored  e-Video: Producing Internet Video as Broadband Technologies Converge (with CD-ROM).

Here's a description of the book and authors. 

From the Back Cover
Written by two authors at the forefront of the Internet revolution, The Intelligent Wireless Web presents a fascinating, insightful vision of the Web's near future, with an overview of the technologies that will make it possible. This book explores technology developments in speech recognition, mobile wireless devices, network integration, and software that will be far more responsive to our informational and transactional needs.The Intelligent Wireless Web examines the convergence and synergy among five key technological components: speech used as a primary user interface; wireless personal area networks (WPANs); an integrated wired/wireless network infrastructure; supporting wireless protocols; and intelligent applications. It investigates available technologies and standards that are currently being developed to bring these goals into the mainstream of Internet use.Inside you'll find an introduction to a wide variety of topics, as well as an in-depth look at the fundamental relationships between cutting-edge technologies such as:

*Speech recognition and understanding text-to-speech generators, and Speech Synthesis Markup Language (SSML)
*Personal Area Networks (PANs), Bluetooth(TM), Jini(TM), and Universal Plug & Play
*Spread Spectrum, wireless networks, and the IEEE 802.11 standard Wireless
*handheld devices and third-generation TDMA and CDMA
*Mobile IP, Wireless Application Protocol (WAP), and Wireless Markup Language (WML)
*Web Services, .NET, J2EE(TM), SOAP, UDDI, WSDL, and XML
*Neural networks, adaptive software, data mining, and agents
*Machine learning and Distributed Artificial Intelligence Semantic Web Architecture

Ongoing research projects, such as MIT's Project OXYGEN, are used throughout to illustrate elements of the intelligent wireless Web in action. Appendixes present standards organizations, mobile protocols, security issues, and a case study of knowledge management. With an understanding of the trends, goals, and technologies described in The Intelligent Wireless Web, you will be well-positioned to develop your own strategic planning for the coming world of the ubiquitous Internet.

About the Author
H. Peter Alesso is an engineer with an M.S. and an advanced engineering degree from M.I.T., along with twenty years of research experience at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL). As Engineering Group Leader at LLNL, he led a team of physicists and engineers in a wide range of successful multimillion-dollar software development research projects. Peter has extensive experience with innovative applications across a wide range of supercomputers, workstations and networks. His areas of interest include computer languages, algebras, graphs, and Web application software. He has published several software titles and numerous scientific journal and conference articles. Craig Smith, PhD., is an engineer with thirty years of experience in research and development and application of advanced technologies. He is currently Deputy Associate Director of the Energy and Environment Directorate at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. He is responsible for a wide range of multimillion-dollar projects and he is a collaborator on several international research initiatives. His areas of interest include sensors, robotics, and automated systems; information technology applications; and future energy systems. He has published numerous scientific journal and conference articles on advanced engineering topics. Dr. Smith received his Ph.D. in Nuclear Science and Engineering from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) in 1975.

other books by the authors