Information Appliances and Beyond


Book Description

A growing focus on product usability is creating demand for usability specialists and prompting companies of all kinds to hire developers and designers who are well versed in this way of thinking. This book takes a look at the unique usability issues surround information appliances and other interactive consumer products.




Beyond the Blogosphere


Book Description

This book looks at questions and answers pertaining to the organization, usage, and ownership of information in the Internet age—and the impact of shifting attitudes towards information ownership on creative endeavors. In the competing traditions of Marshall McLuhan and Langdon Winner, authors Aaron Barlow and Robert Leston take readers on a revealing tour of the Internet after the explosion of the blogosphere and social media. In the world Beyond the Blogosphere, information has surpassed its limits, the distinction between public and private selves has collapsed, information is more untrustworthy than it ever was before, and technology has exhibited a growth and a desire that may soon exceed human control. As Langdon Winner pointed out long ago, "tools have politics." In an eye-opening journey that navigates the nuances of the cultural impact the internet is having on daily life, Barlow and Leston examine the culture of participation in order to urge others to reconsider the view that the Internet is merely a platform or a set of tools that humans use to suit their own desires. Provocative and engaging, Beyond the Blogosphere stands as a challenge on how to rethink the Internet so that it doesn't out-think us.




The Web at Graduation and Beyond


Book Description

This book provides a comprehensive treatment of the rapidly changing world of Web-based business technologies and their often-disruptive innovations. The history of the Web is a short one. Indeed many college graduates today were not even born when the Web first emerged. It is therefore an opportune time to view the Web as having reached the point of graduation. The Web has led to new ways in which businesses connect and operate, and how individuals communicate and socialize; related technologies include cloud computing, social commerce, crowd sourcing, and the Internet of Things, to name but a few. These developments, including their technological foundations and business impacts, are at the heart of the book. It contextualizes these topics by providing a brief history of the World Wide Web, both in terms of the technological evolution and its resultant business impacts. The book was written for a broad audience, including technology managers and students in higher education. It is also intended as a guide for people who grew up with a background in business administration or engineering or a related area but who, in the course of their career paths, have reached a point where IT-related decisions have become their daily business, e.g., in digital transformation. The book describes the most important Web technologies and related business applications, and especially focuses on the business implications of these technologies. As such, it offers a solid technology- and business-focused view on the impact of the Web, and balances rules and approaches for strategy development and decision making with a certain technical understanding of what goes on “behind the scenes.”




5G and Beyond


Book Description

The Internet of Things (IoT) has seen the eventual shift to the "Internet of Everything" in the recent years, unveiling its ubiquitous presence spanning from smart transports to smart healthcare, from smart education to smart shopping. With the 5G rollouts across the different countries of the world, it raises newer perspectives toward the integration of 5G in IoT. For IoT-based smart devices, 5G not only means speed, but also better stability, efficiency, and more secure connectivity. The reach of 5G in IoT is extending in multifarious areas like self-driving vehicles, smart grids for renewable energy, AI-enabled robots on factory floors, intelligent healthcare services . . . The endless list is the real future of 5G in IoT. Features: Fundamental and applied perspectives to 5G integration in IoT Transdisciplinary vision with aspects of Artificial Intelligence, Industry 4.0, and hands-on practice tools Discussion of trending research issues in 5G and IoT As 5G technologies catalyze a paradigm shift in the domain of IoT, this book serves as a reference for the researchers in the field of IoT and 5G, proffering the landscape to the trending aspects as well as the key topics of discussion in the years to come.




Beyond Our Control?


Book Description

An examination of current and emerging issues in cyberlaw. This book provides a framework for thinking about the law and cyberspace, examining the extent to which the Internet is currently under control and the extent to which it can or should be controlled. It focuses in part on the proliferation of MP3 file sharing, a practice made possible by the development of a file format that enables users to store large audio files with near-CD sound quality on a computer. By 1998, software available for free on the Web enabled users to copy existing digital files from CDs. Later technologies such as Napster and Gnutella allowed users to exchange MP3 files in cyberspace without having to post anything online. This ability of online users to download free music caused an uproar among music executives and many musicians, as well as a range of much-discussed legal action. Regulation strategies identified and discussed include legislation, policy changes, administrative agency activity, international cooperation, architectural changes, private ordering, and self-regulation. The book also applies major regulatory models to some of the most volatile Internet issues, including cyber-security, consumer fraud, free speech rights, intellectual property rights, and file-sharing programs.




Thinking Beyond Technology


Book Description

The book examines the value proposition of technology and its relationship with business innovation, social preferences and its role as a mechanism of labour savings or revenue generation. In the same style as his first book, Redefining Financial Services , the author combines empirical knowledge with a historical approach revealing the explicit nature of technological advancement while analysing the implicit impact on the process of business. The book presents the reader with a question: does society shape technology or is technology shaping society?




Expectations Investing


Book Description

Expectations Investing offers a unique and powerful alternative for identifying value-price gaps. Rappaport and Mauboussin provide everything the reader needs to utilize the discounted cash flow model successfully. And they add an important twist: they suggest that rather than forecasting cash flows, investors should begin by estimating the expectations embedded in a company's stock price. An investor who has a fix on the market's expectations can then assess the likelihood of expectations revisions. To help investors anticipate such revisions, Rappaport and Mauboussin introduce an "expectations infrastructure" framework for tracing the process of value creation from the basic economic forces that shape a company's performance to the resulting impact on sales, costs, and investment. Investors who use Expectations Investing will have a fundamentally new way to evaluate all stocks, setting them on the path to success. Managers will be able to use the book to devise, adjust, and communicate their company's strategy in light of shareholder expectations.




Smart Homes and Beyond


Book Description

The thought behind this publication is to continue to develop an active research community dedicated to explore how Smart Homes and Health Telematics can foster independent living and offer an enhanced quality of life for ageing and disabled people. As we begin to witness the effects of changing demographics on today’s society we begin to appreciate that the increase in the number of elderly and in the prevalence of those suffering from chronic disease and disabilities are likely to further increase in the next two to three decades. To react to the needs of this cohort to provide an environment within which the people can reside for as long as possible, whilst maintaining their quality of life and independence, is a widespread concern for all. As such, there is real benefit to further investigate the role of technologies to address these changes and subsequently offer practical solutions to support independent living. The editors feel that within the realms of Smart Homes and Health Telematics real, affordable and useful services can be developed which will have the necessary underlying technological and service delivery infrastructures to allow seamless integration into existing care delivery paradigms. The introduction of technology can provide a positive impact. However, it is necessary to avoid any detrimental effects if reliance upon technology within the home environment becomes so great that people will not leave their own home in fear of losing the support once outside of the home, or its close proximity. This publication focuses on promoting personal autonomy and extending the quality of life by considering including smart services inside and outside of the home.




HCI Beyond the GUI


Book Description

As technology expands and evolves, one-dimensional, graphical user interface (GUI) design becomes increasingly limiting and simplistic. Designers must meet the challenge of developing new and creative interfaces that adapt to meet human needs and technological trends. HCI Beyond the GUI provides designers with this know how by exploring new ways to reach users that involve all of the human senses. Dr. Kortum gathers contributions from leading human factors designers to present a single reference for professionals, researchers, and students. - Explores the human factors involved in the design and implementation of the nontraditional interfaces, detailing design strategies, testing methodologies, and implementation techniques - Provides an invaluable resource for practitioners who design interfaces for children, gamers and users with accessibility needs - Offers extensive case studies, examples and design guidelines




Information Systems for Business and Beyond


Book Description

"Information Systems for Business and Beyond introduces the concept of information systems, their use in business, and the larger impact they are having on our world."--BC Campus website.