Hacker Girrrrl said
I wish I had this book about a year ago. I've been writing code for corporate Blackberries off and on for 18 months. The book covers Blackberry tools and the logic of the ecosystem. Its not a tutorial but it does talk about a few coding tricks and its not a bad overview. The best way to learn is still to go through the RIM sample code.
The book makes it clear that the real advantage of Blackberry over iPhone and other competitors is BES - hosted services. I don't think we appreciated that, but its something to consider going forward.
One thing I learned from the book is that the MDS server was scheduled to be deadended by the end of 2009. I wish I hadn't spent so much time learning what it was and how to use it. The book has lots of timely advice for 2009/2010 and is worth buying now if you are either a Blackberry developer or thinking of becoming one. If you are reading this after 2 years then try something more recent.
George J Paglia, M.B.A. in M.I.S. said
I'm just finishing this book (last few pages tonight) and I have to say this: FANTASTIC!!!
I've been a developer for over 30 years. I've read a lot of books, but this is one of only ones that talks to me as if I were a student in a classroom.
I'm one of those people who prefers hands-on, classroom environments (OK, so I've taught a few times myself) to sitting at a desk and reading. But I have to tell you, I've been reading this book at my desk, and even at my kitchen table at night, and I haven't fallen asleep (no old guy jokes please). I wish everyone would write technical books this way, at every level. I felt like John was there explaining it to me.
I've tried going thru RIM's developer site in the past, but have had nothing but issues. This book is clear, well organized, well written, UP-TO-DATE and right to the point. It finally clears up a lot of the mystery that I've been experiencing getting started and if you've never coded on a BB before, I'm sure it will help you too. My only other wish would be another book from John devoted solely to writing BB apps on Domino, but hey, that's what I do for a living.
To everyone reading this, keep in mind that this is strictly a "Fundamentals" book. It does an excellent job of setting the foundation for success in developing BB apps, but you still need to go out there and learn things on your own (do I hear an opening for a more advanced book?). If you are a developer, you already know what to do. This just gets you started that much faster and with less pitfalls.
George Paglia, M.B.A. in M.I.S.
Joseph M. Oleary said
The key word in the title of this book is "Fundamentals". This is not a highly produced "Dummies Guide" but a "guide" in the true sense. Reading it is like sitting in a cube next to a BlackBerry developer helping you learn the ropes.
Coding comes naturally to the successful programmer regardless of platform. It is the explanation of the nuances of the BlackBerry platform and how to best leverage the fundamentals: plug-ins, simulators, OS specific peculiarities, security and performance optimization; that shine in this guide.
Like any acquired skill, once you know the fundamentals, you either sink or swim on your own capabilities. This book has comprehensively sifted out all of the good information RIM provides on BB app/dev and logically arranged it for someone who needs to get started quickly and with best practices. This is the best reference guide available for anyone tasked with knowing the key pieces of the BlackBerry development platform in short order.
Avid Reader said
I had high hopes for this book based on the description. However, I am greatly disappointed and found it a huge waste of money. The book tells you that a feature like Location Services exists, then points you to the [...] documentation. Obviously, I didn't find the BlackBerry documentation to be enough or I wouldn't have bought this book. The APress book has more information than this one and it is half the size.
B. reed said
My team has been developing apps for BlackBerry for nearly 2 years. Wish we had this book then. We now make this book mandatory for our new hires and contractors.
In fact, the book is great preparation for becoming a BlackBerry Certified Application Developer with the BCP-810 certification exam.
As the author says himself, this book is about understanding the fundamentals of the BlackBerry platform: "A developer must have a thorough understanding of the features, capabilities and even limitations of a platform in order to build useful, effective and efficient applications."
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