Reviews (23)

incohesive writing
This book suffers from incohesive writing and lacks a clear framework that covers the theme of smart mobs. The sequence of chapters does not provide a progressive build-up of a framework of any sort. Even more, the sequence inside each chapter does not carry the reader towards any defined theme. On one section the author describes teenagers in Finland sending text messages, then he jumps to his meeting with a company executive, then jumps to describing the mobile phone standards in Europe, etc.
A whirlwind tour through the world next year.
Howard Rheingold has excellent credentials to write this book through his long involvement at Wired magazine. He blends an effervescent interest in smart new gadgetry (point your phone-cam at some foreign signwriting and have it translated into your own language) with a thirsty desire to understand what it means to our society. To hunt down the story he structures the narrative in a breathtaking first-person style that takes us from Shibuya Station in Tokyo to the wireless capital of the world, Helsinki, and then back across the Atlantic to Bell Laboratories - and beyond.
Smart Mobs. Smarter Marketers.
The cool thing about "Smart Mobs" is that it's really happening. People are behaving in "linked" ways that transcend the obvious demographic definitions of groups we typically think of as "behaving in unison." As technology and the infrastructure arriving with it enable increasingly extemporaneous networks between people, marketers are similarly challenged to reach outside of traditional mass channels. Howard Rheingold brings us a really nice set of actual examples--combined with his own unique insights--that provide the basis for next-generation communications strategies as what had been cohesive groups fragment into a foam of indivduals united (only) by this moments current interest and the task at hand. For marketers, it's a great read...and a big clue. Anyway, I liked it. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Communication    2. Communication and culture    3. General    4. Information Technology    5. Internet    6. Science/Mathematics    7. Social Aspects    8. Sociology - General    9. Technology    10. Technology & Industrial Arts    11. Technology And Social Change    12. Technology And Society    13. Technology and civilization    14. Business & Management   

Subjects:  1. 1950-    2. Civilization, Modern    3. General    4. History - General History    5. Modern - 20th Century    6. Philosophy    7. Social change    8. Technology and civilization    9. Cultural studies    10. Western philosophy, from c 1900 -   

Reviews (8)

Busy asa bee
Madison Finn has so much on her plate!!! She is trying to do asocial studies project with her friend Egg, and her new job is fun but takes time. What will hapeen toMadison in the fifth book????

jesi's thoughts
I would totally hate having to choose between my mom and dad on Thanksgiving. Oh wait, I already do! I do think that volunteering at the animal shelter did help matters. Except I don't know how you can relieve stress when picking up dog poop! The problem is that next year, she'll have to do it all over again!

THE BEST ONE YET!
This is the fifth book in the series, "Thanks for Nothing".I woud say out of the first 5 books, this one was the best.Madison is really upset because she isn't going to have Thanksgiving with her whole family anymore.Her gramma has a hip problem and her aunt and uncle are going to take care of her.Madison's Mom and Dad are divorced and she can't spend Thanksgiving with both of them.So its either her and Mom or her, Dad, and Stephanie.But when Madison makes a decision, she gets a big surprise and decides to do the original plan.Wanna know who she picks?Read the book!While all of this is happening, Madison decides to help out an Far Hills Animal Clinic and Shelter, where she meets a school friend who is also a volunteer.She also meets a very nice dog, but there is a surprise with the dog, too.Wanna know what happens?Read the book!As if all of this wasn't enough, Madison and Egg are paired up for a social studies project and they are having problems working together.But even though the first two surprises were bad, a surprise about the project is good!To find out what the surprises are and to read a fantastic book, get a copy of "Thanks for Nothing" today! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Animal shelters    2. Change    3. Children's Books/Ages 9-12 Fiction    4. Children: Grades 4-6    5. Divorce    6. Dogs    7. Fiction    8. Holidays & Celebrations - Thanksgiving    9. Humorous Stories    10. Juvenile Fiction    11. Science & Technology - Computers    12. Social Issues - Adolescence    13. Social Issues - General    14. Juvenile Fiction / Social Situations / Adolescence   

Subjects:  1. France    2. General    3. Philosophy    4. Sociology    5. Technology    6. Technology And Social Change    7. Technology And Society    8. Technology / Social Aspects   

Subjects:  1. Business & Economics    2. Business / Economics / Finance    3. Business/Economics    4. Case studies    5. Computer Industry (Economic Aspects)    6. Economics - General    7. High technology industries    8. Industrial Management    9. Management    10. Management - General    11. Organizational change    12. Small business    13. Business & Economics / Economics / General    14. Impact of science & technology on society    15. Industrial applications of scientific research & technological innovation    16. Industry & Industrial Studies   

Reviews (1)

Fabulous cover
Book was great but I keep going back to the cover.Who says "you can't judge a book by its cover".Wow that photography is compelling.So fresh, so new.Who is the photographer??? ... Read more

Subjects:  1. 1950-    2. Civilization, Modern    3. Genetic Engineering    4. History & Surveys - Modern    5. Life Sciences - Genetics & Genomics    6. Metaphysics    7. Philosophy    8. Social aspects    9. Social change    10. Speculative Philosophy    11. Technology    12. Medical ethics    13. Modern fiction    14. Philosophy / General   

Editorial Review

The walls have ears and the hills have eyes, but who's got the brain? Canadian sociologist David Lyon argues that we are complicit in much of our recent loss of privacy, but that makes it no less sinister. Read more

Reviews (1)

A thoughtful discourse
In 'Surveillance Society', David Lyon takes a closer look at the level of surveillance we are really under as individuals, and takes a fresh look at the relationship between technology and society. As most of us are already aware, personal data is collected from us all the time, whether we know it or not (and, often, whether we like it or not). Identity numbers, camera images, fingerprinting, retina scans, DNA samples, customer fidelity cards, credit cards, mailing lists, consumer groups, Internet activity, computer cookies - there are numerous ways that the ordinary life of citizens and consumers is examined by computer databases as we participate in contemporary society.Read more

Subjects:  1. Computers and civilization    2. Electronic surveillance    3. General    4. Information technology    5. Social Science    6. Social aspects    7. Sociology    8. Sociology - General    9. Technology And Social Change    10. Human rights    11. Political science & theory    12. Social theory   

Editorial Review

If you've ever had the sneaking (and perhaps depressing) suspicion that the Internet is radically changing the world as you know it, buck up. No wait, buckle up--it is. While some people celebrate this and others bemoan it, Michael Lewis has been busy investigating the reasons for this rapid change. Employing the sarcastic wit and keen recognition of social shifts that readers of Read more

Reviews (94)

Fast Fun Read
Nota profound book. Lots of story-telling to make a few good points. A fast and fun read.

Lewis has more noteable works
If you want to read Lewis at his best, get Moneyball or Liar's Poker.Next begins promisingly enough, with interesting vignettes on a teenage daytrader who manipulates markets with his cheerleading postings on internet financial sites and an interesting piece on a junior high kid who builds himself into a legal expert on an anonymous website, armed only with the insights he gleaned from television shows.These stories serve Lewis' premise of how technology will allow the decline of specialization and the democratization of opinion; we're moving towards a society where being properly lettered matters far less than being right.Credentials used to serve as their own validation of opinion and expertise, a self-fulfilling prophecy that begged challenge, but the internet allows anyone to opine, irrespective of their bona fides.As evidenced by the fact that you're reading my review :)
Simultaneously hilarious and insightful
Michael Lewis has an almost unique talent for providing one with an intuitive feel for a subject while simultaneously making you laugh out loud.I think I learned more about Wall Street from "Liar's Poker" than all the great serious tomes I've read, while at the same time enjoying it as pure farce, and yet I was left with an increased respect for the people and institutions.How is that even possible?
Read more

Subjects:  1. Business & Economics    2. Business / Economics / Finance    3. Business/Economics    4. Computer Industry (Economic Aspects)    5. Computer networks    6. E-Commerce - General    7. Economic aspects    8. Economics - Theory    9. Information society    10. Internet    11. Marketing - General    12. Social Aspects - General    13. Social aspects    14. Technology And Social Change    15. Impact of computing & IT on society   

Reviews (1)

hoping for more
From the Independent innovators, to the beginning of research groups, to military research, to systems creators of Taylor and Ford, to military industrial complex systems of production.The first few and last chaptersare the best.Edison had over 1000 patents, I have none.:-( ... Read more

Subjects:  1. General    2. History    3. History - General History    4. History Of Technology    5. History: American    6. Technology    7. Technology And Social Change    8. United States    9. Industrial archaeology   

Reviews (2)

This book IS required reading for all Americans.
Bertman gives us a rare blend of deep historical understanding and clarity of view of our own times.Page after page, recognition chimes go off.He has said what we have all felt in our moments of doubt about the breakneckspeed of our own lives and the lives of our neighbors.I am recommendingthis book to all my friends and acquaintances who have any questions at allabout why it is we have so much more stuff and so little satisfaction.People all over the country, who are struggling in so many ways to cope ordrop out, should find help in this book.

The power of now is the current disease which afflicts us.
Dr. Stephen Bertman, a Classicist, from the University of Windsor inCanada has shone light upon the affliction of modern culture. The speed atwhich we travel through our daily lives is exposed for what it is able todo. The centripital force that rips at the very fabric of society isexamined from the micro to the macro and it is quite alarming to see thatwhat we take for granted is actually part of what damages us. Technologymoves faster and faster which pushes the human ability to cope with life tothe limits. Culture as we know it is being changed before our eyes and itmoves so quickly that we do not have time to adapt. The simplicity of afamily gathering is no longer something that the power of now allows us toenjoy, but it pushes us to only live in a superficial realm. At the endthere are some sound suggestions to what one is able to do to control thespeed at which one travels through daily life. A must read if you areserious about learning how to navigate this constantly changing world. Ihave not only read the book, but have had the good experience of being apast student of this professor. He lives what he imparts in the book and inthe lecture hall. The heights that I have aspired to have been in part dueto his teachings. Currently I am working on a PhD in Classics. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. 1970-    2. Civilization    3. Culture    4. Ethics & Moral Philosophy    5. History & Surveys - Modern    6. Philosophy    7. Popular Culture - General    8. Social Science    9. Social aspects    10. Sociology    11. Sociology - General    12. Speed    13. Technological innovations    14. Technology And Social Change    15. United States    16. Cultural studies    17. Current Events / General    18. Ethical issues & debates    19. Social Science / Sociology / General    20. USA   

Reviews (1)

Unique
The Science and Technology of Terrorism and Counterterrorism examine some topics that you might find in other texts but in a more understandable format and with greater depth. It goes beyond this in that it covers so much more that is unique in a variety of areas such as the theory of terrorism and technology, the group psychology of terrorism, aerosol science, sensors (one of the most complete works on chem., bio and nuclear sensors that I have seen), medical preparedness, training and homeland security infrastructure. It is concise and timely and is written by a distinguished group of scholars with a broad range of expertise to thoroughly cover all of these complex topics. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Bioterrorism    2. Chemical terrorism    3. General    4. Nuclear terrorism    5. Political Freedom & Security - Law Enforcement    6. Political Science    7. Political Terrorism    8. Politics / Current Events    9. Politics/International Relations    10. Public Affairs & Administration    11. Public Policy - General    12. Public Relations    13. Technological innovations    14. Technology And Social Change    15. Terrorism    16. Business & Economics / Commerce    17. Defence strategy, planning & research    18. Technology: General Issues    19. Terrorism, freedom fighters, armed struggle   

Subjects:  1. General    2. Social Science    3. Social aspects    4. Sociology    5. Sociology Of Women    6. Technology    7. Technology And Social Change    8. Women in technology    9. Cultural studies    10. Performing Arts / Mass Media   

Editorial Review

It's remarkable how far we've traveled into the Information Age without coming up with a very good idea of what information actually is. Technologists define information as bits and bytes, but that seems too precise somehow to get at the heart of the idea. Everyday speech defines it as just about any interesting piece of news, but that seems equally vague. Read more

Reviews (6)

A dense and demanding text which raises important questions about meaning and information.
In Holding On To Reality, Borgmann shares his perspectives and reservations about the information age as enabled by information technology. He traces the nature, philosophy and history of information by splitting the book into three sections which address natural, cultural and technological signs. If, in the beginning, signs were in the service of describing reality we are now (according to Borgmann) at a time in which information has become so divorced from physical reality that signs assert their own existence with independent validity.
How to handle Fire and not get Burned
It's an interesting problem: How to write and publish an entertaining and informative book about "being lost", without getting the reader "more" lost. Or, how to use technology to free itself and that bound up with it.At times in reading Albert's work (whose erudition is beautiful) he seemed clever.That would be technology wining the match.Yet, with a twist of a phrase and bit of a story, what was becoming the surface of a maze, revealed a rounded corner, with new views and vistas. Depth, not surfaces.Little things, like music in a park, or the sun in the morning.One is informed by Albert, much in the way the ancient sages schooled their students... send them on a journey, a trip, to visit the master on the next mountain range.As with Albert's book, it's not what you take from it, but where it is able to take you.

Fully grounded philosophy
Borgmann is a professor of philosophy at a university in Montana.This is an important point for several reasons: his use of his immediate surroundings to illustrate his theory of communication and his ability to tie that theory to his field of academic philosophy.While keeping his analysis of communication theory close to the history of communication, Borgmann weaves his story into a cogent read of contemporary issues in communication based on his foundation as a "realist."He manages to escape embracing a social contstructionist stance, but only barely.For his view of reality fits nicely with both a realist and a constructionist view.This is an amazing accomplishment.For those interested in the practical: his explanation of writing and structure are not to be missed.In this chapter he offers a way to think of the digital-ness of our past, present, and future via the use of information as a whole thing with a context and information as "reality...structured all the way down, and at the bottom...composed of a small number of meaningless, but well-defined elements." (p. 61) ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Communication    2. Computers    3. Information Technology    4. Information Technology (Engineering)    5. Information Theory    6. Philosophy    7. Philosophy & Social Aspects    8. Reality    9. Science    10. Social Aspects    11. Sociology    12. Technology And Social Change    13. Communication Studies    14. Cultural studies    15. History of engineering & technology    16. Impact of computing & IT on society    17. Technology / Social Aspects   

Subjects:  1. General    2. Information society    3. Interpersonal relations    4. Personality change    5. Psychology    6. Social Aspects - Human-Computer Interaction    7. Social Science    8. Social aspects    9. Sociology    10. Sociology - General    11. Technological innovations    12. Impact of science & technology on society    13. Social Science / Sociology / General    14. Social, group or collective psychology    15. Sociology, Social Studies   

Reviews (1)

Material Culture In Indonesia
Jika di Indonesia yang kaya dengan material culture dan diungkap dengan pendekatan yang pak David tulis di buku ini maka akan lebih terbuka lagi khasanah kearifan kebudayaan yang ada di Indonesia tidak seperti yang nampak di media masa sekarang ini. Sekarang ini bangsa Indonesia kurang memahami jatidirinya yang sebenarnya sudah di contohkan oleh kebudayaan pendahulunya. Read more

Subjects:  1. Anthropology - General    2. Anthropology - Physical    3. Archaeology    4. Archaeology / Anthropology    5. Material Culture    6. Social Science    7. Sociology    8. Technology And Social Change    9. Archaeological methodology & techniques    10. Archaeological theory    11. History: theory & methods   

Reviews (8)

World peace is possible and Mr. Fresco offers an indepth, feasible, practical and sustainable path to it.
Global peace is so very important as a goal we must leave no stone unturned in exploring the possibilities of making it real. Too many of us are trapped in the box of complacency and denial. Any American citizen should have enough common sense to realize that business as usual is not working, never has worked and never will work to develop world peace. Any Economic paradigm built upon a class system is inherently flawed. Capitalism, deceptive though it may be, is built upon a class structure. Just ask the indigenous native, the Hispanics, or descendents of the slaves in The USA.
So fascinating I had to see it for myself!
After reading the The Best That Money Can't Buy, I had to meet Jacque and Roxanne. Off to Venus I went! Without a doubt this is one of the most important books that any individual can read. Lets just hope that your mind is not in a straightjacket.

Utopia just in real time
The Best That Money Can't Buy - Beyond Politics, War, and Poverty. In the context of these troubled times, the title itself seems the epitome of Utopian thinking. Within these pages, however, are not the meanderings of well-intentioned dreamers, but straight-forward analyses of, and solutions to, many of the troubles that continue to plague the world, in spite of - and often, under the present scarcity-oriented distribution system of advantage, because of - the vast technological achievements of the modern age.Read more

Subjects:  1. Environmental Science    2. Future Studies    3. Social Aspects    4. Social Science    5. Social change    6. Social prediction    7. Sociology    8. Sociology - General    9. Technological forecasting    10. Technology    11. Technology & Industrial Arts   

Editorial Review

What's up, doc? Information scientist David M. Levy wants us to look at the documents that fill our lives, and his book Read more

Reviews (9)

What is a Document?
The first contribution of David Levy's book is to provide insight on what exactly IS a document. Like many common and prosaic words, the idea of what constitutes a document proves to be more than a little challenging.(Here are a couple of definitional challenges. On the one hand, an entire paper document can be reproduced as a single Web page or split into numerous parts and therefore many Web pages. Alternatively, an encyclopedia could be interpreted as a single document in one case, or each of its split-out articles as separate documents in their own right.)
has retained its value over the years
Three years after publication, the march of technology has not made this book obsolete. Levy correctly identified the sore spots that technological change has rubbed on our sense of civilized society, and pointed out to what degree the problems were realized 100 years ago. Previous reviewers complained about pointlessness, but I appreciate Levy's many small points as well as his few large ones. However, I wouldn't buy a copy; this is the kind of book that public libraries are good for.

Is paper to disappear?
The changing face of documents and images in the digital age is considered in a title which covers all kinds of documents and the changes they face from the digital world; from recipes and letters to business memos and other writings. Is the book doomed? Is paper to disappear? Scrolling Forward: Making Sense Of Documents In The Digital Age by David M. Levy examines documents of all kinds as they relate to culture, history and technological changes. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. General    2. History    3. History Of Books And Printing    4. Language    5. Social Aspects    6. Sociology    7. Sociology - Social Theory    8. Technology And Social Change    9. History / General   

Editorial Review

Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Hedrick Smith, author of The New Russians and The Power Game: How Washington Really Works, traveled around the world to research this study of America's economic competitiveness, and to see how other nations organize themselves differently. He found plenty of positive lessons for the U.S., and argues that the new global economic challenges demand adaptation. He illustrates the kind of innovation required in the fields of business and education with specific examples from the U.S. and from other countries. He praises Japanese and German encouragement of workers as "stakeholders" in their companies. Indeed, Smith recommends teamwork in all areas of society, and collaboration between government, private enterprise and schools to produce a more humane and productive setting for work and learning. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Rethinking This Book..
Dialogue is a bit choppy, just not that interesting, accurate, or inspiring.

Great
�t is a great book I have ever read. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Benchmarking (Management)    2. Competition, International    3. Contemporary Economic Situations And Conditions    4. Corporate & Business History - General    5. Development - Economic Development    6. Economic aspects    7. Economic conditions    8. General    9. Politics / Current Events    10. Sociology    11. Technological innovations    12. Technology And Social Change    13. United States    14. Current Events / General   

Subjects:  1. Quality Control    2. Nonfiction    3. Technology & Industrial Arts    4. Sociology    5. Reliability (Engineering)    6. Non-Classifiable    7. Production engineering    8. Management    9. Anthropology - Cultural    10. Social Science    11. Maintainability (Engineering)    12. Organizational change   

Subjects:  1. Business / Economics / Finance    2. Information Management    3. Information technology    4. Organizational change    5. Science/Mathematics    6. Technological innovations    7. Business | Management | Marketing Management    8. Computers / Information Technology    9. Impact of computing & IT on society    10. Organizational theory & behaviour