Motorola MPx200 Smartphone - Next Generation (AT&T)
Average Customer Review:
Wireless Phone
list price: $299.99
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Editorial Review

The Motorola MPx200 combines the power of the desktop with Windows Mobile and the "always at hand" convenience and quality of the Motorola mobile phone to make life simpler, smarter and more synchronized for the mobile professional. The The MPx200 features mobile versions of all the essential Microsoft applications you depend on, including Pocket Outlook, Pocket Internet Explorer, Windows Media Player, and MSN messenger.What's more, the unit's software is designed to sync seamlessly with email, contacts and calendar information on your PC. When coupled with a AT&T data plan, the MPx200 is a powerful companion.

Design
The MPx200 follows the traditional clamshell form factor, although unlike many clamshell designs, it has an internal antenna. The large, 176 x 220 screen with 65,000 colors dominates inside of the cover. A smaller black and white LCD screen, which displays incoming calls, current time, battery life, signal strength and other information is located on the outside of the cover. A five-way selection button allows you to navigate and control the Windows Mobile interface and there is also a jog dial on the left side of the device for easy access to basic controls. In addition to a headset jack, an SD/MMC memory expansion card slot is housed on the right side of the unit. It allows for up to a gigabyte of additional memory capacity. The power key and infrared port are housed on the left side of the unit, while a universal charger/USB data port is present on the bottom.

Calling Features
The MPx200 has all the latest calling features folks have come to expect. The built-in speakerphone makes it easy to talk without having the phone to your ear. Vibrate modes and custom polyphonic ringtones can also be set to your preferences so you know who is calling without having to look at the LCD. The included Pocket Outlook software features a contacts list that is cleverly integrated with the phone's dialing functions.

Messaging, Internet and Tools
The MPx200 is designed as a complete solution for people who want to bring their office with them. The unit comes packed with pocket versions of Outlook, Internet Explorer and MSN Messenger. In addition to keeping track of contacts, Pocket Outlook features integrated calendar and email functions. Microsoft's ActiveSync software keeps the device synced with all of your PC's Outlook information (via USB or IR connection). Users who want Internet connectivity on the road with their laptop or PDA can select an AT&T Mobile Internet package and tap the MPx200's wireless modem capabilities.

You can use the MPx200's built in Internet Explorer browser for AT&T mMode downloads and mobile web browsing. AT&T's mMode service lets you receive and send emails, read news headlines, get sports scores, download games and ringtones, and more. Traditional text messaging, as well as picture and sound messaging are also supported by the phone. T9 text entry, which is a technology that makes it easier for people to enter words and text on handsets, is built into the unit-- a plus for mobile email and text messaging users.

A number of handy software tools are bundled with the MPx200 including a voice memo recorder, a calculator, a to-do list, and an alarm clock.

Imaging and Entertainment
The inclusion of Windows Media on the MPx200 means that you can use the handset as an MP3 player. The amount of music you can store is only limited by the unit's memory (up to 1 GB using the expansion card slot), and the included stereo headset is designed for music listening. For gamers, the phone supports Java-based and Windows Mobile game downloads.

Vital Statistics
The Motorola MPx200 weighs 4.16 ounces and measures 3.50 x 1.88 x 1.06 inches. Its lithium-ion battery is rated at up to 4.25 hours of digital talk time, and up to 104 hours of digital standby time. It runs on the 1800/1900 MHz GSM/GPRS frequencies. The phone comes with a one year limited warranty.

What's in the Box
Motorola MPx200 handset, lithium-ion battery, desktop charger, mini-USB data cable, stereo headset, user's manual. ... Read more

Features

• The Motorola MPx200 Smartphone does it all by combining all the functionality you need into a single, pocket-size package
• Windows Mobile software brings the familiar Windows experience to the palm of your hand
• You can synchronize everything with your desktop PC -- automatically -- with a USB connection, or over the air
• Functionality allows you to download music, games, video clips, and ring tones
• Watch videos, news clips, and film trailers anywhere you go

Reviews (186)

...and it's a flip phone.
I have owned many phones throughout all of the years that I have been dealing with cellular networks. However, I can definitely say that the Motorola MPx200 is one of originality, intelligence, and productivity. The ONLY folder fold phone that actually has a working version of Windows Mobile on it is definitely nothing short of genius and engineering expertise. I can positively say that this is one of the best and most useful phones available now.

Before anything about the inner workings of the phone can be reviewed, the first thing that is best to review is the one selling point that all buyers will look at first: it's immense beauty. Buffered hardened plastic with a neo-modern blue trimming and a perfectly-sized exterior LCD screen make the perfect combination for beauty at its zenith. There have been many beautiful clamshell/folder fold phones produced that can be considered BEAUTIFUL (RAZR, 8390, etc.), however for a one-of-a-kind phone like this one, it's exterior should not be overlooked.

When one opens the phone (with a satisfying click sound accompanying that), one is welcomed by the casual HelloMoto flower design that is on most Motorola phones now. However, what one wouldn't expect is the Windows Mobile boot screen to show up. After the system has loaded, one is presented with a clean-cut interface that is screaming mobile productivity. The possibilities are endless with the included Windows Mobile OS (which, by the way, can be upgraded to Windows Mobile 2003 if you search hard enough). It can synchronize with Outlook seamlessly. It can send SMS, MMS (in Europe or Asia), and regular e-mail. It can even access HTML web sites with its Pocket Internet Explorer (with much ease, if I may add). It can play all types of video and music files (with the right software), and it can obtain streaming media.

However, what makes its productivity even better is its compatibility. No special bells or whistles are needed for this phone to work. It charges and connects using a Mini-USB cable, which is included in the package (or it can be bought for about 20 dollars). The headset is a regular 2.5mm mono/stereo jack, however a converter can be used for regular headphones, which would be a good idea for MP3s. The storage interface is Secure Digital or MMC, which is relatively cheap and expansive (up to 1 GB). The downside to this is that it does not support Secure Digital with Input and Output functions (SDIO), so buying a bluetooth or GPS card is out of the question (that is what the MPx220 is for). It can, oddly enough, support an SD camera, which from what I heard takes good pictures. Gone are the days of searching long and hard for parts to a phone that may or may not be used for very long. This phones makes upgradeabilty easy and worry-free; exactly what a professional would need on the go.

As I mentioned earlier, there are downsides to this phone, some of which are critical. Unfortunately, most of the bad qualities of the phone are found in its performance. Since it is a small phone, it uses a Texas Instruments OMAP 714 processor, which clocks in at 132 MHz, which is not exactly speed-crazy. That is blatantly evident in the Windows Mobile 2003 version for this phone. It does compensate for this by providing an abudance of RAM: 32 MB of RAM and 32 MB of ROM, which is plentiful, that is if you do not consider that the OS uses about 12 MB of that ROM. USB connectivity is great for charging, but sub-optimal for file transfers. While it definitely wins at not needing special software like most mobiles and uses ActiveSync 3, transferring files through USB are unbearingly slow because ActiveSync uses a large amount of overhead for the transfer, thus treating it as a true serial connection. Don't expect to transfer albums of MP3s in fire speed with the MPx200.

Another big loss for the phone is its network support. Unfortunately, Motorola decided to make this phone a truly digital phone, making it only accept 1800 or 1900 MHz bands. This is terribly bad news for Cingular customers because the majority of that network uses 850 MHz. They would have better luck with the MPx220. T-Mobile customers, however, will reap the benefits of the phone's capability, as it has great signal EVERYWHERE and the call quality is above average, if not outstanding. People on the other line can hear me as clear, if not clearer, than I can hear them. The speakerphone on this mobile is comparable to some of the Nextels, which is truly outstanding (minus their terrible codec). The way it handles SIM contacts is flawless (unless you are working with T-Mobile; it can be picky on that), but the phone contacts are very detailed and elaborative. They are set just like Outlooks, so that does not require any explanation.

However, how useful is all of that when the battery is not as powerful as the OS can handle?

The MPx200's biggest drawback is its hit-and-miss battery life. There are many things that can be done to increase the life span, however its initial power is very very VERY low. I would expect, at most, 2 days standby and maybe 2 or 3 hours of talk time. Not much different than your i95cl (terrible phone, by the way). Just remember that that is just under Windows Smartphone 2002. Windows Mobile 2003 consumes even MORE power, so expect 1 day of standby and 1.5 to 2 hours of talking. To me, the features outweighed this, however, it depends from person to person.

The final aspect of this phone that I will touch is what the phone is missing. For those that are looking for integrated cameras, this phone does not have one, however it does have SD options available, so that may be something willing to consider. The phone is also missing Bluetooth, so anyone that wants those cutting edge BT headsets are out of luck here; it does have Infrared, however, which works great. Finally, the phone is missing EDGE and 3G (UMTS), so if video conferencing and/or super fast speed internet are a concern for you, I would look elsewhere. Just keep in mind that this phone has HTML support; many of those EDGE phones may not (except other Smartphones, of course).

In conclusion, if you are looking for an entry-level smartphone, or just a cool-looking smartphone that does not look like a slab of rock, then the MPx200 is the choice of all choices. I can honestly tell you that one you deal with a Windows Mobile, or any PDA-OS based phone, you will NEVER want to go back to just regular phone firmware AGAIN. It's just a shame that they lost on the MPx220 and the MPx. Those definitely had a future.

Run, don't walk, run from this phone
A phone with so much potential is actually a nightmare.Unbelievably poor reception (all along a major California highway), lost calls and generally poor/eratic interface performance.Outlooks synch is a huge upside, but at what cost?I would call ATT for support, but everytime I try on my drive home I either get dropped or stay on hold so long I reach my destination before getting an answer.Save yourself the frustration...

mpx 200 - sw upgrade
Hi all, I am also happy with this smartphone. It has everything I need and DOESN'T have a camera!!
What I do need is to upgrade system to Windows Mobile 2003. Anybody can help me how to do? ... Read more

Asin: B0000DIXEV
Subjects:  1. Flip Fold   

Toshiba e740 Pocket PC
Average Customer Review:
Electronics
list price: $599.99
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Editorial Review

Packaged in an attractive, sleek design, the Toshiba e740 Pocket PC features a familiar user interface and tools powered by Microsoft Windows Pocket PC 2002. It's the first Pocket PC to be equipped with a blindingly fast 400 MHz Intel XScale processor, vastly improving application switching and multimedia playback. The Toshiba e740 is equipped with built-in slots for both Secure Digital (SD) and CompactFlash (CF) memory and module cards. It also features integrated wireless Bluetooth and WLAN capabilities, and is Wi-Fi-ready.

The Toshiba e740 is loaded with 32 MB SDRAM memory and 32 MB of flash ROM (for future upgrading). It's powered by a built-in lithium rechargeable battery that recharges via the included USB cradle.

Operating System
Microsoft's Pocket PC 2002 operating system, released in late 2001, offers many enhancements over the previous OS. You'll get improved handwriting recognition, more reliable synchronization, increased security, and the ability to chat using MSN Messenger. It also features new Pocket versions of Outlook, Word, Excel, and Internet Explorer.

Display
The Toshiba e740 delivers brilliant images with its 3.5-inch TFT display. It supports over 64,000 colors and has 240 x 320 resolution. Active matrix, also called "thin film transistor" (TFT), is the brightest, sharpest, clearest, and most expensive type of LCD flat-panel display that is practical for handhelds.

Expansion
Expanding your expansion possibilities, the Toshiba e740 features integrated slots for both Secure Digital and CompactFlash cards.

With Secure Digital (SD) and CompactFlash (CF) memory cards, you can easily store and play your multimedia files and carry your important documents wherever you go. You can add functionality with optional CF cards, including wireless and land-line connectivity, Ethernet networking, bar-code scanning, and much more. You'll also be able to add more functionality using optional SD cards, which will become available soon.

Multimedia
Play digital audio (both MP3 and WMA) and video (MPEG-4) files using the Windows Media Player software. The Toshiba e740 is also compatible with audible.com files, for listening to audiobooks, radio broadcasts, and more. Record your thoughts with the built-in microphone and voice-recording software. You can play back using the small speaker on the front or via the stereo headphone jack. You also get Microsoft Reader e-book software.

In the Box
The Toshiba e740 comes with a USB cradle, AC adapter, stylus, soft slipcase, quick-start card, and warranty card. It is backed by a one-year limited warranty. ... Read more

Features

• What's in the box: e740, USB cradle, AC adapter, stylus, soft slipcase, quick-start card, warranty card, software
• Lightweight, thin Pocket PC with 64 MB RAM and 32 MB ROM and blazing fast 400 MHz XScale processor
• Dual expansion capabilties: built-in CompactFlash and Secure Digital (SD) slots
• 240 x 320 pixel TFT LCD screen displays more than 64,000 colors
• Integrated Wi-Fi capability

Reviews (174)

Excellent PDA
I don't know why this pda has such a bad review, I recently purchased one and its been great! I haven't had one problem with it. And for the people that are complaining about the record button, it can be disabled!

E 740 problems
This is a a great PDA execpt for one thing. It is has NO built-in memory to save stored data. The E 750 took care of this problem and Toshiba essentially stifed the owner of the orignal -including my letter to them which was written before one year warrantee. They never even answered my letter.

Their answer was to give you a $40 credit towards their old defective E740. Good customer relations -Toshiba

No Upgrade
I was pleased with its performance until I realized that Toshiba doesn't offer the upgrade to Pocket PC 2003.Seems like just a ploy for me to sell it and buy the 755, which is the same machine.Needless to say I'm not happy with Toshiba's support of this product. ... Read more

Asin: B0000658CE
Subjects:  1. Portable Audio    2. MP3 MP 3 Player    3. Personal Digital Assistant (PDA, Electronic Organizer)    4. Pocket PC (PCs)    5. Casio    6. Handheld (Hand Held)    7. Toshiba   

RCA RP2450 Portable CD/MP3 Player
Average Customer Review:
Electronics
list price: $99.00
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Editorial Review

RCA's RP2450 offers the convenience of WMA (Windows Media Audio)decoding in addition to playback of MP3 CD-Rs and CD-RWs. RCA even makes it easyto locate favorite songs by including the ID3 tag information, 16-levelsubfolder management, and a multiline dot-matrix LCD. With 45- to 128-secondespX skip protection (depending on the audio bit rate), you won't miss a beat ofyour tunes! Playback features include digital volume control, track-folderprogrammability, and digital bass boost. Supplied with the player are X-Phonesstereo headphones, a car kit, and music-management software on CD-ROM. ... Read more

Features

• CD, CD-R, CD-RW compatible
• 45 to 128-second espX skip protection
• Includes stereo headphones and car kit
• Portable CD Player with MP3/WMA playback
• ID3 compatibility with 16-level subfolder management

Reviews (20)

Don't trust it for enjoyable MP3 listening.
There are many nice features about this player, including the nice display and the great sound.It was great for listening to audio CDs in my car (the battery life is horrible, so plan on using an adapter).

However, it was horrible for MP3s.During about every other song, it would freeze up and emit the most loud and annoying buzzing sound (a very short bit of the MP3 playing repeatedly, I guess), which would not stop without pushing a button.Acted flaky with certain MP3 songs, wouldn't even play some, sometimes it would just give up and shut off. I'm not sure if that was related to long filenames or what.It also seems to add or emphasize garbles in MP3 files.I burnt a CD of high-bitrate (192-320 kbps)songs that I listened to all the time on my computer with Winamp and never noticed the garbles -- I noted them very frequently with the RCA player.I spent more time trying to get it to play a song (counting the looong delay before it plays a song) than actually listening.

I'd say spend your money on something else that you won't be tempted to anihilate with a sledge hammer after nothing but frustration.

Great little CD/MP3 Player
I've had this CD player for a while and I love it. It's great. Good sound and as others have noted, it doesn't skip and I've tried. Batteries seemed to last ok.

My complaints
1) - The cord of the remote is broken after 6 months of careful use. I don't know if RCA or someone makes a replacement.
2) - Random - what the %*#^% is the problem there? Random to me means different songs every time. This thing seems to generate a random list and plays it in that same order every time. Is that a common problem with CD players?

Pretty minor - you won't go wrong for this price.

amazing value for your money!
this player is excellent. i have had it for over a year and i can vouch for the fact that it is skip free, amazing quality and the id3 tags works like a charm. couple of gripes: no rechargables and no AC adapter but it is still undoubtably a great deal at <50$
lack of remote and backlight could be reasons for this low cost. however, the quality of playback and skip free good sound makes up wholesomely for it.
i also have a panasonic mp3-cd bought a month back (hence newer) and yet i feel the RCA scores over this one on pure clarity and skip free music.
you cant go wrong withthis one as a good low cost mp3 cd player ... Read more

Asin: B00006LEJ7
Subjects:  1. Portable Compact Disc Player (Personal CD)    2. Portable Audio    3. MP3 MP 3 Player    4. CD (Compact Disc) Players combo (combination)   

The Fabric of the Cosmos: Space, Time, and the Texture of Reality
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (26 January, 2004)
list price: $29.95 -- our price: $19.77
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Editorial Review

As a boy, Brian Greene read Albert Camus' The Myth of Sisyphus and was transformed. Camus, in Greene's paraphrase, insisted that the hero triumphs "by relinquishing everything beyond immediate experience." After wrestling with this idea, however, Greene rejected Camus and realized that his true idols were physicists; scientists who struggled "to assess life and to experience the universe at all possible levels, not just those that happened to be accessible to our frail human senses." His driving question in The Fabric of the Cosmos, then, is fundamental: "What is reality?" Over sixteen chapters, he traces the evolving human understanding of the substrate of the universe, from classical physics to ten-dimensional M-Theory.

Assuming an audience of non-specialists, Greene has set himself a daunting task: to explain non-intuitive, mathematical concepts like String Theory, the Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle, and Inflationary Cosmology with analogies drawn from common experience. For the most part, he succeeds. His language reflects a deep passion for science and a gift for translating concepts into poetic images. When explaining, for example, the inability to see the higher dimensions inherent in string theory, Greene writes: "We don't see them because of the way we see…like an ant walking along a lily pad…we could be floating within a grand, expansive, higher-dimensional space."

For Greene, Rhodes Scholar and professor of physics and mathematics at Columbia University, speculative science is not always as thorough and successful. His discussion of teleportation, for example, introduces and then quickly tables a valuable philosophical probing of identity. The paradoxes of time travel, however, are treated with greater depth, and his vision of life in a three-brane universe is compelling and--to use his description for quantum reality--"weird."

In the final pages Greene turns from science fiction back to the fringes of science fact, and he returns with rigor to frame discoveries likely to be made in the coming decades. "We are, most definitely, still wandering in the jungle," he concludes. Thanks to Greene, though, some of the underbrush has been cleared. --Patrick O'Kelley ... Read more

Features

• Abridged

Reviews (110)

Outstanding, Intriguing and Clear
Brian Greene, with this book, has become one of my preferred scientific authors. His descriptive method is not only clear and concise, but also leads to train our minds to understand the complexity of quantum mechanics with real world examples. I have read several other books related to this matter and I wish my start-up book would have been this one. In short, I conclude and suggest that this is a must read book even for non starters as it chronologically assembles the concepts that need to be well understood to learn the scientific reality.

My Hat's Off--A masterpiece and masterwork
Many "popular" science books tread the same ground, introducing a twist here or there, perhaps. This book stands alone in taking fresh and novel perspectives at just about every turn. In covering relativity, the slant comes from the work of a little known (at least to me) thinker named Mach, whose ideas inspired Einstein's. When it comes to quantum physics, the emphasis is on entangled particles and Bell's results, which the author proves, using a brilliant analogy that uses only the most basic math reasoning. I've read other accounts but they are either impenentrable or they just state the Bell's results without showing where they come from or why they are right. Then, the spotlight turns on time and its "arrow". I have puzzled over these questions for years, and finally I realize where thinking has gone! The explanation of entropy is sure to become a classic in its own right, and the discussion of cosmlogy that follows that is the most complete and in-depth discussion, even better than Guth's. That galaxies form from quantum mechanics acting just after the big bang is nothing short of amazing. The chapters on cosmology in string theory were more speculative, but that's the nature of the field and I appreciate being brought right up to date, even if some of the ideas may not be right, as time will only tell.

Overall the book is a challenging read. If you are like me and like to be challenged, go for it.It is not bedside reading, but the effort it takes to read is worth of your effort because you feel like you get a "brain workout" that leaves you with real results: you see things differently. I rank this among the top few nonfiction works I've read in the last ten years.

very basic and very wordy
Of popular Physics books, this must be one of the most superficial.For anyone who already has an even vague idea that quantum mechanics pertains to the tiny, or that relativity has to do with combining the 3 dimensions of space with the one of time, this book will be way too basic.Even for other readers, I don't see what the long sequences of near repetitions of statements and examples does to elucidate.It is absolutely insulting in its implied estimate of its reader.I quit reading in disgust after 4 chapters, finally giving up hope that anything would be discussed in depth.

I honestly believe all ideas in this book could be clearly expressed in a book one tenth its length.

I'd recommend reading books by Timothy Ferris instead. ... Read more

Isbn: 0739309269
Subjects:  1. Audio - Nonfiction    2. Audio Adult: Books On Tape    3. Audiobooks    4. Cosmology    5. Cosmology (Astronomy)    6. Popular works    7. Science    8. Science / Cosmology   

College Physics
Average Customer Review:
Digital
list price: $8.95 -- our price: $8.95
(price subject to change: see help)
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Features

• Download: Microsoft Reader

Reviews (1)

Useless.
Well, I bought this book by mistake! I wanted the non easy version. Unless you want to pretend learn physics in two weeks you'd better buy the same authors and name book but non easy version! You can learn physics with that 416 pages one but not with this 138 one. ... Read more

Asin: B00005U7XL
Sales Rank: 868156
Subjects:  1. Physics    2. Science-Physics    3. Study Aids    4. Study Aids-Study Guides    5. Study Guides   

Quantum Profiles
Average Customer Review:
Digital
list price: $9.95 -- our price: $9.95
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Features

• Download: Microsoft Reader

Reviews (6)

Profiles of John Stewart Bell and John Wheeler
This book is not about quantum physics, but about some of the principals that made it what it is. Specifically, there are lengthy biographies of John Stewart Bell and John Wheeler. The emphasis is on what they did in physics, so there is very little mention of other details, such as what they did in their youth. There is also a short summary of the life of Michele Angelo Besso. While Bell and Wheeler are known for their work in physics, Besso is primarily known for having carried on an extensive written correspondence with Albert Einstein. For fifty-two years, the two men exchanged letters, and they provide a great deal of insight into the character and thoughts of Einstein. Fortunately, Besso was a talented physicist, so the subject matter is often the examination of questions in physics.
Given the number of years that Bell and Wheeler have been involved in advanced physics, other physicists are also mentioned. Interactions with people such as Robert Oppenheimer, Richard Feymann, Kurt Godel, Freeman Dyson, Neils Bohr, Wolfgang Pauli and David Bohm are all described. The amount of space devoted to the technical aspects of physics is almost nonexistent, the emphasis is on the people, their personalities and how they interacted. The paragraph that I found most memorable involved the spy Klaus Fuchs. Sir Rudolf Peierls, the man responsible for getting Fuchs involved in the atomic bomb project, heard that he had been imprisoned for spying and went to visit him. He told Fuchs, "There has been a terrible mistake. We've got to get proper legal counsel for you. Fuchs replied, "No, there is no mistake, I am a spy." Peierls responded, "How could you?" Fuchs answered, "Well, I meant to give control of the world to the Russians." Peierls responded, "But how could you?" To which Fuchs answered, "But then I meant to tell them what was wrong with them." Amazing, Fuchs was a genius as a physicist and about as naïve as a person could be when it comes to politics.
The great catcher Roy Campenella once said about baseball, "You have to be a man to play this game, but you also have to have a lot of little boy in you." That seems to also apply to physics, as the overriding theme of the book is that a physicist must be smart, but also possess an overpowering childlike curiosity.

ALGOL WITH HIS EYE CLOSED
TOO BIOGRAPHICAL/HISTORICAL WITH LITTLE TO SAY ABOUT THE SUBJECT MATTER.ECLIPSES THE HEART OF THE SUBJECT.

Disappointing
I just could not transfer the book to my Palm. That was a big disappointment. ... Read more

Asin: B00005NQVT
Sales Rank: 1071559
Subjects:  1. Quantum Theory    2. Science    3. Science-Quantum Theory   

Entanglement: The Greatest Mystery in Physics
Average Customer Review:
Hardcover (15 October, 2002)
list price: $25.00 -- our price: $16.50
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Reviews (23)

The Quantum Reality Einstein Could Not Suppose
In 1935 Einstein, Rosen and Podolsky raised a serious criticism of quantum theory in the form of a paradox. The criticism meant that quantum theory brings about a "spooky action at distance" or "entanglement" between quantum subsystems. Two photons generated at a point with a correlation, for example, continue to have the correlation even after they are separated by a great distance, and a change in the state of one of them affects the other instantaneously. In 1964 John Bell proposed a mathematical theorem experimentally to test the existence of entanglement. Alain Aspect carried out such an experiment in 1982 to show that entanglement is a reality.

Even one of the greatest physicists in history, Albert Einstein, could not suppose that entanglement would be a reality. So it must be quite difficult to make ordinary person understand it. Amir Aczel tried to do this difficult task in this book, but he does not seem to have well succeeded. Just half of a total of 20 chapters is spent to describe the history of quantum mechanics, though a short mention about entanglement appears at a few places. Thus the reader who learned quantum mechanics to some extent at least would find the first half of the book rather tedious. From the story of debate between Einstein and Bohr in chapter 11, the book becomes interesting. However, the author explains neither Bell's theorem nor the details of many experiments understandably. On the final page, the author reveals the reason of difficulty in understanding entanglement writing, "... the quantum theory does not tell us why things happen the way they do; why are the particles entangled?" Was our expectation to the author too big?

A good point of the book is that it includes biographical descriptions of a lot of physicists related to quantum theory and entanglement. I have learned for the first time that Thomas Young, famous for the double slit experiment, was a child prodigy. Schrödinger's anecdotal "entanglement" with women are also told. A bad point is that writing and printing are made rather carelessly. For example, von Neumann's proof of the non-existence of hidden variable in quantum mechanics and John Bell's later challenge to Neumann's assumption are repeatedly described on pages 101 and 102. There are many typos, and especially the contents of pages 234 and 235 should be interchanged. This error, combined with sudden appearance of the description of Borromean rings on page 232, makes the reader confused around these pages.

So Easy to Understand it should be a Gradeschool text
This book makes the understanding of the greatest ideas in science as expressed mathematically that it should be taught to gradeschoolers.
It gives anyone who has ever breezed over the commutative property of addition/multiplication in math as simply fundamental, and without depth, a real understanding of exactly how important that property actually is; by logically and simply linking it directly to the uncertainty principal; helping some to understand it easily.
The rest of the book past the point of the commutative property and uncertainty does the same in the same fashion; and whos carese about tiepows if the message is being goteen across...understanding is what's important.
I digress...maybe it should be required reading only in magnet or schools for the more mentally endowed; however I see it as simply brilliant. (This review actually written by Brian Harred, I'm in my girlfriend's account because she was at amazon.com last on this computer).
Seriously, I highly recomend this book to anyone with an intuitive understanding of math and physics, but needs a really good, quick refresher...Brian Harred (also, how did that big blue statement about voting on our own reviews get RIGHT below my thoughts? The stars are not votes; they are the reviewer's opion as expressed in "stars"...

More of a review than speculation
The majority of the book is a review of the history of physics leading up to the current understanding of entanglement, including much biographical information about the major players in the quantum mechanics arena.I would have liked to see more than just that last short chapter talking about the implications and possibilities of entanglement. ... Read more

Isbn: 1568582323
Sales Rank: 97421
Subjects:  1. Experiments & Projects    2. Physics    3. Quantum Theory    4. Science    5. Science/Mathematics   

Frontiers : Twentieth Century Physics
Average Customer Review:
Hardcover (December, 1999)
list price: $49.95 -- our price: $46.74
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Reviews (2)

Maybe a bit too ambitious; some great pearls though
For us layman physics enthusiasts, the Holy Grail is a book that deals with theoretical physics at the mathematical level but doesn't require an amount of math beyond basic calculus and trigonometry. On the surface, Steve Adams has provided such a book, although it may be that trying to reduce all physics to such a level of comprehension may not be possible.

Penned by a well-credentialed British science educator, FRONTIERS ambitiously sets out to survey some of the most difficult-to-understand areas of physics. Some experimental physics is covered, but theory gets the lion's share of treatment. I have read a lot of physics books aimed at general readers, and this is by far the most challenging and takes the most time to get through. However, a patient reader will be rewarded with new insights across the whole spectrum of physics. Profusely illustrated with diagrams, the book gives many unique examples of concepts in an attempt to make them understandable. Some examples fall flat, but most do score right on target.

Mathematical examples are relegated to so-called "maths boxes," and these are the weakest parts of the book. Variables are often undefined, and steps are so flagrantly skipped that some examples remind me of a classmate who answered an organic synthesis question with the word "POOF!" between the reactant and the product. So, I really didn't get much out of the maths boxes, but the rest of the book is well-written and at least as easy to follow as the abstruse subject matter allows. I will say that after reading this book, I am finally--after decades--starting to sort of understand particle physics, if only at the level it takes to appreciate the humongous intellect of the professional physicists who work in this highly abstract area.

The Table of Contents gives some idea of the wide range of topics covered:

1. Old Quantum Theory

2. A New Quantum Theory 1925-30

3. Quantum Mysteries

4. QED [quantum electrodynamics]

5. Atoms and Nuclei

6. The Standard Model [this is the catalog of subatomic particles, one of the strongest chapters]

7. Particle Detectors [also very illuminating, the strongest chapter devoted to experimental physics]

8. Particle Accelerators [ditto]

9. Toward a Theory of Everything

10. The Speed of Light [this, and the next two chapters on relativity, are also particularly strong and give unique examples]

11. Special Relativity

12. General Relativity

13. Observational Astronomy

14. Stars and Distances

15. Cosmology

16. Time, Temperature, and Chance [novel examples in an area that is not usually presented to general readers]

17. Toward Absolute Zero [interesting coverage of technology for achieving very low temperatures]

18. CPT [as in "CPT symmetry"; C=charge P=parity T=time reversal. After reading this, I finally understand what "parity" is]

19 Appendices"

1. The Black Body Radiation Spectrum 2. The Schroedinger Equation 3. The Hydrogen Atom 4. The Lorentz Transformation Equations 5. The Speed of Electromagnetic Waves 6. The Nobel Prize for Physics 7. Glossary of Important Ideas 8. Timeline of Major Ideas 9. Further Reading

I appreciate the author's attention to detail by including the glossaries. While Glossaries 6 through 9 are quite useful, the others are really more in the line of textbook material, requiring fairly advanced math to understand them.

I read this book cover-to-cover, but is also would be a nice reference, so I am going to keep it readily available to answer future musings.

Extremely challenging; has some great pearls though
For us layman physics enthusiasts, the Holy Grail is a book that deals with theoretical physics at the mathematical level but doesn't require an amount of math beyond basic calculus and trigonometry. On the surface, Steve Adams has provided such a book, although it may be that trying to reduce all physics to such a level of comprehension may not be possible.

Penned by a well-credentialed British science educator, FRONTIERS ambitiously sets out to survey some of the most difficult-to-understand areas of physics. Some experimental physics is covered, but theory gets the lion's share of treatment. I have read a lot of physics books aimed at general readers, and this is by far the most challenging and takes the most time to get through. However, a patient reader will be rewarded with new insights across the whole spectrum of physics. Profusely illustrated with diagrams, the book gives many unique examples of concepts in an attempt to make them understandable. Some examples fall flat, but most do score right on target.

Mathematical examples are relegated to so-called "maths boxes," and these are the weakest parts of the book. Variables are often undefined, and steps are so flagrantly skipped that some examples remind me of a classmate who answered an organic synthesis question with the word "POOF!" between the reactant and the product. So, I really didn't get much out of the maths boxes, but the rest of the book is well-written and at least as easy to follow as the abstruse subject matter allows. I will say that after reading this book, I am finally--after decades--starting to sort of understand particle physics, if only at the level it takes to appreciate the humongous intellect of the professional physicists who work in this highly abstract area.

The Table of Contents gives some idea of the wide range of topics covered:

1. Old Quantum Theory

2. A New Quantum Theory 1925-30

3. Quantum Mysteries

4. QED [quantum electrodynamics]

5. Atoms and Nuclei

6. The Standard Model [this is the catalog of subatomic particles, one of the strongest chapters]

7. Particle Detectors [also very illuminating, the strongest chapter devoted to experimental physics]

8. Particle Accelerators [ditto]

9. Toward a Theory of Everything

10. The Speed of Light [this, and the next two chapters on relativity, are also particularly strong and give unique examples]

11. Special Relativity

12. General Relativity

13. Observational Astronomy

14. Stars and Distances

15. Cosmology

16. Time, Temperature, and Chance [novel examples in an area that is not usually presented to general readers]

17. Toward Absolute Zero [interesting coverage of technology for achieving very low temperatures]

18. CPT [as in "CPT symmetry"; C=charge P=parity T=time reversal. After reading this, I finally understand what "parity" is]

19 Appendices"

1. The Black Body Radiation Spectrum 2. The Schroedinger Equation 3. The Hydrogen Atom 4. The Lorentz Transformation Equations 5. The Speed of Electromagnetic Waves 6. The Nobel Prize for Physics 7. Glossary of Important Ideas 8. Timeline of Major Ideas 9. Further Reading

I appreciate the author's attention to detail by including the glossaries. While Glossaries 6 through 9 are quite useful, the others are really more in the line of textbook material, requiring fairly advanced math to understand them.

I read this book cover-to-cover, but is also would be a nice reference, so I am going to keep it readily available to answer future musings. ... Read more

Isbn: 0748408401
Sales Rank: 690926
Subjects:  1. 20th century    2. Astronomy - General    3. History    4. History Of Physics    5. Physics    6. Science    7. Science/Mathematics   

The Long Walk: The True Story of a Trek to Freedom
Average Customer Review:
Paperback (01 December, 1997)
list price: $14.95 -- our price: $10.17
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Editorial Review

Cavalry officer Slavomir Rawicz was captured by the Red Army in 1939 during theGerman-Soviet partition of Poland and was sent to the Siberian Gulag along with other captivePoles, Finns, Ukranians, Czechs, Greeks, and even a few English, French, and Americanunfortunates who had been caught up in the fighting. A year later, he and six comrades fromvarious countries escaped from a labor camp in Yakutsk and made their way, on foot, thousands ofmiles south to British India, where Rawicz reenlisted in the Polish army and fought against theGermans. The Long Walk recounts that adventure, which is surely one of the most curioustreks in history. ... Read more

Reviews (226)

every word is true
This is a great story of human endurance in the face of
the greatest evil in human history: communism.Mr. Rawicz
was a victim of communism but rather than give into it as many
would or just die, he fought back and proved the power of
human freedom over communism.

Many will doubt.Some because it seems impossible for a man
to have done what he did.Others because quite frankly they
love communism or sympathize with it.Mr. Rawciz was for years
a victim of communist propoganda campaigns. Liberals will
hate it because it goes against their core philosophy in that
it shows that an individual doesn't need a government do great
things.

Any real supporter of freedom will like this book and know
in their gut that it is pure truth from cover to cover.
The fact that a movie has not been made out of this story
proves how deep the control of liberals goes in the
entertainment industry.

It doesn't appear to be accurate.
I was half way through this book when I realized that the story line just didn't add up. I believe the author has fabricated most if not all of the events that take place. Having said that, as fiction the book is only average. If true it is one of the most remakable tales, but as stated I believe it is highly unlikely that this book is accurate.

Absolutely amazing..
It is very difficult to describe just how amazing this book is. The Long Walk is by far the most incredibally powerful and fascinating books I have ever read. If you took the time to read this review, do yourself a favor and get this book because it is unbelievable. I don't have anything more to say.. this book is the best book I've ever read... GET IT! ... Read more

Isbn: 1558216847
Subjects:  1. Biography & Autobiography    2. Biography / Autobiography    3. Biography/Autobiography    4. Escapes    5. Inspirational - General    6. Military    7. Military - World War II    8. Personal narratives, Polish    9. Prisoners Of War    10. Prisoners and prisons, Russian    11. Rawicz, Slavomir    12. Reference    13. Russia (Federation)    14. Siberia    15. World War, 1939-1945    16. Travel / Adventure   

We Die Alone: A WWII Epic of Escape and Endurance
Average Customer Review:
Paperback (01 August, 1999)
list price: $14.95 -- our price: $10.17
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Editorial Review

If this story of espionage and survival were a novel, readers might dismiss the Shackleton-like exploits of its hero as too fantastic to be taken seriously. But respected historianDavid Howarth confirmed the details of Jan Baalsrud's riveting tale. It begins in the spring of 1943, with Norway occupied by the Nazis and the Allies desperate to open the northern sea lanes to Russia. Baalsrud and three compatriots plan to smuggle themselves into their homeland by boat, spend the summer recruiting and training resistance fighters, and launch a surprise attack on a German air base. But he's betrayed shortly after landfall, and a quick fight leaves Baalsrud alone and trapped on a freezing island above the Arctic Circle. He's poorly clothed (one foot is entirely bare), has a head start of only a few hundred yards on his Nazi pursuers, and leaves a trail of blood as he crosses the snow. How he avoids capture and ultimately escapes--revealing that much spoils nothing in this white-knuckle narrative--is astonishing stuff. Baalsrud's feats make the travails inJon Krakauer's Mt. Everest classicInto Thin Air look like child's play. In an introduction,Stephen Ambrose calls We Die Alone a rare reading experience: "a book that I absolutely cannot put down until I've finished it and one that I can never forget." This amazing book will disappoint no one. --John J. Miller ... Read more

Reviews (51)

Terrific story of human endurance
I will add to the chorus of praise for this book.Really very remarkable what a human being is capable of.

If you liked this book, you might also check out "The Long Walk" and "Alive", also very good survival stories.

Wonder of the human will!
A riveting book that i could not put down before the last page.

We Die Alone
An extraordinary story of courage and determination. One of the great survival stories of World War II. Well written with precise details about this heroic effort to escape capture. Howarth used first hand information obtained through his military service. Highly recommended. ... Read more

Isbn: 1558219730
Subjects:  1. 20th century    2. Baalsrud, Jan    3. Biography    4. Escapes    5. Germany    6. History    7. History - Military / War    8. History: World    9. Military - World War II    10. Norway    11. Polar Regions    12. Prisoners and prisons, German    13. Prisoners of war    14. World War, 1939-1945    15. History / Military / World War II   

God's Debris: A Thought Experiment
Average Customer Review:
Digital
list price: $4.95 -- our price: $4.95
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Editorial Review

Scott Adams, creator of the popular comic strip "Dilbert," has written a modern-day parable about a young man and an unlikely mentor. God's Debris starts with a young deliveryman trying to hand over a package to a man with a San Francisco address. But delivering the package to this old man proves to be as difficult as trying to understand the meaning of God.

"It's for you," the old man tells the narrator, gesturing to the package.

"What's in the package?" the narrator asks.

"It's the answer to your question."

"I wasn't expecting any answers,"

the deliveryman admits. About this time, the narrator begins to realize that he's not dealing with a feeble-minded old man; he's dealing with a situation that could alter his life. The sincerity and metaphysical complexity of this fable will surprise those who expect comedy, but Adams is following a tradition set by such writers as Dan Millman (Way of the Peaceful Warrior) and Richard Bach (Illusions). As in many parables that have come before, the deliveryman learns the meaning of life from an illusive mentor who seems to arise from a wrinkle intime. The cleverness of the God's Debris concept is original and bound to leave readers pondering some altered definitions of God, the universe, and just about everything else. --Gail Hudson ... Read more

Features

• Download: Microsoft Reader

Reviews (135)

Want to haveyour brains spun around inside your skull?
"The target audience for God's Debris is," according to Scott Adams' own introduction, "people who enjoy having their brains spun around inside their skulls." I think it was exactly what I liked about the book.

On the one hand the book presents some very unusual theories about God, life and the universe. And indeed, some of these leave you with the question: why not? On the other hand, as one should expect when reading a book by Adams, regardless of his opening statement that the book "contains no humor", this book is of course one big tongue-in-cheek.

Those who complain that the theories and philosophies in this book do not make sense just did not get it. They probably missed Adams' disclaimer that is as smart and funny as only he can write it. He asks the reader to try to figure out which statements in the book are consistent with our current scientific insights and which are just "creative baloney designed to sound true".

Of course Adams is not a top philosopher, but he is a master in writing things down in such a way that you know he is fooling you and you just do not know how to debunk his claims. In the introduction of the sequel to this book (The Religion War), Adams confesses about God's Debris that he "used a variety of hypnosis techniques in an attempt to produce a feeling of euphoric enlightenment in the reader".

So if you do not mind about that, go ahead and read the book. And for those who think they will not appreciate Adams' humor, he outsmarted you already: "keep in mind that I hate you too, and I said it first."

[If this review was helpful to you, you might also want to read my review for The Religion War.]

piece of crap
I'm a huge fan of Dilbert and Scott Adams, but this book is a piece of crap. Scott Adams is trying to be slightly philosophical but he is also being lazy, and after reading this really short book you dont really feel like it made you think. If you want real thinking books, I would recommend Sartre, Nietzsche or almost any other philosopher. You could even just stick with the Dilbert books, since those are brilliant and are what Scott Adams does best.

Is Scott Adams "Full of Crap?"
An "everyman" encounters a wise old guy who hands out philosophical puzzles about life and its metaphysical mysteries.It turns out that this delivery on his daily route is more than it seems.

That is a basic description of God's Debris, by Scott Adams.For the mind-bending questions that are asked in the book, it is relatively simplistic in its presentation.Most of the questions are ones you've probably heard before and a lot of them are paradoxes.For example, "How do we have free will if things are known by God already?"So, most of the questions are not new but putting them all together in a story, linking them up, is something I don't usually see.And then taking these questions and answers to develop a "theory" is very interesting.

Don't expect hard hitting theories and scientific journal type writing.That isn't what this book is about.It really is "A Thought Experiment" to get the gears in your mind oiled up and moving in different ways.

I had the chance to hear about the book and talk a bit to Scott Adams when it came out.He had some interesting comments that helped me enjoy the book more.
1. The book is placed in the Philosophy section in most bookstores but Adams has said he'd rather have it with his Dilbert books.I think because it would be easier to find and also because of reason the next item:
2. He isn't trying to establish a new religion or even a new philosophy.He is just asking questions to make you think, to mull over life's mysteries.He is not trying to debunk any current religious beliefs.He wants you to talk about this book with friends.Throw ideas out there and see if any stick.
3. The introduction is important.There is a flaw in the argument in the book and he *wants* you to figure it out.In his words, he challenges you to show how "Scott Adams is full of crap."

I like this book because it makes you think about complex ways without having to decipher what is being written.It is a fun book and I do believe that contemplating reality can help lead you to a better understanding of what is truth and what is fiction.Let ideas challenge and shape you.This is an easy way to do that.Then, if you like it, move to the bigger, more complex stuff that is written like a journal.

3.5 to 4.0 stars. ... Read more

Asin: B000063TWY
Subjects:  1. Metaphysics    2. Philosophy    3. Philosophy-Metaphysics    4. Religion-General    5. Self-Help-Motivational & Inspirational   

Madness Season, The
Average Customer Review:
Paperback (03 October, 1990)
list price: $7.99 -- our price: $7.99
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Reviews (18)

Excellent science fiction
This is an interesting and unusual story incorporating several compelling themes and a good variety of well developed characters, against the background of an earth subjugated into the empire of a strange alien culture.Multiple aspects of science, sociology, love, and the politics of conquest are woven into a complex and satisfying work with Friedman's customary skill.Highly recommended.

Another Excellent Book by Friedman
How to describe this book?Perhaps as Sci-Fi?How about Occult?Aliens take over the world?Psychological exploration?Romance?All of those (and more) apply.This is a wonderful book that has you *scratching* your head trying to figure out what's going on for the first 75 pages and then has you *slapping* your head over the feeling that you should have known. And from there, it keeps on getting better.One of my favorite books.

Original just a little slow
As usual I came a way impressed by a C.S. Friedman book as she again does a very good job of exploring characters that have consume the lives of others in order to maintain their own. I'm amazed that she was able to get the plot resolved in one book as it could easily have been set up for a series. I'm glad she did as the story does bog down at times(the one weak point of the book as far as I am concerned) but that is offset by the large cast of characters and sub-plots that the book finally manages to weave together at the end. The most interesting part I thought came with the dillemma of the scientists who slowed down their work to fool the Tir. I am convinced that there was a lot more potential for debate to be had out of the scientist's plight but I guess at some point it's really more about telling a story and letting the readers think on the issues that have been introduced. Overall the use of heroes and heroines that can easily be made into villains is one of Friedman's stronger points and I think her books are a definite must read for adult sci-fi/fantasy fans. ... Read more

Isbn: 0886774446
Sales Rank: 299903
Subjects:  1. Fiction - Science Fiction    2. Science Fiction    3. Science Fiction - General    4. Fiction / General   

The Eye of the World
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (October, 2002)
list price: $69.95 -- our price: $69.95
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Features

• Unabridged

Reviews (1496)

A rousing start to an epic fantasy series
Way back when I first became aware of the Wheel of Time series, I decided to pass until the series was concluded so I could read them all at once.Well, the series is up to 9 hefty volumes, with the promise of at least one more, so I can wait no longer.This series has become the gold standard of modern fantasy, in the tradition of the Lord of the Rings, which was first continued in the Sword of Shanara series.For comparison, this book far surpasses the first Shanara book.

Late one night a group of Trollocs attacks an outlying village that hasn't seen any kind of violence for decades.They are beaten off by two strangers visiting the town - an Aes Sedai, wielder of the One Source, and her Warder companion.The fact that the stranger is an Aes Sedai is almost as alarming as the fact that Trollocs have suddenly appeared in such a remote and quiet edge of the realm.Why are they there?What do they want?

Three teenage boys discover that they were specifically targeted - the Dark One, long imprisoned by Aes Sedai magic, is increasingly able to influence his traditional Trolloc allies.There is something about the 3 boys that the Dark One wants, and the Aes Sedai must protect them and take them to the order's fortified city, on the other side of the realm.

Thus starts the epic journey, wherein we meet many memorable characters, have many exciting adventures, and become immersed in the fantasy world that Jordan has created.He has obviously been influenced by Tolkien, but how could he not be?Tolkien's strength was that he brought together standard mythology and reworked it into his world, which Jordan does here as well.There are some alarming similarities - the Warder Lan is distressingly similar to Strider, the evil Halfmen and Drakhar are basically Nazghul, etc.Jordan even uses the Tolkien-esque cross-continent journey as a way to ease the readers into the mythology and geography of the planet.

However, if not in originality, Jordan surpasses Tolkien in many ways.His prose is faster-paced, the action is more exciting, the descriptions are concise without being turgid.It's basically a far more interesting book to read than The Fellowship of the Ring, at least the first time.That's not to say the world is less detailed - Jordan has created a fine mix of the down-to-earth (shepherds, blacksmiths, innkeepers) and high-powered (the Aes Sedai).Similarly, he makes better use of females, of magic (Gandalf's source of magic and abilities are never really clear in the LotR), etc.

If this book has a failing, it's that there are a few too many obstacles.Some of the battles merge together and/or seem somewhat arbitrary.50 pages shorter and this would have been a perfect opening to the series.As it is, it more than adequately whets the appetite and compells the reader to pick up the next book in the series.

wow... this start to the series is unbelievable...
Robert Jordan has started off an unbelievable series with The Eye of the World. The scope and depth of each scene and character is tremendous, making it extremely hard to put down. I soaked up every word in this book.

Rand al'Thor leads a normal life with his two friends Perrin and Mat. They create trouble in the small town of Two Rivers, just like every other teenager. Yet, there is something different about Rand and it is not until an attack on his family's small farm and the appearance of two strangers in the Two Rivers that he starts to realize that everything is not what it seems. Torn between the truth and what he knows and loves, Rand begins his journey.

Perrin Aybara, like Rand, is different from other teenagers of the Two Rivers. He is the son of a blacksmith, huge in size and quiet in demeanor, but it is his yellow eyes that stand out and make him wonder what they mean.

Mat Cauthon is almost normal compared to Rand and Perrin. He gets into the most trouble in the Two Rivers, but he is also extremely lucky. That luck helps him get out of some tough spots, but it also helps him get into some tough spots.

Egwene al'Vere loves Rand, but she is torn between her newly found abilities, which she wants to learn as much about as she can, and that love. Whichever one she chooses will decide her fate.

Throughout The Eye of the World the reader also gets to meet some imaginative and enjoyable characters, like Nynaeve, Moiraine, Lan, Thom, Elayne, and Elyas. The cities and world that these characters populate are written beautifully, but Robert Jordan does have a tendency to describe them a little too much (I think that is his only fault in this book, but not enough to decrease his rating). The action is intense, the storyline is wonderful, and the characters are fun to read about. I could not recommend this book more highly, but I do have to warn you that if you decide to start this series then be ready for the next 9 books about the same length (or more) and Book 11 Knife of Dreams, which comes out on October 11, 2005. Everyone enjoy!

highly over rated
This book (along with the next 2 in the series) is a readable book. My problem with it is that the characters for the most part are completely unlikable and come across as very annoying. Nynave tops the list. She spends the entire book (and the following 2) blaming all of the worlds problems on Moraine and plotting a way to get revenge even through Moraine has only helped her. Then there is Matt who cries the whole time and cant seem to take and order from anyone. Perrin who manages to gain a cool power, pisses and moans that he is a freak because of his power instead of using it to help out. The other problem I have with the series is that all of the power (political, Magic) is held by the women of the story. This may sound sexist but I just can't picture being scared of "the women's circle" or being bossed around by a 20ish wisdom (Nynave). These two items manage to leave the story tainted, and 3 out of the 9+ were enough for me. ... Read more

Isbn: 1575110989
Sales Rank: 776743
Subjects:  1. Audio - Fiction (Unabridged)    2. Audio Adult: Books On Tape    3. Audiobooks    4. Fantasy - General    5. Fiction    6. Science Fiction - General    7. Science Fiction/Horror   

Starship Troopers: Library Edition
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (01 January, 2000)
list price: $72.00 -- our price: $54.72
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Editorial Review

Juan Rico signed up with the Federal Service on a lark, but despite the hardships and rigorous training, he finds himself determined to make it as a cap trooper. In boot camp he will learn how to become a soldier, but when he graduates and war comes (as it always does for soldiers), he will learn why he is a soldier. Many consider this Hugo Award winner to be Robert Heinlein's finest work, and with good reason. Forget the battle scenes and high-tech weapons (though this novel has them)--this is Heinlein at the top of his game talking people and politics. ... Read more

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• Unabridged

Reviews (603)

Duty, Commitment, Servitude.... A Timeless Novel.
After reading about halfway through this book, I was thinking how helpful much of what's covered in this book would be if applied to America today.... then I noticed the date it was written!Almost 50 years ago!Much of what he wrote as theoretical back then is coming true in our present.More and more people believe they are born with certain unalienable "rights" that they are entitled to, without feeling any responsibility to give something in return.Thankfully we still have people who are willing to sacrifice their lives if need be to protect what many take for granted.

Regardless of your personal beliefs, this book will stimulate thought on a variety of topics.I wish I would have had the ethics class he described in the book while in school.I mean wouldn't it be nice to have some classes in school that force some contemplative thought about commitment, sacrifice, and servitude?Maybe then our younger generation would have a greater appreciation for what it took to achieve the freedom we enjoy today.

And for all you military people (or wanna be's) out there, this is a great book about small-unit leadership and cohesion.Read it and enjoy.Semper Fi.

not really all that controversial
I picked up an older version of "Starship Troopers" one with the cover featureing the titular soldiers in their "power-suits" (in the movie, next century soldiers walked around unarmored as if drafted into some pre-WWI army). Like that copy, the new edition heralds "Troopers" as "The controversial classic of military adventure." Much like the war it depicts, I couldn't understand what the fuss was about. The war is already in full swing when the book starts off - with Johnny Rico's squad assaulting a planet of bug collaborators.Unlike the humans of the film, those in Heinline's story know from the start that they are up against an implacable and intelligent adversary, one that combines every aspect of every enemy man has faced in his earlier wars against his own.The nature of the bugs themselves is given little space in the story - they're the enemy and that's enough.

"Troopers" neither glorifies war nor goes the extra step in utterly condemning it - this is not a sci-fi version of "Johnny Got his gun." Instead, grim mobile-infantry Juan "Johnny" Rico goes about the gloomy business of landing on hostile planets like Klendathu and hunting down bugs. For a lowly recruit, Rico seems well informed as to the inner workings of the interstellar army as well as the pitiless realities of war and man's slim chances of prevailing by its end. Optimism may seem ridiculous under those circumstances, but it's hard to imagine surviving such a desperate battle with as little of it as Rico has. Instead, Rico dwells on the fine points of military training and heirarcby, though he makes no aspirations to rank himself.
So where's the controversy?If "Troopers" was a parable of some future war against the numberless horde of communism, it's hard to imagine a less controversial plot. There are no peaceniks, and no bug-lovers link hands around the federation's citadel in a show of love against interstellar imperialism. Not even the prospect of genocide (whether ours or there's, the only conceivable outcome of an inter-species war) makes an appearance to give the story some bite (or sting in this case). While reading the novel, I was surprised to see how closely the film followed it. In one respect, the film surpasses the book: the overtones of 1930's euro-fascism that suffuses the film's future raised the biggest question of all - should man survive?

Starship Troopers
REVIEW
This was a good but complicated book.The plot was completely different from other science fiction thrillers.Overall the book was great.
If you have seen the movie, don't expect this to be anything like it.The book is far more adventurous and exciting.What I liked about the book was the basic elements/locations in which it was told, it didn't just stay in one place the whole time.It took you on a great journey of action and horror.I liked it because of the outer space military action.It has everything and more that should be in a book. If you're in the military you will have a blast while you read this and it will motivate you to do better in and throughout your life. What I thought was a let down on the book were the flashbacks.I think it was complicated and it did not make any sense to me for a while.It went back years than present time, years and then present time, it was just confusing for me.Other than that it was great.The basics of this book are it takes place in the future when the human race is at war with bugs from another world.The humans must defeat the bugs in order to maintain life on earth.This book is a heart thumping thriller and gets you on the edge of your seat as you read.Robert A. Heinlein is the author of this and other great science fiction novels.If you don't know what to read, make it Heinlein.





... Read more

Isbn: 0786199466
Subjects:  1. Audio - Fiction (Unabridged)    2. Audio Adult: Books On Tape    3. Fiction    4. Science Fiction - General   

The Standard Deviants - Physics Parts 1 & 2
Average Customer Review:
DVD (26 September, 2000)
list price: $35.99 -- our price: $32.39
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Features

• Color

Reviews (4)

For Middle School or High School
I bought these as a way to possibly help with an online college physics course, but it was entirely too elementary. It may, however, be fine for high school review or clarification; it has no complex problem examples for any of the topics. But what could you want in a DVD series that summarizes all physics topics?

Great physic reference
This is an excelent tool for student that are taking Physics and also for people that just want to refresh many concept of the science.

Good Learning Aid
You can learn more in 2 hours than you could in 2 weeks.It's a great way to start learning the subject. ... Read more

Asin: 1581983336
Sales Rank: 5980
Subjects:  1. Educational Math