Tips & Tools for Making Things with the Inexpensive Linux Computer
Kenta's rating:
 5.0
On Dec 31, 2013 Kenta Hood wrote: Great All-in-One Reference
This is highly recommended for anyone with an rPi that's not all that familiar with Linux and wants it all in a single reference. Full Review >
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Spaceships, Pirates, Dragons & More!
Kenta's rating:
 4.0
On Dec 12, 2013 Kenta Hood wrote: Review of LEGO Adventure Book, Vol. 2
For one wanting explanations for every model, this isn't for you. However, if you're willing to learn and be creative and try things out, it's an excellent model for how to expand your building skills with LEGO. It's a nice compliment to Vol. 1. Just be sure to have a lot of different LEGO pieces! Full Review >
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Kenta's rating:
3.0
On Dec 5, 2013 Kenta Hood wrote:
This year's issue of 3D printing was pretty good. I was mainly interested in seeing how all the new printers from this year stacked up against each other. Full Review >
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All About Boards
Kenta's rating:
3.0
On Nov 24, 2013 Kenta Hood wrote:
Overall, it's a nice volume like many of the others but I personally had hoped for more on the boards they feature on the cover. Full Review >
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Computer Vision in C++ with the OpenCV Library
Kenta's rating:
4.0
On Nov 19, 2013 Kenta Hood wrote:
They do have good examples at the start to get you going and then progress from there but it's going to take a lot of time for anyone to become proficient in OpenCV. As the book isn't complete, I'm giving it 4 stars but it should be a great reference for anyone that gets the full release in the future. Full Review >
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Kids Learn by Making Stuff
Kenta's rating:
4.0
On Oct 22, 2013 Kenta Hood wrote:
For anyone that wants their kids to tinker with things and learn in a hands-on way, this is a great book to pick up. Full Review >
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Kenta's rating:
5.0
On Oct 16, 2013 Kenta Hood wrote:
If I had not received the book for free, I would not have paid money for this, mainly because I'm a cheapskate, but for any LEGO fan or artistic type, this would make an excellent coffee table book for people to thumb through or to give kid's inspiration on what they can do with their bricks. It's an excellent book with wonderful pictures. Full Review >
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Kenta's rating:
4.0
On Aug 21, 2013 Kenta Hood wrote:
As an unfinished book, I thought it was pretty good where everything was in a more polished form. There are parts that are missing towards the end of this portion and notes for the author himself but it's expected of an early release title. I look forward to the completed version. Full Review >
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A Cookbook for Hackers, Forensic Analysts, Penetration Testers and Security Engineers
Kenta's rating:
3.0
On Jun 25, 2013 Kenta Hood wrote:
Overall, it's pretty good but you really need to know your stuff fairly well for it to really be worthwhile. Full Review >
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A Hands-On Introduction with 65 Projects
Kenta's rating:
5.0
On May 31, 2013 Kenta Hood wrote:
This is a must own book for anyone that wants to learn Arduino. Each chapter in this book touches on the basics to begin with and then progresses through more difficult and complex projects using various sets of hardware. If you really want to be able to go through the entire book, you're going to have to pony up some good money to purchase the hardware. It won't be cheap but it's worth having all those tools at your fingertips for rapid prototyping purposes. Full Review >
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Core Techniques for Memory Management
Kenta's rating:
5.0
On May 31, 2013 Kenta Hood wrote:
I would highly recommend this to anyone learning C and needs more information on pointers or a more seasoned individual that would like to expand their knowledge about pointers. Full Review >
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A Hands-On Guide to Modeling, Sculpting, Materials, and Rendering
Kenta's rating:
4.0
On May 6, 2013 Kenta Hood wrote:
Overall, I would recommend this book for those doing life like models or animation. If you're looking for something more like engineering models, you'll be better served using something else. Full Review >
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Creating Dynamic Web Pages
Kenta's rating:
4.0
On Apr 3, 2013 Kenta Hood wrote:
I picked this book up because I thought I would try to get into making my own website to be able to post some information. I didn't realize I needed HTML knowledge to get going with PHP but I guess after thinking about it, it makes perfect sense.
Anyway, the book is just like many of the other programming books in that it covers a wide variety of topics and is well organized. I always find it interesting to see the history of how these languages began and this too has a good history. Full Review >
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A Complete Guide to Nearly Everything
Kenta's rating:
5.0
On Mar 19, 2013 Kenta Hood wrote:
All in all, it's a great reference to have to be able to use a free photo editor that has a lot of the capabilities of Photoshop. Full Review >
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Kenta's rating:
4.0
On Jan 9, 2013 Kenta Hood wrote:
A recommended reading for anyone getting into this great, inexpensive computer! Full Review >
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A Hands-On Introduction to Affordable 3D Printing
Kenta's rating:
4.0
On Jan 5, 2013 Kenta Hood wrote:
Overall, I would recommend this is you are planning on purchasing the Replicator 2 and don't have any experience with 3D printing. If not, you can find the information in chapters 8 and 9 elsewhere so it may not be worth it but going through it nonetheless is still a very good idea. Full Review >
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Kenta's rating:
4.0
On Jan 2, 2013 Kenta Hood wrote:
Overall, if you're looking at purchasing a 3D printer this year, pick up this magazine. You'll be glad you did. If you are looking for something more detailed about each printer, then you'll probably do better checking online at each individual website. Full Review >
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A Playful Introduction to Programming
Kenta's rating:
4.0
On Dec 22, 2012 Kenta Hood wrote:
For those looking for a good introduction to Python, whether it be for yourself or your kids, I would highly recommend this. It's easy enough for beginners to pick up easily and although it's tailored towards kids, adults can learn just as much from it. Full Review >
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Resistors, Capacitors, Inductors, Switches, Encoders, Relays, Transistors
Kenta's rating:
4.0
On Dec 8, 2012 Kenta Hood wrote:
I've been doing engineering stuff for a few years now and I always go to the internet to find information about various parts as needed. It works well but sometimes it's a pain because all the information is scattered all over the place. If you want it all in a convenient place, look no further! This is just what you need. If you're looking for something to teach you and build on concepts, then you'll want to look elsewhere. This is more a reference book than something that will teach you how to integrate everything together. Full Review >
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Kenta's rating:
5.0
On Dec 4, 2012 Kenta Hood wrote:
I would definitely recommend this to anyone as a reference. It's well done and a great book to have. Full Review >
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Cars, Castles, Dinosaurs & More!
Kenta's rating:
4.0
On Dec 2, 2012 Kenta Hood wrote:
I did like the color pictures and they did add a lot to the builds. I think that was great. I'm going to give this 4 stars. It's not perfect but they did a lot of good things that given the resources, would really help any budding LEGOmaniac. Full Review >
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Data Wrangling with Pandas, NumPy, and IPython
Kenta's rating:
4.0
On Nov 11, 2012 Kenta Hood wrote:
Overall, I would say this is a great reference to have if you're going to be analyzing a lot of data and need to use Python. Full Review >
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Powerful tools and techniques for collaborative software development
Kenta's rating:
5.0
On Oct 29, 2012 Kenta Hood wrote:
I have to say this book does an excellent job of going over the basics and then moving into the more advanced topics. I didn't really do much with the advanced stuff as I don't need it but I really like the fact that I am able to quickly look up everything I need with this book. Full Review >
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Kenta's rating:
3.0
On Oct 3, 2012 Kenta Hood wrote:
In an effort to try to eventually program on the Android platform, I thought it would be a good thing to learn JavaScript. I know a little bit about Java but haven't done anything with JS before. I'm not that great of a programmer but I've done a little with Java, MATLAB/Octave, C, Arduino (C++ variant), LabView, and am dabbling in Python. I decided to try this book out because I wanted to learn JS. Well, this works well if you program in the .NET world but for people like me, that wasn't very good. There were a few basics at the beginning of the book that help get one going but it's not really much help in really learning the language. Full Review >
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Learn to Program By Making Cool Games
Kenta's rating:
5.0
On Sep 16, 2012 Kenta Hood wrote:
A typical textbook will generally put one to asleep or discourage one from continuing on so for kids, I think this is definitely a great way to learn. The language is easy enough to learn and the programs you learn to write are great for learning the basics. There are enough examples to give you some ideas but with any programming, you'll want to do things over and over with some slight variations so you really understand what's going on. Full Review >
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The Simple Way to Make Technology See
Kenta's rating:
5.0
On Sep 12, 2012 Kenta Hood wrote:
It doesn't go into a lot of deep topics but it's good for jumping in to computer vision and I would definitely recommend it to anyone interested in this field as a way to get started easily. Full Review >
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Kenta's rating:
3.0
On Sep 9, 2012 Kenta Hood wrote:
I have been a fan of this magazine and this one is also quite good. There are good things about Arduino's, which I really like to use, and other interesting projects. The cover has information about multi-rotors and that is what really interested me as I do this myself in my own time. However, I was disappointed in how some of the information was presented and some of the information was incomplete. Full Review >
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Tools and algorithms for analyzing images
Kenta's rating:
5.0
On Sep 9, 2012 Kenta Hood wrote:
For those familiar with Python, this is a good way of getting to know how to do computer vision. If you don't know Python, learn that first. There are plenty of good books for that. The examples in here are well done and I felt they did a pretty good job of helping you through the book. It does take some time to go through but it's a good way to learn how computer vision works. Full Review >
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Kenta's rating:
5.0
On Aug 11, 2012 Kenta Hood wrote:
If you already know a little about matrices, the first half of the book will go quickly and is a fast read. The rest will take a little bit of thought but it does a good job explaining abstract concepts. The quality of the presentation of the material in this book have piqued my interest in the other topics in the series, something that may be useful as our own children begin to learn more about advanced math and science. Full Review >
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How to avoid common mistakes
Kenta's rating:
5.0
On Jul 24, 2012 Kenta Hood wrote:
This is a good reference for anyone that's looking to become a better programmer by knowing what the basic pitfalls are. If you're learning to program, this probably isn't going to be for you but if you already know how to program and are learning a new language or brushing up on one, this works out well for C++. Full Review >
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Kenta's rating:
2.0
On Jun 23, 2012 Kenta Hood wrote:
The contents were pretty good. A lot were simple projects for kids to do over the summer with their parents. It's something nice that I'm sure many people who like to make things will enjoy. It's written at a lower level to make it easier for kids to understand and that is commendable. However, I have to say it's a hard read with all the red and blue pictures throughout the book.
If you're really looking for projects and can't find them anywhere else, this is a nice resource. If you rip all the 3D images out and still have a semblance of a magazine with good instructions, this is also a nice resource. If you can't stand 3D images, avoid this like the plague. Full Review >
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Kenta's rating:
4.0
On Jun 14, 2012 Kenta Hood wrote:
I have been interested in trying to automate my home for a few years now and this has some interesting tidbits to help you along the way to making your home "smarter." Unlike other dedicated books, the tutorials in this aren't quite as comprehensive but if you know what you're doing, the information in this magazine is more than enough to get you going. As usual with a lot of the Make magazines, the pictures in it are great and really make for a good magazine. Full Review >
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Problems and Solutions for Android Developers
Kenta's rating:
5.0
On Jun 14, 2012 Kenta Hood wrote:
If you know how to program, this is perfect to learn how to program for the Android OS. If there's something specific you need to find out how to do, this has great examples on how to do just about anything. I found it was a great reference to have on hand for those times I had a question about how to figure something out. I would definitely recommend this to anyone that might be on the fence about it. It's a keeper just like my Arduino Cookbook. Full Review >
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Identify Objects in the Physical World with Arduino
Kenta's rating:
3.0
On May 2, 2012 Kenta Hood wrote:
Overall, it's a quick, easy read that only take 30 minutes max to go through, and that includes connecting everything up and getting it running. I wouldn't pay much for something like this as there's not much substance but if you can get a deal on it, then it's a handy starter reference to have around. Full Review >
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Going Mobile with Sensors, Lights, Motors, and Robots
Kenta's rating:
4.0
On Apr 1, 2012 Kenta Hood wrote:
Overall, I think it's a good book to get you up and going on an Android and does a good job explaining how to interface with the world using the IOIO. It gets you going on the basics but leaves more advanced projects up to you. Full Review >
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Kenta's rating:
4.0
On Mar 12, 2012 Kenta Hood wrote:
A great reference for anyone looking to do little projects on their own at home. In my mind, this is more a magazine than a book per se but it gives a lot of good ideas that give you a start to other projects you might not have pursued otherwise. Full Review >
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Building a Space-Ready General Base Picosatellite for Any Mission
Kenta's rating:
4.0
On Feb 23, 2012 Kenta Hood wrote:
Overall, the book is a nice gateway into this out of the world hobby, but it does come at a cost that I, and most others, will not be able to afford. Too bad I can't participate but then again, I don't really have time to do more than I already do! Full Review >
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Building Simple Devices to Collect Data About the World Around Us
Kenta's rating:
4.0
On Feb 6, 2012 Kenta Hood wrote:
Overall, I thought the book did a good job of outlining the basics of sensing the environment. It should be a good book worth looking at for anyone interested in sensors but only as a basic primer to sensing as there are a lot of other things to consider when setting up a sensing circuit. Full Review >
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Six Embedded Projects with Open Source Hardware and Software
Kenta's rating:
5.0
On Apr 4, 2011 Kenta Hood wrote: My Review of Make: Arduino Bots and Gadgets by Kimmo Karvinen and Tero Karvinen
For anyone looking for a good step-by-step process of how to create any of these given projects, this is an excellent book assuming you know about programming in Arduino. It assumes you know about Arduino but if you don't know Python, don't sweat, it goes over the basics to get… Full Review >
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Kenta's rating:
5.0
On Mar 28, 2011 Kenta Hood wrote: My Review of Arduino Cookbook
Create your own robots, toys, remote controllers, alarms, detectors, and many other projects with the Arduino device. This simple microcontroller board lets artists and designers build a variety of amazing objects and prototypes that interact with the physical world. With this book, you can dive... Arduino Cookbook Excellent Arduino ReferenceOkay,… Full Review >
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Powerful Object-Oriented Programming
Kenta's rating:
5.0
On Mar 25, 2011 Kenta Hood wrote: Programming Python by Mark Lutz
For those of you that may possibly read my blog, you may have noticed my last post about wanting to learn Python. Well, I have the unique opportunity of reviewing a few technical books as a blogger so I'm going to start putting up some short reviews as they come… Full Review >
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