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Building Solutions with the Microsoft .NET Compact Framework: Architecture and Best Practices for Mobile Development Review by William G. Ryan
Two Heavy Hitters write a great book
As an avid Compact Framework enthusiast, I buy every book on the CF that I can find. As you may be aware, there aren't a whole lot of them out there, but they are all really good. This one is no exception. If you do much with .NET, then you probably know these authors already, and they lived up to their reputations with this one!
Why would you want this book? Well, most importantly it really explains the Why's of Compact Framework development. There really are a lot of considerations and while the CF is very similar to the full framework, there are a lot of differences. As a developer, this book thoroughly explains what you are getting into and how to avoid many common mistakes. However, even if you are a non-technical person this book will prove to be a great asset if you are involved in decision making. After all, who wouldn't want a mobile presence for their company? Well, like everything else, it comes with some strings attached. In most instances they are trivial compared to what you get. In others they may not be. Architectural considerations are critical because you are dealing with limited battery life, smaller processors and memory and reduced real estate. It's also a lot easier to lose a PDA than it is a desktop and since many of the advantages of using Handhelds are only realized when you have wireless access, issues like bandwidth and security can make or break any mobile initiative.
I think the best part of this book is its theoretical focus. It's very easy to run off and start coding, forgetting architectural concerns. In these instances, many find that getting a great little app that works great in a test environment isn't so good once you get it into production. This book can help you minimize the chances of that happening. Furthermore, it gives you a very sober perspective on what you will need to deal with. Due to the fact that the CF has only been commercially released for under a year, and PDA development hasn't been a practical reality for more that a few years, there just isnt' that much literature out there. And this book's focus on architectural issues and HOW TO Deal with them effectively will prove how hip the authors really are.
I've been really impressed with the recent direction of AW and they've been pumping out some really great titles. Couple a good publisher with some really informed and talented writers and you have a winner. Undoubtedly, this book is a winner.