Comments about O'Reilly Media jQuery Mobile: Up and Running:

jQuery Mobile is a library that allows you to develop mobile apps using jQuery. Is even possible to use a jQuery Mobile program as a native app, thanks to programs like PhoneGap.

This book assumes that you already know jQuery and I think that this is good since the author can focus only on the main topic in this way. I think you should know or study jQuery before even starting this book. I do know that's possible to understand jQuery code even if you don't know anything of JavaScript if you have rock solid programming knowledge, but I discourage it.

I really liked this book since it says what to do and what not to do for each of the ten sections. Also it has hundreds of images that will help you through the learning process.

I would suggest this book to everyone who is interested into developing a cross-platform app or a mobile website.

Comments about O'Reilly Media jQuery Mobile: Up and Running:

jQuery Mobile has taken the world of mobile development by storm. With an incredible fully enhanced A-grade AJAX support for all the major platforms and desktop browsers, it has become a viable choice to start coding mobile applications quickly compared to the step learning curve for native development. Not only that, you can also deploy your jQuery mobile webapp natively to many mobile devices using the phenomenal PhoneGap. This book will teach you how.

One of the drawbacks of this book is that it assumes you know jQuery, which is fine for the most part. Event handling and Theme rolling are explained very nicely. You would need another jQuery book to supplement this jQuery Mobile book.

You don't need this book if you are not doing any mobile development but, if you are, then this is one of the books you must have on your bookshelf (or a mobile device like Kindle or iPad).

Comments about O'Reilly Media jQuery Mobile: Up and Running:

Is it 5 Star, I don't know. My rating is to bring some balance. If you buy an Early Release, don't trash it because it's an Early Release. Or complain the date slipped to December when jQuery Mobile was not released until Nov. 16th.

The real litmus test: Did the book help? Did it save time?

I played with jQuery Mobile without reading "jQuery Mobile" (The June 2011 release, not "Up and Running").

The book quickly resolved the issues I was having in short order. Additionally got me up to speed on some other features I was not aware existed.

jQuery Mobile needs to be tweaked by the Web Designer. For Example I think the name of this class is too long and needs to be shortened: class="ui-li ui-li-divider ui-btn ui-bar-a ui-corner-top ui-btn-down-undefined ui-btn-up-undefined". Now if I were to make tweaks without the book, it would take considerably longer, eating up time much more valuable than the price of the book.

The book version I read was penned by Jon Reid. "Up and Running" is by Maximiliano Firtman. As a previous reviewer mentioned there were references to an other book I have to assume this is his "Programming the Mobile Web". Which in my opinion is THE BEST book on the Mobile Web. Even thought the book was published a year before this one, it still is very a very worthwhile and valid read.

I you are doing Mobile Website Design, you need to look into jQuery Mobile. If you are a Web Designer and not doing Mobile sites, you need to re-assess your career. If you are going to look at jQuery Mobile, it would be in your own best interest to read the book.

If you are a Web Designer, there is only one question. Do you read the June, Jon Reid version, or wait for the final release of Up and Running by Maximiliano.

My recommendation, get a Safari Online Books subscription, read them both, and Programming the Mobile Web. You can easily get enough out of just a trial subscription. 10 books a month for $28 is not a bad deal. But 5 books a month for $9.99 is hard to beat. Yes there is a $9.99 subscription, you just have to dig to find it.

With a subscription you will get Maximiliano's "Mobile HTML 5" due out the end of January. No I do not know Maximiliano or have any kind of relationship to book selling or authors, I just read a lot. Maximiliano is the best I have read regarding Mobile Web Design. And I am not an Web Designers. I do wish Web Designers would read more, especially on the subject of "Simple and Usable" rather then "Slick and Dysfunctional" which in my humble opinion is what most Web Designers spew. And while your at it read about Web Performance. A Web Page Load Time greater then 2 seconds is unacceptable. You would know that if you read more about your own profession.

Comments about O'Reilly Media jQuery Mobile: Up and Running:

Avoid early releases. The product page should show at least the progress indicator. For the current book: 5\10 chapters are ready. It could be better as a finished book.

The first chapters is really a disappointment. Displaying pictures of phones (what???). "There are dozens of smartphone devices on the market, including ..."

TOC and planned content of the book is nice. It could be used for teaching children @school.

Comments about O'Reilly Media jQuery Mobile: Up and Running:

After pre-buying this book, and waiting and waiting while the publication date slipped from July to October, I finally paid for and downloaded the Early Release version, only to find that the real guts of the book are not there yet.

Now the publication date is December. When are we going to get some more useful content in the Early Release version?

Comments about O'Reilly Media jQuery Mobile: Up and Running:

I do not appreciate when I buy a product only to have it tell me that I need to buy another product. The numerous references to the authors other book is at the very least annoying and bordering on offensive. The relevant content of the other book should be included.

My concept of "early release" obviously differs to what has been offered, as half of the chapters have no content while some of the sections are what you would see in a public blog.