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Between the covers

The March of Mobile Money: The Future

Of Lifestyle Management

Sam Pitroda and Mehul Desai

(Collins Business, Rs. 399)

This is a book by the man who invented the digital diary, thus removing the need for large amounts of paperwork — Sam Pitroda — who once headed six technology missions.

One day, as he watched his wife sign cheques for monthly bills, the idea of a mobile wallet struck him. Today, with e-payments and e-commerce being the buzzwords in the spheres of business and technology, and the Internet making financial transactions easy and accessible, this concept makes plenty of sense. Sam Pitroda and co-author Mehul Desai filed for the first patent of the concept in 1994, and it was granted in 1996.

What's more, with this concept, huge quantities of plastic and paper wastes can be avoided, and the innovation is especially invaluable at a time when weather systems are going rogue and global warming threatens to change the world beyond recognition. Although an advanced concept, it can become popular only if it performs better for the masses and proves more convenient than that leather wallet.

E-Habits: What You Must Do to

Optimize Your Professional Digital

Elizabeth Charnock

(Tata McGraw Hill, Rs. 45)

For all those online dependent people… this digital image makeover guide empowers you to present yourself in the best possible light with every electronic action — whether on the Internet or within your own organisation. Charnock, a pioneer in the field of digital evidence analytics, reveals how simple acts such as looking for a job or applying for a loan, speak about our personalities. By showing what you can do to assess and control the information about you that's “out there,” Charnock outlines the steps you can take right now to ensure that your online image is the best representation of your values and yourself. Learn e-habits such as: How to protect yourself at work; the most dangerous Digital You character traits to avoid and the best e-habits to adopt. Far more than a handbook about online smarts, E-Habits is the essential guide to personal brand management in the digital age.

Facial Modeling and Animation:

Star Staring

Jason Osipa

(Wiley, Rs. 2,200)

This is a must-have for all those who love the art of animation and computer graphics. Learn how to construct a face and mouth; understand skeletal set-up, weighting and rigging; learn the intricacies of the cartoon technique; figure out lip sync and other techniques in this 300-odd pages tome. A CD that comes with the book demonstrates all the above topics. Osipa, who has been working in 3D content for over 10 years, analyses sample animations and provides information on topics such as the basics of designing and the latest software tools.

The Adventures of an IT Leader

Robert D. Austin, Richard L. Nolan

& Shannon O'Donnell

(Harvard Business Press, Rs. 995)

There's a lot in store for somebody who aspires to become an IT manager. Of course, having leadership qualities tops the list but it also means looking out for new technology and handling office relationships.

Using the voice of the fictional Jim Barton, the authors try to understand and explain what it takes to be a successful IT manager. As Jim struggles through his first year, a series of typical situations is presented before you. This fictional tale offers glimpses of the trials and tribulations that the authors themselves have gone through during their years in the field. Witty and candid, this book is a fine showcase of the scenarios that many IT leaders can relate to, and many an aspiring IT manager can look forward to.

(Compiled by SAVITHA GAUTAM)

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