Pervasive Computing Handbook

This book is a guide for the world of Pervasive Computing. It describes a new class of computing devices which are getting omnipresent in everydays life. They make information access and processing easily available for everyone from everywhere at any time. Mobility, wireless connectivity, diversity, and ease-of-use are the magic keywords of Pervasive Computing. Devices include handheld computers, mobile phones, interactive television, smart cards, household appliances as well as intelligent automotive equipment. The book covers these front-end devices as well as their operating systems and the back-end infrastructure which integrate these pervasive components into a seamless IT world. A stromg emphasis is placed on the underlying technologies and standards applied when building up pervasive solutions. These fundamental topics include commonly used terms such as XML, WAP, UMTS, GPRS, Bluetooth, Jini, transcoding, and cryptography, to mention just a few.