Amazon.com: Customer reviews: Exploring Arduino: Tools and Techniques for Engineering Wizardry

A well-organized Book: Simple and Practical

Reviewed in the United States on December 1, 2019

I preordered this book several months ago, which was supposed to come out in September, but the wait was worth it. I was looking for a book to learn Arduino, and this book was recommended to me by an engineer. Although I am far from finishing the book (at the time that I wrote this review) I will talk about it in the little time that I've had it.

This book is easy to follow. It assumes that you have some or very little knowledge about electronics/programming, an example of that is when it explains how to pick an LED resistor, which is of course pretty basic stuff. Nonetheless, this doesn't get boring at all for those who already have some experience as each chapter gets more challenging and encourages you to apply what you have learned on each exercise. And at the end of chapter 4, you will know how to make a light driven robot! (As a matter of fact, it's pictured on the cover of the book) As we progress throughout the book, the author introduces technical terms, baud rate or duty cycle for instance, however, he explains them in a very easy way in terms of practicality.

At the beginning of each chapter, there is a list of the parts that you need to complete each exercise as well as a short overview of what to expect further ahead. Likewise, the author advises you to check his website to find extra resources and updates to the book. The latter is important since he explicitly states that there could be errors in the book that were missed. However, with time I guess they will be fixed in new printings. I personally haven't had any problems with the code so far. I have to mention that the color diagrams are definitely a huge help since they are easy to follow and make the learning process more enjoyable.

Overall this is a great book that I wish I had when I was younger. I definitely will be buying more books from this author.

Contents in the book:

- PART I: Arduino Engineering Basics

1 - Getting Started and Understanding the Arduino Landscape.
2 - Digital Inputs, Outputs, and Pulse-Width Modulation.
3 - Interfacing with Analog Sensors

- PART II: Interfacing with Your Environment

4 - Using Transistors and Driving DC Motors
5 - Driving Stepper and Servo Motors
6 - Making Sounds and Music
7 - USB Serial Communication
8 - Emulating USB Devices
9 - Shift Registers

- PART III: Communication Interfaces

10 - The I2C Bus
11 - The SPI Bus and Third-Party Libraries
12 - Interfacing with Liquid Crystal Displays.

- PART IV: Digging Deeper and Combining Functions

13 - Interrupts and Other Special Functions
14 - Data Logging with SD Cards.

- PART V: Going Wireless

15 - Wireless RF Communications
16 - Bluetooth Connectivity
17 - Wi-Fi and the Cloud
Appendix A: Deciphering Datasheets and Schematics.

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Hans Huth

Revised Edition is worth the upgrade!

Reviewed in the United States on February 9, 2020

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The first edition of this book has been most helpful to me over the years, having referenced and even cited the same in my YouTube channel on using Arduino for environmental monitoring. I needed to order a second copy to replace one that I loaned to a colleague at work. In doing so, I can vouch for the color photos and revisited themes as being well worth the upgrade. Many of the topics covered in the first edition have been thoughtfully revisited and edited. This edition isn't just an added paragraph here or there to justify selling more books, rather it is a thoughtful revisit of the topic with timely updates and edits. Well done Mr. Blum. I don't often write reviews, but was impressed enough with this edition that I felt it was worth it to take time for the same.

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K. Christie

Outstanding in so many ways

Reviewed in the United States on March 4, 2020

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I earned a master's degree in engineering several years ago, and I wish a book like this was available back then. It begins with engineering basics, shows us how to interface with our environment, and then goes deeper into information and communication technologies - all while having fun with an incredibly easy-to-program Arduino. I haven't found a single typo, the design and layout are great, and it's very well written. This might be the best technical book I've ever read.

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Gayle Richardson

Updated edition is worth the purchase.

Reviewed in the United States on February 25, 2020

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I use the Arduino platform for prototype projects or projects that I don't want to spend the time to build a new PCB with a microcontroller. I have used the first edition of Exploring Arduino for years when I came across the second edition on Amazon. The second edition has added many new chapters and structured them into an easy to reference format based on applications. This makes Exploring Arduino easy for beginners to get started as well as providing a quick reference for more experienced users. I recommend this book to anyone using the Arduino. You will want to have a copy close at hand.

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Rockhopper

Oh the wait was...

Reviewed in the United States on December 24, 2019

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worth it. If you love arduino and advanced arduino subjects, then this book is highly recommended. I bought the kindle version on black Friday. This is the second edition. Check the table of contents to ensure it meets your needs.

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Dr. Marilou Haines

Amazing resource

Reviewed in the United States on February 16, 2020

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If you are serious about understanding and working with Arduino at a higher level, buy this book. Jeremy Blum, the author, is not only knowledgeable, but also knows how to guide his readers into achieving "rewarding success".

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TigerCat

Instruction manual for using the Arduino!

Reviewed in the United States on January 21, 2020

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It's a well thought out book. I highly recommend this book for anyone wanting to understand how to program and use the Arduino. The book provides many programing examples, test fixtures and a great website for more information.

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