Blown to Bits, Second Edition is the brilliant, plain-English guide to digital technology, how it’s changing the world, and what you need to know to survive in tomorrow’s digital world. A best-seller when it was first published in 2010, the issues it addresses are more crucial than ever. Now, its expert authors have thoroughly updated Blown to Bits to demystify the social, political, and personal issues everyone is talking about: from social media and big data to fake news, cyberattacks, and privacy. Both authoritative and accessible, this guide doesn’t just reveal the workings of the technologies that are central to your life: it also illuminates the policy decisions citizens need to make about these technologies… because you can try to ignore them, but they won’t ignore you!

Blown to Bits, Second Edition answers questions like:

• Who owns all that data about you? What (if anything) do they owe you?
• How private is your medical information?
• Is it possible to send a truly secure message? How close can you come?
• How do you figure out who to trust for accurate news these days?
• What should you know about free speech on the Internet?
• Who’s watching you, what do they know about you, and what can they do with that knowledge?
• Do you have to say goodbye forever to privacy -- and even to your personal identity?
• How can you protect yourself against out-of-control technologies -- and the powerful organizations that wield them?

Yes, you can create your own apps for Android devices - and it's easy to do. This extraordinary book introduces you to App Inventor 2, a powerful visual tool that lets anyone build apps. Learn App Inventor basics hands-on with step-by-step instructions for building more than a dozen fun projects, including a text answering machine app, a quiz app, and an app for finding your parked car! The second half of the book features an Inventor's Manual to help you understand the fundamentals of app building and computer science. App Inventor 2 makes an excellent textbook for beginners and experienced developers alike. Use programming blocks to build apps - like working on a puzzle Create custom multi-media quizzes and study guides Design games and other apps with 2D graphics and animation Make a custom tour of your city, school, or workplace Control a LEGO(R) MINDSTORMS(R) NXT robot with your phone Build location-aware apps by working with your phone's sensors Explore apps that incorporate information from the Web