Almost exactly half of this book deals with database issues, which weakens it because the other half contains general Palm OS programming material that's not specifically relevant to the development of data-storage programs. If you know enough to be interested in learning about Palm OS databases and how to build applications around them, you don't need the introductory information on how to use CodeWarrior or how to code a Palm OS user interface.

Aside from this, the database material is quite good. The author presents and explains code that creates, modifies, and deletes databases, and provides a very good explanation of database synchronization. If you're using UltraLite, you'll appreciate the documentation of it here. Further coverage of the .pdb file format (in which data can be sent to a Palm from a host machine) would have made this book even stronger. --David Wall