I met the Technical Editor of this book, Joe Grand, at the recent "Design Wars" contest that I hosted for the Wireless Systems Design Conference & Expo. Joe took part in the contest by building a crystal radio. His eagerness to jump into a technical project and "get his hands dirty" was very refreshing. It also suggested that he has a lot of firsthand knowledge about hacking into electronic hardware.

For wireless enthusiasts, this book's chapters on wireless 802.11 hacks and Nokia 6210 mobile-phone modifications will probably be the most relevant. The rest of the book, however, does describe a variety of useful hacks that are easy to perform. For example, it tells the reader how to hack a PlayStation 2 to boot code from the memory card or create his or her own home-brewed games. Another chapter delves into the design, creation, and configuration of a Windows- or Linux-based home-theater PC.

Like the best do-it-yourself books of yore, this volume includes several background and reference chapters. It contains a discussion of the tools that are needed in hacking. It also offers a good primer on the basics of electrical engineering and a straightforward chapter on the rudiments of software programming.

Hardware Hacking: Have Fun While Voiding Your Warranty was written by Joe Grand, Ryan Russell, and Kevin D. Mitnick (Editor). It costs $39.95. The volume is published by Syngress Publishing (ISBN 1-9322-6683-6).