Tag Archives: Xbox Live

Download: Windows 8 – Release Preview


Now you can download the Windows 8 Release Preview, the next milestone of the highly anticipated Windows 8 operating system. It’s available for download today in 14 languages at http://preview.windows.com, the Windows 8 Release Preview delivers a fast and fluid experience, along with a new user interface that responds equally well to touch as it does to keyboard and mouse.

Windows 8 Release Preview

Windows 8 Release Preview delivers new apps from Microsoft and partners. Highlights include Bing Travel, News and Sports apps, as well as Gaming and Music Xbox apps that integrate with your Zune pass. The Windows 8 Release Preview also features notable improvements to the Mail, Photos and People apps that initially debuted with the Windows 8 Consumer Preview. You can download the preview @ http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows-8/download

Need help?

· Frequently asked questions

· ISO image downloads

· Windows Compatibility Center

· Windows 8 Release Preview forum

Developers

· Windows Dev Center

· Free developer tools and samples

· Developer forums

· Windows 8 app developer blog

IT pros

· Springboard Series on TechNet

· New features for businesses

· IT pro forums

· The Springboard Series Blog

Enjoy!!

Comprehensive guide: Windows Phone development resources


Looking for a comprehensive guide to development resources for Windows Phone? Visit the Windows Phone developer resources pages on App Hub.

Please find the following topic pages so you can learn everything you need to know to create great apps and games for Windows Phone:

Silverlight for Windows Phone

XNA Game Studio and XNA Framework

Windows Phone Developer Tools and Device Unlock

User Experience and User Interface

Application and Execution Model

Input, Touch and Gestures

Launchers and Choosers

Security

Frame and Page Navigation

Isolated Storage

Performance

Advertising Services

Camera and Photos

Media – Audio and Video

Push Notifications and Live Tiles

App Bar and Controls

Location and Mapping

Networking and Web Services

Sensors

Globalization and Localization

Porting Your App or Game to Windows Phone 7

Application Publishing and Marketplace

Book review: Programming Windows Phone 7


Are you the Windows Phone 7 developer or want to know how to create WP7 apps? Then this book is meant for you. To give you a sense of this offering, here is Charles’s Introduction—beneath that you’ll find the ebook’s full Table of Contents:

Introduction

This book is a gift from the Windows Phone 7 team at Microsoft to the programming community, and I am proud to have been a part of it. Within the pages that follow, I show you the basics of writing applications for Windows Phone 7 using the C# programming language with the Silverlight and XNA 2D frameworks.

Yes, Programming Windows Phone 7 is truly a free download, but for those readers who still love paper—as I certainly do—this book will also be available (for sale) divided into two fully-indexed print editions: Microsoft Silverlight Programming for Windows Phone 7 and Microsoft XNA Framework Programming for Windows Phone 7. ]

The best thing would be, with the money you’ve saved downloading this book, please buy other books. Despite the plethora of information available online, books are still the best way to learn about programming within a coherent and cohesive tutorial narrative. Every book sale brings a tear of joy to an author’s eye, so please help make them weep overflowing rivers.

In particular, you might want to buy other books to supplement the material in this book. For example, I barely mention Web services in this book, and that’s a serious deficiency because Web services are likely to become increasingly important in Windows Phone 7 applications. My coverage of XNA is limited to 2D graphics and while I hope to add several 3D chapters in the next edition of this book, I don’t really get into the whole Xbox LIVE community aspect of game development. Nor do I discuss any programming tools beyond Visual Studio—not even Expression Blend.

Sections:

This book is divided into three parts. The first part discusses basic concepts of Windows Phone 7 programming using example programs that target both Silverlight and the XNA framework. It is likely that many Windows Phone 7 developers will choose either one platform or the other, but I think it’s important for all developers who have at least a little knowledge of the alternative to their chosen path.

The second part of this book focuses entirely on Silverlight, and the third part on XNA 2D. For your convenience, the chapters in each part build upon previous knowledge in a progressive tutorial narrative, and hence are intended to be read sequentially.

To use this book properly you’ll need to download and install the Windows Phone Developer Tools, which includes Visual Studio 2010 Express for Windows Phone, XNA Game Studio 4.0, and an on-screen Windows Phone Emulator to test your programs in the absence of an actual device. Get the latest information and downloads at http://developer.windowsphone.com.

PDF Download:BTW, you can download a PDF here (38.6 MB).

Code samples (C#): You can download the ebook’s C# sample code here (5.03 MB).

Code samples (VB.Net): And you can download the sample code in Visual Basic for Chapters 1-18 here (5.21 MB).

Nice way to start with! Wonderful book for the Windows Phone 7 programming!

Windows Phone 7: 80% increase in App developers


The developer community is placing some big bets with Windows Phone. How we can see that? Per WindowsPhone’s team blog we can notice nearly 80% increase in the number of registered developers since September, with more than 15,000 developers already signaling their intent to bring exciting content to Windows Phone. This is a great move.

In order to promote the efforts of developers, Windows Phone team assisting in the following ways:

1) Find Windows Phone 7 Apps & Games on Bing Visual Search
2) Promoting Windows Phone 7 Apps & Games on Xbox 360
3) Windows Phone 7 Apps & Games on Windowsphone.com
4) Campaigns featuring Windows Phone 7 Apps & Games
5) Windows Phone Marketplace on Zune PC software

With the international expansion of the Zune music and video service on Xbox LIVE, Windows PC and of course Windows Phone, the Zune PC software is now on more screens and in more markets than ever. In addition to the things we’re doing to promote apps and games for Windows Phone 7, we’ve added a few features that developers can use to better market their apps and games. Developers can take advantage of deep linking by installing the Download Now Kit.

This is just a sample of the type of work that we do to get apps and games in front of customers. You can expect more apps, contents in the Marketplace in forth coming days!!

Windows Phone 7: How to get apps from Marketplace?


Get apps from Marketplace

On your phone or from your PC, get apps and games wherever you are.

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Check out Marketplace—Microsoft’s virtual store for apps, games, and other entertainment for your phone. Many apps and games in Marketplace are free, while others let you try before you buy.

Before you try or buy an app or game:

Apps on the phone

Get apps on your phone
  • On Start, tap Marketplace Marketplace tile.

  • Tap Apps.

  • Flick left or right to see top, new, or featured apps, or browse categories. When you find an app or game you want, tap it.

  • If you want to install a free app or game, tap Install twice to confirm and download it to your phone.

  • If you want to buy an app or game:

    • Tap Buy to buy a paid app. Or tap Try (if available) to try it.

    • Do one of the following:

      • If you’re trying an app, tap Install.

      • If you’re buying an app, tap Buy, select your payment method (either a credit card or a charge to your phone bill), and then tap Buy again.

    Note

    By default, purchases are added to your phone bill (if this service is available from your mobile operator). Or you can use a credit card: in the Confirm purchase screen, tap Change payment method, and then tap Add a credit card. (Or just tap Add a credit card.) Follow the steps on the screen.

    Confirm purchase screen on phone
    "Confirm purchase" screen on phone

  • It might take several minutes for the app or game to download and install, depending on its size. A progress bar on the details screen shows the status.

    Tips
    • To check the progress of an app or game you’re downloading, tap Check install.

    • To pause a downloading app, on the Marketplace Downloads screen (tap Check install or the download link at the bottom of the Marketplace Hub), tap and hold the item, then tap Pause. To continue downloading it, tap and hold, and then tap Resume.

  • Look for your new apps in the App list (on Start, flick left). Look for your new games in the Games Hub (on Start, tap Games, and flick left to Collection).

Tip

Looking for a specific app or game? From Marketplace, press the SearchHardware icon search button button. To learn more, see Search for stuff.

Get apps on your PC
  • Connect your phone to your PC using the USB cable.

  • On Start, click All Programs, and then click Zune.

  • If you’re not signed in, click Sign In, and then sign in with the same Windows Live ID you used to sign in to your phone.

  • Click Marketplace > Apps. Under Devices, click Windows Phone.

    Zune Marketplace apps for windows phone 7 screen
    Zune Marketplace "apps for windows phone 7" screen

  • Browse for an app or game by clicking a genre or using the Search box.

  • Click the app that you’re interested in, and then click Free trial or Buy to try or buy the app or game. Or click Free to install a free app. Follow the instructions on the screen.

    If you want to add a new credit card to your account, you can add it from the Zune software on your computer (click Settings > Account > Add a credit card) or go to the Zune Account Center.

    Zune Add a credit card screen
    Zune "add a credit card" screen

  • To see apps and games on your phone, disconnect it from your computer. Look for:

    • New apps in the App list (on Start, flick left).

    • New games in the Games Hub (on Start, tap Games, and flick left to Collection).

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Notes
  • Apps sync directly with your phone and are not added to your Zune collection on your computer.

  • If you purchase your app from Zune while your phone is not connected to your PC, the app will be downloaded over the air within 24 hours. If you subsequently connect your phone to your PC, your items will continue to download over the air.

  • Marketplace may not be available in your country or region.