ATT. ALL DEVELOPERS - PDC10 Live Conference - Windows Phone 7 Development and Hacking

Microsoft is holding a live developer conference today on building apps for WP7 and on using their Azure platform. Thought it might be useful for developers interested in learning more about the platform and hear about any updated information.
It starts at 9.00 AM PST, and they will provide the recordings the next day I imagine.
http://player.microsoftpdc.com/
You might also want to check out Paul Thurrott from Windows Weekly on Twit.tv for commentary and coverage.

Related

Microsoft: Bring on the Windows Phone 7 developers, developers developers

http://www.zdnet.com/blog/microsoft...phone-7-developers-developers-developers/6867
Windcape said:
http://www.zdnet.com/blog/microsoft...phone-7-developers-developers-developers/6867
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the quoted materia:
ZDNet said:
Microsoft: Bring on the Windows Phone 7 developers, developers developers
On July 19, Microsoft began shipping out thousands of Windows Phone 7 (WP7) test units from LG and Samsung — running a near-final Technical Preview build of its new mobile operating system — to developers all over the world.
It’s crunch time for the Softies. They have developed a new phone platform from scratch that looks and feels different from what’s available from Apple, Android backers and RIM. They’ve built it, but will developers come? Microsoft is counting on its developer tools, its developer outreach programs and developer guarantees (in the form of payments if WP7 apps don’t sell as well as expected) to generate quantity and quality WP7 apps.
It’s no coincidence, as Engadget notes, that the packaging for the WP7 test units says “developers, developers, developers” on the box. (Sorry, there’s no Monkey Boy toy inside.) WP7 phone hardware and data plans are going to be key to determining how well WP7 will do versus its competition when those phones begin shipping in October in Europe and November in the U.S. But the number and kinds of apps that developers build are going to be make-or-break, as well.
There’s an evangelism team that’s been working for months to get developers on board with WP7. I’ve been talking to a number of them for the past few weeks so as to understand their big-picture goals and plans to try to win developers hearts and minds in a world where Windows Mobile is falling out of favor and iOS and Android are grabbing the attention and share.
Charlie Kindel, a 20-year Microsoft veteran who runs the Windows Phone Developer Experience, is one of the main forces behind Microsoft’s mobile developer outreach. After hearing about Microsoft’s renewed focus on mobile (and some of the big names named to run the development side of the project), Kindel joined the team in February 2009.
“Windows Phone is not an end game. It’s more of a means,” said Kindel. “Devs don’t think about apps being just client code any more. Over the past ten years, it has become the case that the core resides in the cloud, and rich clients ‘light it up’ for the user. That means it’s not so much about porting the same apps to different screens, it’s more about creating application components that cross all three screens. As your experience changes, what should an app look like and how do you eanble that? I want to make WP7 one of the screens that is supported.”
(The “cloud,” in this case, can mean Microsoft cloud services like Azure; cloud services someone else has built like Twitter; or services intrinsic to WP7, like notification, location, Xbox Live, etc., Kindel explained.)
I asked Kindel what has surprised him — and what he thinks might surprise others — about WP7. He talked about speaking to 7,000 mobile developers during a recent European tour. Relatively few had ever used Microsoft developer tools. (In one meeting, only about 10 percent had used Microsoft tools of any kind, he said.) When Microsoft showed them Visual Studio and Windows Phone development tools, “the reaction was one of disbelief,” he said, because “our tools were so much better.”
“Developers want to use the tools they already know, but at the same time, they want to know someone has thought holistically about the end-to-end process,” Kindel said. “Even though we are investing in all of these (development) areas, you don’t have to use all of our stuff.”
Microsoft’s message to developers considering WP7 is to use Silverlight or the XNA Framework to write applications and games for the forthcoming phones. And company officials are touting the transparency of the app approval process, as well as the fact that only Microsoft-certified applications will be available via the Windows Phone Marketplace as positives for developers and users.
No matter how good Microsoft’s developer story sounds, Kindel knows that it’s going to be tough to convince some developers there’s enough financial opportunity to make the development of a WP7 app worthwhile.
“The installed market is not very big, so we have to show them how much we’re investing to create a phenomenal user experience. We have to show marketing and engineering seriousness,” he said.
Microsoft hasn’t made any promises as to how many WP7 phone apps there will be out of the gate, or provided many names of developers already committed to the platform. Kindel said to expect a mix of big-name apps and brand-new ones.
“There are a type of apps users just want to exist — things like a service-enabled world clock or a level, for example,” he said. “Then there are apps no one has really thought about yet, with unique capabilities. We want there to be fantastic and beautiful examples of each.”
Who else is on Microsoft’s WP7 developer outreach team? It’s not just members of Microsoft’s Communications Business. I’ve got a “who’s who” post coming up, which includes WP7 developer team members from Microsoft’s Interactive Entertainment Business, Windows Live and the Developer Division.
In the meantime, any developers (or potential customers) have developer-focused questions for the WP7 team?
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Mobile World Congress in Barcelona today! Post Any & ALL News here! Just the FACT'S!

Mobile World Congress in Barcelona today! Post Any & ALL News here! Just the FACT'S!
Mobile World Congress in Barcelona today!
Mobile Carrier's & Device Manufacture's to Announce New Device's Today!
List ANY & ALL News here!
JUST THE FACT'S ONLY! NO RUMOR'S OR OPINION'S!
Subscribe to this Thread and select INSTANT E-MAIL NOTIFICATION you will get the News when It's Posted, if you do that!
So far I have not seen any news regarding WP7, it's only the first day though.
Here is conference agenda
http://www.mobileworldcongress.com/conference/conf_agenda.htm
The keynote is at 4 pm Spain time... I am waiting for it.... In 10 min or so...it 11 pm in Singapore then....
Multitasking confirmed for 2011
official
update is march bound
multitasking bound
IE9 is coming with h/w acceleration
skydrive integration soon
twitter integration in people coming
and Joe Belifore is there...w00t
domineus said:
official
update is march bound
multitasking bound
IE9 is coming
skydrive integration soon
twitter integration in people coming
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So it seems like anyone with half a brain was correct - Microsoft is playing Apple's cynical game of withholding vital, easily-implemented features so that they can add them later to much media fanfare
They are reaching out to the casual base by gaining media support (these guys just loooove routine feature updates), presenting the illusion of "moving forward" ("hey look, we can do THAT now!") and not overwhelming the nontechnical user by not having all features available from the get-go.
In the process they are pissing on the so-called 'core base' (which aren't their core base at all obviously - clearly there is much more money to be made from the easily-impressionable, technologically-retarded crowd)
And that's all fine and dandy, but I just don't understand why people from THIS site would support this business model.
Pickx said:
So it seems like anyone with half a brain was correct - Microsoft is playing Apple's cynical game of withholding vital, easily-implemented features so that they can add them later to much media fanfare
They are reaching out to the casual base by gaining media support (these guys just loooove routine feature updates), presenting the illusion of "moving forward" ("hey look, we can do THAT now!") and not overwhelming the nontechnical user by not having all features available from the get-go.
In the process they are pissing on the so-called 'core base' (which aren't their core base at all obviously - clearly there is much more money to be made from the easily-impressionable, technologically-retarded crowd)
And that's all fine and dandy, but I just don't understand why people from THIS site would support this business model.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The OP says no rumors or opinions, which is why I created that thread:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=954051
Pickx said:
So it seems like anyone with half a brain was correct - Microsoft is playing Apple's cynical game of withholding vital, easily-implemented features so that they can add them later to much media fanfare
They are reaching out to the casual base by gaining media support (these guys just loooove routine feature updates), presenting the illusion of "moving forward" ("hey look, we can do THAT now!") and not overwhelming the nontechnical user by not having all features available from the get-go.
In the process they are pissing on the so-called 'core base' (which aren't their core base at all obviously - clearly there is much more money to be made from the easily-impressionable, technologically-retarded crowd)
And that's all fine and dandy, but I just don't understand why people from THIS site would support this business model.
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Click to collapse
y know it took 3 iterations of iphone to get half the number of updates that wp7 is churning out this year...
I don't think there is a cynical motive here. Microsoft has always said they would be adding these core features after first gen. They've been saying that since last year prior to initial release...
As far as what the OP stated, this is just for news not opinions and going with that
task switcher (for multitasking) is accessed by pressing and holding the back button to bring up the task manager
IE9 is h/w accelerated unlike apple which is s/w accelerated as joe belifore mentions it
will keep going with dev stuff
Just reading the live feed http://www.engadget.com/2011/02/14/live-from-steve-ballmers-mwc-2011-keynote/?sort=newest&refresh=60
is there a video stream?
Tone_ said:
Just reading the live feed http://www.engadget.com/2011/02/14/live-from-steve-ballmers-mwc-2011-keynote/?sort=newest&refresh=60
is there a video stream?
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It appears that Steve's keynote will be available On Demand later on, on Microsoft.com. I'll just catch it later. Sounds like good stuff though.
Qualcomm unveils new Snapdragon chipsets, 2.5GHz quad-core chip.
Here is the Link.
www.bgr.com/2011/02/14/qualcomm-unveils-new-snapdragon-chipset-2-5ghz-quad-core-chip/
Cut and paste and multitasking all together that's the best news of 2011...
truffle1234 said:
Cut and paste and multitasking all together that's the best news of 2011...
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Cut in paste in March, multi-tasking later in the year

Microsoft Sponsored WP7 App Development Contest

Hey all, In addition to the XDA WP7 dev contest currently running, Microsoft is sponsoring an additional competition that closes on June 6th called the WP7 app challenge.
10 finalist will be chosen and given two free passes to Microsoft's Partner Conference in Los Angeles in July (it normally cost ~2k each to attend) where they will compete on stage in front of a live audience for the title.
My microsoft sources are telling me that they will also get a sitdown at the show with the WP7 dev team and VP + that each entry will get a free set of cool WP7 dev tools from one of their vendors.
http://wp7challenge.com

EXPENSIFY For Business Travelers

Hey I just got some awesome news -
Expensify is finally coming to the Windows Phone. I don't know why now - could be they were waiting on WP7.5.
I had used this program on Android and found it to be the cleanest, easiest and best organized program for uploading travel expenses and receipts and having it seamlessly woven to Expensify's online expense report client.
To tell the truth, I have only missed two things from Android - this and RocketBunnies..
I found out as I received an email from their marketing notifying me that I had no activity over the past several months and could I please let them know if there was any dissatisfaction? After I wrote back that I missed this program and only stopped using because of my move to WP7.5, two people within their group emailed me to let me know that they are in the finishing stages of a WP7.5 mobile application and to keep a lookout for it.
For more information on how the software itself works, go to www.expensify.com
Yep, waiting for 7.5
We depended on some Mango-specific features in order to port our custom cross-platform layer to WP. (I'd link to more info, but as a new user to this forum, it's preventing me. Alas, it's really cool!)
We coincidentally released both the iPhone and WP ports on the same day, so now we have write-once-run-everywhere on iPhone, Android, BlackBerry, and Windows Phone. Incidentally, as a current webOS user, I've been looking to jump ships -- I'm thinking a Titan might be nice....
Regardless, i'm glad you like the app -- write me at [email protected] if I can help in any way. Thanks!
-david
Founder and CEO of Expensify

Mobiroo [Toronto]: Jr Mobile/Web QA Analyst

ABOUT US:
Based in downtown Toronto, we are an exciting, dynamic and rapidly growing company in the mobile industry. Founded in early 2009, we bring a unique alternative to mobile apps with a patent-pending platform. Recently awarded with the coveted Deloitte Fast 50 "Companies to Watch" Award, Mobiroo is being widely recognized as major player in the mobile app space.
MOBIROO'S CULTURE:
Know that you are part of the core team, in an organization that's at the cusp of rapid growth, with an opportunity to reap the long-term benefits
Tremendous growth opportunities in terms of leading, taking on responsibilities and gaining valuable experience through a first-of-its-kind platform
Work with a dynamic, motivated, passionate team that knows how to have fun
LOOKING FOR:
Someone who is dynamic, energetic, diligent and motivated to join our Quality Assurance team. The candidate will be responsible for testing and reporting issues for our web portal, campaigns and 3rd party mobile applications. The chosen candidate will have the opportunity to lead, learn, and gain incredible exposure to mobile, web and systems development.
If you are eager to work and test the latest technologies, to push our brand new, global mobile product, we are eager to hear from you!
ABSOLUTE MUST-HAVE SKILLS:
Minimum of 1 year of performing manual QA, testing, and debugging of applications.
Able to switch priorities at a moments notice.
Be able to work as a team but also unsupervised for extended periods.
Able to write and execute test cases.
Strong attention to detail.
Excellent verbal and written communication skills
NICE TO HAVE SKILLS:
Previous experience either implementing or using an automated QA/testing process
Understanding of Mobile devices and their operating Systems (Android/BlackBerry)
Current on mobile and web technologies (.NET, web services, mobile apps, etc.)
GENERAL ACCOUNTABILITIES:
Test 3rd party applications to ensure code integration is valid.
Debugging issues on mobile devices (must be able to learn this quickly)
Testing apps, campaigns and the overall software platform and provide ideas for enhancements.
Assist with the integration of QA Process where applicable
Support Sales/Business Development team from time to time.
LOCATION: Downtown Toronto (5-10 minutes walking from Toronto's Union Station)
Please send your cover letter, resume and salary expectations while applying to techjobs (at) mobiroo (dot) com

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