Mobile + Cloud: Building Mobile Applications with Windows Azure

Windows Azure Tutorial for Beginners

Windows 8 App/Game Development with HTML5

Preparing a Windows 8 Tablet for Development

C# Tutorial (Calculator Part 2)

Nokia Lumia Blowout!!!

September Lumia Blowout!

Last month we gave a way an amazing Lumia 1020. That was pretty awesome. This month we wanted to take into consideration that maybe you aren’t on AT&T and would prefer a Lumia 925 or 928 to use on your carrier. Heck, it’s even possible you just don’t want a camera as awesome as the Lumia 1020 and would like a Lumia 920. If that’s the case then this months drawing is just for you. The winner will get their choice of a Lumia 920, 925, 928 or a 1020. The rules are simple:

1. You MUST live in the U.S. or Canada.
2. You MUST be an existing Windows Phone Developer WITH at least one published app currently in the marketplace.
3. You MUST be an active Windows Phone developer as of September 30th 2013, which means you must have either published a new Windows Phone application or have published an update to an existing Windows Phone application that required xap certification within a 180 day period (counting back from September 30th your last updated date must be April 4th 2013 or later.

Below is an example of where to find the last updated date on your Windows Phone application page in the Windows Phone Store.

Now that you know if you can participate or not here’s what you need to do. Email me the REQUIRED information below.

1. First and Last Name
2. Email address (this is the one we can reach you at, one you actually check daily)
3. The link to your qualifying application in the Windows Phone Store.
4. DVLUP.com username (If you haven’t registered yet, go do it, it’s free and you’ll be glad you did)
5. Your Windows Dev Center Publisher GUID (it’s on your dev center dashboard)
6. Your location: City, State/Province (and county if you are in TX or CA)

Make sure you include “September Lumia Blowout!” in the subject line or I might miss it. If you are missing any of the information above you will not be entered into the drawing for the new Lumia 920, 925, 928 or 1020.

Once I receive your entry I will verify your eligibility, enter you in the drawing then send it to the Ambassador for your area who will be your source for all things Nokia and Windows Phone development. We need your entry by September 30th. We will conduct the random drawing on October 1st 2013 and contact the winner.

No matter which area you are in the contest will be amazing and the entry is easy. So email me ASAP!

Send the email to ext-rich.dunbar@nokia.com with the subject “September Lumia Blowout!” .

In reversal, Microsoft gives snarling developers Win 8.1 RTM to chew on

MSDN and TechNet subscribers were enraged when Microsoft denied them access to the latest Win 8.1 pre-release build

After developers and IT pros pelted Microsoft with complaints, the company has backtracked and decided to grant them access to the latest Windows 8.1 build instead of making them wait until mid-October.

When Microsoft sent to PC and tablet makers two weeks ago the latest pre-release version of Windows 8.1 — the so-called RTM (release to manufacturers) build — it broke with tradition and kept developers and IT pros out of the loop, enraging them.

Microsoft said at the time that these two camps would get access to the final version of Windows 8.1 when it starts shipping commercially on Oct. 17 and Oct. 18.

It justified the incendiary decision by saying that it had to collaborate closer than ever with its hardware partners because the OS has to work with a much broader variety of devices.

“As such, we’ve had to evolve the way we develop and the time in which we deliver to meet customers with the experience they need, want and expect,” Microsoft official Antoine Leblond wrote two weeks ago in the blog post announcing Windows 8.1 RTM.

But in blog comments, Twitter messages and other social media channels, developers and IT pros growled, saying that this wouldn’t give them time to test their applications, tools and IT environments, possibly causing chaos for them.

“How are IT pros and partners supposed to evaluate 8.1 now and perhaps change scripts/applications/whatever as needed?,” wrote one person in a comment to Leblond’s blog post.

On Monday, in a surprise reversal, Microsoft announced that it has changed its mind, and that subscribers to MSDN (Microsoft Developer Network) and TechNet now have access to Windows 8.1 RTM.

“Weve listened, we value your partnership, and we are adjusting based on your feedback. As we refine our delivery schedules for a more rapid release cadence, we are working on the best way to support early releases to the various audiences within our ecosystem,” wrote MIcrosoft official Steven Guggenheimer in a blog post Monday.

The move is a “no-brainer,” according to IDC analyst Al Gillen. “This community is one of Microsoft’s points of entry to corporate IT,” he said via email.

Another IDC analyst, Al Hilwa, said that keeping the code from developers would have harmed them and Microsoft as well. “It does not materially help Microsoft or anyone to delay adoption,” he said via email.

It’s not clear why Microsoft made its initial decision, but Hilwa speculates it may have stemmed from its ongoing transformation into a devices and services company, a plan outlined in a broad reorganization launched in July by soon-to-be-retired CEO Steve Ballmer.

“I think they came to their senses to realize that their ecosystem of developers is different from Apples and prefers more open practices,” Hilwa said.

Developers and IT pros get to download both the Pro and standard editions of Windows 8.1 RTM, as well as Windows Server 2012 R2 RTM and Visual Studio 2013 Release Candidate.

However, they will not get access to the RTM version of Windows RT 8.1, the version of the OS for devices that run ARM chips, according to a Microsoft spokesman. Hardware vendors did get access to Windows RT 8.1 RTM two weeks ago.

Guggenheimer said it will still be necessary for IT pros and developers to refine and tweak their Windows 8.1 applications and IT environments once the final, GA (general availability) version of the OS ships in mid-October.

However, the RTM version offers code that is much closer to the final build than the Preview version developers and IT pros received in late June at Microsoft’s Build conference.

Microsoft had argued in its defense two weeks ago that the Preview versions of Windows 8.1 and Visual Studio were sufficiently baked for the purposes of IT pros and developers.

This was the latest flap involving Windows 8, a historically important upgrade to the company’s flagship OS for desktops, laptops and tablets.

Windows 8 started shipping October of last year with a radically altered user interface called Modern, and also with a more traditional Windows 7-like desktop for legacy applications.

Based on tile icons and optimized for touchscreen devices, the Modern interface was designed to make Windows a better OS for tablets, where the Microsoft OS has taken a beating at the hands of Android and Apple’s iOS.

Unfortunately, the Modern interface wasn’t well received, particularly among enterprise and consumer buyers of Windows 8 laptops and desktops, who complained that it was hard to master and inconvenient to use with a mouse and keyboard.

With Windows 8.1, Microsoft is hoping to put out the main fires keeping customers away from the OS. For instance, it’s adding something very close to the Windows 7 Start button, which the company took away in Windows 8, clearly unaware of how attached users are to it.

Windows 8.1 also attempts to smooth out the process of toggling between the Modern and traditional interfaces, which many users have described as awkward. To this end, it will be possible for Windows 8.1 users to boot directly to the traditional desktop interface.

Windows 8.1 also lets users view all the applications installed on their device and sort them by name, date installed, most used or category. The OS update also sports an improved search engine powered by Bing that will return results from a variety of sources, including the Web, applications, local files and the SkyDrive cloud storage service.

Windows 8.1 also comes with Internet Explorer 11, a new version of Microsoft’s browser that the company has said will load pages faster and offer better performance in touchscreen mode.

Other Windows 8.1 enhancements include the ability to make a Skype call and take photos with the Windows 8.1 device while the screen is in Lock mode without having to log in. It will be possible as well for users to select multiple applications at once and perform bulk actions on them, like resizing, uninstalling and rearranging them.

Translator App For Windows Phone 8

Click on any screenshot to see the app in the store.

Language Translator for Windows Phone 8 is possibly one of the best language translation tools on the Windows Phone market. This translation app is equipped with speech recognition, text-to-speech, voice-to-text, and voice translation for your convenience. Language Translator app supports almost 50 different languages, making it one of the best translation tools and the best choice for anyone that needs to break the language barrier.
Language translator is an app that is designed to allow you to communicate with anyone, anywhere, at any time.

Features:

* Social Media Integration
* Full voice support
* Text Prediction
* Share From Unlimited Accounts
* Share Translations using Email and SMS
* Share Translations using Social Networks
-Facebook
-Twitter
-LinkedIn
-Sina Weibo(China’s Twitter Network)
-and Any Other Verified WP8 Account
* Customize Preference Settings
* Voice Translation
* Text Translation
* Text-to-Voice
* No Advertising
* Supports More Languages than Almost every other Translator in the Windows Store.

-Text Prediction

The text editor will help you predict text and correct any misspelled words.

-Social Media Integration

You are now able to share your favorite translations with friends on Facebook, Twitter followers, your LinkedIn contacts, Sina Weibo, and many more, right from the UI.
You can share translations from multiple social media accounts. Simply set up your social media accounts and choose which account you would like to share from.

-Email Integration

Share your translations from any email account that is associated with your WP8. Share from unlimited accounts.