“Shawn has created a guide that is easy to read, up-to-date, and comprehensive–covering the entire application surface area for Windows Phone developers. Enjoy!” –Jeff Wilcox, Senior Software Development Engineer, Microsoft Essential Windows® Phone 8 is the definitive guide to creating powerful mobile apps with Microsoft’s dramatically improved Windows Phone 8 platform. Ten-time Microsoft MVP Shawn Wildermuth draws on his extensive experience teaching Windows Phone development, helping you to get started fast and master techniques that lead to truly outstanding solutions. Updated throughout, this edition reflects new APIs and development best practices, ranging from new WinRT APIs to voice integration. It also contains a comprehensive new chapter on developing enterprise solutions for business. After introducing the platform and its key improvements, Shawn dives directly into the essentials. Using realistic code, he illustrates today’s best techniques for delivering robust, well-performing apps. You’ll build a complete app from start to finish and then deepen your skills with increasingly sophisticated techniques. From planning through delivery, Shawn guides you through the entire lifecycle, helping you make the most of Windows Phone 8’s valuable capabilities. Whether you’re a Windows developer going mobile or a mobile developer moving to Windows Phone, here are all the skills you’ll need. Coverage includes Setting up the WP8 development environment, including the emulator Using XAML to fully control the look and feel of your app’s interface Providing robust user interactivity through controls Creating mobile experiences built around the real needs of Windows Phone users Localizing your app for native languages and global markets Utilizing vibration, motion, sound, the camera, or other hardware features Supporting voice commands such as “Call Mom” or “Open Twitter” Integrating features that use Contacts, Appointments, Alarms, the media library and hubs, and the lock screen Storing data in simple files, caches, or a full-fledged database Multitasking in the background without compromising performance Implementing location-aware apps that can track where users are Retrieving external data and assets via REST, Web services, push notifications, or Windows Live Preparing your application for the Windows Phone Store Building and distributing enterprise apps for your company’s internal customers

Windows® Phone 8 Unleashed is the definitive guide to Microsoft’s new Windows Phone 8 platform for intermediate to advanced developers. Written by Microsoft MVP and leading Windows Phone and WPF innovator Daniel Vaughan, this full-color guide covers everything developers need to rapidly build highly competitive Windows Phone 8 mobile apps. Vaughan teaches through complete sample apps—leveraging the MVVM pattern—illuminating each key concept with fully explained code and real-world context. He presents best practices for building highly functional, maintainable, and attractive mobile interfaces; integrating touch, rich media, and data; testing; profiling; and more. Expanded and updated, Vaughan shares expert insights available in no other book, drawing on his exceptional access to the Windows Phone development team through the elite Microsoft Silverlight and WPF Insiders group. Along the way, he presents exceptionally practical and thorough coverage of many powerful new Windows Phone 8 platform enhancements, including full chapters on voice commands and speech synthesis, incorporating speech-driven experiences, Wallet integration, new Live Tile capabilities, the Nokia Maps control, launching apps via file and protocol associations, and much more. Detailed information on how to… * Get started quickly with Windows Phone XAML development in Visual Studio * Master the Capabilities Model, threading, and the Execution Model * Create attractive mobile interfaces using Windows Phone’s rich set of controls, including the Windows Phone Toolkit * Make the most of the application bar and other interface elements * Enhance user experience with advanced support for touch, gestures, and sensors * Build location-aware apps that use Nokia Maps and location services * Incorporate speech-driven experiences * Quickly internationalize apps for global markets * Leverage Windows Phone 8’s improved camera support * Connect apps to online services via SOAP, REST, and OData * Validate user input on the client side or via WCF services * Use Windows Phone 8’s powerful local database support * Implement background actions, file transfers, and audio playback * Automatically launch your app using file and protocol associations * Unit test to find defects earlier, saving time and money

Build and optimize Windows Phone 8 apps for performance and security Drill into Windows Phone 8 design and architecture, and learn best practices for building phone apps for consumers and the enterprise. Written by two senior members of the core Windows Phone Developer Platform team, this hands-on book gets you up to speed on the Windows 8 core features and application model, and shows you how to build apps with managed code in C# and native code in C++. You’ll also learn how to incorporate Windows Phone 8 features such as speech, the Wallet, and in-app purchase. Discover how to: Create UIs with unique layouts, controls, and gesture support Manage databinding with the Model View ViewModel pattern Build apps that target Windows Phone 8 and Windows Phone 7 Use built-in sensors, including the accelerometer and camera Consume web services and connect to social media apps Share code across Windows Phone 8 and Windows 8 apps Build and deploy company hub apps for the enterprise Start developing games using Direct3D Test your app and submit it to the Windows Phone Store

Essential Windows Phone 7.5 is the definitive guide to creating powerful, visually compelling mobile applications that take full advantage of Microsoft''s Windows Phone 7.5 platform. Nine-time Microsoft MVP Shawn Wildermuth draws on his extensive experience teaching Silverlight and Windows Phone development, helping you to get started fast and master techniques that lead to truly outstanding apps. After introducing the latest version of Windows Phone, Shawn Wildermuth dives directly into the essentials, emphasizing best-practice examples and illustrating with code. You''ll build a complete application from start to finish, then build on your skills with increasingly sophisticated techniques. From planning and design through application delivery, Shawn Wildermuth guides you through the entire mobile development lifecycle, showing how to make the most of Windows Phone 7.5''s most important new capabilities. Whether you''re a .NET or Silverlight developer going mobile, or an experienced mobile developer moving to Windows Phone, Essential Windows Phone 7.5 delivers all the skills you''ll need. Coverage includes Leveraging Microsoft''s breakthrough Metro design language Using phone features such as email, calling, search, Web browsing, and the camera Designing the look and feel of your user interface with XAML Interacting with users via Panorama, Pivot, and other controls Mastering the new Silverlight Toolkit for Windows Phone 7.5 Choosing the right application paradigm and functionality for your specific app Incorporating touch, vibration, motion, and sound into your interfaces Working with Windows Phone 7.5''s unique hubs and tiles Building location-based services that work with the phone''s GPS Storing data in Isolated Storage or Windows Phone 7.5''s database support Multitasking reliably, without compromising performance Integrating external data via REST, conventional Web services, and push notifications Preparing your application for the Windows Phone Marketplace

A mini-tutorial full of code examples and strategies to give you plenty of options when building your own applications for Windows Phone 8.This book is ideal if you are a developers who wants to get into mobile development. Some C# background may be useful for a complete understanding.

Building Windows 8 Apps with JavaScript is the definitive guide for every experienced developer who wants to create, ship, and profit from Windows 8 apps built with HTML5 and JavaScript. Written by Chris Sells, former Visual Studio Principal Program Manager who led the team that built Microsoft’s official Windows 8 JavaScript app templates, and Brandon Satrom, expert web/mobile developer, this book covers every facet of development with Microsoft’s new JavaScript framework and WinRT. The authors guide you through building full-featured Windows Store apps that merge the best aspects of desktop, web, and mobile apps into a single user and developer experience. You’ll learn how to leverage the full power of the Windows 8 platform and integrate services ranging from client-side state to offline storage. Leveraging these techniques, you can deliver information to users faster, more clearly, and more concisely, on whatever devices they prefer. Through complete example projects, Building Windows 8 Apps with JavaScript covers Understanding powerful new improvements in Windows 8 developer experience Using Windows 8’s more flexible binding to update the UI as underlying data changes Creating layouts and typography that fit Windows 8 style and leverage its advantages Working with audio, video, captured media, animation, and HTML5 graphics Making your app “connectable” with PlayTo Integrating WinJS navigation services to improve UI control Maintaining app states built up over time, and sharing them across devices Writing highly responsive async apps Supporting true-touch metaphors and interactions, location data, and sensors Designing apps for the Windows 8 design language Extending JavaScript code to integrate existing C/C++ code or to access Windows capabilities that WinRT doesn’t expose Discovering best practices for monetizing Windows Store apps All of the downloadable examples can be created and run with Microsoft’s free Visual Studio 2012 Express for Windows 8, which includes all you need to build, package, and deploy your Windows Store apps.

Introduces Windows 8, including new features and capabilities, and offers scenario-based insights on planning, implementing, and maintaining the operating system.