Microsoft sent me a Windows 8 Samsung Slate for being the first few members to successfully publish Windows Store apps at Microsoft store. The apps were available at Microsoft store even before Windows 8 GA (General Availability).
Below is the box with Windows 8 slate. It came with Digital Pen Stylet.
Figure 1: Package of Samsung Slate
Fig 2 shows the outside features of Samsung slate.
Figure 2: Overview of the Windows 8 slate and it’s features.
Looks like my Windows 8 app http://bit.ly/WinStoreApp is winning round 2 of Intel competition.
Few days ago, i received an email from CodeProject, mentioning that i am one of the AppInnovation contest Submission Award winner. See details at http://emarketing.lakequincy.com/s/1/AIXr/9IcRHWy/6jt9d
They have put up the Winners list at http://www.codeproject.com/script/Awards/competition.aspx?cid=598
Well, the contest was fun as there were developers participating in this competition from all over the world.
Microsoft and Inngot are implementing a new programme to support the Windows 8 community in making more of its intellectual property.
Windows 8 will be the first release to feature ‘apps’. Microsoft is looking to help app developers get off to the best possible start by understanding the full range of assets they are creating, and how much these can be worth to their business. In most cases, apps involve a bundle of IP – not just software code, but brands, distinctive designs and characters, and potentially vast user bases. Many apps have spawned entire franchises and become global properties which require careful management to protect and exploit them.
Microsoft is providing 100 members of the Elite club developing apps for Windows 8 with an opportunity to identify your intellectual property (IP) and intangible assets, and find out what they are worth – at no charge. Don’t delay – we only have 100 profiling and valuation packages on offer, and they are available on a first come, first served basis, for a limited time period. Click here to redeem your code now.
I was fortunate enough to have Central Maryland code camp team invite me to speak at the CMAP Code Camp Fall 2012 (Where Technology and People Meet).
You can hear from other great speakers too and you can see them at http://www.cmap-online.org/CodeCamp/Speakers.aspx
Here is my profile at CMAP code camp website.
The schedule is as follows:
The Central Maryland Association of .NET Professionals (CMAP) is holding its Fall 2012 Code Camp on Saturday, December 1st, 2012 at the Loyola University Maryland Graduate Center in Columbia, MD.
The Code Camp will run from 8:30am – 5:30pm with 20-25 awesome sessions covering a wide range of database, software and portal development topics. It’s totally free. No gimmicks. No sales pitches. Enjoy breakfast and lunch at no charge while you mingle with your peers.
Address to the code camp:
Loyola University Maryland Graduate Center
Columbia Campus
8890 McGaw Road
Columbia, Maryland 21045
To register for this event, select the registration menu option.
As part submitting the app to the Intel AppUp Center, we need to create an MSI for the application. A detailed explanation is given out by Intel on how to create an MSI at http://software.intel.com/en-us/articles/how-to-creating-your-msi-installer-using-visual-studio-2008?page=1
One missing step here is setting up Uninstall options somewhere so that the user can uninstall the app. This is a requirement for the application to get accepted into the AppUp Center. After a couple of trials, i will able to successfully add Uninstall shortcut to my MSI. Here is the process i followed.
Step 1. Make a batch file (Uninstall.bat) with the following call
@echo off
msiexec /x {xxxxxxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxxxxxxxxxx}
Where {xxxxxxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxxxxxxxxxx} is the product code that is found in your setup project’s product code as shown in Fig 1. Make sure you include the brackets as well.
Figure 1: Product Code in Properties window
Step 2: Add the Uninstall.bat in application folder. Right click on Application Folder > Add > File > Uninstall.bat as shown in Fig 2 and Fig 3
Fig 2: Add File
Fig 3: Select Uninstall.bat file that we previously created
Step 3: Click on "User’s Programs Menu" and select folder and right click and select "Create New Shortcut" as shown below
Step 4: In the popup dialog, Select Uninstall.bat that we previously added to the Application Folder as shown below
Step 5: Click Ok. Change the icon of Uninstall shortcut to the Uninstall.bat.
Uninstall shortcut > Properties Window –> Icon. Browse and select the application icon.
Build the project and you should now see a shortcut to uninstall in the Program Menu
Announcing Nova CodeCamp 2012.1, October 27th. bit.ly/novacc2012
Northern Virginia Code Camp (NoVa CodeCamp) will be held on October 27, 2012 The venue for this event is at the Microsoft Technology Center located at 12012 Sunset Hills Road, Reston, VA.
If you are a developer, interested in the getting into the code in the latest technologies, interested in hearing topics from top regional speakers then come join us for Nova CodeCamp Spring Event on June 9th at the Microsoft Reston MTC.
This upcoming CodeCamp will cover the latest and greatest technologies. CodeCamps are FREE and are a great way to keep up with the pace of technology. Looking to learn a new technology, meet top authors, or just hang out with other software developers, then the Northern Virginia CodeCamp is the place to be.
In addition to the CodeCamp, the guys from .NET Rocks will be holding a Visual Studio 2012 Launch event following the CodeCamp. More information and registration can be found here.
My session is about getting to know Scrum and why it an important software development process. Then I will share some of my experience with using Scrum development in Visual Studio 2012 and Team Foundation Server 2012.
See you at the code camp.
5 new Stanford classes to be offered on Venture Lab this Fall. Here is the list:
Chuck’s technology entrepreneurship is going to be a repeat of last Spring’s class. It is also an opportunity for those of you who were too busy in the Spring to take the class on a fully developed platform. Clint Korver’s class on start up board is the first in our advanced series on entrepreneurship. The class is more suitable for those of you who already have formed a team. I highly recommend it! !
Here is the Privacy Policy that I used for the application. The app is approved by Microsoft and is now in the store.
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Your privacy is very important to us. Accordingly, we have developed this Policy in order for you to understand how we collect, use, communicate and disclose and make use of personal information. The following outlines our
Over the course of time I received a number of comments on my blog in this area. Many questions were asked like “Can you use WinRT from Desktop applications?”, “Can you use WinRT from .NET applications?”, etc..
Well, the answer is YES. It is possible to use WinRT from Desktop applications. WinRT APIs may be tied to Metro style apps, Desktop apps or potentially available to both. The documentation will list which environments (Desktop, Metro style or both) a given API works in.
Note: Custom WinRT components are only supported in Metro style applications. They are not supported in Desktop applications.
For ex, WinRT has an API for Accelerometer. The Accelerometer class represents an accelerometer sensor which returns G-force values with respect to the x, y, and z axes.
If we open the API documentation at http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/apps/windows.devices.sensors.accelerometer.aspx, see the section Applies to: Metro style apps | desktop apps. Which means this class works in Metro Apps as well as desktop apps.
Figure 1: MSDN documentation showing WinRT API and it’s applies to section.
Software Experts who keep educating themselves have a career versus those who don’t care for one.
What are the main benefits of expending the effort to learn a new technology?
1.New ways to solve problems
2.Accelerate development
3.Advise clients and get new business opportunities
As they say, those who do not learn from history are bound to repeat it. If you can learn something from an older technology it can be just as valuable as the shiny new one. Either way, when you add another tool to your kit you get a new view on each problem you face. This makes it easier to create a sound solution.
The next thing you can learn from working with different products and techniques is how to more efficiently develop solve problems. Many times if you are working with a new language you will find that there are specific design patterns that are used with it in normal use. These can usually be applied with most languages. You just needed to be exposed to them.
The last point is about helping your clients and helping yourself. If you can get in on technologies early you will have advantage over your competition in the market. You will also be able to honestly advise you client on why they should or should not go with a new product. Being able to compare products and their features is always an ability that stake holders appreciate.
An interesting article on the web:http://java.dzone.com/articles/3-reasons-you-need-know
