Getting started with Windows Phone apps development – comprehensive links and resources

1. Windows Phone 7.1 SDK .iso file download (700+ MB)

 

2. Windows Phone SDK 7.1.1 Update

    https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=29233 (290 MB)

3. Windows Phone SDK 7.1 Training Course

    https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/WindowsPhoneTrainingCourse

 

4. Windows Phone Samples: learn through code https://code.msdn.microsoft.com/wpapps/site/search

 

5. Windows Phone 7 Development for Absolute Beginners https://channel9.msdn.com/Series/Windows-Phone-7-Development-for-Absolute-Beginners

6. Design Windows phone

    Design tutorials

Design Templates for Windows Phone 7

    Windows Phone Design Day Recordings

 

7. How-To Index for Windows Phone scenario-based walkthroughs

 

8. Windows Phone apps certification requirements guidelines

A collection of useful resources including articles, source code, controls for Windows Phone 7 development

https://indyfromoz.wordpress.com/windows-phone-7-resources

COMPREHENSIVE OVERVIEW

The following table is a comprehensive list of what’s new in the Windows Phone SDK documentation for the 7.1 release.

 

Feature

New and Updated Documentation

Multi-targeting and App Compatibility

You can use the Windows Phone SDK 7.1 to create Silverlight® and XNA Framework projects that target either Windows Phone OS 7.1 or Windows Phone OS 7.0. When you create a new project, you are prompted to select the version that you want to target. You can also upgrade existing Windows Phone OS 7.0 projects to take advantage of the new Windows Phone OS 7.1 features.

Conceptual documentation:

· Windows Phone OS Application Compatibility

·    New APIs for Windows Phone OS 7.1

·    Changed APIs for Windows Phone OS 7.1

·    How to: Specify a Target Version or Upgrade Projects for Windows Phone

Multitasking

In Windows Phone OS 7.1, several features are introduced that allow an application to perform actions even when it is not the active foreground application.

Conceptual documentation:

·    Multitasking for Windows Phone

The Execution Model and Fast Application Switching

The execution model is now updated to include a dormant state before tombstoning. When a user returns to a dormant application, it resumes quickly and without displaying the Resuming… message to the user.

Conceptual documentation:

·    Execution Model Overview for Windows Phone

Code samples:

·    Execution Model Sample

Alarms and Reminders

You can use the Windows Phone SDK 7.1 to create alarms and reminders that display a dialog box on the screen or play a sound at a specified time.

Conceptual documentation:

·    Alarms and Reminders Overview for Windows Phone

·    How to: Create Alarms and Reminders for Windows Phone

Code samples:

·    Scheduled Notification Sample

Managed API documentation:

·    Microsoft.Phone.Scheduler

Background Agents

You can now run code in the background, even when your application is not running in the foreground. There are two main types of background tasks: periodic agents, and resource-intensive agents.

Conceptual documentation:

·    Background Agents Overview for Windows Phone

·    Background Agent Best Practices for Windows Phone

·    How to: Implement Background Agents for Windows Phone

Code samples:

·    Background Agent Sample

Managed API documentation:

·    Microsoft.Phone.Scheduler

Background File Transfers

You can now initiate file downloads in your application that continue after the user has navigated away. The file downloads continue to run in the background, even when your application is no longer running in the foreground.

Conceptual documentation:

·    Background File Transfers Overview for Windows Phone

·    Background File Transfer Best Practices for Windows Phone

·    How to: Implement Background File Transfers for Windows Phone

Code samples:

·    Background Transfer Service Sample

Managed API documentation:

·    Microsoft.Phone.BackgroundTransfer

Background Audio

Your audio applications can now run in the background. Music continues to play while the user launches other apps, and the user has access to the volume controls.

Conceptual documentation:

·    Background Audio Overview for Windows Phone

·    How to: Play Background Audio for Windows Phone

Code samples:

·    Background Audio Player Sample

·    Background Audio Streamer Sample

Managed API documentation:

·    Microsoft.Phone.BackgroundAudio

Media

Windows Phone OS 7.1 contains significant media improvements. Improvements include 32-bit color support, support for extensionless media URIs, and support for H.264 in Windows Phone Emulator. Also, the MediaElement uses hardware rendering for improved video quality while using less battery power. You can also now save a ringtone from your application.

Conceptual documentation:

·    Media for Windows Phone

·    How to: Use the Save Ringtone Task for Windows Phone

·    VideoBrush Overview

Code samples:

·    Custom Ringtones Sample

Managed API documentation:

·    T:System.Windows.Media.VideoBrush

·    T:System.Windows.Controls.MediaElement

Silverlight 4

Windows Phone OS 7.1 now includes Silverlight 4.

Conceptual documentation:

·    What's New in Silverlight 4

·     Ensuring That Your Silverlight Applications Work with Silverlight 4

·    Differences Between Silverlight and Silverlight for Windows Phone

Sensors

In addition to the accelerometer, your applications can now access the compass and gyroscope sensors, enabling development of apps and games where the physical device itself is a means of user input. There is also now a combined motion API that provides data for attitude (yaw, pitch, and roll), device acceleration, and rotation rate.

Windows Phone Emulator is now enhanced to simulate sensor data. You can now do initial testing of applications that use sensor data directly in the emulator.

Conceptual documentation:

·    Sensors Overview for Windows Phone

· How to: Get Data from the Accelerometer Sensor for Windows Phone

·    How to: Get Data from the Compass Sensor for Windows Phone

·    How to: Get Data from the Gyroscope Sensor for Windows Phone

·    How to: Use the Combined Motion API for Windows Phone

·    How to: Test Applications that Use the Accelerometer

·    How to: Test Applications that Use Location Data

Code samples:

·    Raw Sensor Data Sample

·    Simple Motion Sample

·    Augmented Reality Motion Sample

·    Shake Gesture Library Sample

Managed API documentation:

·    Microsoft.Devices.Sensors

Sockets Support

Your applications can now communicate over sockets using the TCP and UDP protocols. Sockets allow two-way communication with cloud services, and enable scenarios such as instant messaging and multi-player gaming.

Conceptual documentation:

·    Sockets Overview for Windows Phone

·    How to: Create and Use a TCP Socket Client Application for Windows Phone

·    How to: Create and Use a UDP Socket Client Application for Windows Phone

·    How to: Send and Receive Data in a Multicast Group for Windows Phone

Code samples:

·    Tic-Tac-Toe Over Sockets Sample

·    Multicast Sockets Sample

Managed API documentation:

·    System.Net.Sockets

Network Information

Your applications can now access information about the network and network interfaces. You can determine the mobile operator and network capabilities of a user’s phone, and you can get and set connection preferences and requirements.

Conceptual documentation:

·    How to: Determine the Mobile Operator for Windows Phone

·    How to: Determine the Network Capabilities for Windows Phone

·    How to: Get Connection Information about a Socket for Windows Phone

·    How to: Set Connection Preferences for a Socket for Windows Phone

·    How to: Set Connection Requirements for a Socket for Windows Phone

·    How To: Detect Network Changes for Windows Phone

Managed API documentation:

·    Microsoft.Phone.Net.NetworkInformation

Push Notifications

The push notification system is now more robust. Toast notifications can now link to specific places within your application and pass parameters. Tile notifications now support two-sided application and secondary Tiles.

Conceptual documentation:

·    Push Notifications Overview for Windows Phone

·    Sending Push Notifications for Windows Phone

·    Receiving Push Notifications for Windows Phone

·    How to: Send and Receive Toast Notifications for Windows Phone

·    How to: Send and Receive Tile Notifications for Windows Phone

·    How to: Send and Receive Raw Notifications for Windows Phone

Code samples:

·    Toast Notification Sample

·    Tile Notification Sample

·    Raw Notification Sample

Managed API documentation:

·    Microsoft.Phone.Notification

Live Tiles

Application Tiles pinned to the Start screen now have two sides and they flip periodically, making Tiles both more engaging and more informative. Your applications can have more than one Tile pinned to Start, such as Tiles for different cities in a weather app.

Conceptual documentation:

·    Tiles Overview for Windows Phone

·    How to: Create, Delete, and Update Tiles for Windows Phone

·    How to: Set the Initial Properties for the Application Tile for Windows Phone

·    How to: Schedule Tile Updates for Windows Phone

Code samples:

·    Tile Sample

·    Tile Notification Sample

·    Shell Tile Schedule Sample

Managed API documentation:

·     Microsoft.Phone.Shell

Silverlight and XNA Integration

Instead of choosing between Silverlight and the XNA Framework, you can now use both in a single app or game. You can combine the page navigation model of a Silverlight application with the rich graphics power of an XNA Framework application.

Conceptual documentation:

·    The Silverlight and XNA Frameworks for Windows Phone

·    How to: Combine Silverlight and the XNA Framework in a Windows Phone Application

·    Using the Project Template that Combines Silverlight and XNA

Code samples:

·    My Little Teapot Sample

·    Silverlight XNA Framework Sample

Application Performance Analysis

Windows Phone OS 7.1 now gives you the ability to profile your apps and games. You can measure the use of system resources such as CPU and memory over time, and navigate directly from the results to your code.

Conceptual documentation:

·   Windows Phone Performance Analysis

·   How to: Capture and Analyze Performance Data Using Windows Phone Performance Analysis

·   How to: Identify and Fix Common Performance Issues Using Windows Phone Performance Analysis

Visual Basic Support

Visual Basic is now available for both Silverlight and XNA Framework applications. Visual Basic is fully integrated into the Windows Phone SDK 7.1; you do not need to install it separately.

Code samples: All downloadable code samples now appear in both C# and Visual Basic.

· Visual Basic Code Samples

Advertising

The Microsoft Advertising SDK for Windows Phone enables you to monetize your apps and games by including ads from Microsoft Advertising. The Advertising SDK is now fully integrated into the Windows Phone SDK 7.1; you do not need to install it separately.

Conceptual documentation:

·    Advertising in Windows Phone Applications

Code samples:

·    Ad Control Sample

WebBrowser Control

The WebBrowser control now supports Internet Explorer 9 and the benefits of increased performance and HTML5 rendering. You can also programmatically access the cookie collection of a WebBrowser control through the WebBrowser extension methods.

Conceptual documentation:

·   WebBrowser Control for Windows Phone

Code samples:

·   Mini-Browser Sample

Managed API documentation:

·   Microsoft.Phone.Controls

Device Status

The Windows Phone SDK 7.1 now gives you expanded programmatic access to a user’s Windows Phone device through the DeviceStatus class. You can now determine whether the device is using the battery or external power, whether a keyboard is available or deployed, the device manufacturer, and more.

Conceptual documentation:

·   Device Status for Windows Phone

·   How to: Use the DeviceStatus Class for Windows Phone

Code samples:

· Device Status Sample

Managed API documentation:

·   Microsoft.Phone.Info

Local Database

You can now store relational data in a local database that resides in your application’s isolated storage container. Your applications can use LINQ to SQL to perform database operations. New APIs enable programmatic database upgrade scenarios.

Conceptual documentation:

·    Local Database Overview for Windows Phone

·    Local Database Best Practices for Windows Phone

·    How to: Create a Basic Local Database Application for Windows Phone

·    How to: Create a Local Database Application with MVVM for Windows Phone

·    How to: Deploy a Reference Database with a Windows Phone Application

·    Walkthrough: Updating a Local Database Application for Windows Phone

·    Local Database Migration Overview for Windows Phone

·    Local Database Connection Strings for Windows Phone

·    LINQ to SQL Support for Windows Phone

Code samples:

·    Local Database Sample

Managed API documentation:

·    System.Data.Linq

·    System.Data.Linq.Mapping

·    Microsoft.Phone.Data.Linq

·    Microsoft.Phone.Data.Linq.Mapping

Isolated Storage Explorer

The Windows Phone SDK 7.1 now includes a command line tool that enables you to list, copy, and replace files and directories in the isolated storage.

Conceptual documentation:

·    Isolated Storage Overview for Windows Phone

·    How to: Use the Isolated Storage Explorer Tool

Launchers and Choosers

The Windows Phone SDK 7.1 introduces several new Launchers and Choosers. From your applications, you can now choose an address, invite players to a game session, or save a ringtone. You can also show a location on a map at a preset zoom level, or show directions between two points on a Bing map.

Conceptual documentation:

·    How to: Use the Address Chooser Task for Windows Phone

·    How to: Use the Bing Maps Task for Windows Phone

·    How to: Use the Bing Maps Directions Task for Windows Phone

·    How to: Use the Connection Settings Task for Windows Phone

·    How to: Use the Game Invite Task for Windows Phone

·    How to: Use the Save Contact Task for Windows Phone

·    How to: Use the Save Ringtone Task for Windows Phone

·    How to: Use the Share Link Task for Windows Phone

·    How to: Use the Share Status Task for Windows Phone

Managed API documentation:

·    Microsoft.Phone.Tasks

Contacts and Calendar

The Windows Phone SDK 7.1 now gives you read-only access to the user’s contacts and calendar data. You can now differentiate your applications by querying and interacting with the user’s data in ways such as letting the user choose from a list of their contacts and sending them emails, searching for contacts’ birthdays, and others.

Conceptual documentation:

·    Contacts and Calendar for Windows Phone

·    How to: Access Contact Data for Windows Phone

·    How to: Access Calendar Data for Windows Phone

·    How to: Display the Photo of a Contact for Windows Phone

·    Contact Filtering and Matching for Windows Phone

·    Walkthrough: Accessing Contact and Calendar Data for Windows Phone

Code samples:

·    Contacts and Calendar Sample

Managed API documentation:

·    Microsoft.Phone.UserData

Encrypted Credential Store

The Windows Phone SDK 7.1 now provides access to a set of cryptography APIs. For applications that require login credentials, these APIs enable you to store the credentials in an encrypted way. Now your users do not have to log in anew each time they use your application.

Conceptual documentation:

·    How to: Encrypt Data in a Windows Phone Application

Managed API documentation:

·    System.Security.Cryptography

User Experience Design Guidelines

There is a new guide to help you follow best practices for Windows Phone user experience design. This documentation collects advice from the experts who created Windows Phone, and from people who were the designers of many of its first applications. There are more than 40 new topics to help you.

Conceptual documentation:

·    User Experience Design Guidelines for Windows Phone

·    The Windows Phone Platform

·    The Application Design Process for Windows Phone

·    Application Structure and Navigation Models for Windows Phone

·    User and Platform Interactions for Windows Phone

·    Controls Design Guidelines for Windows Phone

Certification Requirements

The application certification requirements are now available online in the MSDN library. The documentation now contains test steps for most requirements. This means that now you can test your applications against the requirements before you submit them to App Hub for certification.

Windows Phone OS 7.0 and Windows Phone OS 7.1 requirements have been updated.

Conceptual documentation:

·    Application Certification Requirements for Windows Phone

·    Change History

Marketplace Test Kit

The Windows Phone SDK 7.1 now contains a Windows Phone Marketplace Test Kit. The Marketplace Test Kit enables you to test your application against the certification requirements right from Visual Studio. You can also take screenshots of your application by using the new built-in emulator screenshot tool, and submit them using the Marketplace Test Kit.

Conceptual documentation:

·    Windows Phone Marketplace Test Kit

·    How to: Determine Application Capabilities

·    How to: Create Screenshots for Windows Phone Marketplace

·    Application Artwork

Camera

The Windows Phone SDK 7.1 now gives you programmatic access to the camera on Windows Phone devices, including real-time access to raw frames. This enables you to create scanning and augmented reality applications. You can also access the flash and adjust the focus in your applications.

Conceptual documentation:

·    Camera and Photos Overview for Windows Phone

·    Camera and Photos Class Support for Windows Phone

·    Camera Color Conversion (YCbCr to ARGB) for Windows Phone

·    How to: Create a Base Camera Application for Windows Phone

·    How to: Work with Grayscale in a Camera Application for Windows Phone

·    How to: Record Video in a Camera Application for Windows Phone

Code samples:

·    Basic Camera Sample

·    Camera Grayscale Sample

·    Camera Color Picker Sample

·    Video Recorder Sample

Managed API documentation:

·     Microsoft.Devices

·     System.Windows.Media

Pictures Extensibility

You can now use App Connect to launch your Windows Phone application from the Pictures Hub, picture viewer, and share picker.

Conceptual documentation:

·    Pictures Extensibility Overview for Windows Phone

·    How to: Extend the Pictures Hub with App Connect for Windows Phone

·    How to: Extend the Picture Viewer with App Connect for Windows Phone

·    How to: Extend the Share Picker with App Connect for Windows Phone

Search Extensibility

App Connect is a new way for your applications to seamlessly extend the search experience on Windows Phone. With App Connect, users who search the web with the Search button can launch your application directly from Bing search results.

Conceptual documentation:

·    Search Extensibility Overview for Windows Phone

·    Search Registration and Launch Reference for Windows Phone

·    How to: Extend Search with App Connect for Windows Phone

·    How to: Integrate with App Instant Answer for Windows Phone

Code samples:

·    Search Extensibility Sample

·    Quick Card Sample

Application Bar

The Windows Phone OS 7.1 Application Bar now has two sizes: default and minimized. The new minimized Application Bar is optimized for use on panorama pages, where space is at a premium.

Conceptual documentation:

·    Application Bar Overview for Windows Phone

·    Application Bar Icon Buttons for Windows Phone

·    How to: Create an Application Bar in XAML for Windows Phone

·    How to: Create an Application Bar in Code for Windows Phone

·    How to: Change Icon Buttons and Menu Items Dynamically for Windows Phone

·    How to: Reuse an Application Bar on Multiple Pages in Your Windows Phone Application

·    How to: Use Different Application Bars in a Single Pivot Control in Your Windows Phone Application

·    Walkthrough: Creating an Application Bar Test Application for Windows Phone

Code samples:

·    Application Bar Sample

Managed API documentation:

·     ApplicationBarMode

·     Mode

On-Screen Keyboard

Windows Phone OS 7.1 has new on-screen keyboards, such as number-only and formula-optimized keyboards, that you can leverage in your applications.

Conceptual documentation:

·    On-Screen Keyboard Input Scope Index for Windows Phone

Code samples:

·     Keyboard Index Sample

System Tray and Progress Indicator

The system tray now supports opacity and colors. It also includes a progress indicator that you can use to indicate progress in your applications.

Conceptual documentation:

·    Frame, Page, and Navigation Enhancements for Windows Phone

Managed API documentation:

·    SystemTray

·    ProgressIndicator

OData Client

The Windows Phone SDK 7.1 now include the Add Service Reference dialog that enables you to generate a client proxy class. You can also use LINQ queries to access OData resources, and perform client authentication to secure OData services with a login ID and password. There is also improved performance when saving client state.

Conceptual documentation:

·    Open Data Protocol (OData) Client for Windows Phone

·    How to: Consume an OData Service for Windows Phone

·    How to: Persist the State of an OData Client for Windows Phone

·    Walkthrough: Consuming OData with MVVM for Windows Phone

Managed API documentation:

·     System.Data.Services.Client

·     DataServiceState

Globalization and Localization

Windows Phone OS 7.1 adds support for 16 additional cultures. There is now support for East Asian languages, including reading and user interface fonts.

Conceptual documentation:

·    Globalization and Localization for Windows Phone

·    Culture and Language Support for Windows Phone

· Font Support for Windows Phone

Creating Trial Applications

You can design and implement a trial mode in your application that enables users to try your application before buying it. There are new topics and samples to help you implement trial mode in your applications.

Conceptual documentation:

·    How to: Implement a Trial Experience in a Silverlight Application for Windows Phone

·    How to: Implement a Trial Experience in an XNA Framework Application for Windows Phone

Code samples:

·    XNA Framework Trial Sample

·    Silverlight Trial Sample

Windows Phone Marketplace

The Windows Phone Marketplace FAQ is now available online in the MSDN library.

Conceptual documentation:

·    Windows Phone Marketplace FAQ

Comments

• Anonymous
  January 24, 2013
  hello sir , I learned your course it was great . Am developing my 1st app and I need help in the coding .. If you kind enough in helping me i would be greatfull in sending my app details to your mail ..                   MY MAIL ID is " ajai199@hotmail.com "

• Anonymous
  April 07, 2013
  One of the best resources provided till date on Windows Phone 7.5. The manner in which the ramp up plan is structured is indeed good!!!