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IT SEEMS LIKE YESTERDAY that Microsoft announced at its first annual BUILD conference the
upcoming game-changing operating system: Windows 8. In the Microsoft world for the first time,
Windows 8 was to provide an operating system that could create an ecosystem of apps that ran
among phones, desktop computers, and tablets. Developers would be closer to writing an app
for one device and, with few-to-no modifications, having it run on additional devices. Now that
Windows 8 is finally here, it’s time for you, the developer, to get on board and understand some of
the vast changes involved in creating Windows-based apps. Professional Windows 8 Programming
is designed as your guide to all the changes and to get you on the fast track of developing your own
apps for the new Windows Store.
In this book, you learn all about the new development features of Windows 8 and how best to use
them in apps for both the PC and tablet. You see how to use XAML and C# to create a new style of
app that emphasizes content rather than chrome. Windows Store apps are different from traditional
Windows desktop apps because they run full screen and without all the traditional menu systems
that have historically taken up valuable screen real estate. In addition to a new style of app through
the new WinRT development platform, Windows 8 gives you easy access to various hardware
features such as sensors and geolocation. This book walks you through making use of these
new features in your own apps.
Finally, you should be aware that Windows 8 brings massive change in the area of app distribution.
With the release of Windows 8, developers can now access an online app store where they can
easily distribute and sell apps to the massive Windows 8 audience. Step by step, this book shows
you how to leverage Visual Studio 2012 to prepare your apps for deployment in the Windows
Store. The new Windows Store gives you a great way to generate revenue as well as free online
distribution for your apps.
It is an exciting time to be a Microsoft developer, and now that Windows 8 is out in the wild,
you’ll see a massive increase in the demand for quality, content-rich apps in the Windows Store.
These apps must target the PC and tablet, as well as the soon-to-be-released Windows Phone 8.
Professional Windows 8 Programming will guide you through all this, ensuring that you have the
knowledge and tools necessary to create these in-demand apps. |