Windows Phone 8 Unleashed developer resource book available for pre-order

By Rich Edmonds
last updated

There are numerous resources available for Windows Phone developers to read through and engage with for tips and helpful tutorials on functionality for the platform. Creating the perfect app is a must for anyone looking to create content for a mobile platform, especially Windows Phone where consumers also critically review the overall presentation of content.

Daniel Vaughan, Microsoft MVP for Client Application Development has crafted a book in the depths of code and lookups, which is currently available for pre-order and will be released this coming May. Titled Windows Phone 8 Unleashed, it's resource for developers to better make use of functionality in Windows Phone 8.

So what's the book all about, and should you purchase a copy? Well, if you be slightly out the loop, Vaughan released Windows Phone 7.5 Unleashed, which makes this an upgrade to include everything new in the latest version of Microsoft's mobile platform. 

Vaughan teaches through complete sample apps that illuminate each key concept with fully-explained code and real-world context. It's presented with best practices in mind for creating highly functional and attractive Windows Phone apps. Drawing on access to the Windows Phone development team, he also goes into some detail that other resources may lack.

The following Windows Phone 8 enhancements are included:

  • Voice Commands
  • Wallet integration
  • New Live Tile Capabilities
  • Nokia Maps Control
  • File and Protocol Associations

We'd be the first to strongly urge any developer (or consumer looking into building an app) to check out available resources, including books such as Windows Phone 8 Unleashed. Windows Phone owners have proven to be critical when it comes to reviews on the store, which is something developers should be more than aware of.

We can't vouch for the book as we haven't got our hands on a copy just yet, but you can check out the book for $34 on Amazon. As mentioed above, it's currently listed for pre-order.

Source: Amazon (opens in new tab)

Rich Edmonds
Rich Edmonds
Senior Editor, PC Build

Rich Edmonds was formerly a Senior Editor of PC hardware at Windows Central, covering everything related to PC components and NAS. He's been involved in technology for more than a decade and knows a thing or two about the magic inside a PC chassis. You can follow him on Twitter at @RichEdmonds.

21 Comments
  • someone mail this to WhatsApp developers please
  • Hahahaha true
  • THIS!
  • If WPC has a like button, I'd create millions of accounts just to like this comment.
  • Look out now
  • Looking forward to some high quality visually pleasing fart apps when this book gets released!!
  • Looool epic comment! I hope this wont be true but we know it will happen anyways
  • Voice command farts...i like. "windows phone.... Fart!" ... "beep blap bloop" ... "fart" ... " plltttt"
  • Someone should send one to Microsoft's Skype and Xbox teams.
  • I would personally order one for the Skype team. ;) Actually, maybe a for dummies book would be more suitable.
  • I don't have a WP8 phone yet, still on 7, and I don't use the Skype app since it doesn't run in the background
    But is it really that bad on WP8?
  • I have uninstalled it after testing for few mins
  • MS can release all the materials they want but it's not the developers fault that WP is not selling. Who is going to want to develop for a platform that dictates what you can and can't do? You can't even choose your own tile colors or notification sounds! I suggest MS read this first, they really need to.
  • changing color of tiles would look akward and destroy the nice and clean look of WP :) So I like that they "dictate" the color. However I´m definitely on your side when it comes to sounds :P
  • Not exactly. It's always good to have options and if users don't like it, they can always fallback to default system tile color. Bottom line, it won't hurt to have more choices.
  • While options are nice, if lack of custom tile color (false, BTW) and lack of custom notification sounds is all it takes for a developer to not make a WP app, there's a high probability few will want an app from such an unskilled developer anyway. The Windows Store has numerous examples of high quality, popular apps that didn't let such trivial excuses stop their respective developers.
  • No Kindle edition?
  • Now we be in the loop :)
  • When I have a Lumia 620, I'd like to read this book and then write an app :D
  • I recently looked into developing for WP 8 but the necessity for Windows 8 to install the SDK put me off. Does anyone know why exactly that is?
  • I think they're just trying to keep things consistant with their new Modern UI bit. I really don't think it's much different than Apple not having an IDE for Windows or Linux. Android seems to be the only open platform, at the moment.