Find the best indie games—in our new collection available now! 24 Apr 2014, 10:33 am

Check out this curated collection of Windows and Windows Phone games from indie developers. These are all stellar adventures, puzzles, and thrilling escapes that, from all first indications, will grow up to be big and famous! Which ones look and sound best to you?

1. Dragon’s Blade II

Get thee to medieval times for lots of modern gaming twists. You’ll battle through a mysterious land full of monsters, dungeons, and hidden treasure in this Windows Phone exclusive! Play solo on your own or multi-player online where you can chat and engage in raids, team battles, and guild wars. Available now in the Windows Phone Store.

2. Zombie Tsunami!

Frantic flesh-eating fun for the whole family! Zombie Tsunami is a fun-packed thrill-ride of destruction, excitement and tasty brains! In most zombie matches, you’re running from the flesh-eaters, but now it’s time to chase down the living and add them to your growing hoard of the dashing undead—with 300+ different missions to devour.

Get started today in the Windows Store and on your Windows Phone.

3. Castle Raid 2

Are you prepared to do battle? Castle Raid is back; bigger and more challenging than before! Fight to protect your castle in this epic adventure among noble knights, sage wizards, dragons, and assassins. With gladiator and time challenges, you’ll be traveling across 20 new battlefields as you combat your new enemy, the Reavers. Available now for Windows Phone and in the Windows Store.

4. Harmony Isle

Escape to a dream island community that you build with your friends! Design beautiful villas and mansions for villagers. Commission museums, bars and theatres. Carefully balance the forces of nature, science, and society with the Harmony meter. Solve mysteries and harness the natural power of the island to discover the ultimate secret to living in perfect Harmony!

Download it now FREE for Windows Phone and in the Windows Store.

5. Pylon

Pylon piles on the fun while fusing lightning-fast combat with tactical gameplay. Adventure into mysterious lands, battle dangerous monsters, and collect heaps of epic loot in this story-driven, fantasy ARPG! Take up arms as reluctant mercenary Jane following questionable demands from an aged scholar bent on recovering a powerful artifact.

Download it now FREE for Windows Phone and for $4.99 in the Windows Store.

6. Bike Mania 2

Get a grip! Explore new levels, tricky terrain, and super-realistic ragdoll physics in the new BikeMania2 for Windows Phone and Windows tablets.  Zoom through more than 100 high-flying motocross levels across Aztec, Pyramid, and Industrial Zones on treacherous swinging bridges, across moving platforms, and around falling boulders.

Get going today in the Windows Store and on your Windows Phone.

7. Skelly Rider

Is that a T-Rex? It’s gaining on you and terrorizing the land! It’s up to you in this endless runner game to stay out of its way. Collect gold to unlock more powerful mounts as you try to keep from becoming the devastating dino’s dinner. Fly as far as possible, explore new lands, and constantly face new dangers—accompanied by fun new pets that were just added to the game. Try it for FREE now from the Windows Phone Store!

8. King’s Bounty: Legions

It’s vibrant. Competitive. Turn-based. Combat opponents in a vast universe full of wondrous creatures and wicked monsters through amazing, unique settings. What’s not to love?! In King’s Bounty, you become a knight, forge your own armor, and amass an invincible army. Join a clan or create your own, upgrade your troops, and learn new spells traveling through hundreds of unique quests. Try it now for FREE in the Windows Phone Store

Check out our Indie Game Spotlight for 8 games that warrant your review. Try them out and spread the word among your friends. You could be the first to discover the next big thing!

Red Stripe deals for you: Stuntmania Reloaded, Rabbids Big Bang, King Oddball, and more 24 Apr 2014, 10:00 am

Snag the newest Red Stripe Deals on Stuntmania Reloaded, Rabbids Big Bang, King Oddball, Yoga.com Studio, InspirARTion, and KnowledgeBase Builder. From today until next Thursday, enjoy a hefty discount off the original price of these apps.*

Stuntmania Reloaded

Ever wanted to try being a stunt driver? This is your chance! Perform mid-air stunts like flips, twists, and flat spins, and watch that damage meter. If you hit 100% KA-BOOM! You explode, and then regenerate in a new, random location. Originally $4.99, get it now for $2.49 in the Windows Store.

Rabbids Big Bang

It doesn’t get much better than FREE. Pilot a Rabbid in space with the tip of your finger for $0.00 for the next week! Forget the Milky Way. This is the Rabbids Way! Now FREE in the Windows Store (was $1.49), and also FREE in the Windows Phone Store (was $0.99).

King Oddball

Conquer the world in more than 120 fun levels. Blow up tanks! Crash helicopters! Collapse structures! Hurl boulders until nothing remains! Now on sale in the Windows Store for just $1.49 (was $2.99) and also in the Windows Phone Store for just $1.49 (was $2.99).

Yoga.com Studio

Need a little extra zen in your life? Get a solid 50% off the world's favorite mobile yoga studio, enjoyed by more than 7 million fans worldwide. The app features 300 poses and breathing exercises, searchable by skill level, your fitness goal or by type. Now on sale in the Windows Store for just $2.49 (was $4.99) and in the Windows Phone Store for just $1.49 (was $2.99).

InspirARTion

Whether you are beginner or a master artist, this simple app will help you create a beautiful design right on your phone or tablet. Drawing, painting, and designing are all built right into InspirARTion. Originally $2.99, get it this week for $1.49 in the Windows Store.

KnowledgeBase Builder

Store all your thoughts and ideas—all your knowledge—securely in a local database, viewable as a Mind Map you can browse. Get it this week for $0.99 in the Windows Store (originally $3.49).

Look for the latest Red Stripe Deals for Windows on the Windows Store Home page every week. For Red Stripe Deals on Windows Phone, visit the Red Stripe Deals Collection in the Windows Phone Store.

*Note that deals and apps are not available in all markets, so check your local listings.

Remote Desktop Preview app now available for Windows Phone 8.1 23 Apr 2014, 10:25 am

If you currently have Windows Phone 8.1 installed on your device as part of the Windows Phone Preview for Developers, you can now try out the Remote Desktop Preview app which is now available in the Windows Phone Store to download.

The Remote Desktop Preview app uses RDP 8.1 and RemoteFX that enables you to have a rich multi-touch experience that supports Windows gestures when you connect to Windows 8 devices for example. For a complete drill-down into all the capabilities of the Remote Desktop Preview app, head on over to the Remote Desktop Services Blog and read this blog post from David Bélanger who is a Program Manager on the Remote Desktop Team.

Join us to //publish/ your Windows apps for phones, tablets and PCs 23 Apr 2014, 9:00 am

This blog was authored by Microsoft MVP, Joost van Schaik

Windows Phone has been a passion for me since even before it was released, and I have been developing for it ever since. Passion can take you very far - in my case, I even became a Windows Phone Development MVP in October 2011. In that capacity, but also just as a developer loving his platform, I would like to point you to //publish/, an event that will run on May 16-17, 2014. Unlike //build/, you don’t have to go all the way San Francisco to meet the industry experts – we will be right there for you, at (present count) 66 places all over the world, in all countries, time zones and languages.

Why should you attend //publish/?

1) If you are even remotely interested in developing Windows Phone 8.1 and Windows Store 8.1 apps, but most especially if you have that first app that is more-or-less finished but you can’t get it ‘just right.’

2) If you are an advanced developer who is struggling with the more arcane concepts and just can’t get things to work.

3) Do you have that annoying bug that is preventing you from shipping?

4) Can’t get that darn Live tile to work like you want?

//publish/ is where to get help. First, we had //build/, where Microsoft told you about everything new. Then we have //learn/ coming this Friday, April 24, a massive global on-line webinar that will explain to you in detail – in your own language and time zone – what great features have been added in Windows Phone 8.1 and how you can leverage them as a developer. //publish/ is intended to get you into the Store and, who knows, on your way to fame and fortune.

What can I expect at //publish/?

1) Free access to industry experts from both Microsoft and the community who will help you with both technical and design issues.

2) The events will be in (video) contact with each other, so if you happen to have that one very specific question no one is able to figure out locally, we will find that answer, wherever in the world. I will be in Amsterdam, probably getting a lot of questions on mapping ;-)

3) This will not be some publicity event, we want to help you publish your app! Lots of the people present and helping will be MVPs, too. They have been there in the trenches with Windows Phone 8.1 for some time now, they know the drill, have been there, done that and got the (Cortana) t-shirt, understand the challenges you will meet and will help you fix things.

4) No sales pitches, just getting stuff done. Like The Microsoft MVP Award Program Blog so aptly says: “Independent experts – real world answers.”

Whatever people said about Windows Phone in the past: with 8.1 it is now not only at parity with - but also way ahead of the competition. The convergence of Windows Phone and Windows now makes it possible to get your app on potentially billions of devices all over the world. Whether you are a hobby developer dreaming of your game hitting the Store or an enterprise developer thinking how to integrate all your business requirements into the platform – now is a great time to get cracking, and the May 16-17th event is a great moment to do so.

I hope to meet you in Amsterdam, or else say hello to my fellows at whatever //publish/ event you are going to meet. Come and join the melee. Make the dream –yours and mine - come true.

//build 2014 highlights #3: graphics, media, design, and the business of apps 22 Apr 2014, 1:16 pm

We’re deep into our //build 2014 highlights, and this week we bring together some of the deepest technical sessions—those on graphics and media—with those at the opposite end of the spectrum, namely those related to design and running your apps business.

Let’s start off deep with the six sessions on gaming and DirectX:

• 3-510 – Innovations in High Performance 2D Graphics with DirectX Across Windows and Windows Phone
• 2-503 – Building Your First Windows Game with Unity
• 3-564 – Direct3D 12 API Preview
• 3-594 – DirectX Graphics Development with Visual Studio 2013
• 2-662 – Building Games for Windows
• 9-004 – Windows Graphics and DirectX 12

We also pointed to the session on WebGL last week, which is worth mentioning again in this context: 3-558 – Cutting Edge Graphics in HTML.

The subject of media enjoyed sessions that were few in number, but not at all lacking depth!

• 2-528 – Building Video and Audio Streaming Apps
• 3-548 – Sequencers, Synthesizers, and Software, Oh My! Building Great Music Creation Apps for Windows Store
• 3-610 – Building End-To-End Video Experiences with Azure Media Services
• 2-611 – Azure Media Services: An Around-the-World Tour of Customer Use Cases
• 2-652 – Xbox Music API – Music for Every App

Now a successful apps business isn’t built on highly specialized developers alone: the greatest graphics technologies in the world don’t mean much if the results aren’t beautiful and engaging! In other words, artists and designers are just as important to creating apps as your developers. So we offered a number of design-focused sessions:

• 2-502 – Practical Design for Windows Developers
• 2-660 – It’s a Trap! 3 Remarkably Common UI Traps and How to Avoid Them in Your Designs
• 2-539 – Tips and Tricks for Designing a Great Accessibility Experience for Your App
• 2-549 – Strategies for World Domination: Design Research Advice for Developers
• 2-551 – Creating Personal Experiences: A Panel Discussion
• 2-650 – Designing the Ultimate 10' Experience (Xbox)
• 9-003 – Experience at the Intersection of Design and Development
• 9-009 – Enabling Designers and Developers to Make Great Apps

Finally, you can have the coolest app in the world but it won’t get you very far if nobody knows about it, if you can’t keep your users engaged, and if it doesn’t serve your business goals. So at //build 2014 we dedicated some time and energy to helping you with the businessside of building apps, including considerations for the Windows Store and Windows Phone Store, monetization, and understanding and engaging your customers:

• 2-504 – Maximizing Revenue for Phone, Tablet and PC Apps in the Windows Store
• 2-562 – Windows Store, Dev Center, Monetization and Ads: A Panel Discussion
• 2-638 – Understanding Customer Patterns: Instrumenting an App for Telemetry and Analytics
• 2-639 – Driving User Engagement With Your Windows Apps
• 2-538 – Building Awesome Experiences with Facebook
• 2-512 – Windows Phone and Windows: Store and Dev Center
• 2-561 – Windows Phone and Windows: Dev Center and App Submission Deep Dive
• 2-655 – Promote Your App in Search Results
• 2-9664 – Improve App Monetization and Discoverability with Microsoft Advertising
• 3-592 – Make Data-Driven, High-Impact Improvements to an Application with Application Insights
• 3-596 – Rapidly Detect Application Outages with Application Insights
• 9-023 – Visual Studio Online and Application Insights

Next week we’ll wrap up with series with Azure, tools, and a number of the other interesting sessions that don’t fit into any category!

The //build Planning Team

P.S. What did you think of the //build 2014 content? What were your favorite sessions? What did you want to see but didn’t? Leave us your feedback in the comments here, and also leave session-specific feedback on the channel9 page for that session. We do read and care about your input!

Windows 8.1 Deployment Labs – Now available 21 Apr 2014, 12:32 pm

Last month Michael Niehaus and I ran a Windows 8.1 deployment Jump Start with deployment gurus and MVP’s Johan Arwidmark and Mikael Nyström. The Jump Start received great feedback with viewers Particularly appreciating the demos. The Jump Start is now available for you to view on the Microsoft Virtual Academy at your own pace.

The demos that Johan and Mikael presented during the Jump Start are now available via TechNet Virtual labs for you to try for yourself. The labs cover the following topics:

• Creating a Windows 8.1 reference image
• Deploying Windows 8.1 with MDT 2013
• Deploying Windows 8.1 with Configuration Manager 2012 R2 and MDT 2013

We hope that you enjoy trying out these labs yourself as you watch the Windows 8.1 deployment Jump Start.

//build/ –> //learn/-> //publish/: new resources to help you publish your universal Windows apps 18 Apr 2014, 1:28 pm

You’ve heard announcements at //build/ around the launch of Windows Phone 8.1 and the converged development platform; now get the details and support from community experts to bring your universal Windows apps to life. We’d like to invite you to join us over the next month for a series of educational and hands-on events.

First up is //learn/, a unique opportunity for you to get an introduction to building your own universal Windows apps for phone, tablet and pc. Ask questions and learn what’s new from Microsoft MVPs and get insights from your peers.

Jumpstart, a 3-day training course from Microsoft’s Virtual Academy follows, giving you an in-depth overview of the most important new features and platform capabilities.

Once you’ve started your app, be sure and register for one of our in-person //publish/ regional events, where Microsoft MVPs and local experts will be on hand to help you bring your apps over the finish line and into the Windows Store.

See below for details.

//learn/ - coming soon, April 24

Microsoft MVPs will present live webinars introducing the latest features and technologies for phones, tablets and PCs. Learn to build your own universal Windows app, get training on the new application lifecycle, the new XAML runtime, the new Silverlight features, and more. The webinars will be broadcast in eight languages (Chinese; English; French; German; Italian; Portuguese; Russian; Spanish) in local time zones. Whether you are a new or experienced developer, join us for //learn/ to get the information you need to start building.

Date: April 24, 2014

Click here to register

Jumpstart

In this live training webinar by Microsoft Technical Evangelists Andy Wigley and Matthias Shapiro, you will learn how to design and build Windows Phone 8.1 apps using XAML and C# to share a high percentage of code. You will also learn how to maximize app compatibility and optimize code. And, finally, you’ll learn to program the many new Windows Runtime APIs that are available to apps built for Windows Store with Windows Silverlight.

This event is for experienced software developers with knowledge of object-oriented design. Familiarity with C# or XAML is helpful, however no prior experience with developing Windows Phone 8 apps is required.

Dates: April 29 – May 1, 2014

Click here to register.

If you are unable to attend live, you can watch this course on-demand on Channel 9 after May 9, 2014.

//publish/

//publish/ is a global event series where you will bring your project to polish and complete, and receive support, incentives, prizes and just have a lot of fun along the way.

//publish/ events occur in more than 60 different locations worldwide - simultaneously, all connected by a big online digital dashboard (“The Board”) You will receive expert guidance and support for app design, performance, testing, publishing, and Unity porting in a cool and inspiring environment.

Attend in-person at one of the 35 Microsoft-led events or 30 MVP-led satellite events at locations worldwide. No matter which event you attend, you’ll find it an extraordinary opportunity to learn, share and code; connected to the others via a unique online experience. Register early as space is limited.

Dates: May 16 - May 17, 2014

Click here to register

We hope these events provide everything you need to build universal Windows apps, and can’t wait to see what you publish. Follow #learnwindows and #pubwin to get all the details.

Spring into action: Up to 60% off popular games from Electronic Arts – 1 week only 18 Apr 2014, 1:21 pm

The EA Mobile Spring Sale is on right now through April 24^th. Get gigantic savings on big hits like FIFA 14, Plants vs. Zombies, The Sims 3, and more. Read on for details, or see all the great deals in the EA Mobile Spring Sale Collection in the Windows Phone Store.

1. FIFA 14 - 50% off Jumbo Gold Pack via in-app purchase

Feel the passion. 34 leagues, 600+ licensed teams, and 16,000 players—from the English Premier League to La Liga and beyond. Real players, teams, and leagues. Download FIFA 14.

2. Plants vs. Zombies - On sale for $2.99 (regularly $4.99)

A mob of fun-loving zombies is headed to your front door, and the only defense is your arsenal of trusty plants! Battle 26 types of invaders including pole-vaulters, snorkelers and bucket-heads. Download Plants vs. Zombies.

3. The Sims 3 - On sale for $3.99 (regularly $6.99)

It’s time you experience the #1 best-selling PC franchise of all time! Bring your Sim to life. Make your Sim neurotic, funny, or shy. Help your Sim get a job, make some friends, or catch some fish... It’s completely up to you! Download The Sims 3.

4. Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit - On sale for $2.99 (regularly $4.99)

Make your escape or make the bust? Outrun the enforcers as a Racer in supercars like the Pagani Zonda Cinque, or lay down the law as a Cop behind the wheel of high-speed police interceptors like the Lamborghini Reventon. Download Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit.

5. Trivial Pursuit - On sale for $1.99 (regularly $2.99)

Do you know… where Mt. Kilimanjaro is located? What the four Hs stand for in 4H? Then show off that brain with this mobile version of Trivial Pursuit for anytime fun. Anywhere you go, you can answer the tough stuff, track your stats, customize your profile, and create personalized difficulty levels. Download Trivial Pursuit.

6. The Game of Life - On sale for $1.99 (regularly $2.99)

Old school fun goes mobile with The Game of Life! Will you settle down and get married – or stay single and indulge in lavish luxuries and risky investments? Spin the wheel to earn big bucks and retire in style. Or expand that family and pay for college again and again. Download The Game of Life. Download The Game of Life.

7. iBomber Defense - On sale for $1.99 (regularly $2.99)

Keep enemies at bay all over the world and defend territory right from your Windows Phone in iBomber Defense. Using weapons and tactics, from rattling Machine guns, explosive cannons and awesome anti-aircraft artillery, you’ll battle across North Africa, Europe and Russia as both the Allied and Axis forces. Download iBomber Defense.

8. Flight Control Rocket - On sale for $1.99 (regularly $2.99)

Leave the terrestrial skies of Earth and venture into a whole new galaxy of adventure, action, and addictive path-drawing gameplay in FC Rocket! Motherships, bots, and multiple game modes ensure your trip through the vast unknown is stellar fun. Download Flight Control Rocket.

9. Blobster - On sale for $1.99 (regularly $2.99)

It’s up to you and Blobster—EA’s favorite gooey hero—to save all of Blobtopia from the nasty pollution being generated by Big and Powerful Corporation. Rocket through the sky, float like an angel, or transform into a giant to squash pesky enemies and collect amazing power-ups on your way to defeating Blobzilla and cleaning up the town! Download Blobster.

10. Jet Set Go - On sale for $1.99 (regularly $2.99)

Soak in some vacation time as you help April build her budding travel agency empire on the go. Fly customers around the world in this gorgeous game of planes and pools from Hong Kong to Hawaii. Nothing is off limits as you perfect your time management skills in exotic locales from the Mayan Riviera to Montreal. Download Jet Set Go.

11. RISK - On sale for $1.99 (regularly $2.99)

World domination is within reach with the original game of strategic conquest: RISK. Test your power against strong AI opponents, each with unique strategies and emotional responses. Escalate the action in two multiplayer modes—challenge up to five of your greatest rivals via WiFi, or battle ‘em with Pass ‘n Play. Download RISK.

12. TETRIS BLITZ - 50% more coins on all coin packs via in-app purchase

Behind-the-scenes changes make this the best Blitzing experience yet for your Windows Phone. With a new Power-up released every week, you’ll shatter high scores and supercharge your Tetris Blitz game with Power-ups, like Magnet, Laser, and Time Shift. 50% more coins in all Coin Packs purchased inside the game. Download Tetris Blitz.

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Wait - You’re still here? Your virtual time really should be spent playing The Sims 3! But there’s other great EA games on sale, too. Find them all conveniently located in the EA Mobile Spring Sale Collection.

WinJS on Windows Phone 8.1 18 Apr 2014, 8:30 am

This post was written by Josh Rennert, Program Manager, Windows Ecosystem & Frameworks team

There were two big announcements involving Windows Library for JavaScript (“WinJS”) this year at //build 2014. One revealed MS Open Technology’s work to make WinJS cross-platform and open source. Developers are now able to bring the personality of Windows apps to other browsers and devices. For more information, check out Maria Kang’s post.

The second highlighted the release of WinJS version 2.1. With Windows Phone 8.1, we are proud to announce that the WinJS is now available on Phone.

WinJS 2.1 tailors the features of WinJS 2.0 (for Windows Apps) to fit the Windows Phone experience. We also added new controls and lit up new capabilities unique to Phone without sacrificing performance on low-end form factors.

Porting your existing Windows Store app is simple and painless, giving you a great opportunity to expand your reach onto Windows Phone. By using the same familiar languages and technologies, you can share resources between your Windows and Windows Phone apps. Source code, images, localization and other data—placing these files in one central location reduces the cost and effort in lieu of creating two separate, platform-specific apps. This is the cornerstone behind universal Windows apps, recently announced in David Treadwell’s talk from the Day 1 keynote.

Visual Studio provides us with three sets of templates: Windows Apps, Windows Phone Apps, and Universal Apps. While the first two will specifically target each form factor, with the third you can potentially write once and still cater to both. Developers can build compelling native apps across both platforms.

In this blog post, we will discuss the differences in design and feature sets, and point to additional resources regarding this exciting step forward.

Pivot

The Phone possesses a different model of app interaction than you would normally see on a PC or tablet device. Its user interface enjoys controls which do not currently exist in WinJS 2.0. Thus, for version 2.1 we introduced the Pivot control.

The full-screen container provides a quick way to navigate between different views, such as the ListView shown above. Those familiar with the Hub control will recognize the similarities both in its visual appearance and in its API. Indeed, it is even possible to find and replace the API names between the Hub and Pivot controls for most cases. The Pivot is a powerful control that can help produce the outstanding experiences users have come to expect in a Windows Phone app.

Visit the Quickstart: Using a pivot control for layout and navigation article for more information.

Adaptive controls

This Phone form factor introduces many challenges that may cause you to rethink the way your app looks and feels. A Windows device accommodates a vast array of screen sizes, ranging from small tablets to large monitors, whereas a Windows Phone device generally does not exceed five or six inches. Additionally, a Windows device may have a variety of input methods, including mouse and keyboard, whereas a Windows Phone device will use touch exclusively.

We have tried to minimize the work that is needed for your app to adapt across all devices, which typically amounts to minor adjustments in layout and visuals. WinJS automatically adapts its controls to match the Phone’s overall user interface and personality, so the majority of your markup will remain the same.

We have also updated our style sheets to complement the new design paradigms, with controls matching the Phone experience right out of the box. You can take advantage of the device’s excellent customization options and have your app match the user theme or accent coloring.

Here are a couple examples.

App bar

The App bar on Phone is always visible in some fashion. There are two closed states, minimal (below left) and compact (the default, below right). In the minimal state, no buttons are visible apart from the ellipsis on the right side. In the compact state, up to four buttons are visible at any one time.

Tapping or dragging the ellipsis will expand the drawer and animate the control to its open state, shown below. The App bar reveals the labels of the three primary buttons, as well as a menu of additional commands.

Screen real estate seldom poses an issue in a Windows Store app. Consider the first scenario of the HTML AppBar control sample on a Windows device:

The Camera button is separated from the primary commands along the width of the page. The ample resolution allows App bar commands to be broken up into two sections. Setting the section property to 'global' will affix a command to the right margin, while 'selection' will affix a command to the left margin.

On the other hand, in a Windows Phone app, screen real estate is at a premium. The prior images reveal the Camera button is moved to the secondary list of commands, hidden from view until the drawer has been expanded. The 'global' value now corresponds with the primary commands, and 'selection' with the secondary commands.

Lastly, screen orientation is more of a factor on a smaller device. On a Windows tablet or PC, the App bar remains pinned to the bottom of your perspective, regardless if the device is in landscape or portrait mode. On your Windows Phone, however, the App bar will remain pinned to the bottom of the physical device. Depending on which direction you rotate, the bar may appear on the left or right side of your screen, with the icons and text oriented appropriately. No work is needed to achieve this look and functionality—the control will automatically adapt as appropriate.

For more information, refer to the documentation for the WinJS.UI.AppBar object.

Intrinsic controls

In order to maximize the use of space, a text input on Phone stretches to match the width of its parent. As long as the width is not forced, this behavior will take place by default.

Upon device rotation, the text box will properly resize to fill the remainder of the screen.

The slider, select, and toggle switch controls also exhibit this flex-width behavior.

Noteworthy changes

While the Phone introduces new controls that do not exist on Windows, there are some Windows controls that do not fit the overall design on Phone.

Flyout, Menu, NavBar, SearchBox, SettingsFlyout, and Tooltip do not make sense in a Windows Phone app. Likewise, BackButton is no longer needed, as there is now a back button built into the hardware. Consequently, these controls are not available in WinJS 2.1.

With that being said, there are mitigations for each unsupported control. See WinJS API changes for Windows Phone 8.1 for a complete list of API deprecations, functional changes, and optimizations.

It is worthwhile to point out that the HTML platform on Windows Phone does not support a few HTML elements that are supported on Windows. These are the context menu, message dialog, and simple tooltip. Similarly, the file upload and progress ring controls work, but are not officially supported.

Making your app universal

Adopting WinJS 2.1 in a Windows Phone app should feel seamless and familiar with work you have done in a Windows Store app with WinJS 2.0. The primary differences between versions are all about the controls, as befits the deltas between the Windows Phone and Windows user interfaces. Beyond that, the core capabilities and utilities of WinJS are identical, streamlining the development of universal apps for Windows to reach customers across devices.

Additional resources

You can learn more about WinJS on Phone from Paul Gusmorino’s Build talk, What’s new in WinJS: Windows Phone and the road ahead: https://channel9.msdn.com/Events/Build/2014/2-506

Josh Williams and Ryan Salva also gave a full coding demonstration for universal apps in Build a Converged Phone and PC App using HTML and JavaScript: http://channel9.msdn.com/Events/Build/2014/2-540

More help can also be found through the following links:

· Porting a Windows Runtime app using JavaScript to Windows Phone

· WinJS API changes for Windows Phone 8.1

· Try WinJS

· WinJS on GitHub

· WinJS Dev Center

· Building Windows Phone 8.1 Apps in HTML (Visual Studio Blog)

Also be sure to check out the new Phone and converged, universal samples:

· HTML AppBar control sample

· HTML ListView essentials sample

· HTML Pivot control sample

· HTML scrolling, panning, and zooming sample

Red Stripe Deals on glƏƏk, Shark Dash, Chuggington Puzzle Stations, and more! 17 Apr 2014, 12:52 pm

We've got 6 great new Red Stripe Deals for you on everything from the popular glƏƏk! app to games like Shark Dash, Roman Empire, Success Story, the Treasures of Montezuma 3, and Chuggington Puzzle Stations. From today until next Thursday, enjoy a 50% or more discount off the original price of these apps.*

Shark Dash! by Gameloft

Shark Dash! by Gameloft is a fantastic physics puzzler that pits plastic shark toys against a flock of rubber duckies who've invaded their bathtub. Make your way through 96 levels in 4 splashy locations including Ancient Rome and Japan. Originally $1.99, get it now for $.99 in the Windows Store.

glƏƏk!

A full-featured Twitter app for both Windows and Windows Phone, glƏƏk! is loaded with goodies like allowing you to have unlimited accounts, saving stuff to read later (integrated with Pocket), and a view of random Tweets from around the world. Of course, you also get all the stuff you'd expect like Twitter timelines, mentions, and retweets. Now on sale in the Windows Store for just $4.99 (was $9.99) and in the Windows Phone Store for just $.99 (was $1.99).

Success Story!

Build a better burger, or just a cheaper, more profitable one, and compete to turn your burger joint into a successful burger empire. Play 7 mini-games in 10 different restaurants. Originally $6.99, you can own it for $2.99 this week in the Windows Store.

The Treasures of Montezuma 3 Premium

Match tokens to reveal sparkling treasures in exotic jungle settings including five treasure rooms and 40 treasure chests. Work your way through 160 arcade levels, and 40 puzzles. Originally $3.99, get it this week for $1.99 in the Windows Store.

Roman Empire

You play the role of Caesar, and your goal is to conquer all of Europe. Starting in 735 AD, you'll build up armies and invade neighboring cities, strategize, mass, attack, and retreat, until the inevitable fall of the Roman Empire ends it all. Originally $2.99, get it this week for just $1.49 in the Windows Store.

Chuggington Puzzle Stations

From the maker of the popular BBC show for toddlers comes this puzzle game, where kids can visit 6 different train stations, complete jigsaw puzzles, find hidden objects, connect the dots, and earn special chugger cards. Get it this week for $1.99 in the Windows Store (originally $3.99). Also on sale for Windows Phone for just $.99 (originally $1.99).

Look for the latest Red Stripe Deals for Windows on the Windows Store Home page every week. For Red Stripe Deals on Windows Phone, visit the Red Stripe Deals Collection in the Windows Phone Store.

*Note that deals and apps are not available in all markets, so check your local listings.

Where’s My Water? XYY and Disney Solitaire now available in the Windows Store 17 Apr 2014, 11:06 am

It’s hard not to be a fan of Disney, especially their great games for kids of all ages. This week, there are two new games to play on your Windows devices – just in time to add to your Spring Break fun. Let’s take a look…

Where’s My Water? XYY (new):

First, jump in and join XYY, the popular Chinese TV cartoon star, in Disney’s latest physics-based game Where’s My Water? XYY. Get it now from the Windows Store and Windows Phone Store.

Where’s My Water? XYY sends you on a medieval adventure in China, helping XYY rescue his friends from an ancient underground city. Use your puzzle-solving skills to divert water, fire, and oil to defeat the clumsy Big Bad Wolf and save XYY’s friends. There’s more than 80 levels of fun, and ancient Chinese collectibles to discover that unlock bonus puzzles. $.99 for Windows Phone; $4.99 for Windows.

Disney Solitaire (new, exclusive to Windows):

Next up, take a nostalgic time-out with Disney Solitaire, which combines the classic card game with favorite Disney characters and places. Download it now from the Windows Store.

Disney Infinity: Toy Box (updated):

Want even more Disney? Then jump into the animated sandbox of Disney Infinity: Toy Box, just updated last week with new characters and capabilities. Get it now from the Windows Store.

Disney Infinity: Toy Box brings your favorite Disney characters to life in a world you create. Use Power Discs – available for purchase at retail stores or within the game itself – to add new characters and capabilities, or change the appearance of the world around you. The latest update includes new characters Phineas and Agent P from Disney Channel’s animated series Phineas and Ferb. And don’t miss out on seeing Toy Story star Buzz Lightyear as Glow in the Dark Buzz. Free to get started with in the Windows Store.

You May Soon Get a Response to Your Windows Phone App Review 17 Apr 2014, 10:58 am

Microsoft recently announced that developers would soon be able to respond to user reviews of their apps and games. This new feature allows app developers to address common questions, troubleshoot issues, understand user requests for new app capabilities and overall help ensure that users get the best app experience.

This capability is not about allowing developer to question or debate your personal opinions. In fact, developers who misuse the ability to respond to app reviews will lose the privilege. Windows Phone users are encouraged to report any questionable developer response via the reporting link in the “details” section of the app’s description (shown at left below).

Windows Phone experience:

It is also important to note that developers are not receiving your personal contact information. Responses will be delivered to you via email from Microsoft. You may then choose to a) ignore the email b) respond to the developer c) update your review or d) opt out of all future app review responses. 

Windows Phone experience:

We will do a slow and methodical roll-out of this capability so you may not notice any changes right away as it will take us several months to on-board all developers.

As always, don’t be shy about writing honest and detailed app reviews. You just might catch the attention of the app’s developer.

Respond to App Reviews: a phased rollout 17 Apr 2014, 10:51 am

At //build/ earlier this month, we announced that the option would be available for developers to respond to reviews, beginning in May. Today I want to share that we’ve taken the first step toward implementing this feature with a small private pilot program that we will expand over time. As a result, some customers may start to hear from developers in the pilot program as early as later this week. This post will summarize the program and our plans for making it more broadly available to developers.

Respond to reviews

This new capability enables developers to respond to reviews of Windows Phone apps directly from Dev Center. Once you create a response, users will receive the comment via email from Microsoft and can even contact you directly if you included your support email address in the app submission ‘Support email address’ metadata.

Dev Center:

This capability is designed to help you maintain closer contact with users to inform them of new features, bugs you’ve addressed, as well as get feedback and ideas to improve your app. This capability is not to be used for marketing and does not provide you as the developer with the user’s personal information, such as an email address.

At this time, developers will be able to respond to reviews posted from Windows Phone 8.1 devices, as well as reviews posted from any Windows Phone device in the US only.

Please keep in mind users may report developers who abuse this feature through the Report Concern form (accessible also from app details, shown below). If misused, Microsoft will revoke developer access.

Windows Phone experience:

Rollout plan

The roll-out will begin this week with a small pilot group of developers who have been pre-selected to participate. The goal of the pilot is to ensure the capability is working as designed.

Assuming all goes as planned, we’ll begin scaling up participation in May with additional developers invited to participate each month. Invitations will be prioritized based on app downloads and the pace of the roll-out will be driven by user feedback.

No action is required on your part to participate. As we scale, your developer account will automatically be enrolled in the program and you will be informed via email. We’ll also use this blog to update you on progress.

//build 2014 highlights #2: enterprise, XAML, and IE/JavaScript/web apps 16 Apr 2014, 1:26 pm

Welcome to our next installment of //build 2014 highlights! This week we’ll start with relevant sessions for enterprise developers that are rich and diverse. As we mentioned in a brief post on April 3rd, Windows 8.1 Update enables some new features for side-loaded Windows Store apps, namely local loopback and brokering between Windows Store and desktop apps and services, which open a wide range of new scenarios. These capabilities were also mentioned in the //build keynotes and are addressed fully in this session: 2-515 – Respecting Your Investments: How to Leverage Your Existing Code in a New Windows Runtime LOB App.

Additional sessions on enterprise development and deployment—including desktop apps and web apps in Internet Explorer’s Enterprise Mode—include the following:

• 2-535 – Windows Desktop Development Platform Advancements
• 2-563 – Windows Desktop Development: A Panel Discussion
• 2-559 – Better App Compat with Enterprise Mode for Internet Explorer 11
• 2-513 – Windows Phone Enterprise Management
• 2-547 – Wrap a Mobile API around your Enterprise and take Data Offline with NoSQL on Windows Phones and Tablets
• 3-571 – Building Enterprise Social Apps with Yammer
• 3-622 – Building Cross-Platform Line of Business Apps with Mobile Services
• 2-524 – Deploying and Managing Enterprise Apps
• 3-598 – Building Native Client and Mobile Apps using Azure Active Directory for Sign In
• 3-599 – Building Enterprise and SaaS Web Apps and Web APIs using Azure Active Directory for Sign In
• 2-601 – The New Authentication Model for Web, Mobile, and Cloud Applications
• 3-569 – SharePoint Power Hour – New Developer APIs and Features for Apps for SharePoint
• 2-570 – SharePoint 2013 Apps with AngularJS

Of course, many Windows developers live and breathe C# and XAML, so many of the sessions we highlighted last week related to universal apps—apps sharing much of the same code that can be published in both the Windows and Windows Phone Stores—apply here as well. To augment that list, this next collection contains those sessions specific to C# and XAML, which include development, tooling, and testing:

• 3-591 – Using Visual Studio to Build XAML Converged Apps
• 2-507 – Developing Apps using the Common XAML UI Framework
• 2-516 – What about XAML UI and Controls?
• 9-020 – What’s New for C# Developers
• 2-577 – The Future of C#
• 2-553 – XAML Platform Leadership Team: A Panel Discussion
• 9-005 – XAML, WPF, and Other Fairy Tales
• 2-537 – Navigation Model for Windows XAML Applications
• 3-545 – Quality and Performance for XAML Apps
• 3-554 – Animations in Windows Phone XAML Apps
• 3-578 – Diagnosing Issues in Windows Phone XAML Apps Using Visual Studio
• 3-589 – The Next Generation of .NET for Building Applications
• 3-593 – Automated Testing of XAML-Based Apps for Windows and Windows Phone
• 9-007 - XAML and Experience per Watt
• 9-013 - .NET Community and Open Source
• 9-014 - Optimizing .NET for Modern Hardware

And finally, we talked much at //build about writing apps with HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, which spans the range from web apps to native Windows Store app, Windows Phone 8.1 apps, and also Xbox One, not to mention ASP.NET and using Azure for your apps and sites. We also announced, as you saw on this blog last week, that the Windows Library for JavaScript, WinJS, is now open source! In short, lots of news!

Web platform (general)

• 3-508 – HTML5 Platform from Web to Apps
• 2-552 – Website and Web App Platform Leadership Team: A Panel Discussion
• 2-560 – Blending the Web with Platform Capabilities
• 2-501 – Internet Explorer as a Web Application Platform
• 3-580 – Internet Explorer 11’s Developer Tools, F12, Just Got Nicer (Again)
• 4-556 – High-Performance Web Platform: Real-World Problems and Solutions
• 3-558 – Cutting Edge Graphics in HTML
• 9-019 – What’s New for Web Developers

WinJS and Windows Store apps

• 2-506 – What's New in WinJS: The Road Ahead
• 2-540 – Building a Converged Phone and PC App using HTML and JavaScript
• 3-579 – Diagnosing Issues with Windows Phone JavaScript Apps Using Visual Studio
• 9-017 – WinJS Architecture and Design

ASP.NET, TypeScript, and tools

• 3-602 – What's New for ASP.NET and Web in Visual Studio 2013 Update 2 and Beyond
• 3-576 – TypeScript
• 3-583 – Building a Large Scale JavaScript Application in TypeScript
• 9-010 – Anders Hejlsberg Live Q&A
• 3-603 – Building Web APIs for Mobile Apps Using ASP.NET Web API 2.1
• 3-604 – Building Modern Web Applications with Visual Studio and Web Essentials
• 3-605 – Deep Dive: Improving Performance in Your ASP.NET App
• 3-644 – Building a Single Page Application with ASP.NET and AngularJS

Azure

• 3-625 – What’s New with Azure Web Sites
• 3-621 – Automation Everywhere with New SDKs, Tools, and Services in Azure
• 3-624 – Deep Dive into Hidden Gems, Tips and Tricks for Azure Web Sites
• 3-626 – Azure Web Sites: Architecting Massive-Scale Ready-For-Business Web Apps
• 2-646 – Building Azure Web Sites with Visual Studio Online “Monaco”
• 9-016 – What’s New with Azure
• 9-011 – Cloud Cover Live – Ask the Gu!

Next week: graphics, media, design, and the business of apps.

The //build Planning Team

P.S. What did you think of the //build 2014 content? What were your favorite sessions? What did you want to see but didn’t? Leave us your feedback in the comments here, and also leave session-specific feedback on the channel9 page for that session. We do read and care about your input!

Announcing the new All-in-One Media Keyboard 16 Apr 2014, 10:21 am

People love to show off their photos and videos to friends and family and a common way to do this is by connecting a device like a laptop or tablet to a TV. Today, we’re announcing the All-in-One Media Keyboard that makes it super easy to access and navigate all that content from the comfort of your couch.

The All-in-One Media Keyboard has an integrated multi-touch trackpad next to its full size keyset so you can not only type things but also swipe, drag, drop, zoom and click super easily. The All-in-One Media Keyboard connects wirelessly to your PC through its USB wireless transceiver and is made to be durable and spill resistant which is all perfect for the living room. They keyboard also has hotkeys that provide shortcuts to the most commonly used Windows features including Search and Share charms as well as media controls like play/pause and volume.

You also get 3 buttons at the top right above the trackpad that you can customize (through Microsoft Keyboard and Mouse Center) for quick access to your favorite apps – apps like Xbox Music or Video, Netflix, or Hulu for example.

Last week, I was able to try the All-in-One Media Keyboard out. I connected my Surface Pro 2 to my TV upstairs, plugged in the USB transceiver, and the keyboard worked flawlessly as I sat on my couch going through photos I had taken with my Lumia 1020 from Build in OneDrive.

The new All-in-One Media Keyboard will be available starting tomorrow April 17th online from the Microsoft Store and at retail for $39.95 (U.S.).

Windows 8.1 Update: WSUS Availability, Extended Deployment Timing 16 Apr 2014, 10:05 am

With today’s release of a solution that resolves the connectivity issues with WSUS 3.2 described here, we have now published the Windows 8.1 Update (as well as the Windows Server 2012 R2 Update and Windows Embedded 8.1 Industry Update) to Windows Server Update Services (WSUS).

For organizations using WSUS, Windows Intune, or System Center Configuration Manager for updating their Windows 8.1 computers, this means that you can now easily deploy these updates to the computers or servers you manage. For computers and servers that have already installed these updates, note that Windows Update will re-offer them but it will only install the portion of the update that addresses the fix. Other portions of the update which users have already downloaded and installed will not be downloaded or installed a second time. For more information, please read KB2959977 and the WSUS team blog for full details.

In addition, with these recent product updates we’ve taken extra steps to institute a new approach to servicing for devices running Windows 8.1 as well as Windows Server 2012 R2 and Windows Embedded 8.1 Industry to help ensure our customers’ privacy and security are protected, while providing the most optimal performance through the most up-to-date software.

As we’ve said before, Windows 8.1 Update along with the new Server and Embedded updates reflects Microsoft’s commitment to providing a more rapid cadence of feature improvements for our customers. More than ever, these updates are driven by customer feedback and the need to refine and innovate to meet their growing needs.

All future security and non-security updates will be built on these latest product updates, so existing Windows 8.1 customers (as well as Windows Server 2012 R2 and Windows Embedded 8.1 Industry customers) will need to be running these latest product updates in order to continue to receive future product improvements and security updates.

As we’ve been monitoring the release, we’ve been actively discussing this new approach to servicing with enterprise customers and listening to their feedback regarding managing the deployment timeline. As a result, we’ve decided to extend the timeframe for enterprise customers to deploy these new product updates from 30 to 120 days. In order to receive future updates, all customers managing updates using WSUS, Windows Intune, or System Center Configuration Manager have until August 12th to apply the new updates. For those that decide to defer installation, separate security updates will be published during the 120-day window.

For our consumer customers, the Windows 8.1 Update is a required update to keep Windows 8.1 devices current. It will need to be installed to receive new updates from Windows Update starting on May 13th. The vast majority of these customers already have Automatic Update turned on, so they don’t need to be concerned since the update will simply install in the background prior to May 13th. For customers managing updates on their devices manually who haven’t installed the Windows 8.1 Update prior to May 13th, moving forward they will only see the option to install the Windows 8.1 Update in Windows Update. No new updates will be visible to them until they install the Windows 8.1 Update. For customers on metered networks, they will get the same experience until they install the Windows 8.1 Update.

Lenovo announces new FLEX 2 laptops 16 Apr 2014, 9:43 am

Today, Lenovo has announced two new FLEX 2 dual-mode laptops: a 14-inch model and 15.6-inch model. These FLEX 2 dual-mode laptops have the ability to be used as a traditional laptop in “laptop mode” or to be used in “stand mode” by flipping the keyboard underneath the screen 300 degrees.

Both models will come with 10-finger multi-touch displays but select versions of these models will have a bright full HD (1920 x 1080) widescreen display. They both come with an optional backlit keyboard. On the inside, these models will be available in a couple of different options: Up to 4th generation Core i7 processor and NVIDIA GeForce graphics OR up to AMD A8 APU processor and Radeon R5 M230 graphics. They also come with three different storage options: Up to 1TB of hard drive or hybrid SSHD storage or up to 256 GB SSD storage. You get amazing audio from their stereo speaks with Dolby Advanced Audio v2 technology. And they also come with an optional dual array digital microphone that when paired with their 720p HD webcam make your video calls look awesome in Skype. Sounds pretty good to me.

The FLEX 2 14-inch and 15.6-inch will start at $799 (U.S.) and $429 (U.S.) and will be available beginning in June via Lenovo.com and retailers.

Toshiba announces new laptops including one with a 4K Ultra HD display 15 Apr 2014, 7:02 pm

Today, Toshiba has announced a bunch of new laptops that span a range of prices and performance including one that has a super high resolution 4k Ultra HD display. This range of new laptops from Toshiba give people some excellent new choices for looking at laptops for Back-to-School.

New Satellite P55t with 4K Ultra HD display:

The new Satellite P55t is designed for the creative professionals who are embracing 4K Ultra HD. Not just viewing content in 4K Ultra HD, but also creating it. I’ll start with this laptops impressive 15.6-inch display: It has four times as many pixels as a Full HD screen at whopping native 3840 x 2160 screen resolution with 282 PPI (pixels per inch). It also IPS technology for wide viewing angles. Yeah, the screen is perfect for photographers, cinematographers and graphic designers.

I mentioned this laptop is not only great at viewing super high-resolution 4K Ultra HD content – but also built to create 4K Ultra HD content. It comes with a powerful 4th generation Intel Core i7 quad core processor, up to 16GB (1600MHz DDR3L) memory and AMD Radeon R9 M265X discrete graphics with 2GB GDRR5 video memory. The Satellite P55t also comes with 1TB of storage – perfect for storing loads of HD content. It also has a 3D impact sensor, four USB 3.0 ports , a UHS-II SD card slot, 802.11ac Wi-Fi, an HDMI port capable of 4K output and an optional rewritable Blue-ray disc drive. Oh and it looks nice too with a modern and sleek design featuring edge-to-edge LCD glass, a frameless LED-backlit keyboard, a nice sized trackpad and a cool brushed aluminum finish.

The new Satellite P55t 4K Ultra HD will be available starting at $1,499.99 (U.S.) on April 22nd, 2014 direct from Toshiba.

New Satellite C and L Series laptops:

The new Satellite L Series laptops are affordable “everyday” laptops designed to accommodate a wide range of tasks – both work and play. The Satellite L Series will have two models: the 15.6-inch Satellite L55 and 17.3-inch Satellite L75. Configurations for the Satellite L Series laptops include processors from Intel and AMD, up to 12GB of memory, an optional DVD drive, 802.11n or 802.11ac for Wi-Fi, and storage options that range from 500GB to 1TB. They are also equipped with a HDMI port and a USB 3.0 port (with USB Sleep & Charge technology) and come with Toshiba’s new TruType keyboard. These laptops also have some pretty good audio with speakers tuned to Skullcandy audio specs.

The new Satellite C Series laptops focus on value and reliability for budget-conscious consumers and families and come in two models: the 15.6-inch Satellite C55 or the 17.3-inch Satellite C75. They come in a textured matte black finish. Configurations for the Satellite C Series laptops include processors from Intel and AMD, storage capacities up to 1TB, a built-in DVD drive and 10-point multi-touch displays. They also have an HDMI port, USB 3.0 ports, and a SDXC card slot

The new Satellite L Series will be available starting at $399.99 (U.S.) on June 22, 2014 at major retailers and Toshiba. The new Satellite C Series will be available starting at $329.99 (U.S.) on June 22, 2014 at major retailers and direct from Toshiba.

New Satellite S Series and E Series laptops:

The new Satellite S Series laptop comes in a stylish brushed aluminum and a thinner design. The 15.6-inch Satellite S55 is up to 29 percent thinner than the previous generation model and is only 4.6 pounds. The 17.3-inch Satellite S75 is pretty much a desktop replacement as it comes with a big screen giving you more screen real estate to do all the things you want to do. It also comes with a built in rewritable Blue-ray disc drive. The Satellite S75 is great for watching movies but also making movies too! And the Satellite E45 also comes packing an ultra-thin design measuring only 0.8 inch thick and weighing 4.6 pounds for decent portability. The Satellite S55 and E45 feature Toshiba’s new TruType keyboard that is contoured with raised keys (and optional LED backlighting). The Satellite S55 and E45 can also be configured with an HD (1366 x 768) or Full HD (1920 x 1080) display (the Satellite S55t and E45t models can be configured with a 10-point touchscreen – “t” for “touch”, right?). The Satellite S75 can be configured with an HD+ (1600 x 900) or Full HD display.

On the inside, the Satellite S Series and E Series can be configured with powerful 4th generation Intel Core i5 or i7 dual-core processors, up to 16GB (DDR3L 1600MHz) memory and up to 1TB of storage. Additionally, the Satellite S55 also supports the AMD A10 APU and the Satellite S55 and S75 can be configured with optional AMD Radeon M7 M260 discrete graphics that has 2GB of video memory. In short, the new Satellite S Series and E Series are sleek with amazing performance.

These laptops also come with full array of like an HDMI port capable of 4K output (certain models) and dual USB 3.0 ports (one that has USB Sleep & Charge technology for charging things like your phone when the laptop is powered down). Select Satellite S Series laptops also include 802.11ac Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 4.0.

The new Satellite S Series will be available starting at $698.99 (U.S.) on June 22nd, 2014 at major retailers and direct from Toshiba. The new Satellite E Series will be available starting at $649.99 (U.S.) also on June 22nd, 2014 exclusively at Best Buy and BestBuy.com.

DualShot developer plans to increase reach, reduce dev time with Windows Phone 8.1 15 Apr 2014, 9:00 am

“The potential to increase reach across platforms while actually reducing development time makes [Windows Phone 8.1] the most developer-centric release I have witnessed from Microsoft.”

Canadian developer and Microsoft MVP, Sébastien Lachance has been using the Windows 8.1 SDK for two months now and it is his wish come true, he says. The benefits of the converged app model built into the platform afford him the luxury of writing code only once for two major platforms and maximizing outreach potential. Lachance accrued 100,000 downloads for his smash hit app, DualShot, within the first month of its launch and he is eager to take advantage of the Windows Phone 8.1 release to enhance the capabilities of his other apps and to expand their reach. I caught up with him to learn about how he intends to make his apps even more successful on Windows Phone 8.1.

What about the Windows Phone 8.1 release excites you the most?

Having developed for Windows Store and Windows Phone, I know that having to learn only one global set of APIs will help me and a lot of other developers specialize in developing for the Windows platform. The efficacy that this adds to the development process is exponential.

Another benefit of the converged app model is that it will be easier to share and reuse code. Windows Phone and Windows apps now use majority of the same unified controls [both in XAML for apps written in C# and in HTML/WinJS for apps written in JavaScript] and there are now few excuses not to port an app from Windows Phone to Windows and vice-versa. In doing so, the potential to increase reach across platforms while actually reducing development time makes this the most developer centric release I have witnessed from Microsoft.

Also, as a long time user of C# and Visual Studio, I can easily focus on the functionality and user experience instead of the nuts and bolts of making my app work. A variety of free libraries, code snippets, and frameworks make my job easier as well.

Moving forward, I plan to develop on Windows Phone 8.1 exclusively because I’ll be able to develop for two platforms at the same time and market my app on both platforms more easily, thus expanding my reach.

Can you talk more about the success of DualShot and how you plan to use the Windows Phone 8.1 release to take your app to greater levels of success?

I think DualShot offers unique value to its users by allowing them to capture both sides of every story—the one in front of the camera and the one behind. DualShot further integrates with social media, allowing users to share both angles of their pictures with their friends and loved ones online.

While working on an app, I always start with a question: Can I create a mobile application that will make a certain human task more efficient? It’s with this in mind that I created my first two apps—Bridge Companion and Ultimate Poker Manager—to help users track their scores when playing the card games.

In addition to its focus on developers, I believe that the Windows Phone 8.1 release focuses on delivering apps that provide a richer and more effective experience for the user. So the platform aligns strongly with the way I approach app development. Specifically, I love the Windows Phone Live Tile feature and the ability to present actual information from inside the app on an icon on the user’s Start screen. With Windows Phone 8.1, the number of tile templates has exploded and I’m looking forward to using them.

Once you attract a new user, though, you have to retain that user, and providing a good experience is crucial. Most applications are used only once, so it is important to “wow” the user on the very first use. Windows Phone 8.1 provides plenty of features to engage and retain users. The ones I intend to use are the Action Center and the people hub extensibility for social apps.

The ability to engage users using rich features that the Windows platform offers allows us developers to focus on adding value to the users and reduce focus on marketing.

What is your advice for other developers?

Regardless of market success, a developer has to be happy using his or her own app. Developers should also beta test and—build more apps! Apps breed apps—by making more apps and having a diverse portfolio, I’ve secured more contracts.

Developers using Windows Phone 8.1 should make sure their apps look good at all resolutions. Personally, I’d prefer to have an app with fewer features that looks good on my device; I think that applies to most users. You can always add new features via updates.

Follow me (@ArchieCoder) on Twitter!

A new spin on Angry Birds – play from the Pigs’ perspective in Bad Piggies 14 Apr 2014, 2:11 pm

The Pigs are after the Angry Birds’ eggs again—but as usual, nothing is going according to plan. In Bad Piggies, it’s up to you to help them create the ultimate machine to fly, crawl, roll, spin or crash them safely to their destination. Download the game now from the Windows Phone Store for $.99.

With more than 200 levels to play, enjoy your fill of pig-flying, crashing, and exploding. To pass each level, you’ll have to build just the right machine and steer it successfully. It might take multiple attempts to achieve all the objectives for each level, but figuring it out is part of the fun. And once you get three stars on every level, you’ll unlock 36 more puzzles.

Give Windows Phone 8.1 a try via Windows Phone Preview for Developers 14 Apr 2014, 12:30 pm

Today, you can now install Windows Phone 8.1 on your phone through the Windows Phone Preview for Developers and try out a lot of the awesomeness we announced two weeks ago at Build. To do this, follow the instructions here on the Dev Center. I suggest reading the important notes on the instructions page before opting your phone in to receive Windows Phone 8.1. For more details, head on over and read this blog post from Cliff Simpkins.

For developers, we also announced that today the Dev Center is now open for now open for Windows Phone 8.1 and universal Windows app submissions.

Dev Center now open for Windows Phone 8.1 and universal Windows app submissions 14 Apr 2014, 11:53 am

I’m Keith and I manage the engineering teams accountable for the Dev Center experience. Over the past few months the team has been hard at work enabling the universal Windows app experience announced at //build/ 2014. If you haven’t already, I’d like to encourage you to download Visual Studio Update 2 RC to get started developing apps for Windows Phone 8.1 and download the Windows Phone Preview for Developers announced earlier today to test your Windows Phone 8.1 apps. You might also check out this article to help you get started.

Today I’m pleased to announce the opening of the Windows Phone Dev Center for publishing your Windows Phone 8.1 apps and for linking your Windows and Windows Phone apps to create universal Windows apps. Today’s release also includes enhancements to address your feedback. We’re listening to your suggestions and identified a few areas to improve your experience with the Dev Center in this release.

The Windows Phone Dev Center roll-out has begun and you should start seeing updates and new features later today. And later this week we will release an update to the Windows Dev Center. Let’s take a look at the key features.

New shared features across Windows Phone and Windows Dev Center

1. Linking Windows Store and Windows Phone apps to create a universal Windows app: Linking provides a ‘get once and download for all compatible Windows devices’ customer experience, which we expect to increase both paid and free app downloads across device types. For those of you integrating in-app purchase, the linked app experience extends to durable in-app offers that use the same identifier in both Stores. Linking is accomplished by using the same reserved names for the app in both Stores, and is not limited to Windows Phone 8.1 apps. In fact, existing or new Windows Phone apps may be linked to Windows 8.0 or 8.1 apps. Click here to learn more. The images below illustrates what users will see when your apps are linked.

If your Windows Phone app has an 8.1 package, you get two additional benefits from linking your apps – the ability to roam application data across phones, tablets and PCs, and a single notification channel via Windows Push Notification Services (WNS).

2. App name reservation: Developers now have the ability to reserve names for new Windows Phone apps for up to 12 months in advance of release (this capability is already available for Windows Store). If you are an existing Windows Phone developer you can continue to update your apps without reserving a name, until you decide to add a Windows Phone 8.1 package. And, once you update to Windows Phone 8.1, your apps may keep the current display name even if the name has been reserved for another app in the Windows Phone Store. Learn more about name reservation.

3. Credit card validation no longer required: Last November we released unified registration enabling developers to register for one account to submit apps to both the Windows Store and Windows Phone Store. In the next few days with the availability of the Windows Dev Center, we are simplifying that experience by no longer requiring a credit card for identity validation during registration and enabling PayPal as a registration payment and renewal option (in markets where PayPal is currently supported).

4. Consolidated price tiers: Last week we rolled out a single set of price tiers across Stores to simplify pricing and support universal Windows apps. This consolidated pricing is applicable for paid apps and in-app purchase and expands Windows developer opportunity with the addition of US$0.99 and $1.29 (USD) price tiers to Windows Store; apps priced in this range represent 55% of Windows Phone transactions today. In addition to consolidation, we also adjusted for local factors including changes in foreign exchange rates, taxes and market-specific pricing options. The new price tiers are live now for all apps and may impact your current app pricing. You’ll want to visit Dev Center to review your app pricing and make any necessary adjustments. 

5. Consistent certification policies: Like price tiers, uniform app policies help to support universal Windows apps. With this release we’ve harmonized app certification policies across Stores and you’ll want to take a moment to review them.

New for Windows Phone Dev Center

In addition to the features shared by both Stores, we made some enhancements to the Windows Phone Dev Center to support Windows Phone 8.1, as well as simplify and accelerate app submission.

1. Windows Phone 8.1 package submissions: Developers have a choice to continue using the Silverlight platform updated with new features in the Windows Phone 8.1 SDK (package type: xap) or use the Windows Runtime platform to maximize code re-use across their apps for phones, tablets and PCs (package type: appx, appxbundle). What’s next for Windows Phone 8 developers is a great resource for comparing the two options. Click here to learn more about some important points related to Windows Phone 8.1 submissions.

2. One app, multiple packages: Existing Windows Phone 7.1 and 8.0 apps in the Windows Phone Store will automatically be made available to Windows Phone 8.1 devices without any developer action required. We encourage you to add a Windows Phone 8.1 package to existing app to take advantage of features introduced in Windows Phone 8.1. 

3. Simplified package targeting: For apps that have more than one package, platform version is used to target a package to a given phone. For example, if an app has a Windows Phone 8.0 package, it will be offered to both Windows Phone 8 and Windows Phone 8.1 devices. Once the app is updated with an additional 8.1 package, the 8.0 package will only be offered to Windows Phone 8 devices while the 8.1 package will be offered to Windows Phone 8.1 devices. Click here to learn more.

4. Redesigned Dev Center: We heard from you that the documentation you were looking for was at times hard to find and that the site itself was not intuitive to navigate. At //build/ we rolled out a new approach to documentation that provides one consolidated set of documents for Windows devices and today we’re showcasing a new redesigned Dev Center that over time we will integrate across properties.

5. Reduced certification times: In the event you didn’t see the news earlier, we rolled out enhancements to the Windows Phone app certification workflow that in most cases reduces certification times to a few hours vs. days. Over time we will continue to make improvements and reduce certification times for Windows developers as well.

Coming soon, new Windows Dev Center features

This month we are also launching enhancements specific to the Windows Dev Center, to improve flexibility in app submission and pricing.

1. Promotional pricing: This feature gives developers the ability to set app pricing with specific start and end dates. This feature is extremely useful for scenarios such as reduced pricing during a holiday season or promotional period.

2. Pre-submission validation checks: A common reason for app certification failure is the lack of a privacy policy in the app listing data or Settings charm. We know this can be frustrating, so we added a check to alert you to provide a privacy policy before submission, if necessary. We will now also automatically put the privacy policy you provide with your app in the Settings charm.

3. Touch-enabled device targeting: You can define, during app submission, whether an app requires a touch-enabled device. If you indicate touch is required, your app will not be shown on the Windows Store Live tile and will be filtered from the ‘Spotlight’ and ‘Picks for You’ sections of the Store for non-touch devices. These apps will be visible in lists such as ‘top free’ to properly reflect Store app ranking. If a user decides to install these apps to a PC that is detected to not have touch capability, a warning will be displayed that the necessary hardware to properly run the app is not available. If the user decides to move ahead with the install, the ability to rate or review the app will not be available.

To learn more, I encourage you to view the Windows Phone and Windows: Dev Center and App Submission Deep Dive session from //build 2014. We recognize we have more work to do and you can expect regular updates from me as we roll out additional enhancements and changes. We want to hear your feedback, as it guides us on where to focus our efforts to provide you with the best Dev Center experience.

Updated Volume License Media Available Today for Windows, Windows Server, and Windows Embedded 14 Apr 2014, 10:19 am

Today on the Volume License Service Center (VLSC) we released the media for:

• Windows 8.1 with Windows 8.1 Update integrated
• Windows Server 2012 R2 with Windows Server 2012 R2 Update integrated
• Windows Embedded 8.1 Industry with Windows Embedded 8.1 Industry Update

This is the final part of the release cycle that included  the release via MSDN on the 2nd and Windows Update on the 8th. The VLSC and MSDN updated media does not contain the complete set of fixes that are offered from Windows Update. Therefore, Windows Update and WSUS will offer the Update again to devices that are deployed by using this media. This is expected and does not result in the full reinstallation of the Update but only a small component of it. The rest of the update will not be downloaded or reinstalled.

Separately we have discovered an issue with the VSLC and MSDN media that will impact a very small number of our customers using Windows Server Update Services (WSUS) with very specific settings to keep their devices updated. If affected, the devices will not receive future updates released by Microsoft. This issue will only impact customers utilizing WSUS configured in the following very specific, non-default way:

• WSUS 3.2 running on the following affected platforms: Windows Server 2003 SP2, or Windows Server 2003 R2 SP2, or Windows Server 2008 SP2, or Windows Server 2008 R2 SP1.
• HTTPS and Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) are enabled on the WSUS server
• TLS 1.2 is not enabled on the server
• The device running Windows 8.1 Update or Windows Server 2012 R2 Update or Windows Embedded 8.1 Industry Update, installed using media from MSDN or VLSC attempts to scan against the WSUS server.

If you have this configuration then we recommend that you read KB2959977 for remediation guidance.

Windows Phone 8.1 now available on Windows Phone Preview for Developers 14 Apr 2014, 5:00 am

Starting today, you can update your personal dev phone(s) to run Windows Phone 8.1 using the Windows Phone Preview for Developers program . Along with the tooling delivered in Visual Studio 2013 Update 2 RC, developers can now get everything they need to start building and testing Windows Phone apps and universal Windows apps. Even better, Windows Phone Store is also starting to accept app submissions and to enable app linking today – enabling you to bring the universal Windows app experience to your beta users and consumers.

To update your Windows Phone 8 device to 8.1, you will need to download the app and opt into the program (the process is outlined on the Windows Phone Dev Center); if your phone is already opted in, then all you should need to do is head over to your phone’s settings and check for an update.

Windows Phone Preview for Developers program

The Windows Phone Preview program, introduced last October, gives our developer community access to prerelease builds of Windows Phone updates before the operating system updates are made generally available to consumers. We make these updates available to you to enable on-device testing, and to enable you to build and test platform capabilities not present in the emulator.

For the majority of developers, we know that it is critical for you to see your app running on a physical phone prior to submitting to the Store. For me, I try to use my app on a device for 3-4 days before submitting updates to the Store. My emulator-based testing typically is focused on functional testing (does the code work as designed), while my on-phone testing tells me more about the app’s real-world usability (e.g., touch target sizing, load times).

Beyond testing, there are a number of app scenarios that just can’t be done using the emulator alone. Most of these scenarios involve device sensors like Bluetooth, NFC, and the camera. But these also involve scenarios including app-to-app communication (when integrating with third-party apps that you need to install from the Store) or using phone capabilities like voice.

Participation requirements for the Windows Phone Preview program are the same as last fall. In order to opt your phone into the program, you must meet one of the following three criteria: (a) you’re a registered developer on the Windows Phone Dev Center, or (b) you’re a registered developer with Windows App Studio, or (c) your phone is developer unlocked (which anyone can do using the developer phone registration tool, which is included as part of the Windows Phone tooling). As mentioned above, check out the Windows Phone Preview Program for Developers page for full details. If you have any further questions or encounter an issue while updating your phone, we have a team of update experts monitoring the program’s support forums – ask a question in the support forum, and someone should be able to help you out.

New reference app: MSDN Voice Search

Speaking of voice (see what I did there?), the Bing Conversational Understanding team released a new reference app today – the MSDN Voice Search app– that demonstrates how to integrate your app into the new contextual voice capabilities available in Windows Phone 8.1.

The app itself is very simple and straight-forward, surfacing the vast MSDN documentation library to you from the Cortana experience. Once you have the app installed, ask ‘MSDN, what are universal Windows apps?’ while in Cortana and she’ll launch the MSDN Voice Search app and help you find an answer.

For more information, check out the Bing Dev blog post on integrating Store Apps with Cortana (and don't forget to grab the app's source code to see how they made the magic happen). For more detailed WPDev 'how to', also check out the Speech Dev Center and the recorded session from Build.

Start your app engines!

With today’s release, you now have everything you need to get started building for Windows Phone 8.1: the tools are live, you can update your phone, and we have a ton of great Build session content availableto help you get started. If you haven’t already, I highly recommend you head over to the Download Center and install the new Visual Studio update tooling.

To help you cross the last mile getting your apps published to Windows Phone 8.1, the Store is now open to link and publish your apps, and Windows is sponsoring over 60 //publish/ events hosted around the globe next month. The //publish/ events will be a great opportunity to be part of the global WPDev community, as well as get some last minute advice on your phone and universal Windows app(s). If you haven’t already registered for a local //publish/ event, check out the //publish/ website and find the one closest to you.

We’re excited to see what you’re going to build with all the new goodness that’s in the Windows Phone 8.1 release; feel free to chime in below or using the #wpdev hashtag on Twitter to share your thoughts with the community.

Update: 9am Pacific: I added a link to the WP Preview Program for devs support forum; 11am: Added links to the Bing blog entry and source code for the MSDN Voice app

Now live: Consolidated price tiers to support universal Windows apps, may impact your app pricing 12 Apr 2014, 11:13 am

This week we began rolling out the behind the scenes infrastructure changes in support of announcements at last week’s //build/ conference.  This includes the consolidated price tier structure, which is the first change that will be noticeable to you, as your app prices may have changed as a result.  We’re making changes to the price tiers to achieve two goals:

1) Simplify app pricing for developers by providing a single set of price tiers across Windows and Windows Phone, necessary to support universal Windows apps

2) Increase developer opportunity by adding $0.99 and $1.29 (USD) price points for Windows; apps priced in this range represent 55% of Windows Phone paid transactions today

In addition to the consolidation, we also made adjustments for local factors including changes in foreign exchange rates, taxes and market-specific pricing customs.  This is an action we take periodically.  You can expect to see some changes in your app pricing, in some cases lower and in others higher.  We encourage you to visit Dev Center to review your app pricing and make any necessary adjustments. 

You can expect to see additional changes next week, so watch this blog for more information.  And, please provide your feedback.  A great way to do this is via our developer feedback site. 

Updated 4/17: pricing includes both the pricing of paid apps and in-app purchase.