Sunday, September 16, 2012 at 4:16PM Nothing major, just an update to the Calendar chapter. I did a first draft of the appointments section, but not much else. It's about 17 pages including the figures, so maybe just half that without.
This part of the chapter was written offline as well, on my return flight from Las Vegas yesterday. So I'll need to look a few things up and make corrections/additions here and there.
Thursday, September 13, 2012 at 7:31PM I flew to Las Vegas today so I used part of my time on the plane to write a small part of the chapter about the Calendar app. This amounts to about 7 pages in Word, including some placeholder screenshots, so it’s really only about 3-4 pages long. But I’ve plugged in how I think the rest of the chapter will unfold, so it should give you a pretty good idea of where this is heading.
A couple of notes.
This is just the first pass at what could be maybe 20-25 percent of the whole chapter.
It’s rough, of course. I haven’t really edited it in any meaningful way.
I’m using highlighted to text as a placeholder for future hyperlinks/reminders about sections and/chapters that reference other sections that don’t exist yet. There are also a few things I needed to look up, since I was offline when I wrote this.
Take a look, let me know what you think, and feel free to submit any ecomments/requests/questions/whatever. The comments section here is best, but you can email as well if you’d prefer.
Monday, September 10, 2012 at 4:39PM Plotting out the book topic list this past weekend on flights home from New Zealand, it occurred to me that I need to start writing the darn thing too. I mean, anyone can announce that they’re going to change the way they publish books. But the trick is to actually write the book.
And you have to start somewhere.
Windows Phone 8 is a tough topic currently because it’s not available yet. I don’t have a device, though I do have a leaked copy of the SDK, which provides some clues, but not enough to base chapters of new information. So for the first chapter (or perhaps “topic” depending on how the structure pans out), I figured it made sense to stick with something that was somewhat substantial (i.e. not Calculator) but not likely to change too much between the current version of the product, Windows Phone 7.5, and the next.
I chose Calendar.
Now, I should warn you up front: I tend to write in a, well, non-linear fashion. So I may move on and off Calendar in the days ahead, and like everything else in the book, this topic will need to be readdressed and updated over time as the Calendar app (in this case) in Windows Phone 8 is updated. (Assuming it is.) But ... yeah, let’s start with Calendar.
I’ve written a lot about the Windows Phone Calendar app in the past, both on the SuperSite for Windows and of course in Windows Phone Secrets. I won’t be referring to that work while writing this chapter, however, and that will be the case throughout the book: This is all-new content, period. I won’t be plagiarizing myself. But that also means I’ll need held here as elsewhere to make sure I’m giving this topic the right amount of coverage.
This will be easier once I’ve actually written text for the book, but my notes for this chapter currently includes a super-set of the following:
Introduction – Calendar is part of Outlook Mobile
Accounts integration – Microsoft account, Outlook, Google, Facebook
Understanding the user experience
Calendars and meetings (appointments)
Create and mange appointments
Multiple calendar support
Facebook events
Quick events
To-do list
Live tile
Notifications
Meeting features: Running late, see who’s attending
Integration with Mail (view and respond to meeting requests in email) and Lync (join conference call from a calendar meeting)
Integration with Maps (address for meeting links to a map)
Integration with Speech (press and hold Start button and say “Open Calendar”)
Anyway, I’ll get started on this chapter this week. As always, things change once the writing begins, but you have to start somewhere.
Sunday, September 9, 2012 at 11:48AM Armed with the information from the Windows Phone Summit, it’s time to take another stab at the TOC, or Table of Contents. I’ll be referencing my notes from the Summit, which are available in three separate blog posts, Windows Phone Summit Notes, Part 1, Windows Phone Summit Notes, Part 2: Demo, and Windows Phone Summit Notes, Part 3: Deep-Dive Demo.
You may recall from TOC: First Thoughts that I had constructed what I described as a rough and complete feature list rundown, which I honed into a general list of topic areas. I tried to push that into an early TCO but didn’t really like how it was turning out. So let’s start with the topics list and see whether we can add information from the Summit to that list. (We also need to take into account feedback from the comments to those earlier posts.)
So we started with this:
Accounts
General User Experience
Personalization – Including personal suggestions service and Data Aware
Phone and People
Messaging
Calendar
Internet
Music, Videos, and Podcasts
Games
Office
Parental Controls
Photos and Camera
Maps and Local Scout
Utilities – Alarm, Calculator, etc.
Business Use – Side loading, policies
Looking through the Summit notes (and the feedback), we can plug in a few more items (in bold)…
Why Windows Phone?
Choosing the Right Handset
Migrating from Android or iOS
Accounts – with services integration
General user experience
Personalization – Including personal suggestions service – Software updating?
Sharing as a general topic? NFC, Email, social networks, Messaging. Etc.
Phone and People
Messaging
Calendar
Internet
Music, Videos, and Podcasts
Games
Office
Windows Phone Store
Security and Parental Controls
Photos and Camera
Maps and Local Scout – Locations services
Skype and VoIP apps and services (part of Phone?)
Wallet (and NFC for Wallet)
PC/device/Xbox/phone integration – Companion apps, sync, etc. Bluetooth peripherals here?
Utilities – Alarm, Calculator, etc.
Networking – cellular with Data Aware, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, ad hoc for games/apps
Business and enterprise features – Side loading, policies, Company Hub, etc.
While that’s still not the full topic list and is certainly not in any kind of order that makes sense, you can see that the topic list has expanded dramatically even though there are just high level items. There’s a lot of stuff there. So before moving on my notes from the leaked Joe B. video from early this year, let’s see if there’s a way to break this down into a simpler organizational structure.
Some of this stuff could be considered backgrounder-type material, or chapters/topics that have little or nothing to do with actually using the phone. For example, the following items from the list above might logically be put into a preliminary, background section up-front in the book:
Getting Started or Before Your Buy (or whatever)
Why Windows Phone?
Choosing the Right Handset
Windows Phone and Accounts
Migrating from Android or iOS
After that, there are some topics that seem to be about general usage. So you’re using the phone, but still getting to know how it works. Perhaps…
Getting Around Windows Phone (or whatever)
Metro: The Windows Phone User Experience
Personalizing Windows Phone
Sharing with Others
There’s a bunch of chapters about apps and games. But maybe the phone and MMS stuff should be up front, and perhaps bundled with other (new but) core functionality
More Than Just a Phone (or whatever)
People
Phone, Skype and VoIP
Messaging
Maps, Local Scout, and Location Services
Wallet
Do we handle apps and games together as below? Or do functional sections (productivity, entertainment) make more sense?
Apps and Games
Calendar
Internet Explorer
Music + Videos (or Music, Podcasts, TV Shows, and Movies)
Pictures + Camera
Office + OneNote
Windows Phone Utility Apps
Windows Phone Store
Games (plus Xbox integration?)
And then we have four or five more areas that sort of don’t go together. Advanced topics? Taking it to the next level?
Advanced Windows Phone (Probably not: You need to know about this stuff)
Integrating with PCs and devices
Security and Parental Controls
Networking
Windows Phone at Work: Business Features
As with the first pass at this, I’m not satisfied with the structure. I think that Apps + Games bit needs to go, and be replaced by functional sections (productivity, entertainment, and so on) for starters. That last bit is a mess too, and those chapters/topics need to find homes that make sense.
Still. It’s a start. And even in this rough second pass, with a few small changes I think we’re at something that, while not quite there, is starting to look like a book…
Getting Started
Why Windows Phone?
Choosing the Right Handset
Windows Phone and Accounts
Migrating from Android or iOS
Understanding Your New Phone
Metro: The Windows Phone User Experience
Personalizing Windows Phone
Sharing with Others
More Than a Phone
People (and Me?)
Phone, Skype and VoIP
Messaging
Maps, Local Scout, and Location Services
Wallet
Windows Phone Store and the Apps Ecosystem
Productivity Apps
Calendar
Internet Explorer
Office + OneNote
Windows Phone Utility Apps
Entertainment Apps and Games
Music + Videos
Pictures + Camera
Games
Windows Phone for Kids (Parental Controls)
Taking It to the Next Level
Integrating with PCs and devices
Security and Networking
Windows Phone at Work: Business Features
So. What’s wrong with it? What’s missing?
Friday, September 7, 2012 at 4:56PM Finishing up my new notes for the Windows Phone Summit from back in June, we hit on the final part of the event, which features Kevin Gallo, who runs the developer platform part of the Windows Phone team. This portion of the event promised more technical specifics around the platform capabilities that Microsoft announced at the June event.
Remember that if you want to follow along, the video version of the event is available on the web or via the Microsoft Keynotes podcast on Zune Marketplace. The Kevin Gallo portion starts at about the 1:06 mark.
Gallo starts off by covering the agenda for his part of the speech. This includes three core bits: A technical overview of the shared Windows core, an early preview of the developer platform, and new platform support for business and enterprise. Since Windows Phone Book (as I currently think of it) is for end users, I’m going to cherry-pick relevant details only from the first two parts of this talk, for background. But obviously the new business stuff is high up on the interest list.
Shared Windows Core
Kernel – Drivers, security, networking, graphics and media, and developer platform layered on top
Based on the state of the art Windows 8 kernel – better scalability (multi-core) and proven robustness
Share the Windows device driver model – A single device driver for phones, tablets, and PCs – graphics, etc.
Hardware-based security of Windows – never regret installing an app because it cannot affect other apps, other apps’ data, or the OS itself. When you remove an app, it’s gone. Your content is also under your control—photos, videos, music, contacts, etc.—you share when you choose only, and only those apps you want to have access.
Networking – IPv6, NFC – Improved Bluetooth support. (need to look into this: BT support on WP7.x is lackluster, only supports a subset of available BT profiles.)
Graphics and media – HW accelerated Direct3D for graphics and for the media foundation – audio and video playback and recording. Highest fidelity possible.
Dev platform – share more code between Windows and WP than before. Native code, .NET code. Windows Phone 8 includes the same .NET version that ships in the Windows 8 desktop. New compile in the cloud feature that lets apps install and run faster on user’s phones.
Shared core benefits everyone
Developer platform – will just mention those things that impact end users here – like multitasking improvements and new speech platform
Native code
Enables amazing games – casual or hardcore
Will speed arrival of high quality games on WP8 – can port from other platforms: Windows, Android, iOS
Some game makers that will be brining games to WP8: Gameloft (Asphalt Heat 7, Nova 3) and Big Fish (Fairway Solitaire)
Demo of game – in-app purchase system
Complete gaming platform on WP8
But native code is also about non-games … apps. Portability. Share code between Winows 8 and WP8. Or from Android and iOS.
Which parts of Windows 8 are identical to developers in Windows Phone 8: Graphics, Audio, Media, File System, Networking, Input, Commerce, Base Types, Sensors
Multitasking – new features added in WP8
Two discussed here:
VoIP and video chat deeply integrated into the OS – VoIP call (Skype, third party) looks and feels just like any normal phone call. Runs over lock, etc. Also integrats with phone features like audio routing (BT headset, hands free in-car, will just work) and run over lock. VoIP apps can run in the background. Notification toasts will trigger normally, etc. Isn’t just for Skype: Any third party app can do this.
Second, background location.
Apps that use location can now run in the background. Navigation apps. Find a restaurant but get a text message. Look at it but continue to get directions. Now works in WP8. On device apps and third party apps. Respects battery life, end user experience.
Video demo includes a few interesting bits. Conversations with apps – use the new speech platform to speak to apps. Asks questions. You can answer (yes, no, etc.).
Speech always integral to WP. Launch apps since 7.0.
Demo – worked with Audible to enable speech on their audiobook app. In app, tap mic button in app bar, wait for speech beep and then talk. “Audible … play game of thrones.” “Next chapter.” “Pause.”
Not just app launching. Give it commands. Control behavior.
More complex: “Search.” WP: Heard you say search. What would you like to search for? “Apollo.” WP: I found one title in your library. [Boot title.] Would you like to listen to it? “Yes.”
Basically had a conversation with the app. Two way interactive conversation. Not just with phone. But with app. Available to all developers.
Compatibility – WP7.5 apps will run on Windows Phone 8.
Enterprise support
Complete security platform: Secure boot, full device encryption using BitLocker technologies (like Windows RT)
Flexible app distribution model – business controlled, determine which apps can be installed as well as how to distribute: On prem, cloud-based, up to the company
Device management support for large enterprises (only)
Company hub introduced – Just an app, allows each co to personalize the experience for their employees. They control the app. Which apps to highlight and communicate. Ex: Microsoft’s IT department. Pivots: My Apps (apps the user has installed: Microsoft IT Showcase, My Library, Office Talk, plus get more apps link), Apps for Me (Highlighted apps: MS Time Off, Get Ready, MS Path Finder, DriveTime Player…), News Headlines (company news tiles), Alert Center (Password changes, etc.), My Profile (self service IT area). Installing an app from hub: links to standard Windows Phone Marketplace landing page for app with Install and Share buttons … But it’s completely customizable by every company. (Not sure if that’s true per se.) Install the app. The app does not come from the Marketplace. It comes from the company’s IT infrastructure. (This will require some further research obviously.) Installed, runes normally. Will provide templates and guidance for companies that want to do this.
Wrapping up Gallo portion.
Terry Myerson back, talks hardware a bit
At launch, four hardware OEMs – Nokia, Samsung, HTC, and Huawei. All running on next-generation Qualcomm platform.
Truly global launch: Windows Phone 8 will ship in 50 languages with apps available in over 180 countries. 25 more countries than Apple. Not just a translation but deeply local experiences.
Software updates – our entire ecosystem has been challenged here. Getting new sw out a challenge. Working with partners to do this better. Path that puts the consumer first. Found it with WP8: First step is, all sw updates will be delivered over the air. (Currently all basically required Zune PC software and PC sync.) MS will support every device with updates for at least 18 months from the launch of that device. And third, MS will have a program where “registered enthusiasts” can get early access to updates before any broad consumer push.
Windows Phone 8 will only run on new devices. Not on existing devices. An update for WP 7.5 customers called WP7.8 will provide the new Start experience.
Nokia bit occurs. Not relevant to Windows Phone 8.