Maps + Location 0.2

Here is a second update to the Maps + Location chapter in Paul Thurrott’s Guide to Windows Phone 8. This chapter was previously split off from the Search chapter and will in fact be heavily revised again in a future update to cover the Nokia HERE Maps and Drive/Drive+ apps. This version covers Bing Maps and Local Scout.

This update in fact represents a rough first draft of this chapter, as it will stand in the initial 1.0 version of the book. In a future 1.1 version of the book, I will update it to cover those Nokia HERE apps as well. This is sort of a cheap way to help “finish” the initial version of the book in some ways. But since my family will be traveling in Europe soon, I thought it would be interesting for the Nokia HERE Maps and Drive/Drive+ apps coverage to include some slightly more exotic areas than we see here in Dedham.

This was originally part of a chapter I worked on very early in the process, back in late 2012. When I split off Search from Maps/Local Scout as part of a TOC reorg, I didn’t update it to support the task-based approach, and while I issued a single earlier revision of the chapter, there were no actual substantive updates. So this version of the chapter is significantly updated, with the task-based approach seen elsewhere in the book plus a lot of new content.

I’m getting pretty close to the finish line now, temporary though it may be. All I need to do now, I think, is finish a final update to the User Experience chapter and then go through the full book one last time. That’s 1.0.

Feedback is always appreciated. This one is probably pretty rough.

Download Maps + Location 0.2 (24 page PDF, 2.54 MB)

Download Windows Phone Book 0.066 (610 page PDF, 38.1 MB)

Windows Phone User Experience 0.2

Here’s a second update to the chapter “The Windows Phone User Experience” in Paul Thurrott’s Guide to Windows Phone 8. This update includes several addition new sections and is nearly complete.

I get really bored by the introductory topics, but this one is at least coming together quickly. This update adds the sections Use the multi-touch screen, Understand the hardware buttons, and Understand common software interfaces, which are part of the basic navigation stuff. Since the Personalization section was previously written, there are just two short bits to write about the Start experience and apps and hubs.

That said, I’ll probably have to move some things around. I’m sure I’m missing something basic here.

Regardless, I should be able to finish this up soon and move on to the Maps + Location chapter, which will need significant updating. Random tidbit: The book is now over 600 pages long in Word/PDF form.

More soon. Feedback is always appreciated.

Download The Windows Phone User Experience 0.2 (28 page PDF, 2.6 MB)

Download Windows Phone Book 0.065 (602 page PDF, 37 MB)

First Draft of Getting Started Chapter is Complete

The first draft version of Chapter 1: Getting Started in Paul Thurrott’s Guide to Windows Phone 8 is now complete. This update includes an opening section about configuring a Microsoft account and some other small changes.

Nothing major in this one: Since most people have Microsoft accounts now, less introductory material is required than in the past (in, say, Windows Phone Secrets from three years ago). One item I’ve put aside for a future (post-1.0) version of the book is a discussion around two-step authentication and using an Authenticator app with Windows Phone 8, which will be quite important going forward. But hopefully the rest of the material is the right combination of deep and brief. I’m trying not to beat topics to death.

I made a few minor changes and added a few references to the Lumia 1020, since that device changes a few things from a hardware specification standpoint, as well.

Looking forward, there is one more chapter (2: The Windows Phone User Experience) that needs to be completed, and then I need to update Chapter 8: Maps + Location to cover the Nokia HERE location apps. Aside from a short introduction, that’s it for the first edition of what used to be called Windows Phone Book. I’m still hoping to finish it up this month.

Feedback is always appreciated.

Download Getting Started 0.4 (32 page PDF, 1.71 MB)

Download Windows Phone Book 0.064 (589 page PDF, 35.7 MB)

Getting Started 0.3

Here’s a third update to the Getting Started chapter in Paul Thurrott’s Guide to Windows Phone 8. This update includes information about choosing a Windows Phone handset.

This is not a comprehensive guide to purchasing a Windows Phone handset, with a phone-by-phone comparison. Instead, I focus on what I consider to be two key but general areas: The hardware components that you can find in various handsets and which I feel are important, and a short discussion about why I think you should serious consider purchasing a Nokia device, which can certainly help narrow down you choices.

Beyond this, I still need to write the opening part of the chapter, which concerns getting and setting up a Microsoft account.

More soon. Feedback is always appreciated.

Download Getting Started 0.3 (26 page PDF, 1.45 MB)

Download Windows Phone Book 0.063 (583 page PDF, 35.4 MB)

Getting Started 0.2

Here’s a second update to the Getting Started chapter in Paul Thurrott’s Guide to Windows Phone 8. This update includes information about connecting to Wi-Fi, setting up and configuring additional accounts, and updating apps.

This version of the chapter includes the figures for the Connect to a Wi-Fi network section plus the new sections Set up and configure accounts and Update apps. That middle one was initially going to be much longer, but since most account set up is pretty straightforward—enter a username and password—I figured it wasn’t worth laboriously stepping through every single account type. Let me know if I missed anything.

This chapter has two more sections left to write, both at the beginning: Microsoft account, which will cover setting up and configuring a Microsoft account before you get a Windows Phone handset, and Choose a Windows Phone handset, which won’t be so much about individual phone models—as they change frequently—but rather about what specs and features to look for.

More soon. Feedback is always appreciated.

Download Getting Started 0.2 (23 page PDF, 1.3 MB)

Download Windows Phone Book 0.062 (580 page PDF, 35.3 MB)