Microsoft today released the Beta version of the Windows Phone Developer Tools. This release follows the CTP1 release from March and the CTP Refresh in April. With this version, the tools are now nearly feature-complete, which is quite exciting.
To download the Windows Phone Developer Tools, please visit the Windows Phone Developer web site.
The Windows Phone Developer Blog has more information:
The term “Beta” is understood to mean that things are close to being finished. Well, that’s what we mean anyway. This Beta release represents the near final version of the tools for building applications and games for Windows Phone 7.
A few top level items:
- Microsoft Expression Blend for Windows Phone – Blend is now integrated completely into the Windows Phone Developer Tools Beta.
- Developer Registration Utility – Now you can unlock you Windows Phone 7 device for development purposes.
- XAP Deployment Tool – if you want to deploy XAP files directly to an unlocked device, now you can.
- The Windows Phone 7 API – we’re getting close to completion. Many namespaces that were previously distributed over several different DLLs have now been consolidated into one. In addition, there have been realignments and changes in several other namespaces as well. Push Notifications, Accelerometer and App Bar APIs have all been updated.
- Additional Controls – There are some additional controls coming in the next few weeks (i.e. Panorama and Pivot) which didn’t make the beta release. They are coming soon.
- Control Templates – Silverlight for Windows Phone control templates have been updated to match evolutions in the overall OS.
Get Trained – Windows Phone 7 Jump Start
Windows Phone 7 JumpStart is a FREE virtual live class for developers interested in developing applications and games for Windows Phone 7. We’re providing this in partnership with our MS Learning team. The course is organized into four virtual instructor-led sessions that are of 3-hour duration. They will be presented by forthcoming MS Press authors and MVP’s, Andy Wigley and Rob Miles. It will provide developers a jump start for developing Windows Phone 7 applications. The Labs will be completed offline with office hours access to the instructors.
The dates for these course sessions are:
- July 20 – 8am: Session One: Getting Started with Microsoft Windows Phone and Silverlight
- July 20 – 1pm: Session Two: Programming Game Applications with XNA
- July 22 – 8am: Session Three: Programming Applications with Silverlight
- July 22 – 1pm: Session Four: Review and Wrap Up
Go register for the course now!
Devices for Developers
We made a promise last month that we would be getting pre-production preview devices to developers this month.
Starting next Monday (July 19th), we start shipping the devices more broadly. Sadly, we will not be able to meet all of that demand. We are planning to set up deploy and test labs in major cities to make it a little easier for everyone who wants to have access to a preview phone to have it. More on that soon.
Lastly, to get your name in the queue, assuming you haven’t already sent in an email, you can now send an email to wp7req@microsoft.com. A field representative will get back to you as soon as possible. Again, these are preview phones, so they are limited in quantity.
In Closing
This is a big milestone for everyone involved in Windows Phone 7 – inside and outside of Microsoft – and we hope you share in our excitement. With the Beta release of the tools, developers can build apps with a “ship it” mentality. There have already been so many amazing apps shown running on the emulator, and a lucky few who have been able to deploy to the phones at our developer events. We’re blown away by the early look at the apps, all of the sharing in the community, the blogging, and the screenshots. There’s a huge team of people here in Redmond who are all watching for new content tagged with “wp7dev” or “Windows Phone 7 Development.” It’s not uncommon for links to get passed around with a “wow, check out what these guys did!” Keep it up, and keep the faith.
They really need to get the Panorama and Pivot released. If Microsoft is really serious about developer support, this need to be of the highest priority – the majority of apps will need this. Otherwise, apps will have to follow the current Apple/Andriod look and feel.
The controls already exist on Codeplex (open source):
http://phone.codeplex.com/
Obviously it’s not the official ones from MS, but you can at least get started with those controls, and who knows you might like them better.
I’m aware of the controls on CodePlex; I have downloaded and looked at them. However, I would still prefer to have the official Microsoft ones, as I’m not fully convinced the CodePlex ones match the look and feel of the OS.
Yea rote I am waiting for those controls as well, I’ve been holding off on polishing up the versions I wrote myself but maybe I should spend some time there. Just in case ms doesn’t get them out the door before launch.
I hate to say it, but Microsoft screwed up the install process once again. They had problems with the initial release, then the CTP and now the Beta. I’ve spent the last two hours trying to uninstall the CTP and all I keep getting is the uninstall program trying to INSTALL XNA studio.
I’m wondering if anyone over at Microsoft actually bothered to test the uninstall process.