Posts Tagged ‘windows phone 7’

WP7 app analytics using mTiks in just 5 minutes

Written by Tom Verhoeff. Posted in MSP, WP7

This post is part of a follow up series on my TechDays session on “Making Money with Windows Phone applications”. See this post for more info and an index. mtiks1 Why build in analytics into your mobile application? This subject has been covered in many blog posts an their conclusion is usually the same. First of all you just want to know how many people use your app and how often they do it. But knowing (at least to some extent) what part of your app is used the most and what epic feature is never found by users is also valuable. As a developer there’s plenty of frameworks to choose from:
In this post I will cover mTiks, since it’s just too easy to get started. You’ll be able to instrument your app in literally just a few minutes.

Testing your app with various connection speeds

Written by Tom Verhoeff. Posted in MSP, WP7

Would you like this feature to be integrated into the WP7 emulator? Vote here!

An important aspect of every mobile application that uses the internet connection is the way it handles slow connections. As a developer you cannot predict if you are app will be used over high-speed UMTS or slow GPRS. In WP7 development there are some API’s available to determine the connection type, but you can never be sure about the exact speed. To ensure the best experience for your users testing some scenarios is very important. Unlike the Android emulator, the Windows Phone emulator does not provide any functionality to limit the network speed, but there are some alternatives that don’t require you to take your phone to the middle of an empty desert. In this post I will cover throttling of the network connection using NetLimiter. netlimiter1

Finally, WP7NL Apps now available!

Written by Tom Verhoeff. Posted in WP7

A few days ago i announced the upcoming application “WP7NL Apps”. The app will provide easy access to all currently available WP7 apps published from the Netherlands. I just got notified that version 1.0 has passed testing and will be available in the marketplace within a few hours. Matthijs Hoekstra provided a list of all Dutch applications, so the app will list all 144 apps and their 72 publishers. Please note that this is version 1.0 and an improved version 1.1 has already been submitted. This will fix list tombstoning and contains some minor improvements. Direct link The feedback I received on this concept has been very positive and some people suggested some other countries could also benefit from an app like this. It would be great to provide an app to other countries. If you would like to help to get an app in your country out, please get in touch with me. Basically all i need is a list of AppIds which your local Microsoft representative might be able to provide.  

Introducing WP7NL Apps

Written by Tom Verhoeff. Posted in WP7

It has been half a year since the first Windows Phone 7 devices went on sale in the Netherlands. While we are still awaiting the launch of our localized marketplace the group of early adaptors is growing. With over 450 registered developers and over 120 published apps there is a decent community supporting WP7. Unfortunately all Dutch users are forced to choose one of the foreign marketplaces to be able to download applications. This has one big disadvantage, Dutch apps never get the attention they deserve. What we need is our own spot within the international marketplaces and that is exactly what the “WP7NL Apps” application is going to provide.

Get in touch with your WP7 App Reviewers

Written by Tom Verhoeff. Posted in WP7

It’s a problem encountered by every (WP7) app developer: users leaving reviews and there’s just no way to contact them. How often did you want to clarify features misunderstood by a user? Or just want to let the user know you appreciate the input and will consider their feedback for a future update? A while ago Silverlight MVP and PicturesLab developer Rene Schulte shared his manual way of contacting reviewers through Zune social on his blog. Although this works in only 50% of the cases it is the best method I am currently aware off. Therefore I decided to integrate messaging users with the existing WP7 Review Reader I built a while ago. This provides developers with an easy way of contacting their customers. Here’s how to use it:

Tethering with Samsung Omnia 7 on Vodafone (NL)

Written by Tom Verhoeff. Posted in WP7

The first rumours about tethering on the Samsung Omnia 7 and other WP7 devices started showing up a few months ago already. Since i love tethering for those few moments a really need an internet connection on my laptop, but don’t have wifi or my internet dongle around i decided to give it a shot with my Omnia 7. It requires a bigger effort than internet sharing back in the days with WM6.5, but I’m happy it works anyway. Here’s what you need to do:

Windows Phone 7 introductie in Doetinchem

Written by Tom Verhoeff. Posted in MSP, WP7

Last friday i did a Windows Phone 7 introduction in front of about 500 students in Doetinchem. Since this blogpost is pointed at the students who attended, it will be presented in Dutch. Stay tuned for some more WP7 articles in English. Afgelopen vrijdag organiseerde Microsoft in samenwerking met het Graafschap College een ochtend met technische sessies voor MBO-studenten uit de regio Doetinchem. In het Amphion waren uiteindelijk ruim 500 studenten aanwezig voor een sessie van Tony Krijnen en Daniel van Soest over Windows 2008 R2/Windows 7 en aansluitend een sessie van mij over Windows Phone 7.  Gelukkig heb ik al veel enthousiaste reacties gekregen, wel hebben een aantal studenten aangegeven graag wat meer informatie te willen om eens rustig aan de slag te kunnen met Windows Phone 7. In deze blogpost vinden jullie alle benodigde informatie.

Gebruik van de Windows Phone 7 marketplace met een Nederlandse creditcard – beknopt

Written by Tom Verhoeff. Posted in WP7

Update: Nu de Mango update voor Windows Phone beschikbaar is kan elke Nederlandse WP7 gebruiken gewoon een Nederlands live id gebruiken om uit de Nederlandse marketplace applicaties te downloaden. Onderstaande methode is dus niet meer nodig. Starting October 21st Windows Phone 7 devices will be available in the Netherlands. During the upcoming months I will regularly blog about Windows Phone 7. Most of these blogs will be relevant to all of you and therefore written in English. My first two blogs deal with some specific Dutch issues and will therefore be published in the Dutch language. Thanks for you understanding. Vanaf 21 oktober begint de lancering van Windows Phone 7 toestellen over de hele wereld. Voor de verandering zijn wij als Europa/Nederland er als een van de eersten bij en vanaf aanstaande donderdag zullen de eerste toestellen in de winkels verkrijgbaar zijn. Helaas hoort Nederland niet bij de landen die vanaf dag 1 een marketplace en xbox live beschikbaar hebben voor de telefoons. Medio 2011 wordt ondersteuning voor een Nederlandse marketplace verwacht, maar tot die tijd missen de telefoons in Nederland een belangrijk onderdeel van het platform. Gelukkig is het door een aantal dingen slim in te stellen toch mogelijk om gebruik te maken van een volledige marketplace en xbox live integratie. Hiervoor wenden we ons tot de Duitse of Engelse marketplace die gelukkig wel vanaf dag 1 beschikbaar zijn. In deze post zal ik beknopt beschrijven hoe een toestel zo in te stellen is dat gebruik wordt gemaakt van de Engelse marketplace en dat daarvoor desondanks een Nederlandse creditcard gebruikt kan worden. Later deze week zal ik ook een uitgebreide stap voor stap handleiding publiceren waarmee iedereen uit de voeten zou moet kunnen.

Windows Phone 7 Introduction at TU Eindhoven

Written by Tom Verhoeff. Posted in MSP, WP7

Yesterday my MSP colleagues in Eindhoven organised a lunchbreak event as a kickoff towards the rest of the year. Together with study society GEWIS they managed to attract around 90 students, so the event was a success before it event started. The event would consist of two parts. The first 45 minutes would be filled by me talking about Windows Phone 7 and application development followed by the Eindhoven MSPs introducing themselves, the MSP programme and possible benefits for the students.