Jump start learning Windows 8 and Windows 8 Phone

What is MVA?

MVA is Microsoft Virtual Academy and you can learn building apps for Windows 8 and Windows Phone 8 free of cost. That is right, at no cost to you (Well, that is mighty generous). Of course you can learn a whole lot of others besides Windows 8 and Windows 8 Phone.

Form factors is an important difference between these two platforms. Issues / concerns are described.


Check it out here:
http://www.microsoftvirtualacademy.com/training-courses/windows-8-and-windows-phone-8-app-development


For example, this particular course has 4 modules:
  • Comparing Windows 8 and Windows Phone 8
  • Basics of View Models
  • MVVM
  • Sharing Code
This paraticluar module (Comparing Windows 8 and Windows Phone 8) is neither about building apps for the two platforms nor it is going to show code that works for both platforms.
Code reusability is explored between the two operating systems.

Application Life cycle is explored:



Each platform has its own XAML Controls
UI reuse is not a thing that you can look forward to, but data model is the one that makes reuse easier. Data Model APs are portable (specifically read/write) across these two paltforms.

*Windows Phone 8 SQL CE
*WIndows 8 has no specific built-in database api
*MVVM helps porting code between the two platforms. Review Portable Class Libraries project template in Visual Studio 2012 Ultimate (non-express edition is needed).


The screen shots are captured from the video at the above site. The last screen shot is from Visual Studio 2012 Ultimate.


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