It all starts with a quality app. But how can you make sure your app is good quality?
Use this checklist!

Your app is written…now what? Now it’s time to make sure your app is 100% visible in the Windows Store.
Check out our handy tips & tricks to make sure your app stands out!

Your app is in the Store. Now it’s time to get your app downloaded. One tweet is not enough. Aside from making your app the best it can be, there are things you can do that make it easy for others to showcase your app and help it get more attention.

Word-of-mouth and user reviews are critical for floating up an app in searches while positive reviews increase the likelihood of downloads – both organic and inorganic. Apps designed to encourage or simplify user review submissions are likely to see more success when it comes to leveraging user reviews for driving downloads. Highly rated apps will also pop up first when a user sorts search results on ‘Sort by highest rating’. Explore these tips.

And there’s a step 5 too … Until September 15 you can participate with your app(s) in the Developer Summer Quest (note: contest only open for residents from Belgium and Luxembourg) and win great prizes:

- Build a Windows Store app for Windows 8 and you may win a Nokia Lumia 820 (10 out of 20 phones left to win!), exclusive Windows mood lamps or even a Surface RT:

- Build a Windows Phone app and you may win a brand new Nokia Lumia 520 (10 out of 20 phones left to win!), geeky 8-bit sunglasses or even a Surface RT:

It’s made easier, but now that you have more powers, you also have greater responsibilities! It means you’ll discover new APIs, new design principles, …

But one of the most important thing you have to know about Windows 8, is that you can reuse your skills ! It doesn’t matter if you are a Web developer or already familiar with Microsoft technologies. You can bring amazing apps in JavaScript/HTML as well as in XAML and C#/VB.NET or C/C++.

This MOOC (in french) is an introduction to that new environment ! It’s meant for people who want to get started quickly.

Objectives:

With those videos, you’ll learn :

• The new Windows 8 ;
• WinRT, the framework for Modern apps ;
• 8 design principles for Windows 8 ;
• What’s new for Web developers ;
• What’s new for .NET developers ;
• A few new controls…

Course :

1. Introduction :

• 1.1 – Ressources and useful links  
• 1.2 – Windows 8 for the end user
• 1.3 – WinRT, the modern framework
• 1.4 – Application lifecycle

2. Windows 8 design principles :

• 2.1 – Focus on content
• 2.2 – Be fast and fluid
• 2.3 – Responsive and scalable design
• 2.4 – Take advantage of contracts
• 2.5 – Live Tile and Roaming

3. Development’s basics :

• 3.1 – For web developers
• 3.2 – For .NET developers
• 3.3 – New controls
• 3.4 – Present data with GridView and ListView
• 3.5 – Makes your layout responsive with XAML and CSS

Resources :

Now that you’re ready to start developing your own Windows Store app, you probably want to dive into code… Here are some must-have resources :

Microsoft Belux :

The reference for every Windows developer in Belgium. Have a look at the agenda to know about all the Windows 8 events planned by Microsoft and the community.
https://www.microsoft.com/belux/msdn/apps/windows/default.aspx

Windows 8 Dev Camp In a Box :

A Hands-On KIT containing all the labs you need to learn how to build Windows Store apps. It is available in JS/HTML and in C#/XAML.
https://aka.ms/windows8campinabox

We come to your cities (4!), we bring the experts (many!), feed you with breakfast, pizza, coffee (lots!) and Red Bull, honor you with prizes and rewards (countless!). End goal: Get to Windows Store, have fun doing it, go home with prizes (to be announced soon, we promise you: you’ll really like them!). Hint hint: for the best quality app we’ll have a conference ticket…

Go ahead and reserve your spot. Join us for the Day event or the Night event or both. See the agenda setup at the bottom of this post.

• Register for the hackathon in Brussels
• Register for the hackathon in Genk
• Register for the hackahton in Kortrijk
• Register for the hackathon in MIC Mons

Superhackathon theme
Yes, winter is cosy with the snow and all – but after months of darkness we all need light. So the theme for the superhackathon is around spring, well-being, health and happiness. To be interpreted very broadly
Feel the ideas coming?

First time app? Build your first one – see how to get started here.

Design reference templates
You can use a template fully created for the Windows 8 style & experience. Just by binding the relevant data, you should have a good looking app that runs in the paradigm of Windows 8. And the good news: the templates are available as Visual Studio 2012 project in both C#/XAML and HTML/JavaScript options. So pick your template and platform and build your app in a breeze.

The template addresses App Views (Landscape, Fill, Snap and Portrait), Live Tiles, Search & Share Contract, Settings, Navigation across pages, Bottom & Top App Bar (If applicable). So get started today and finish off the app together with us!

Agenda

Day

8:30: Welcome and registration

9:00 – 9:30: Introduction and getting started

9:30 – 12:30: Coding (alone or with your group)Guidance, hands-on labs and expert advice on site

12:30 – 13:30: Lunch

13:30 – 16:00: Coding (alone or with your group)Guidance, hands-on labs and expert advice on site

16:00 – 17:00: Demo time and best app showdown for Day attendees
Publish your first finished app: prize

17:00: Break and end of the Day part

Night

17:30: Welcome and registration (or continue working for those going for the full day)

18:00 – 18:30: Introduction and getting started

18:30 – 19:30: Coding (alone or with your group)Guidance, hands-on labs and expert advice on site

19:30 – 20:30: Dinner

20:30 – 23:00: Coding (alone or with your group)Guidance, hands-on labs and expert advice on site

23:00 – 24:00: Demo time and best app showdown
Publish your first finished app: prize

24:00: End

Are you in the middle of your exams?

Did you not find time yet to pass the Challenge quizzes?

Then we have good news for you. More time!

You have untill February 15!

We are extending the deadline for the Imagine Cup Challenge quizzes! Not 15 January but February 15 is the new deadline. So if your team was interested in competing in our Windows 8 App Challenge, Windows Azure Challenge, or Windows Phone Challenge, you've got an extra month for at least one member of your team to beat the appropriate quiz.

If you haven't met our Challenge Captains yet, you can read about them on the IC blog post. You will also find a testimony from Azure Challenge Captain Nick Harris!

Not registered yet for one of these 3 Windows challenges?

No problem, you can sign up with your team (1 to 4 persons)  until end of this week. For all other categories, you can register until mid February.. BUT the sooner the better as a series of resources and documentation will be offered to you if you sign up now. More info on www.imaginecup.com

Enjoy the extra month! Remember, only one team member needs to pass a quiz for your whole team to be eligible to compete.

For all other categories : Innovation / Citizenship / Gaming, the timeline will remain the same.

Good luck and see you in St-Petersburg !

Lieve.

Kick start 2013 with a series of free training sessions by the Microsoft Innovation Center in Mons:

Discovery Sessions #1

15/01/13 Windows 8

22/01/13 Windows Phone 8

29/01/13 Azure Mobile

Discovery Sessions #2

30/01/13 Windows 8

05/02/13 Windows Phone 8

11/02/13 Azure Mobile

Advanced Sessions

13/02/13 Windows 8

19 & 20/02/13 Windows Azure

22/02/13 Windows Phone 8

The goal of these free sessions is to develop an app from start to finish  - ideally the app is available both on Windows 8 and Windows Phone and cloud-supported by Windows Azure.
Afterwards you could participate in the European App Cup and win great prizes!

More info about the Microsoft Innovation Center in Mons can be found here: https://mic-belgique.be.

Are you betting on getting a new Windows Phone for Christmas? It may be a safer bet to take part in a new contest we’re launching today for tech students … the Windows Phone StudentsAppsVenture!

The amazing Nokia Lumia 800 may be yours soon – we’re giving away 5 devices.

How to win?

1. Submit 3 apps in the Windows Phone Store (before January 31, 2013).
2. Time is money: the 5 fastest student developers to submit, will each receive a Nokia Lumia 800!
3. After you’ve successfully published your 3 apps, please send an email to lieveg@microsoft.com with your developer name, the names of your apps and your academic institution.

We want to give you a push in the back to develop great applications & make you a happy owner of a new device.

There is no limit to the number of entries you can submit but each entry must be substantially unique and different. The date and time of the first and third application as part of the entry submitted in a particular timeframe will determine the winners of the tablets.

Please read the full terms & conditions of this contest before entering.

Happy Coding!

Currently there is a very special promotion running on Microsoft Learning:  

1. Book your free online course (Developing in HTML5 with JavaScript and CSS3 Jump Start).
2. Receive a free exam voucher (Exam 70-480) to prove what you know.

ACT NOW: This offer is available for a limited time only.

Today, at the launch of Windows 8, DAE has - for the first time in history - made student games available in a commercial online store. Download them now from the Windows Store.

Some Hero Game	Influence
Quantum	Binary Puzzle

These gaming Apps announce the start of a new era – an additional flagship for the school. As from now, the best student work will be published only into the Windows Store. You, as a Windows 8 user, will soon have a large variety of short, free games while students will get a reality check prior to graduation.

A win-win for all. Enjoy playing!

Where did we start?

During the Imagine Cup 2012 finals in Sydney, the game “Influence” was installed on a Windows 8 tablet. At that time the game was running as an XNA application in Windows 7. The bright visuals and look and feel were astonishing – though native features of touch and rotation not yet build in. To give users the best experience converting the game to a Windows 8 game was a must-do.

That is where the journey started.

The best student projects have been selected. Students were encouraged to convert the XNA game via Monogame to Windows 8 game. Although lots of documentation on porting 2D games is available, porting 3D XNA games introduced a series of new obstacles. With the hard work and dedication of the lecturers and students, they succeeded in successfully bringing 4 games to the Windows Store – and there are even more games to come in the following days.

Imagine Cup

Since its foundation in 2006, Howest – Digital Arts & Entertainment (DAE) has built up a strong international reputation. High quality training is the standard, proven by a consistent top performance in Imagine Cup – Microsoft’s worldwide student competition. 6 years in a row, Howest students have been selected to participate in the worldwide finals with every year a team in top 5. This year team Hotfix reached the 3rd place with game “Influence”!

Want to build apps for Windows 8 too? Check out the homebase for Belgian Windows developers: https://msdn.be/apps.

Eat. Drink. Code. Join us at HUB on November 10^th.

Belgium is part of the app revolution! By registering, you’ll be joining thousands of developers worldwide as we build apps for the next generation of Windows. Microsoft app experts, MEET-members, developers and trainers will be available on-site to assist your learning and coding. Learn about building Windows Store apps today – download the info, tools and resources you need now.

SATURDAY NOVEMBER 10th 2012 08:08 – 00:00 HUBrussel Warmoesberg 26 1000 Brussels Belgium SIGN UP

WIN an ASUS Vivo Tab!

What to expect

What to bring

Are you a developer?

• Familiarity writing either desktop apps, mobile applications or developing websites.
• Familiarity with either Javascript, C# or C++.
• Bring your own laptop: any device capable of running Windows 8 and Visual Studio (Express)
• Required software: 
  Windows 8 RTM via MSDN downloads (for MSDN subscribers) or Windows 8 RTM via Evaluation Center
  Visual Studio 2012
  Windows 8 SDK samples

Are you a (UX) Designer?

Photoshop or your familiar wireframing tool / Check out the Windows 8 UX Guidelines
+ You might want to download Windows Store Apps Design Assets

See you on November 10^th!

We are delighted to announce that the winner of this competition is "Think SharePoint Team" from Howest! Their prize? Free tickets to attend the SharePoint conference in Copenhagen!

>> Check out their winning video.



The team: Ann Deraedt, Steven Debels, Helena Vandamme and Gene Vangampelaere.