So could you write an app that would show up on your console in your car?  It has apps.  How do you build apps for it, now I am motivated to find out more about the application process for the Entunes system.

Charging the car, could this be a source for an app, let’s look at how that works (this is something you need to do when you are building a software application):

It is Pluggable because you plug into the wall and it charges the battery, if the car salemen was correct it is a one amp charge.  If that is true, then that seems low, 3 hours at 1 amp is 360 Watts which is about 1/2 of a horsepower.  So I got to do more research on that to determine the amount of current or amperes while charging does it take.

And at the same time look at one of the potential “apps” that controls the charging time and length of time which I think it is included the more expensive model, which I didn’t get, I got the lowest cost model.

Opportunity:

Then this is the opportunity: Entunes doesn’t support Windows Phone 7 at this time, a drill down is definitely needed here..  Oh well, hopefully, it will come along soon, and if it doesn’t I am going to continue to report on the progress.  This might be a feature set for an later Windows Operating System. 

Fortunately, the car works fine without the Entunes being used through a phone, the GPS works fine, XM works fine (but will I pay for it?), and so forth.  The fascinating charging displays are all I really care about, the Entunes is definitely secondary for me, I don’t eat out much, I still use the paper newspaper to find a movie to watch, as you might guess I am not dating much these days.  So I won’t be able to check my stocks and weather through my center screen while driving, that is a good thing, I am safer that way, a concern my wife of 30 years was worried about.

With the 3 months of free XM, I am enjoying that.  The USB power port is all I need.  But if you have one of the phones that works with Entunes then it looks to be awesome. 

Now let’s take a step back from this and take a look at what kind of operating system that Toyota and Ford might be using in their cars.  Although this is not a statement that Toyota or Ford is using the following O/S, but is an example of one you could use in an automobile or automobile based system that you would design for a senior project:

Windows Automotive 5.0 and 5.5

Now I have to connect this with Windows 8, Azure and maybe Dynamics CRM, which is fairly easy to do:

1. You would create an app that works with an automotive system, this requires that the manufacturers open their systems to the public.  I hope you are understanding that the auto manufacturers have to be very careful about allowing people to hack into their systems since a failure could result in the death of the drivers and passengers.  But let’s say you want to use the Audio system or maybe add an alarm system, then this O/S would be a good idea.  Make sure to include a way to access the internet SECURELY.  You can test this system using any hardware that can run the AUITK, which is any Intel computer that you can boot from.  So in this case you could design something would work with emergency systems for example such as fire departments.  Or if you want to people to really hate you, but make a lot of money off of: Parking Enforcement, rake in the money and not tell anyone what you do, this is one you want to scale out carefully.

2. On the Internet use Azure to implement a mobile system similar to the Azure Mobile sites:

Rock-solid platform

3. Tie the Azure mobile to Windows 8 applications.

4. Study the CAN (Controller Area Network) at, this makes for an interesting paper for High School Digital Media Classes and would be freaky awesome senior project for college seniors*:

• CAN Bus
• CAN based tools and development skills

*Why is this freaky awesome?  It shows that you are capable of creating a networking tool using specifications and then consume the sensor outputs from a vehicle.  Aerospace jobs need this, medical jobs need this, automotive design jobs need this and so forth.  So in my opinion it is freaky awesome!

Conclusion: Really cool cruising down to the beach on battery with the A/C on, cause if you run out of battery the car automatically switches to gas like a regular Prius (and the super nice thing is that I don’t pay any road taxes for the Electric component!)  But se

Let’s say you are using one of the trailing edge operating systems like Mountain Lion, and you want to get into the new way of design software, then take a look at IE 10 Preview.  Light, interesting and easy to design, it’s a new look this modern software design stuff from Microsoft.

http://ie.microsoft.com/testdrive/ 

Fun things that should not be used at work (unless you are a game designer):

The Arcade, an awesome package of fun, fun, fun.  And excellent design example.

Azure 90-day Free Trial:

Get started or learn how to build cloud apps!

• https://aka.ms/socalacademic_90day_azure

VS Express 2012 RC for Windows 8 & Windows 8 Release Preview Downloads on Dev Center

This has SDKs, hands on labs and other useful items to get you started

• https://aka.ms/socal_academic_vs2012Express_dev

VS Express 2012 RC for Windows 8 Download on VS Site:

Similar to the previous one, except has different tools and guidance

• https://aka.ms/socal_academic_vs2012Express_VS

30 to Launch Win8 Signup:

Guidance for doing an app in 30 days!

• https://aka.ms/socal_academic_30DayToLaunch

Phone SDK Download:

Windows 8 Phone SDK

• https://aka.ms/socal_academic_PhoneSDK

30 Day to Launch Phone:

Like the Windows 8 30 days to launch but for the Current phone or future Windows 8 Phone, but no in person labs and some material that will be changing as time goes on

• https://aka.ms/socal_academic_30DayToLaunchPhone

GenApp HomePage:

Windows 8 app ideas, community and other stuff!

• https://aka.ms/socal_academic_GenApps

Also, you and your team, if you win, will also get a free round trip to St. Petersburg, Not St. Petersburg Florida, but St. Petersburg, RUSSIA!  I am thinking major party!  Well for you, if I get to go, I have to work.  As always.

Don’t waste time, get over there and sign up, then get building that $50,000 app.  NOW!

Instructor:

Term:

Office:

Class Meeting Days:

Phone:

Class Meeting Hours:

E-Mail:

Class Location:

Website:

Office Hours:

I.1. Course Information

University Course Catalog Description

At successful completion of this course the student will design, implement and market a game in the Windows 8 store using tools that can also be utilized with other online stores. The student is not expected to have any knowledge about programming, but will need to have a motivation to learn programming languages. Out of class work by the students, if requested extra tutoring will be provided via internet or other distance learning tools.

Course Learning Outcomes

At the end of this class the students will have created the beginning of a lifelong portfolio of digital games and design concepts. The student portfolio will include the experience of successfully submitting a Windows 8 Application for their application, the student will also receive positive motivation to also submit their application into the other online stores. For specific computer science skills the student will demonstrate the capability to create design specifications, discover and use online assets and to implement their design for use by others.

Course Prerequisites/Requirements

There are no Prerequisites for this class

Required Texts and Materials

All learning material will provided by professor at no cost to the student, they are posted in the Blackboard modules

Supplementary (Optional) Texts and Materials

Students should own a computer that can run Windows 8 and Visual Studio 2012 (Most computers)

I.2. Course Assignments and Grading

The successful student will provide a design portfolio, marketing evidence and programming implementation of their design

I.3. Course Policies: Technology and Media

Email

You can email the instructor with questions and I will usually answer within 1 business day (which means that an email on Friday may not be answered till Tuesday).

Online training

There will requirements for the student to utilize the online videos and hands on training as required by the instructor

Laptop Usage

If you need a new Laptop, please buy one, make sure it can run Windows 7, you get Windows 8.

Classroom Devices

Since this is a technology oriented class, please feel free to use them, just don’t be annoying.

I.4. Course Schedule

* Note: The Schedule is subject to revision

I.5. Academic Integrity:

<<Boilerplate from Your School>>

I.6. Accommodations for Students with Disabilities

<<Boilerplate from Your School>>

I.7. Course Policies: Attendance and Plagiarism

University Attendance Policy and Class Expectations

<<Boilerplate from Your School>>

University Academic Conduct Policy

<<Boiler Plate from your School>>

I.8. Resources

University Library

You will be given assignments that require the use of the digital library, if you don’t know how to use it, then walk over to the library and find out.

Disability Resource Services

<<Boiler Plate from Your School>>

Schedule Changes

<<Boilerplate from your School>>

Late Work

<<Boilerplate from Your School>>

Grades of "Incomplete"

<<Boilerplate from Your School>>

Now I notice that it is included in the Office 15or Office 2013 whatever and there is the Start Synchronization.  Of course if everyone is using Drop Box, etc. then it is pretty useless.  Like have one phone handset, no one to talk to.

So, since I am goofing off, what the heck I go to the web to find out more.  Not much out there.  Or is there?

Well there is, but the SharePoint links, etc. in the Help file are out of synch with the latest information.  Or at least the presentation appears to be for the older version of office 2010.

Think I am going to give this a try and see if it is useful.

In Direct2D you need to use device context, this links to the XAML with the Direct2 and Direct3 libraries.

In a future post I will review a number of recent samples.

You use the InstallShield and need to sign up when you create the deployment application. 

For more information see:

http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/2kt85ked.aspx

You should do Windows 8 apps so to prepare your app use 30 days to launch

:

Hi I am <Name of caller> of Microsoft Solution Partner Experts calling on behalf of Microsoft.

DON’T HANG UP!  This is a real offer for free design consultation on your app.  Seriously.  No kidding!

To be prepared for this call make sure to READ the 30 days to launch emails.  The person from Microsoft Solution Partner Experts will ask you a few questions, which are around these areas:

• You will ask, about state of app, benefits of the program and set-up consultation.
• Tips and Tricks email
• Phone call is a follow up my signing up at 30 days to launch, and it is definitely the most useful call I have gotten in quite a while
• There will be a click to chat link but it was up when I used the site, but I reported it
• Email: 30TOLAUNCH@microsoft.com (not an email I deal with)
• For instance I need Design Consultation on my graphic artists, but they will likely only point to websites

Don’t be like this guy, get started with your App design.  He just realized that he is going to lose easy money

(Keep in mind that there are WinRT API objects AND WinRT objects that you create, or I create).

Why use the “Hat” or “^” ?  Seriously, it’s garbage.  Really that is why, you use it to do garbage collection or automatic deletion for those of you that get a twitch whenever Microsoft mentions garbage collection.  See you DON’T have to use the Garbage Collection or Automatic Deletion for anything other than WinRT, all other C++ function just like you would expect it to.

This means you use the “Hat” or “^” instead of AddRef or Release with Windows Runtime, but it might be confusing about the difference between C++ and C#/VB.  As expected C++/CX compile directly to run directly on the CPU.  C#/VB compile to the MS intermediate language and execute in the Common Language Runtime (CLR).  And then JavaScript simply execute in the run-time.  VB, C# and C++ all communicate with the run-time presentation through the Application Binary Interface.

So what about C?  Yeah, there is way to use C.  I don’t want to talk about that right now, ok?

Then there is the Windows Metadata (.winmd) files, just to confuse everyone

WTF, or What’s the file?  The file is .winmd, which compiled at the same time as the Metro App.  Since JavaScript, C# and VB don’t know what C++ is doing when you use regular classes, arrays, templates or STL containers, .winmd makes the connection.

Wow a lot of stuff to learn about.