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Utility device for Windows Phone

[ This article is for Windows Phone 8 developers. If you’re developing for Windows 10, see the latest documentation. ]

If your idea for an app actually replaces some other real-life, tangible device, then you might consider making your app look as much like the device as possible. The challenge here is to still make the app usable. Using actual photographic images gives the photorealism that you’re trying to capture with this model. The following example shows an app that displays a realistic stopwatch, and it operates just as a real-life stopwatch operates.

EZTIMER app

What you want to avoid is any use of knobs and dials that aren’t really usable on a touch device. The motions of turning a dial are not easily mimicked on a screen. It’s better to replace those types of controls with sliders.

There are many possibilities for these types of utility devices, and it’s a good idea to differentiate your app by turning yours into something more visually engaging.