Introduction
Windows Mobile 7 development is done using the
.NET framework. The .NET framework is a software framework created by Microsoft
for use in creating Windows applications. Programmers write applications using
one of the several languages supported by the .NET framework, like C#, and the
applications then execute inside of a runtime environment called the Common
Language Runtime. For Windows Phone 7, there are two distinct development
approaches you can take when creating your application.
The first approach is to use Silverlight for
Windows Phone. Silverlight was originally envisioned as a way for developers to
create rich internet applications. It has seen a sharp increase in market
adoption in recent years, driven mostly by the fact that Netflix uses
Silverlight to stream videos and NBC used Silverlight
for its online broadcast of the Olympic games. A Silverlight application
combines declarative markup (called XAML) to construct
the user interface and code written in a .NET framework language to control an
application behavior. If you're developing a data driven application for Windows
Phone 7 you should probably use Silverlight.
The Tools : The
Windows Phone Developer Tools includes the following
- Visual Studio 2010 Express for Windows
Phone.
- Windows Phone Emulator Resources.
- Silverlight 4 Tools For Visual
Studio.
- XNA Game Studio 4.0.
- Microsoft Expression Blend for
Windows Phone.
The Metro Design Language
The Windows Phone design team took inspiration
from sources included Swiss-influenced print and packaging, transportation
signage, and the Zune client software to create a design language called Metro
to be used as the guiding principles for designing and developing Windows Phone
7 applications.
Metro Design Principles
- Typography: Use the right balance
of font weight and positioning to create a visual hierarchy and help lead
the eye to more content.
- Motion: Use consistent motion and
animation to bring the interface to life.
- Content not Chrome: Remove all
chrome to bring content to the forefront.
- Honesty: Design explicitly for the
form factor taking into account the high resolution screen and touch-based
interaction.