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For all those who have started venturing into developing windows phone applications, there are quite a few samples utilizing Silverlight, but the XNA content has been a little bit light.     (We are working on getting some more XNA VB samples online). 

But for those wanting to see a nice VB example of XNA development,  the Blackjack sample written in VB is now online.   This sample shows a single application which has been written to target all three of the XNA platforms (windows, XBox 360 and windows Phone) with a simple game that is easy to follow the code.

http://create.msdn.com/en-US/education/catalog/sample/blackjack

Enjoy

Spotty

The Visual Basic Team

There’s a new revision of the Concurrency Runtime and Parallel Pattern Library sample pack that demonstrates a convenient way of consuming and producing Windows Runtime asynchronous operations using PPL.

Read the announcement at sister blog Parallel Programming in Native Code.

Visual C++ Team Blog

During the LeWeb conference in Paris Schmidt commented that he believes developers will abandon iOS for Android in less than 6 months, furthermore “he believes the high volume of Android shipments, which has given Google the largest share of worldwide smartphone sales, will win over developers.”

Since the introduction of the first smartphone and the App stores they brought with them, mobile users now have access to almost one million different applications, offering everything from social networking to addictive an hugely popular games such as Angry Birds.

When asked what he thought about the fact that most mobile applications are first released on Apple’s iOS App Store and then released on the Android platform, Schmidt stated that within 6 months Android 4.0 which, is known as Ice Cream Sandwich, will put Android on the map and gain the leading position for application developers.

While Schmidt might think that Android can overtake iOS, there is no denying the numbers, since the release of the App Store more than 600,000 apps have entered the store while a still respectable 320,000 applications have been released for the Android Market.

While Android does seem to be gaining in popularity, the fact that the App Store remains mostly free of malware, an issues which has been growing on the Android platform, added with the fact that developing apps for the iOS still seems to be more popular makes me believe that in 6 months developers will still be favoring Apple and iOS even if Android is gaining in popularity.

Check out some of the talks @ Le Web here.

Mobile Orchard

If you have always dreamed of working for Apple then this might be your chance, Apple is currently looking to hire experienced developers to work on Siri.

According to the Twitter site of Siri UI manager Dan Keen Apple is looking for a pair developers to help improve Siri, which doesn’t really come as a surprise since the artificial intelligence-driven digital secretary was launched as a beta product, something Apple never does.

According to the Job posting Apple is looking for someone who will be responsible for developing new features, maintaining existing code, fixing bugs, and contributing to overall system design.

While the fact that Apple is looking for developers to help with Siri doesn’t automatically mean they will open up Siri to third-party apps, I really think it is more a matter of time before Apple decides to allow third-party apps to use Siri, as 9to5mac.com puts it “Think talking to your apps, saying stuff like Update my Facebook status saying ‘Is anyone up for a movie tonight?’”

If you think this is the job opening just waiting for you to send your resume check these links.

iOS Software Engineer
Sr. iOS Software Engineer

Mobile Orchard

Recently, I came across this post and fell in love with the idea of using XCode 4 snippets. Up until I read the post, I had heard they existed, but never really tried them. After reading the post, I began using his snippets as well as started creating my own. Now, I would say that my work-flow is faster than ever.

Here is a quick demonstration of the power of snippets

Type:

ttt

It generates:

#pragma mark - UITableView Datasource
 
- (NSInteger)numberOfSectionsInTableView:(UITableView *)tableView {
    return 1;
}
 
- (NSInteger)tableView:(UITableView *)tableView numberOfRowsInSection:(NSInteger)section {
    return 10;
}
 
- (UITableViewCell *)tableView:(UITableView *)tableView cellForRowAtIndexPath:(NSIndexPath *)indexPath {
    static NSString *cellIdentifier = @"Cell";
 
    UITableViewCell *cell = [tableView dequeueReusableCellWithIdentifier:cellIdentifier];
 
    if(cell == nil) {
        cell = [[UITableViewCell alloc] initWithStyle:UITableViewCellStyleDefault reuseIdentifier:cellIdentifier];
    }
 
    cell.textLabel.text = [NSString stringWithFormat:@"Cell %d", indexPath.row];
 
    return cell;
}
 
#pragma mark - UITableView Delegate methods
 
- (void)tableView:(UITableView *)tableView didSelectRowAtIndexPath:(NSIndexPath *)indexPath {
 
}

As you can see, with 3 keystrokes, I now have a fully working table view implementation with sample data.

This article will be another introduction to XCode 4 snippets but focusing on how to set them up as well as share them with your team.

Adding A Snippet Inside Of XCode

In my opinion, this is not very obvious. The snippet library is fairly well hidden. To bring it up, first ensure that the right side bar is visible in XCode by selecting the right most option of the “view” pane in the top right corner of XCode.

Now that the right bar is available, click on the “{}” option of the bottom most pane. This will bring up the snippet library.

Feel free to browse the snippets that XCode ships with, however most of them are not very useful. So, now this is where I feel Apple engineers were a little too clever. It took me a little while to figure out how to actually add a new snippet. You would expect some sort of + button or something. The way you add a new snippet in this case is to write out a chunk of code and drag it into the Code Snippet Library window.

Once you drag the code into the library, it creates a default snippet called “My Code Snippet”. Which again, is just terribly non-obvious. Now, double click on “My Code Snippet”, and then click the “edit” button to modify it.

Let’s talk about each of the important fields:

1. Title – This is just the common name you will use to refer to the snippet. It will display during autocompletion
2. Completion Shortcut – this is the command you will use to invoke the snippet. For example, I have ttt to automatically create all of the UITableView delegate and datasource methods with sample data.
3. Completion Scopes – This is pretty cool. You can have the same shortcut to represent differnet snippets based on the scope of the document. For example, you won’t want to invoke your @property snippets inside of your Class implementation. So, they get ignored…

Adding dynamic fields

If you notice, many of Apple’s auto generated classes or snippets (like UIAlertView), have these “code bubbles” hinting at the type of data you should put into them. They are also nice because they allow you to tab between them enabling you to implement the code quicker. To add your own simply insert this into your code:

<#Text#>

Where “Text” is whatever you want the code bubble to say.

That’s it, when you are finished click done and you should now be able to use your snippets.

Sharing Snippets

While XCode doesn’t have an export button for snippets, they are in a fairly predictable location. They are located at:

~/Library/Developer/Xcode/UserData/CodeSnippets/

That being said, you could manually share them between developers (zip them up and email) OR you could version control this folder with something like git. I really like the latter approach. Any time a developer adds a new snippet to the library, the others just have to pull, restart XCode, and voilà the snippet is there.

Conclusion

The only issue now is remembering to actually use your snippets in practice. It takes some getting used to, but I’m sure you will get it. Below, you can download a zip file containing many of the snippets that I use. Simply unzip it into the folder that I mentioned above.

Download My Snippets

Happy iCoding!

Follow me on Twitter

iPhone Programming Tutorials

We teamed up with our friends from the UPrinting online printing gang to give away 500 business cards to 2 lucky Mobile Orchard readers. Scroll down to see the details.

What we give away

2 sets of 250 die cut Business Cards

Glossy, UV, Matte or Uncoated Paper

Tastefully Thick 14pt Cardstock

Rounded Corner, Circular or Leaf Shapes

How to enter

• Leave a comment telling us why people are still using business cards in these virtual times

• Like us on Facebook by clicking the link below:

The contest will be live for one week, then we’ll randomly pick two winners and announce them here.

Other details

250 pcs Die Cut Business Cards for each winner (three winners). 2 x 3.5″ Rounded Corners, 2×2″ Rounded Corners, 1.75×3.5″ Rounded Corners, 2×3.5″ Leaf, 2×3.5 Rounded one corner, 2×3.5″ Half Circle Side, 2×3.5″ Oval, 2.5″ Circle. 14pt Cardstock Gloss / Matte / High Gloss (UV), or 13pt Cardstock Uncoated, 6 Business Days Turnaround *Free shipping. Restriction: Limited to *US residents 18 years old and above only. Disclaimer: This custom business cards giveaway is sponsored by UPrinting. For more information about online printing please visit UPrinting,com

Mobile Orchard

Irrespective of where an individual acquires the Los Angeles BMW car dealers, it truly is how as well as where a person drives the car that makes a real difference. Few encounters can match driving the BMW sports convertible with the top down, the wind in the hair, stereo system playing and the stars like thousands of diamonds in the sky along with the wonderful heated up seats.

Although the Bob Smith BMW Review did not become a manufacturer of automobiles until 1929, their history as an engine maker goes back to 1916 when Bayerische Flugzeugwerke (BFw) in Bavaria joined forces with Fahrzeugfabrik Eisenach in Thuringia to make aircraft engines. The first automobiles they manufactured were British cars for the German market.

When BMW started to make their very own cars in the Nineteen thirties, they were mainly sporty types, beginning with the 328 roadster. When the two organizations merged to form BMW, what started out as being a motorcycle sideline turned out to become an essential element in the particular enterprise. The actual BMW logo is based on the paler blue and also white colored checks in the Bavarian flag.

The period after WWII proved to be a tumultuous one for the company. The Munich plant had been pretty much bombed to rubble and many of the surviving sites were taken over by the Soviets. Moreover, BMW was banned by the Allies from producing automobiles for three years. During the ban, the company survived by manufacturing bicycles and kitchen supplies. The factory at Eisenach had been taken over by the Soviets, who proclaimed to manufacture BMWs for sale until 1951, at which time the Bavarian company stepped in and prevented them from using the trademark name, logo and signature ‘double kidney’ radiator grille.

The business restarted making passenger motor vehicles in 1952, though with multiple troubles. The 507 and 503 models wound up as too costly to create viably in low numbers. At the end of the decade, BMW was focusing on creating bubble-cars like the egg-shaped Isetta.

The distinctive ‘Hofmeister kink’ was officially unveiled in the BMW 1500 at the Frankfort Motor Found in 1961. The famous kink is a bend in the C-pillar, the part of material separating a corner window over the glass from the rear. It was a refined means of revealing that all beamers include rear-wheel drive.

By 1963, the group had made it through two takeover attempts and was back in business. For the very first time since prior to WWII, BMW was able to give a dividend to its investors. In the nineteen nineties, BMW commenced a joint business venture with Rolls Royce, which meant the Rolls Royce Magic Seraph and also the Bentley Arnage would be using BMW engines. Throughout 1998, BMW acquired these rights to use the Rolls-Royce name and RR on their vehicles.

The Microsoft Security Science team has recently posted a note about Security Development Lifecycle integration as part of the Code Analysis rules coming with the next version of Visual C++.

[Read the full post]

Visual C++ Team Blog

Tim Burrell (MSEC Security Science Team) just posted a new article in the Security Development Lifecycle (SDL) blog.

[Read article here]

Visual C++ Team Blog

The moment you start off developing a loyal record of potential clients and consumers, you can send emails to them from time to time and start off creating a connection. Email Marketing and advertising has been a even though for a long time and is not anticipated to go away anytime soon. Most nearby businesses are familiar email marketing and advertising, but have not considered using this strategy in their personal organizations. This is a blunder simply because email marketing will dramatically lessen your marketing and advertising expenses although bringing you more business at the exact same time.

E mail marketing is a single of the most effective and expense-powerful advertising and marketing resources that a business can use to hook up with regional customers and prospects. By utilizing an email Autoresponder technique, you can stay in front of existing clients and prospective customers on complete car-pilot. This will produce a continual stream of new clients as effectively as repeat clients.

Benefits of Email Advertising

E-mail Marketing and advertising permits you to easily create have confidence in, credibility and relationships with your potential clients and buyers.

Every single organization would like to connect with local shoppers without investing a ton of funds in promoting. Email Marketing and advertising will enable you to do just that. With an email marketing and advertising marketing campaign, you can really remain connected with prospective buyers 24/7.

Making ready for Your Email Advertising and marketing Campaign

To start off building your Email Marketing campaign, you will require an autoresponder method. This program will produce your messages and permit you to handle and monitor your campaigns. You will also want to make certain that every single page on your internet site has an email choose-in type installed. Opt-in kinds are developed inside of your autoresponder system and an HTML code is presented, which must be installed on your web site.

In trade for their email addresses, offer you your guests some thing of appeal. So commence considering about what you will supply. This could be a totally free details report relevant to your market, a coupon, a lower price, or no matter what you see suit. If your buyers occur into your business, you need to also seize their email addresses there. Yet again, supply them something nice in exchange for their email addresses.

Let us search at all of this a small little bit closer…

Deciding on and Setting Up Your Email Autoresponder Technique

In order to operate an email marketing and advertising marketing campaign, you will require an Autoresponder technique, which is a net-dependent email marketing software program that will supply your email messages to your record.

Autoresponder methods are cost-effective and make the emailing procedure really “hand-off” the moment you set every thing up.

1. Choose an Autoresponder provider company to use. These firms cost you a small regular monthly fee to hold your checklist of email addresses and messages.

The most well-likedis iContact Coupon

2. Add contacts to your Autoresponder system. This can be completed manually. Even so, if you have an opt-in sort on your website, they will be automatically extra.

3. Generate some starter email messages and create them into your Autoresponder program so you can start subsequent-up with your checklist. Continue to send them messages that consist of useful information. In no way permit your list run cold!

4. Make an choose-in type to area on your website. When your Autoresponder is setup, you will have the capacity to make an opt-in form to spot on your web site.

An choose-n kind is a straightforward HTML code that is created by your Autoresponder. When setting up your code, you will figure out what information you want to seize.

Certainly, you will need their email handle, but you can also consult for added details this sort of as their title, deal with, cellphone amount, etc. Even so, the significantly less you ask for, the much more subscribers you will get.

Capturing Email Addresses on Your Website

It has been verified that providing away a free present in trade for email addresses functions better than any other method.

Website visitors are far more apt to give you their email deal with if they get something in return. Nonetheless, no matter what you determine to give them ought to be precious and something they would benefit from. Make positive it’s enticing enough to make them leave their email address to get it. As pointed out before, your Autoresponder choose-in box on your web site will be responsible for accumulating email addresses, but you need to have a way to entice your guests.

You can provide issues this kind of as:

Discounts and Coupons:

Most businesses market items and providers that advantage from the use of coupons. Everyone wants to help save cash these days so presenting a low cost or coupon could prove to be really potent for building a record.

Cost-free Ebooks/Reviews:

A great deal of individuals are on the web browsing for options to a dilemma or want that they have. Free of charge reviews are the perfect way to give them the information that will remedy their dilemma or fulfill their need to have.

Cost-free Video clip Guides:

Video clip is speedily turning into 1 of the most effective marketing and advertising strategies on the web nowadays. Many individuals would instead watch a video than read an e-book, so you should certainly cater to this market.

Cost-free “How-To” Tutorials:

Tutorials are an excellent way to construct an email checklist. This is due to the fact a tutorial offers a Great deal of value to subscribers who are looking for a answer to a difficulty.

e-Mailing Your Checklist

As soon as you start off developing your record, it really is time to hook up, educate and “comfortable-sell” to them by supplying them with useful info… This could be things these kinds of as newsletters on subjects of interest, “how-to” tutorials, etc. Coupons and promotions need to be labored in – do not bombard your record with hard-selling strategies. It is not effective. The most important element of email marketing and advertising is “romance-developing.” Use email to get familiarized with your record and to allow them to get to know you.

Really don’t strike your subscribers with consistent emails since this will minimize the perceived value of being a part of your listing. The moment the worth is gone, individuals will rapidly choose-out. As a substitute, only send out email messages periodically and this could vary dependent on the nature of your enterprise. Even so, in most circumstances, just sending a single email per week – or even two emails for each month is much more than ample to build a sturdy connection with your checklist.

E mail newsletters are yet another exciting and valuable instrument that you or your staff can very easily make use of with email marketing computer software. Jam-packed with information pertaining to pets, specials, the most current information reviews, and neighborhood actions, your email newsletter can easily become a a lot-predicted publication that consumers forward on to other individuals or print out for their close friends. With effortless to use pre-developed templates, the email newsletters can be set up swiftly and sent on to your email database instantaneously.