Windows Mobile Development: Getting One's Feet Wet?

[(PeteCresswell)]

I'd like to try writing a little application for my own use on a
device that runs Windows Mobile.

Don't have such a device, but am thinking of buying something
like Velocity's 103
(http://www.pdadb.net/index.php?m=specs&id=1287)

i.e. a PDA with cell phone capability.

Questions:

1) Is the development environment different depending on the type
of device (i.e. plain PDA, cell-phone-capable PDA, smart phone)

2) If so, am I making a mistake starting with a cell
phone-capable PDA? I'm interested in the simplest environment.
--
PeteCresswell

[r_z_...@pen_fact.com]

On Fri, 27 Mar 2009 19:48:54 -0400, "(PeteCresswell)" <x...@y.Invalid>
wrote:

>I'd like to try writing a little application for my own use on a
>device that runs Windows Mobile.
>
>Don't have such a device, but am thinking of buying something
>like Velocity's 103
>(http://www.pdadb.net/index.php?m=specs&id=1287)
>
>i.e. a PDA with cell phone capability.
>
>Questions:
>
>1) Is the development environment different depending on the type
>of device (i.e. plain PDA, cell-phone-capable PDA, smart phone)

Development environment is virtually the same for devices with and
without phones. But unless you are careful and a bit tricky, you will
need to target them separately.

>
>2) If so, am I making a mistake starting with a cell
>phone-capable PDA? I'm interested in the simplest environment.

If you don't try to use phone features, you won't notice the
difference. But creating a usable program without stylus, touch, or
mouse can be tricky.

If you are going to use a .NET language, I suggest using google
advanced group search (http://groups.google.com/advanced_search?q=&)
to look up
newbie
in microsoft.public.dotnet.framework.compactframework. If you are not
using a .NET language, look in microsoft.public.pocketpc.developer
and/or microsoft.publilc.smartphone.developer.

Several threads in the last week have asked about getting started.
Unfortunately, in several different groups, so few folks will see all
of them.

Welcome to the "club". And good luck.

-----------------------------------------
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Robert E. Zaret, eMVP
PenFact, Inc.
20 Park Plaza, Suite 400
Boston, MA 02116
www.penfact.com
Useful reading (be sure to read its disclaimer first):
http://catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html

[(PeteCresswell)]

Per r_z_aret@pen_fact.com:
>If you are going to use a .NET language....

What's your environment of choice?

.NET is something that I've been meaning to try to learn for at
least six years now..... but I've got so much work, there never
seems tb time.

So I'd have a bias (albeit modest...) towards .NET.

But if that's one of those things where it works... sort of...
but the "real" environment is "XYZ", then I'd go with "XYZ".
--
PeteCresswell

[(PeteCresswell)]

Per (PeteCresswell):

>But if that's one of those things where it works... sort of...
>but the "real" environment is "XYZ", then I'd go with "XYZ".

What I'm really trying to say is "What is the mainstream (if any)
development environment for Windows Mobile?"
--
PeteCresswell

[r_z_...@pen_fact.com]

On Sun, 29 Mar 2009 10:25:09 -0400, "(PeteCresswell)" <x...@y.Invalid>
wrote:

For at least the near future, I'll be sticking with straight Win32.
But I'm pretty sure .NET is mainstream for application developers.
Microsoft sure is pushing it.

If the apps are primarily for your use, then your choice of tools
should depend heavily on what you already know and like. Mainstream
matters if you want a job.