Could you tell us about your experience with Windows Phone and developing for it?
Developing for Windows Phone was a great experience. Easy to use SDK and Visual Studio (available to students through DreamSpark) makes it easier to create powerful apps. Online MSDN documentation and Channel Video resources make it simpler to learn the development.
What inspired you to start developing?
Some of the key factors that attracted me towards Windows Phone development are:
1. Familiarity with ASP.NET Development
2. Beautiful design and UI of the Windows Phone
3. Easy availability of learning resources
Developing an app for Windows Phone was a way to explore more about it. During the development phase, I came to know about the Windows Phone's limitations, its advantages over other platforms and much more!
Could you tell us about the apps you have developed?
I have developed and published 25 apps. I started developing apps in September, 2012. To date, the total downloads of my app are 209,422 worldwide! The app with highest number of downloads is Beautiful Quotes with more than 50,000 downloads.
I would talk about my app India Toll Free Numbers and Delhi Important Numbers first. Both of these apps provide the important contacts like railways, banks, health care, etc. You can save the contacts in the phone or directly call through the app. These apps work without Internet, so that you don’t have to rely on an Internet connection for these contacts.
My SMS Dos app provides you the messages you can forward to your friends on different occasions. There are various wallpaper apps which work completely offline. For kids, there is Kids Fiesta which contains the various bed time stories for kids, Rhythmic Rhymes which contains various nursery rhymes, Pokemania which is a fun app about 1st generation Pokémon.
Do you have any advice for students learning to develop?
Thinking of an idea is the first step in the app development. Whenever you think of an idea, think if someone else would have already created that app, will you download it? And if unfortunately, someone has actually created an app based on the idea you thought of, then think of making a better app (of course with the idea you thought of) than the existing one!
For new developers I would recommend Bob Tabor’s “Windows Phone 7 Development for beginners” video series on Channel9. While developing apps, keep your web browser open and search for the solution whenever you get stuck in a problem.
Also you can mail your technical queries to wppitcrew@microsoft.com and you will get them answered.
How can fellow students contact you?
Through my Facebook page and Twitter here.