quickstart tips for smartphone development

[Jeroen]

Hi,

We'd like to create an app for a mobile phone using the .NET CF. Can
you please post a few quick tips or links on the following issues:

- How do you typically access (if at all) phone functionality such as
vibration-alarm or other phone-specific functionality? Do you need
DLLs from the phone-manufacturer, and do they typically provide them
freely?

- We have experience with C# and Visual Studio, are there good
starting points that point out typical traps?

If I need to provide more/other/specific info please let me know.

Thanks.

-Jeroen

 

[Christian Resma Helle]

- How do you typically access (if at all) phone functionality such as

vibration-alarm or other phone-specific functionality? Do you need
DLLs from the phone-manufacturer, and do they typically provide them
freely?

Yes these device specific features are exposed in API's. Windows Mobile 5.0
and 6.0 provides a managed wrappers for a lot cool device specific features.
(Pocket Outlook, Telephone, etc etc)

- We have experience with C# and Visual Studio, are there good
starting points that point out typical traps?

Downloading and Installing the SDK's would be the first thing I would do. I
would suggest downloading the Mobile 5.0 and 6.0 SDK's. The Pocket PC 2003
SDK is included with Visual Studio 2005.

 

[Jeroen]

Thanks a bunch for the response, that makes things clearer already!
One short follow-up question:

Downloading and Installing the SDK's would be the first thing I would do. I
would suggest downloading the Mobile 5.0 and 6.0 SDK's. The Pocket PC 2003
SDK is included with Visual Studio 2005.

It's a hobby project, and the start coincides with getting new phones.
Assuming they have the newest Windows Mobile (6.0, right?) can't we
ignore 5.0 altogether? That would make things easier, it seems.

Also: what's the relation between Mobile-6.0 and Pocket-PC-2003-SDK?

-Jeroen

 

[Christian Resma Helle]

Windows Mobile 5.0 and 6.0 is quite similar. But Pocket PC 2003 has a
different look and feel and does not provide managed wrappers for the cool
device specific features. Although there are 3rd party vendors that provide
managed wrappers for the native API's (InTheHand Mobile and OpenNETCF SDF)

I would suggest using the SDK for Windows Mobile 5.0 since this is fully
compatible with Windows Mobile 6.0. But if you're getting a device, i would
suggest getting a device running Windows Mobile 6.0. Mobile 6.0 has the
..NETCF and SQL Server CE installed on ROM (which means its a lot faster)

 

[Jeroen]

Thanks Christian, this completely answers my question! Good to know
where to start.

-Jeroen