Organisations Ponder on Language for Windows 8

Windows 8 devices are stealing the show at the IFA 2012 in Berlin, the world's largest consumer electronics expo. The overwhelmingly positive reception for Windows 8 touch-screen tablets, hybrids and other devices suggest that the duopoly of Google’s Android and Apple’s IOS in the lucrative mobile devices market is being threatened.

Although it has yet to penetrate mobile devices, Microsoft still has a larger user-base than both Android and Apple. Windows is still the top platform for computing devices, and Microsoft will continue to be dominant in the future with Windows 8.

Windows 8 is designed to put all smartphones, tablets and PCs on the same page. Windows 8 works with a traditional mouse and keyboard and a touch-screen. Hence, the hardware choice will no longer be important as you can access the same content or make use of the same applications regardless of whether they're on a notebook, tablet or smartphone.

Businesses large and small could rely on apps to ramp up sales, promote their products, and engage costumers and suppliers.

Mobile apps can be developed in a variety of languages. You can develop a Metro style app using (i) HTML5, Cascading Style Sheets, Level 3 (CSS3), and JavaScript for web developers, or (ii) XAML, with code-behind in C++, C#, or Visual Basic, for developers who have previously written apps in Silverlight or WPF.

Very few developers have experience building Windows 8 apps as there is still less than 1,000 apps in the Windows Store.

Before embarking on the development of an app for Windows 8, organisations should consider a couple of things as both common tools have their advantages.

Firms looking for a fast app that has basic features and that could easily port to other platforms could make use of HTML 5. Web-browsers built into mobile devices like the iPhone, Android, or Windows Phone are expressed in HTML 5. As HTML browsers are installed in every computing device, the app can easily be altered to work on other platforms.

A large number of developers are already experienced in XAML as it is widely adopted in a number of Microsoft platforms, including the Xbox, Windows Phone, and Windows Desktop. For developers targeting only the Windows platform, using XAML would be better off as it HTML 5 still has its limitations. XAML has more advanced framework for UI development than HTML, despite the latter's future potential.

Mobile device users prefer accessing a native app (app specifically designed for a specific platform like Android or iOS) because they provide more functionality and a richer experience. There would be limitations to what HTML apps can do since they have to access a device's hardware via the APIs exposed by the browser instead of APIs exposed by the proprietary platform or OS, thus compromising performance.

Before investing in a Windows 8 app, the costs, their goals, their niche, and existing codes in place, among other things, should be considered.

Contact Readify to discuss which language is right for your Widows 8 Development.

About Readify

Australia-based Readify, a Microsoft Gold Certified Partner, has over a decade of experience addressing key customer challenges by developing solutions and deploying services based on Microsoft technologies.

Clients over the years include Universal Music, the Victorian Electoral Commission, the Australia Post, Queensland Department of Education and Training, GraysOnline, The Australian Rugby Union, e-commerce site Tireweb, St George School, NSW, Queensland-based digital agency isnt media, Job network provider Workways, the Westmead Breast Cancer Institute (BCI NSW), The Queensland Department of Child Safety, startup business Webjet, business management solutions provider MYOB, and child welfare services provider Barnardos.

Readify, awarded as Microsoft's worldwide 2012 software development partner of the year, is already working with their customers to help write Windows 8 apps for the Windows Store. Readify has a team of specialists develop Windows 8 software, help clients migrate to the new software, and train clients around Microsoft Corp.'s new platform.

Readify has experience and expertise writing Metro Apps for Windows Phone 7, skills in XAML as it has written solutions in Silverlight or WPF, and knows HTML 5, CSS and JavaScript.

For more information about Readify services, call +61 3 9600 2339 or 1300 666 274 (within Australia) or visit the Web site athttp://www.readify.net/

Source:WhaTech