Windows Virtual Labs

Windows is the premiere development platform in the world. With Windows, developers can leverage their existing skills and code assets to create applications. Step into these virtual labs and learn how to build, share and sell interesting and easy-to-use applications that will make your customers happy. Virtual labs are simple –no complex setup or installation required.

Each lab comes with a downloadable manual and a 90-minute time allocation. You can sign up for additional 90-minute blocks at any time.

Launch your Windows 8 app in 30 days.

Windows 8 RTM Virtual Labs

  • Lab 1 for C# - Creating a Windows 8 App

    Contoso Cookbook is a series of hands on labs designed to immerse you into Windows 8 app development. In this first lab in the series, you will use XAML and C# to create the application, implement navigation, download the data from Windows Azure (or load it locally if you don’t have an Internet connection), and connect the data to controls using data binding.

  • Lab 2 for C# - Orientation, Snapping, and Semantic Zoom

    In this lab, you will build upon Lab 1 by adding three important UI-related features to Contoso Cookbook. First, you will customize the layout of the item-detail and group-detail pages when the screen is rotated. Next, you will customize the layout of the item-detail page when the application is snapped. Finally, you will implement semantic zoom in the start page, enabling users to zoom out and see all the recipe groups on a single screen.

  • Lab 3 for C# - Searching and Sharing

    In this lab, you will add support for searching and sharing to Contoso Cookbook. You will get first-hand experience implementing searching and sharing contracts, and learn how these contracts provide a higher level of integration between either two apps or an app and Windows itself.

  • Lab 4 for C# - App Bars and Media Capture

    In this lab, you will enhance Contoso Cookbook by allowing users to capture photos and videos of their favorite recipes and share them with other applications. You will also add an application bar that provides shortcuts to these features and learn how to incorporate popup menus into application bar commands.

  • Lab 5 for C# - Process Lifetime Management

    In this lab, you will learn about Process Lifetime Management. Process Lifetime Management, or PLM, is one of the most important concepts for a developer building Windows Store apps to understand. Unlike traditional Windows applications, which continue to execute even when they are in the background, Windows Store apps only execute when they are in the foreground.

  • Lab 6 for C# - Settings and Preferences

    In this lab, you’ll add About and Preferences commands to the settings pane in Contoso Cookbook. You’ll expose a simple user preference that can be toggled on and off with a toggle switch, and you’ll use roaming settings to store that preference so it will follow users wherever they go.

  • Lab 7 for C# - Tiles and Notifications

    In this lab, you will get first-hand experience with secondary tiles, push notifications, and toasts by adding them to Contoso Cookbook. At the conclusion, users will be able to pin favorite recipes to the start screen with secondary tiles, see tiles updated by the Windows Notification Service, and see scheduled toasts in action.

  • Lab 8 for C# - The Windows Store APIs

    In this lab, you will use the Windows Store APIs to monetize Contoso Cookbook. First you will modify the about box to detect trial versions and include a purchase button if the app has not been paid for. Next, you will use CurrentAppSimulator to simulate a purchase when the purchase button is clicked. Finally, you will simulate in-app purchases by offering Italian recipes as a paid add-on rather than for free.

  • Lab 9 for C# - Touch and Pointer Input

    In this lab, you’ll take a preexisting photo-editing app named Contoso Photo and add touch support to turn it into a fully functional application. You’ll add support for simple gestures such as taps and double-taps, and you’ll build in support for pinch-zooms as well as for dragging and panning. In addition, you’ll make sure all of it works with a mouse so the application is equally at home on devices that lack touch screens. Sound appealing? Then let’s dive into the world of touch and see what it takes to build a great touch-enabled app.

  • Lab 1 for JavaScript - Creating a Windows 8 App

    In this first lab in the series, you will use HTML and Javascript to create the application, implement the navigation, download the data from a REST based service, and connect the data to controls using data binding.

  • Lab 2 for JavaScript - Orientation, Snapping and Semantic Zoom

    In this lab, you will build upon Lab 1 by adding three important UI-related features to Contoso Cookbook. First, you will customize the layout of the item-detail and group-detail pages when the screen is rotated. Next, you will customize the layout of the item-detail page when the application is snapped. Finally, you will implement semantic zoom in the start page, enabling users to zoom out and see all the recipe groups on a single screen.

  • Lab 3 for JavaScript - Searching and Sharing

    In this lab, you will add support for searching and sharing to Contoso Cookbook. You will get first-hand experience implementing searching and sharing contracts, and learn how these contracts provide a higher level of integration between either two apps or an app and Windows itself.

  • Lab 4 for JavaScript - App Bars and Media Capture

    In this lab, you will enhance Contoso Cookbook by allowing users to capture photos and videos of their favorite recipes and share them with other applications. You will also add an application bar that provides shortcuts to these features and learn how to incorporate popup menus into application bar commands.

  • Lab 5 for JavaScript - Process Lifetime Management

    In this lab, you will learn about Process Lifetime Management. Process Lifetime Management, or PLM, is one of the most important concepts for a developer building Windows Store apps to understand. Unlike traditional Windows applications, which continue to execute even when they are in the background, Windows Store apps only execute when they are in the foreground.

  • Lab 6 for JavaScript - Settings and Preferences

    In this lab, you’ll add About and Preferences commands to the settings pane in Contoso Cookbook. You’ll expose a simple user preference that can be toggled on and off with a toggle switch, and you’ll use roaming settings to store that preference so it will follow users wherever they go.

  • Lab 7 for JavaScript - Tiles and Notifications

    In this lab, you will get first-hand experience with secondary tiles, push notifications, and toasts by adding them to Contoso Cookbook. At the conclusion, users will be able to pin favorite recipes to the start screen with secondary tiles, see tiles updated by the Windows Notification Service, and see scheduled toasts in action.

  • Lab 8 for JavaScript - The Windows Store APIs

    In this lab, you will use the Windows Store APIs to monetize Contoso Cookbook. First you will modify the about box to detect trial versions and include a purchase button if the app has not been paid for. Next, you will use CurrentAppSimulator to simulate a purchase when the purchase button is clicked. Finally, you will simulate in-app purchases by offering Italian recipes as a paid add-on rather than for free.

  • Lab 9 for JavaScript - Touch Input Apps

    In this lab, you’ll take a preexisting photo-editing app named Contoso Photo and add touch support to turn it into a fully functional application. You’ll add support for simple gestures such as taps and double-taps, and you’ll build in support for pinch-zooms as well as for dragging and panning. In addition, you’ll make sure all of it works with a mouse so the application is equally at home on devices that lack touch screens. Sound appealing? Then let’s dive into the world of touch and see what it takes to build a great touch-enabled app.

Getting Started

Download the tools and SDK for Windows 8

Microsoft Visual Studio Express 2012 for Windows 8 is your tool to build Windows Store apps. It includes the Windows 8 SDK, Blend for Visual Studio, and project templates. You must first install Windows 8 RTM.

Windows 8 Enterprise Evaluation
Windows 8 Hands-on Labs Online

Looking to integrate search, translation, or maps into your application? Check out bing.com/developers today.