MSDN Flash - Volume 16, Number 20: August 27, 2012

Top Stories

Visual Studio 2012 and .NET 4.5 Released - Get Yours Now

S SomasegarGet an introduction to the new Visual Studio 2012 with S. Somasegar, where to download your copy, and Blend + SketchFlow Preview for Visual Studio 2012.


12 Reasons to Upgrade to Visual Studio 2012

In case you’re still deciding whether to download Visual Studio 2012, or haven't been keeping up with all the news about the release, Jason Zander offers a deep dive into 12 new features of Visual Studio 2012.


Get Ready for the Visual Studio 2012 Launch

Get a head start on your future by attending the Visual Studio 2012 Virtual Launch Event on September 12. See how Visual Studio 2012 supported by Team Foundation Server can help turn your ideas into software. Save the date and register now to attend this free event.

Your Featured Content

Microsoft Enterprise Library vNext - Call to Action
This collection of reusable components addresses common concerns (such as logging, validation, data access, and error management). The patterns & practices team is planning new major versions of the Enterprise Library and the Unity dependency injection container. They will target Windows 8, Windows Server 2012, .NET Framework 4.5, and WinRT. Help shape the release - answer the call to action.

Bytes by MSDN: Rockford Lhotka and Tim Huckaby Talk .NET 4.5 and WinRT
Rockford Lhotka, CTO of Magenic, talks about .NET, VB, C#, async await keywords and the task enhancement library that he's excited about. He also shares insights into working with CSLA.NET to work with WinRT. Download Visual Studio Win8 Express.

Microsoft DevRadio: Windows 8 in Half the Time - Getting Started
Developer Evangelist Michael Palermo kicks off his new series by showing us how to develop for Windows 8 in 4 minutes or less. Learn how to get started developing your Windows 8 app by downloading and using Visual Studio Express. See more Windows 8 DevRadio items on the MSDN Flash Extras page.

Learn How to Design Apps with Windows 8 Personality
Learn about the five guiding principles of Windows 8 app design - the foundation for building great apps. Visit the Dev Center, read the Index of UX Guidelines for Apps, and get help designing your apps with 30 to Launch.

Begin your 30-day journey to create a great Windows 8 app.
Get your app to market before the Windows 8 launch on October 26. With one-on-one technical and design consultations, development tools, and daily tips and tricks, we've got all the essentials to help you develop, test, and polish your app in 30 days.

How Do I: Add settings to a Windows 8 application?
Learn how to create the markup and script to implement and wire up a WinJS SettingsFlyout control that will smoothly integrate your app's settings experience with the Windows 8 settings charm. Need help getting started designing and publishing your app? Sign up for 30 to Launch.

4003 - Programming Windows 8 Apps Using HTML5: Early Lab Collection

4004 - Programming Windows 8 Apps Using C#: Early Lab Collection

40023 - First Look Clinic: Introduction to Windows 8 Development - HTML5

40024 - Hands-on Lab: Introduction to Windows 8 Development - HTML5

40025 - First Look Clinic: Introduction to Windows 8 Development - C#

40026 - Hands-on Lab: Introduction to Windows 8 Development - C#

How Do I: Use the blob storage service from Java?
See how to perform common scenarios using the Windows Azure blob storage service. The samples are written in Java and use the Windows Azure SDK for Java. The scenarios covered include uploading, listing, downloading, and deleting blobs.

Sign Up for Our Windows Azure Hands-on Lab Online (HOLO) Events Today
HOLOs are online events that begin with a live presentation, followed by virtual lab exercises. Microsoft experts can provide lab guidance by chatting with you one-on-one or by virtually taking control of your lab. Learn how to create applications using Windows Azure.

Give a Grad a Hand
A fresh crop of aspiring techies is transitioning from college to career this summer. Remember those days? The options seemed promising, but overwhelming. As a developer, you can help new grads set their careers on the right path by answering some of their quick questions on Facebook. Give your advice and help their futures. It's part of the Microsoft Certification 20th Anniversary celebration.

Free Book: Building Elastic and Resilient Cloud Applications
Benefit from autoscaling and transient fault handling capabilities, make your Windows Azure applications more robust and resilient, and spend more time focusing on your business logic. Free epub, mobi, and pdf versions of the guide are available now.

Microsoft DevRadio: How to Convert Your Windows Phone App into a Windows 8 Application
Tune in as we discuss what steps are needed, the level of effort that is required, what design and control changes should be considered, and some words of wisdom for cross-platform app development. Download Windows 8 Release Preview and Windows 8 SDK.

Sign Up for Our Windows 8 Hands-on Lab Online (HOLO) Events Today
HOLOs are online events that begin with a live presentation, followed by virtual lab exercises. As you work on your labs, Microsoft experts can assist and provide guidance by chatting with you one-on-one or by virtually taking control of your lab. Learn how to build, share, and sell interesting and easy-to-use applications using C# or JavaScript. See more Windows 8 HOLOs on the MSDN Flash Extras page.

Download Design Assets for Windows 8 Apps
Designing for Windows 8 isn't much different than designing for the web. In fact, it's a bit easier because you have PSDs for controls, layouts, components, and project templates to help you lay out your UI. Download design assets and start bringing your apps to life. Get additional help with 30 to Launch Windows 8.

How Do I: Use the Callisto framework to enrich a Windows 8 application?
Learn how to obtain and reference the Callisto framework within a Windows 8 XAML application. The sample also shows the basic use of a Ratings control. For a list of all Windows 8 How do I videos, visit the Channel 9 HDI page. Once you're ready to start designing your own app, get help with 30 to Launch.

The Top 10 Windows 8 Secrets of App Success
Chris Bowen shares the secrets of what successful apps have in common, what you need to get started creating apps, and the steps you need to publish your app in the Window Store.

How Do I: Access Windows Azure blob storage from Node.js?
Learn how the Windows Azure storage service provides an easy-to-use mechanism for storing and retrieving files in the cloud by combining Node.js with Windows Azure storage. See a simple example of the code required to create a container, list blobs in a container, upload, download, and delete blobs.

How Do I: Use the blob storage service?
Learn how the Windows Azure storage service provides an easy-to-use mechanism for storing and retrieving files in the cloud. See a simple and straightforward example of the code required to create a container, list blobs in a container, upload and download a blob.

Get a Free Second Shot to Pass a Microsoft Certification Exam
The new MCSD and MCSE certifications endorse your ability to deploy, design, and optimize technologies for critical roles. Now you can sign up for a Microsoft certification exam with the confidence that, even if you don’t pass the first time, you’ll get a second chance at success.