It still seems far away, but yet it is getting closer and closer. After a couple of years of not being involved in real software development I am about to start with a brand new project. This project is going to be a realistic one, from the minute it starts somewhere during this upcoming week, it will be under constant time pressure. The deadline is around November 30 and I have a vacation planned in the middle of the project as well. Here is what it is all about. During the first three months of 2006 we are going to run a Webcast series on developing a real line of business application for Windows Mobile (5.0) devices. The application must be realistic enough to get a good feeling of the capabilities of Windows Mobile devices. At the same time the Webcast series must give you a solid understanding on how to develop an application from scratch for either a Smartphone or a Pocket PC, or in fact for both these devices simultaneously. The application must make use of as much features as possible of the target device, it must be realistic, yet simple enough to understand, re-create and run after a series of thirteen one hour Webcasts. So here is the idea we came up with. The application will be used by a fictitious emergency road service (like AAA). The application will make use of SQL Server Mobile to maintain membership information, repair reports and invoices. It contains functionality to keep track of worked hours of the service engineer. It will use a combination of SMS messages and phone capabilities to receive assistance assignments. It will make use of the MapPoint web service and location information to get route information to a stranded vehicle. It will make use of Pocket Outlook functionality to lookup contact information and probably many more things. Since this application will be used to teach how to develop applications for Windows Mobile devices, we will also create a hands-on-lab around the application. And of course we will make use of the brand new Visual Studio 2005. The application will be written in managed code using the .NET Compact Framework 2.0. Even though the application will still be simpler than a “real” line-of-business application, it will contain almost everything you need to know to create such an application. Over the next weeks, while developing the application, I will try to blog frequently about it as well, not only to report success stories, but especially to document “mistakes” I make during this project. Of course I will also blog about those things I really like in developing this application, but more important, also what I dislike, what is really hard to do, where information is missing etc. Hopefully this will give you a true insight in developing an application for a Windows Mobile 5.0 device. From the stress of continuously fighting against deadlines to hopefully success, resulting in a showcase application. It feels good to start working on a larger software project again (even though it is only a one man project). It also gives an opportunity to share lots of information with everybody who is interested in device development. I am truly getting excited about this project. There are only a few things I need right now.

• The release version of Visual Studio 2005, so that I finally can run it outside a Virtual PC, being able to target real devices using USB
• Enough time to develop this application
• Lots of soda's and pizza's
• Some real Autumn weather, so it is not too tempting to forget about work and do fun things outside

Over the upcoming months I’ll keep you informed about this project and about the Webcasts around it that we are scheduling for the first three months of 2006.

Maarten Struys