touchdevelop introduction

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technology shift

o

smartphones outsell PCs

o

smartphones might be first and possibly only computing device for many people

o

smartphones perform many common PC tasks

programming with touchdevelop

smart phone specs

iPhone 4

Processor ?

Display Memory “Disk” 960x640 512 MB 16-64 GB

minimum Windows Phone 7 specs

800 Mhz 800x480 256 MB 8 GB more than your PC:  hardware-accelerated graphics, touchscreen    WiFi, cellular (GSM 3G or CDMA), bluetooth high-resolution camera(s) GPS, accelerometer, gyroscope, compass, ambient light sensor, proximity sensor, FM tuner, … programming with touchdevelop

smartphone

o o o o o o o o o o

uses

text messaging taking photos internet browsing emailing downloading apps gaming social networking navigating watching video … what you haven’t done on your phone yet: writing code, creating entire apps!

programming with touchdevelop

walled garden

many platforms only allow user to run apps from vetted “app store” or “Marketplace” have you already tried to create a mobile app?

programming with touchdevelop

what if…

o we could write an app on the phone directly?

• without a PC o and share it with your friends?

programming with touchdevelop

challenges

o small screen o no keyboard, but touchscreen o easily lost programming with touchdevelop

touchdevelop

mobile application development environment o o create applications (aka “scripts”) on the phone itself no PC required o o access to phone sensors, camera, music, web, etc.

share scripts with other people programming with touchdevelop

demo

o similar to built in “take the tour” tutorial, built song player programming with touchdevelop

this is for you

o for students • engaging experience • work with your personal data (pictures, songs, …) • create games • on the go o lowers bar of entry to programming • create tailored apps for micro-business programming with touchdevelop

language+edito

o

r

typed language • • • enables precise auto-completion suggestions imperative object oriented, but doesn’t allow definition of new objects o semi-structured editor • • • structured at statement level unstructured at expression level structured at token level programming with touchdevelop

available APIs

all phone features are available via touchdevelop: o o o camera, touch, accelerometer, compass, gyro, microphone, … contacts, calendar, email, … pictures, songs, … o web queries, search, maps, social networks o o graphics with physics engine tiles ✿ http://touchdevelop.com/Documents/whatcanido.pdf

✿ http://touchdevelop.com/help/api ✿ http://touchdevelop.com/help/languagecloud programming with touchdevelop

script sharing

script bazaar in cloud: central authority for script sharing o backup o o anyone can publish a script script source code is made available o o discover new scripts!

all published scripts are analyzed (privacy) programming with touchdevelop

website

programming with touchdevelop

book + slides

available free online touchdevelop.com/book touchdevelop.com/slides o introduction to programming on a phone o how to use app + language o for teachers + students programming with touchdevelop

real apps

o submit scripts as apps to Marketplace!

o requires App Hub developer account (free for students via Dreamspark ) o o app needs to pass regular certification process on App Hub Learn more… programming with touchdevelop

reception

o TouchDevelop is popular (released April 2011) • • > 150K downloads in top 1% of all apps (out of 60.000) of Windows Phone Marketplace Rated 4.7/5 by users o great for teaching • • engaging programming experience using personal device and data (songs, pictures, etc.) o embraces new reality • • • language and editor optimized for touchscreen first-class access to sensors and services sharing and learning with friends in the cloud programming with touchdevelop