Rob Tiffany on At TechEd New Zealand, I presented a session on how to integrate a company’s backend systems into SQL Server 2014 and deliver that data out to #mobile devices via Web APIs to support the operations of occasionally-connected apps on mobile devices using NoSQL tables.
Read More Rob Tiffany on At TechEd New Zealand, I presented a session on Microsoft’s next generation data sync technology from Azure Mobile Services that uses SQLite to support the operations of occasionally-connected apps on #mobile devices.
Read More Rob Tiffany on The smartphone built from the ground-up to address the security and management needs of every enterprise has arrived. Some of you developers and early adopters running the developer preview may need to use the Nokia Software Recovery Tool to downgrade back to Windows Phone 8 before you phone will recognize that the Lumia Cyan update is available. Here at Microsoft, we’ve created the ultimate device to span your business and personal life. Our super-efficient operating system runs great on inexpensive hardware so no one gets left out. Highlights include:
She’s a personal digital assistant (Did I just say PDA?) powered by Bing that keeps track of your interests, makes appointments, answers questions, provides helpful suggestions and reminds you of meetings.
With a swipe of you finger, you get notifications, messages, alerts and configurable control of functions like Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and brightness.
All devices get a third column of tiles with the option of making them translucent to reveal a background image.
The world’s fastest keyboard (ask Guinness) delivers shape-writing out of the box, so get swiping.
This allows you to get the most out of your data plan by compressing images and text while warning you when you get close to the end of your plan.
Extend your battery life up to 20%.
This hardware-accelerated, HTML5 web browser with JIT-compiled JavaScript supports unlimited tabs, InPrivate mode, inline video and reading mode.
Deep Skype integration allows you to upgrade incoming voice calls to video calls and Cortana is always happy to help you start a Skype call of any kind.
Select custom volume levels for the ringer, notifications, media, and apps while being able to quickly switch between silent or vibrate mode.
BitLocker provides encryption for internal storage as well as the app partition of the SD card.
Automatically configure devices for enrollment in Exchange, SharePoint, network profiles, certs and many other configurations all in a single step.
Cert-based auth for accounts, Wi-Fi, VPN, web browser, and line of business apps.
You get enterprise auth with PEAP-MSCHAPv2, EAP-TLS and EAP-TTLS so now you get to use certs for Wi-Fi authentication.
App-triggered VPN including IPSec (IKEv2), SSL-VPN, Intranet SSO, auto-reconnect and support for split or forced tunneling.
Exchange encrypted email messages.
IT can now require apps to be pushed to devices for installation as well as blocking certain apps or even the entire Microsoft Store.
Enroll devices with enterprise mobility management (EMM) solutions to enforce policies, provision profiles and distribute apps.
Windows Phone 8.1 not only fits the bill for BYOD scenarios but it has security and management capabilities needed to be a corporate-liable phone at your organization. I’m just scratching the surface here, so update your phone and find out for yourself.
Sharing my knowledge and helping others never stops, so connect with me on my blog at https://robtiffany.com , follow me on Twitter at https://twitter.com/RobTiffany and on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/robtiffany
Rob Tiffany on These guys are doing great work in the developer community! Go check out their site!
Sharing my knowledge and helping others never stops, so connect with me on my blog at https://robtiffany.com , follow me on Twitter at https://twitter.com/RobTiffany and on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/robtiffany
Rob Tiffany on Enterprise mobility is a top priority for Chief Information Officers who must empower employees and reach customers by moving data from backend systems out to apps on mobile devices. This data must flow over inefficient wireless data networks, be consumable by any mobile device, and scale to support millions of users while delivering exceptional performance. Since wireless coverage is inconsistent, apps must store this data offline so users can be productive in the absence of connectivity.
In this video you’ll learn how to build fast and scalable REST + JSON APIs using the ASP.NET Web API while employing techniques such as data sharding and in-memory caching. On the device, you’ll learn how your apps can work with offline data via in-memory NoSQL tables that use LINQ to support the same CRUD operations as relational databases. You’ll walk away from this session with the ability to deliver flexible server solutions that work on-premise or in Azure and device solutions that work with Windows Phones and Tablets.
Download the two Visual Studio projects and associated source code from GitHub:
https://github.com/robtiffany/build-2014-mobile-api
Sharing my knowledge and helping others never stops, so connect with me on my blog at https://robtiffany.com , follow me on Twitter at https://twitter.com/RobTiffany and on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/robtiffany
Rob Tiffany on Senior Analyst, Kevin Benedict discusses Microsoft mobility with Rob Tiffany on topics ranging from Windows Phone to Windows Intune. #mobile #emm
Read More Rob Tiffany on Hola from sunny Barcelona! Mobile World Congress 2014 is bigger than ever with over 85,000 attendees. With mobility firmly in control as the world’s largest megatrend in both consumer and enterprise technology, MWC14 has cemented itself as the most important global conference. Once the domain of network equipment manufacturers, handset makers, and mobile operators, this event now attracts entrepreneurs and executives from virtually every major company.
Having Mark Zuckerberg on hand for the keynote to kick things off definitely tells me something has changed. Most of his keynote focused on having mobile operators work with Internet.org to deliver free bandwidth to connect the 2/3rds of the world that aren’t connected. I won’t dwell on the $19 billion WhatsApp acquisition except to say that there’s never been a better time to be a mobile developer.
This first announcements of the event came from Microsoft where we added to our existing lineup of partners (HTC, Huawei, Nokia and Samsung). New hardware partners include: Foxconn, Gionee, JSR, Karbonn, Lava (Xolo), Lenovo, LG, Longcheer and ZTE. This expands Windows Phone’s reach to 56% of the global smartphone markets. Just as important was our announcement to lower of bill of materials (BOM) costs of Windows Phone hardware by supporting Qualcomm Snapdragon 200 and 400 series chipsets and soft keys. This allows Windows Phones to penetrate more price-sensitive markets and go after the next billion smartphone users. Along the way, we further enhance our adoption by supporting dual SIM phones and supporting all major cellular technologies, including LTE (TDD/FDD), HSPA+, EVDO and TD-SCMA.
Targeting emerging markets, Nokia announced the X family of low-cost Android smartphones. Positioned below the Windows Phone Lumia range, these devices swap out Google services for Microsoft services including things like OneDrive, Outlook.com, Here maps, and Skype. With the announcements made by Microsoft the previous day to lower Windows Phone hardware BOM costs, this new line of devices may find themselves bumping into the low end of the Lumia line. They definitely have apps on their side with reports that they’ll run 75% of Google Play apps out of the box. Speaking of low-cost, the Nokia Lumia 520 won the Global Mobile Award for Best Low Cost Smartphone at MWC this year.
Via its Unpacked event, Samsung launched the Galaxy S5, Gear 2, Gear Neo, and Gear Fit health band. The Galaxy S5 looks a lot like the GS4 with a dimpled back cover, finger scanner, heart rate monitor, and an upgraded camera. I suppose it’s the same kind of “yawner” upgrade that Apple gets away with each year with the iPhone. Of all their new wearables, the sleek, Gear Fit stole the show with a colorful, curved display reminiscent of the Nike Fuel Band.
On the enterprise side of the house, Samsung has made updates to their KNOX technologies. KNOX 2.0 takes advantage of the multiuser capabilities of Android KitKat to provide dual/multi persona container capabilities without requiring app wrapping. This means that just about any app in the Google Play store should work unmodified which eliminates the “hassle factor” of app wrapping to run a particular container. Speaking of containers, KNOX 2.0 will now work with 3rd party containers such as Good’s secure container, Fixmo’s SafeZone and MobileIron’s AppConnect. Last but not least, Samsung also launched KNOX EMM and Marketplace which support mobile device management, Identity and Access Management, and apps from the cloud with Galaxy and iOS devices.
Lots of folks liked to hang out in the Sustainability Garden to take a break under the bubble.
Almost everyone found themselves grabbing a snack and talking to other attendees in the various Networking Gardens.
In other news, Samsung is taking over the world via the clever use of footballers.
AppMachine facilitates rapid, multiplatform development of native apps via their web apps and Lego blocks. Very impressed with their demo!
Embarcadero keeps Delphi development relevant across mobile devices. Let’s hear it for Object Pascal and the enduring legacy of Anders Hejlsberg!
kwamecorp is an agency doing very cool mobile design and development work around the world. They also fund startups that they think will drive positive change in the world.
MicroStrategy has a mobile app platform that allows you to turn any business function into a mobile app without writing any code.
The W3C is here to remind us that HTML5 is the only open, multiplatform development technology that isn’t controlled by any one company. I’m a fan!
vserv.mobi is one of many mobile advertising platform companies present in the App Planet hall in Fira Gran Via.
This just looks cool.
Globo demonstrated their secure container solution for Windows Phone 8 and Windows 8.1 for me. Their container included an Exchange Active Sync client and remote file access.
Nice to see Washington State representing all our great local technology companies.
The beautiful HTC One snagged the Global Mobile Award for Best Smartphone at MWC this year. They also launched the mid-range Desire 610.
SAP is charging into the world of enterprise mobility with the one-two punch of Afaria for device management and SAP Mobile Platform to build apps across all mobile operating systems. They also announced a new partnership with Xamarin to allow Microsoft Visual Studio developers to link to SAP’s Mobile Platform. Merging Sybase Unwired Platform (SUP) and Syclo Agentry platform and implementing OData represents their MEAP/MADP roadmap.
Panasonic is the real deal when it comes to enterprise mobility solutions. I was excited to see them launch the Toughpad FZ-E1 running Windows Embedded 8 Handheld. If you can build Windows Phone apps, you can build apps for their new rugged handheld. Get after it!
I found a company trying to cash in on the likenesses of Bill Gates, Steve Jobs, and some other guy.
fitbit is one of the wearable fitness pioneers, but you’d never know it if you judged them by the size of their booth at this giant, mobile beauty pageant.
SOTI touted their MobiControl Android+ technology to enable, optimize and secure Android for the enterprise.
Sophos talked-up IDC’s research note that found the 25% of SMB organizations currently utilize Sophos Mobile Control as their MDM solution to govern and manage their mobile devices.
Who doesn’t love GoPro? I need to head back to Whistler.
Citrix announced XenMobile for Samsung KNOX and claims the most KNOX-certified apps.
Huawei launched the MediaPad X1 tablet with a 7-inch screen and cellular connectivity, which means it also serves as a giant smartphone. They also introduced TalkBand wearables that pair with the X1 via Bluetooth to provide fitness data.
LG launched the G Pro 2 phablet as well the G2 Mini. LG’s Knock Code is an interesting security feature that allows you to tap the phone on the correct quadrant of the display to unlock it.
Sony had a giant booth that seemed like a spaceship. The launched their flagship Xperia Z2 smartphone and Xperia Z2 tablet.
Sony also released their SmartBand fitness and tracker wearable that works with their new smartphone.
The world’s top PC company introduced 3 new Android smartphones as well as a new 10-inch Yoga Tablet that gets 18 hours of battery life.
Bill is doing a great job of demonstrating Microsoft’s 3 screen strategy across Xbox, Windows and Windows Phone.
ZTE launched their ultra slim Grand Memo II LTE phablet with a 6 inch screen. Additionally, they showed-off their ZTE Open C built in partnership with Mozilla and Telefonica. It looks like they’re covering the high-end with Android and the low-end with Firefox OS. They also talked about their smart city solution, ZTE iCity.
Qualcomm chipsets power more mobile devices found at MWC than anyone else.
John Chambers, the chairman and CEO of Cisco, claimed the Internet of Things space has the potential to generate $19 trillion worth of profit and economic benefits over the next decade. That’s a lot of cash.
Newly-acquired AirWatch had a massive booth and really emphasized their Secure Content Locker (MCM) technology this year.
This small version of Oracle’s Americas Cup sailboat was the coolest thing at their booth.
A $25 Firefox OS reference design was the talk of MWC. I played with their HTML5 mobile operating system running on Alcatel and ZTE phones and they’ve definitely come a long way since last year.
I actually kinda like Asus’ new ZenUI for the ZenFone. Gotta differentiate from other Android handset makers somehow.
What are my broad takeaways from this event?
See you next year!
Sharing my knowledge and helping others never stops, so connect with me on my blog at https://robtiffany.com , follow me on Twitter at https://twitter.com/RobTiffany and on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/robtiffany
Rob Tiffany on Yes, we covered exciting acronyms like EMM, MDM, MAM, MIM and MCM.
– Rob
Sharing my knowledge and helping others never stops, so connect with me on my blog at https://robtiffany.com , follow me on Twitter at https://twitter.com/RobTiffany and on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/robtiffany
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Rob Tiffany on SQLite supports DDL statements including CREATE, ALTER, and DROP to work with objects like Tables, Indexes, Triggers, and Views. This is complimented by simplified, dynamic data types including INTEGER, NULL, REAL, TEXT, and BLOB. Admittedly, this takes some getting used to by those of you who use database engines with static typing. Here’s a quick explanation:
Lets cut to the chase so you can see how to create a new SQLite database:
private async void OpenCreateDatabase()
{
var db = new SQLiteWinRT.Database(Windows.Storage.ApplicationData.Current.LocalFolder, "Contoso.db");
try
{
await db.OpenAsync();
}
catch (System.Runtime.InteropServices.COMException ex)
{
var result = SQLiteWinRT.Database.GetSqliteErrorCode(ex.HResult);
throw new Exception("Failed to create database " + result);
}
}
Walking through the code above, you quickly notice that I created an async function. This is because I use await when opening the database asynchronously on a worker thread to keep things fast and fluid. The first line of code is flexible enough to either create new database called Contoso.db or use an existing one which make our lives easier. You’ll also notice that I’m placing the database in the LocalFolder used for storage by my Windows or Windows Phone app. SQLiteWinRTPhone is used for Windows Phone and SQLiteWinRT is used for Windows tablets, laptops, and desktops. I’m wrapping the aforementioned code to open the database in a try/catch block specifically designed to deal with COM exceptions since our WinRT code is interoperating with native C++ code from SQLite. You’ll use GetSqliteErrorCode in order to retrieve the HResult from SQLite and then throw the error up the stack using a standard Exception object.
With your database created, the next thing you’ll want to do is create one or more tables. The structure for the CREATE TABLE statement can be found at http://www.sqlite.org/lang_createtable.html. Below, I’ll show you the code to create a typical Parent/Child table relationship between a Product and ProductDetails table:
private async void CreateTables()
{
var db = new SQLiteWinRT.Database(Windows.Storage.ApplicationData.Current.LocalFolder, "Contoso.db");
try
{
await db.OpenAsync();
string sql = @"CREATE TABLE IF NOT EXISTS Products
(ProductId INTEGER PRIMARY KEY AUTOINCREMENT NOT NULL,
Name TEXT)";
await db.ExecuteStatementAsync(sql);
sql = @"CREATE TABLE IF NOT EXISTS ProductDetails
(ProductDetailId INTEGER PRIMARY KEY AUTOINCREMENT NOT NULL,
Color TEXT,
Quantity INTEGER,
ProductId INTEGER,
FOREIGN KEY(ProductId) REFERENCES Products(ProductId) ON DELETE CASCADE)";
await db.ExecuteStatementAsync(sql);
}
catch (System.Runtime.InteropServices.COMException ex)
{
var result = SQLiteWinRT.Database.GetSqliteErrorCode(ex.HResult);
throw new Exception("Failed to create tables " + result);
}
}
In the code above, I use a sql string variable to create two different DDL statements. While they both start out with CREATE TABLE, we also have the luxury of using IF NOT EXISTS before the table name. This means if the table already exists, this DDL statement is harmless and no operation will be performed. The next part of the statement creates one or more columns and constraints. In both tables I create an integer-based Id column that serves as the primary key which enforces uniqueness. SQL Server DBAs and developers who like to use Identity columns will be happy to see the AUTOINCREMENT constraint that automatically increments the value of the integer each time a new row is inserted. Other columns and their data types are separated by commas. Last but not least, the ProductDetails Child table enforces a referential integrity constraint with the Products Parent table. FOREIGN KEY points to the local ProductId column and REFERENCES the ProductId in the Products table. ON DELETE CASCADE ensures that when a Product is deleted, associated ProductDetails are also deleted.
Once you’ve created tables, you’ll want to speed up your queries by creating indexes, prepackage SELECT statements into views, and trigger various actions whenever an INSERT, UPDATE, or DELETE occurs:
Sometimes you need to make changes to an existing table. SQLite allows you rename tables and add columns via ALTER TABLE: http://sqlite.com/lang_altertable.html. If you find you no longer need certain indexes, views, triggers, and tables, you can drop them:
No matter which DDL operation you need to perform, you’ll follow the same pattern I showed you in the CREATE TABLE code sample above. You’ll piece together the appropriate statement in a string variable and then call the ExecuteStatementAsync() method.
Now that you know how to use SQLite WinRT to work with SQLite’s Data Definition Language, you can build any data structure that you mobile app needs. In my next article I’ll show you how to work with SQLite’s Data Manipulation Language (DML) to bring you database and app to life.
– Rob
Sharing my knowledge and helping others never stops, so connect with me on my blog at https://robtiffany.com , follow me on Twitter at https://twitter.com/RobTiffany and on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/robtiffany
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Rob Tiffany on SQLite advantages include cross-platform (OS + Processor) support, speed, ACID reliability, and support for indexes, views, foreign keys, and triggers. Developers of SQLite apps on iPhones, iPads and Android devices will feel right at home programming against the SQLite WinRT APIs since they provide just a thin layer around familiar SQLite functions.
To get started with the installation, you need to get the SQLite Extension SDK downloaded and working with Visual Studio. From within Visual Studio, go to the menu and select Tools | Extensions and Updates. From the dialog that appears, expand the Online tree view node on the left and then type SQLite in the search box on the right and hit enter. You’ll be shown a list of search results as shown in the figure below:
Click Download for both SQLite for Windows Runtime and SQLite for Windows Phone so you’ll be ready to develop across all platforms. The VSIX Installer dialog will pop up during both downloads and you’ll need to click Install for each. Click the Restart Now button at the bottom of the dialog so that the changes will take effect. This gets the SQLite3.dll native library installed and Visual Studio will notify you whenever future updates are available. Keep in mind that future versions will prevent your existing Visual Studio projects from opening due to file path changes because of new version numbers. You simply need to update the reference in your project file each time you choose to work with newer versions of SQLite.
The next step in the installation process is to download the SQLite WinRT source code from http://sqlwinrt.codeplex.com/. On the CodePlex site, click the Source Code tab, and then click the Download icon to download the zip file. When you extract the zip file, you’ll see a Visual Studio solution with a project for Windows and another project for Windows Phone.
Windows Phone
Create a new Windows Phone App project in Visual Studio and target Windows Phone 8.0. Once the empty project has opened, go to the Solution Explorer and right click on the Solution then select Add | Existing Project. When the file dialog pops up, navigate to the SQLiteWinRTPhone folder within the extracted files you downloaded and select SQLiteWinRTPhone.vcxproj to add the project to your solution. From the Phone solution, right click on References and select Add Reference. In the Reference Manager dialog, expand the Solution node on the left to show Projects. Check the checkbox for SQLiteWinRTPhone and click OK. Save and rebuild the solution to ensure everything installed properly and then you’re ready to go.
Windows
Create a new Windows Store App project in Visual Studio. Once the empty project has opened, go to the Solution Explorer and right click on the Solution then select Add | Existing Project. When the file dialog pops up, navigate to the SQLiteWinRT folder within the extracted files you downloaded and select SQLiteWinRT.vcxproj to add the project to your solution. From the Windows Store solution, right click on References and select Add Reference. In the Reference Manager dialog, expand the Solution node on the left to show Projects. Check the checkbox for SQLiteWinRT and click OK. Save and rebuild the solution to ensure everything installed properly and you’re all set.
With the installation steps complete, you’re now ready to begin developing apps for Windows Phones, Tablets, Laptops, and Desktops. In my next SQLite article I’ll get you started with basic Data Definition Language (DDL) tasks.
– Rob
Sharing my knowledge and helping others never stops, so connect with me on my blog at https://robtiffany.com , follow me on Twitter at https://twitter.com/RobTiffany and on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/robtiffany
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