Developer Interview: keyboardP of Air Pick Voice

This week we've been joined by keyboardP, the developer behind Air Pick Voice ("epic voice"), who agreed to a Windows Telephone developer interview. Should you lot be interested to learn more about his project and experience developing for Microsoft's mobile platform, head on past the pause for the full interview.

Tell us nearly yourselves and how you got into software development.

I'm a self-taught programmer and have been programming since the age of ten. I would stay after school in the computer rooms and then that I could mess around with QBasic, which was the IDE the schoolhouse had at the time. I started off writing simple text adventure games in QBasic before moving on to other languages such as Coffee, C++ and C#. I pursued my interest in computers and read Computer science and Business at university and interned at Microsoft, which was a great feel.

Games were primarily the main reason I got into programming as every time I played games, half of my concentration was on playing and the other half was on trying to figure out how developers created sure aspects. With the development of games and technology, that curiosity nevertheless lingers within my heed every bit I'm playing any game. Information technology'due south also part of my inspiration to create applications and games that causes other people to ask "how was that created?".

What do y'all retrieve of Microsoft'due south platform (from a user perspective) and how do you compare information technology to competitors?

Like a lot of things in life, unlike platforms are suited to unlike users. The openness of Android, for instance, is suited to a sure demographic, just non necessarily the all-time pick for all consumers who actually take an Android. Too, those who want the ability to hack their telephone however they like may not be as happy with their iOS or Windows Phone device (in their current states) every bit they would be with an Android device. In my opinion, having had an Android device and a Windows Telephone device, I'm very happy with the Window Phone from a user perspective. Everything just works out the box and there are no custom ROMs required if you want to speed up your device.

Yous're as well guaranteed updates regardless of your carrier which, from a user perspective, is something I'd like to have as standard equally opposed to manually downloading and installing custom ROMs on to my device. It seems that Microsoft are taking the center basis between iPhone and Android devices. The quondam has a limited number of devices with a consequent interface whereas the latter has a broad range of devices with the OEMs being able to customise it to their requirements. Windows Phone is the middle basis where at that place are a range of devices, then users have hardware options, just the software experience remains consistent. Despite the smoothness of the devices, the hardware specs are what consumers compare and, in my opinion, this is where Windows Phone has to amend if they want to start contesting on the marketing front end.

What's the number ane feature you lot love the well-nigh in Mango, and what are you looking forward to in the next update?

Mango adds a lot to the Windows Phone platform, and then it'southward difficult to choose only one feature. However, I exercise like the 'Local Scout' characteristic which immediately shows nearby restaurants, bars, and things to do. I've used more times that I thought I actually would so it was something I underestimated in terms of usefulness to me. As more than of a concept than a single solid feature, I'thou looking frontward to the integration between Windows 8, Windows Telephone and Xbox. It simply opens upward a huge range of possibilities and, every bit a developer, my mind is constantly coming up with ideas of what this combination tin produce.

What path(southward) led you to develop for Windows Phone?

Being a C# developer, it was certainly an advantage to not have to learn a new evolution environs or language to get started. I was familiar with Visual Studio and since Windows Phone evolution uses Visual Studio, at that place was a very depression barrier to entry in terms of skill set. Nonetheless, I believe it's of import to exist a 'programming linguistic communication polyglot' as a developer and having to acquire a new language shouldn't be the but reason to non piece of work on other platforms. When I first saw Windows Phone appear at a developer conference, I immediately felt that it had a huge potential.

With Microsoft falling behind in the mobile space, I felt that they would put a lot of resources into this project to try and go a competing force against the iPhone and Android platforms. I experience that there is a pop conventionalities that the iPhone market and the Android market place is a certain fire manner to make millions, simply because of the success stories you hear. The reality is, a vast majority of apps don't arrive and yous need a something unique and a fleck of luck to be able to go far in such a crowded market. As a one-man squad, I felt that a great identify to make a name would be in an emerging slice of technology which has huge potential.

What'southward your take on the Windows Phone development process?

I absolutely dearest information technology. The fact that an existing skill ready can be utilised from the offset is something that is frequently underrated in terms of importance. Nonetheless, more than than that, Visual Studio is a great IDE and Expression Blend is a brilliant UX evolution tool. I've been developing for Windows Phone from the beta of the original SDK and it's great to see it constantly improving. I retrieve what helps a lot are the official samples you tin download for pretty much any major characteristic. Having the samples actually helps explain how to use the various APIs and tools.

Have you lot developed for other platforms and if and then how does the evolution process compare?

Windows Telephone evolution experience is second to none. I've developed for iOS, Android, and Windows Phone and I can say without a shadow of a incertitude, the development feel on Windows Phone is by far the easiest and smoothest. The fact that a rough prototype of Angry Birds can exist created within a few hours, with barely a line of lawmaking, speaks volumes in my opinion. As a one-man team, I experience that prototyping should be a fast process and with the combination of Visual Studio and Expression Blend, the entire process is very efficient and effective.

Information technology'southward easy to forget that Microsoft puts a lot of shop in developers and has washed since its inception. Over the years, they've had the opportunity to listen to developer feedback and improve the evolution experience. The current state of Visual Studio is not something that sprung upwards overnight and comparing information technology with my experience of the Eclipse IDE and XCode, you can actually encounter the divergence. Even if I'grand developing an iOS app, I'd prototype it using the Windows Phone kit simply because I notice it more than efficient to exercise that and so port information technology, rather than prototype with XCode and Objective-C.

The only surface area which Windows Phone falls backside on, in my experience, is with its API. iOS has had the time to expand the API and Android'southward API is great for being able to do pretty much anything. Windows Phone has to catch up on providing more APIs to developers as information technology's currently more limited than the other two platforms.

Air Pick Vocalism is an 'ballsy' concept, how did the thought came to be and what bug did you come across throughout evolution?

Thanks! My apps tend to be built-in out of personal experience. I feel that if I tackle a problem that I personally face, I have a ameliorate chance of solving information technology in the best possible way. I also accept the tendency to solve issues in a unique way which doesn't arrange to expected solutions. I feel this not only spawns farther ideas, but tin can often result in a better solution. It also makes things more challenging, which is something I encompass as a developer.

The first fourth dimension the idea for APV came about was when I was developing on a machine that didn't have my music. Whenever I wanted to listen to a particular song, I'd accept to moving picture to the other car and select the song which oft broken my concentration. Additionally, I listen to music when I get ready in the morning and and so when I was making breakfast, the randomised playlist sometimes played a song I didn't want to mind to. At that signal I knew in that location must be a better way to fix this solution than to having to become back to my motorcar or to have to scroll through thousands of songs on my telephone.

Speech recognition wasn't something I had played effectually with earlier so the whole development procedure has been a learning feel. There are things I would and would not do if I was to recreate this project from scratch. Besides a few hiccups, I think the biggest issue was speed and retentivity. There is merely so much command I have over the boot upward time and it was taking effectually seven seconds for 3500 songs. Using some tricks and relatively circuitous plumbing, I managed to cut the boot upwards time to three seconds on my machine. I likewise managed to shave off over lx percent in retention usage. I put a lot of effort into these ii areas because this is a service I expect users to be running for an extended catamenia of time, hence the retention concern, and the possibility that the user has quite a large music collection and then the speed was important.

The project as a whole sports some well sought after features (especially the custom ringtone creation), why pack so much into a single package?

When I was creating the various aspects of the app, I knew directly abroad that I could sell them every bit individual apps and perchance earn a college revenue. Even so, the first and foremost aspect for me is to be proud of my apps and to ensure that anyone who actually uses my apps are getting the best possible experience. I've been using APV in its current state for a couple of weeks and I call up when users practice too, they'll run across that all the features piece of work well together.

There's a fluid interaction from one task to another and the custom ringtones sits very nicely in this process. If I'chiliad listening to a vocal and I of a sudden hear a item bit I want as a ringtone, I can immediately do that without having to exit the app. That experience is something I consider important and hopefully my users will appreciate that when they utilize it. I'm sure other apps of a similar nature will hit the Marketplace, just my priorities lie with the actual users of my apps even if that results in fewer sales.

What can nosotros expect from APV in the future once version 1 is out in the wild?

Firstly, I'd love to receive feedback and build up on that. I endeavor and arrive like shooting fish in a barrel to contact me and do my best to reply to people who bulletin me on Twitter or email me. Being a 1-man team means that I can listen to my users directly and that's an advantage I'd detest to see go to waste. In fact, I've already received feedback regarding the name Air Pick Phonation or APV. At that place'due south been mixed responses regarding the name and so I'm accepting new proper noun suggestions until Tuesday 7th (more information at www.keyboardp.me).

Too feedback, there are some very cool plans and I recall they attach to my philosophy of trying to do things differently. Version one sets out to facilitate your listening experience from an interaction point of view merely future plans, that have been with me from the showtime, attempts to improve it from a psychological indicate of view. That's all I'm saying for now...

Are you looking forwards to the upcoming Windows 8 to expand onto the big screen, as well as mobile, with higher levels of integration being made bachelor?

Absolutely. I experience that Microsoft are carefully coordinating certain aspects of Windows Phone to coincide with Windows 8. Not merely does this mean that even more things are going to be possible, but that the unabridged development process is going to exist made fifty-fifty easier. Equally someone who adores technology and its potential, Windows eight and the integration it brings is something I'chiliad very excited about.

What other Windows Phone projects are you working on?

I was working on a game (which, incidentally, was the app existence developed on the auto that didn't take my music). During development of the game, I created the prototype of APV (which was known equally 'PhoneZune') to solve the music upshot, and the response to the video I uploaded was simply immense. A lot of people wanted APV so I put the game on the back burner and made APV my main projection over the final couple of months. I have a couple of other apps that I have prototyped and I believe that they're all every bit unique as APV as well every bit changing the way people perform sure tasks. However, APV is my current focus at the moment so you'll have to look for a bit until I announce the other apps

What advice would you give to other aspiring developers?

Don't give upwards. As cliché equally that sounds, I know of many developers who jumped into the deep end, tried to lawmaking an ambitious project as their starting time endeavour and were permanently put off programming. It's important to starting time off simple and regardless of how pointless some of the more basic tutorials seem, there's always a reason they've become standard. There's nothing wrong with ambition, but information technology needs to be coupled with ability in order for anything to be realised.

I think it's as well quite easy to be put off programming when you see people on forums answering complex questions off the top of their heads. It'due south important to retrieve that these people also started off without whatever programming knowledge and I think a mutual trait amongst the all-time programmers is that they've always stuck at it.

Cheers for your fourth dimension. Any closing words about WP7's time to come?

I believe that Windows Telephone is, and e'er has been, in this for the long term. I think information technology would be naïve to have expected Windows Phone to have a huge chunk of the marketshare in a year or and then. Withal, the platform is solid, the development experience is second to none in my stance, and the concluding hurdle is to go this message across to the consumers. Having a great product isn't plenty in this industry and sometimes you have to compete on numbers that don't necessarily take tangible effects.

A lot of non-technical consumers will look at the specs of a device and if it has higher numbers, they'd assume it'southward faster than a device that has lower specs. I think Windows Phone needs to, and will, start competing on the specification front even if it'due south just for the marketing attribute. I likewise believe Microsoft will start to target the lower end of the market where Android is dominating. I experience that the of import question in that location is if people are ownership Android devices because of the Android make or because of the price. Competing on positive branding is much more difficult than competing on pricing in this instance. It's going to be an uphill boxing, but the fact that Windows Phone is a solid device is a great beginning to the climb.

Cheers for the interview, it'southward been an absolute pleasure!

Yous tin can follow keyboardP on Twitter, view his previous videos, and check out his evolution blog to keep up-to-date.

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