Windows 8.1: What’s new in the update for developers
Author: Gill Cleeren
Price: $1.99 
Format: Word, PDF, MOBI, EPUB, source code
Number of pages: 51
Release date: December 2013
From the author: In this SilverlightShow ebook we will give an overview of the new concepts and changes in the first big update of Windows 8, known to mankind as Windows 8.1. Over the next chapters, we will take a look at the things that have changed. You’ll soon understand that while the changes you’ll have to do in your code are often subtle, they will lead to a much better user experience which is in-line with the new version of the OS.
Contents:
Chapter 1: Overview of the new features
Welcome to 8.1
The new Start screen
New tile sizes
The Return of the Start button
The new app sizes
Search has changed
More chrome
Chapter 2: XAML and WinRT improvements
What’s new in XAML
WebView improvements
Data binding improvements
Chapter 3: More WinRT improvements
The new HTTP API
Speech Synthesis from a WinRT app
The Contact Manager classes
Other noteworthy changes
Geofencing support
Changes to the BackgroundTransfer API
POS support
Chapter 4: The new user experience
New Window sizes
The new Search experience
Chapter 5: More improvements to the user experience
New Tiles sizes
More chrome
Chapter 6: Updates in the tooling for Windows 8.1
Visual Studio 2013: the new standard
XAML Editing improvements
Improved XAML IntelliSense
Data binding improvements
Resources
Go To Definition
Other XAML editing improvements
About the author:
Gill Cleeren is Microsoft Regional Director (www.theregion.com), Silverlight MVP (former ASP.NET MVP) and Telerik MVP. He lives in Belgium where he works as .NET architect at Ordina (http://www.ordina.be/). Passionate about .NET, he’s always playing with the newest bits. In his role as Regional Director, Gill has given many sessions, webcasts and trainings on new as well as existing technologies, such as Silverlight, ASP.NET and WPF at conferences including TechEd Berlin 2010, TechDays Belgium – Switzerland - Sweden, DevDays NL, NDC Oslo Norway, SQL Server Saturday Switzerland, Spring Conference UK, Silverlight Roadshow in Sweden, Telerik RoadShow UK… He’s also the author of many articles in various developer magazines and for SilverlightShow.net and he organizes the yearly Community Day event in Belgium. He also leads Visug (www.visug.be), the largest .NET user group in Belgium. Gill is the author of “Silverlight 4 Data and Services Cookbook”. In 2012, the second edition, “Silverlight 5 Data and Services Cookbook” was released.
You can find his blog at www.snowball.be. Twitter: @gillcleeren