Windows 8 RP: download and build your apps for Windows Store

Windows 8 Release Preview has been made available last week, representing another important quality milestone in the road to Windows 8 General Availability (GA).

In this post we provide you with the must-know information around what and where to download the bits, the tools and information on how you can count on our support in taking your app to launch.

Windows 8 Release Preview: downloads

1. For Windows 8 downloads and ISO files you can go to https://preview.windows.com
2. For developer downloads you’ll find the developer SDK with Visual Studio 2012 Express for Windows 8 RC and Expression Blend for Visual Studio, remote debugging tools, Live SDK and more: https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-US/windows/apps/br229516.aspx
3. New samples for Release Preview: Download sample app pack (300 MB)
4. Updated documentation: https://dev.windows.com
   If you have read through the documentation previously you’ll see that a lot of the content has been updated, this includes both the developer documentation as well as UX Guidelines.

Changes with Windows 8 Release Preview: the most important resources

• App Developer Blog: What’s changed for app developers since the Consumer Preview
  Please make sure you review the Migration Guide if you are moving your application from Windows 8 Consumer Preview to this Release Preview version.
• Internet Explorer Blog: Windows Release Preview: The Sixth IE10 Platform Preview
• Windows Store Blog: Windows Store for Release Preview

Belgian Apps?

If you have been following our local activities around Windows 8, ever since our developer event in March Windows 8 Developer Day and Night of Windows 8 (app-a-thon), you know folks are working hard on developing apps.

We are very happy to announce that two of our Belgian partners we’ve been working with since the early stages now made it into the Windows Store for Release Preview: Le Soir by Rossel and Slash Monsters by Fishing Cactus/Tokkun Studio. Le Soir is the first European newspaper in Windows Store!

Your app in Windows Store? Loads of stuff coming to you

As we get closer and closer to the next milestone for Windows 8, locally here in Belgium and Luxembourg we are preparing a bunch of ways to support you along the way into publishing that app in Windows Store by launch – you do want to take that first mover advantage.

How we’re helping you

Below you can find a collection of activities and resources coming your way. Or come our way by means of an App Clinic.

	Training events for developers and designers Windows Camps and UX Workshops, check out our Metro map.
	Seaside coding at the Belgian Coast: Summer App-a-thons on Windows 8 Metro Style Apps. When: July 12 (and August 8 in Antwerp)
	App Clinics : join Evangelists, external developers or Metro UX consultants to discuss any questions on your mind regarding your app. By joining an App Clinic you are also on the right track to get access to App Excellence Labs.
	App Excellence Labs When you’ve been in touch with us through an App Clinic and your application is polished enough to go to review, you are invited to participate in an App Excellence Lab. This is a 2-hour review of your application with a Microsoft engineer and if you pass the requirements checklist you get a Windows Store Token!   Because the Store is still closed for public registration for now, this is the only way to get registered and reserve your app name for future fame. Have an app ready? Register your interest via the App Clinic form (mention App Excellence Labs) .

We are looking forward to helping you take advantage of this huge new opportunity to reach millions of users worldwide.
It’s going to be a hot Summer!