litheon

Discussion on all things college and technology.

Live Anywhere app

For the past couple of months I've been writing a small application for Windows Mobile to do some of the Live Anywhere functionality the Xbox division announced a while ago. It's far from perfect, but it goes a little beyond the average gamercard functionality by showing the extended profile, and all of the played games we have on record. The application uses a lightweight SOAP interface I have setup with majornelson.com to grab all sorts of fun data about any given gamertag. This API is also going to pave the way for some tools I'll be adding in the future allowing people to display extended gamercard and presence data on their own website, or even use it to build their own applications.

If you want to give it a try download and extract the zip file, and throw the three files onto your Windows Mobile device. I've included the .NET Compact Framework v3.5 (the version that runs on my phone), the application (just a straight .exe right now), and a certificate chain (in case your security config requires running only signed and trusted applications). So feel free to try it out and if you want to give some feedback or suggest features I'm all ears. I've also got some screenshots on Flickr if you want to give it a look.

Here are some of the known issuses with the app:

  • You might have a different processor than I do in your phone, and as such might need a different .NET CF install file than I have included in the zip file
  • I haven’t made a CAB installation file yet, so you’ll have to browse to where you saved it for now
  • I’ve included the certificate chain I used to sign the app with, just in case the security configuration on your phone doesn’t allow running unsigned applications; however, your security configuration might also prevent you from installing certificates to be trusted publishers
  • Currently I’m displaying some of the labels on the page to demonstrate the visual layout, and for a few debugging purposes; in the final version you won’t see anything until loading all Gamertag-related data is finished
  • I did my best to make this easy to use without a touch screen, but you may encounter some usability issues

Enjoy!

Posted: Sun, Apr 6 2008 3:21 PM by litheon | with 14 comment(s) |

Comments

Ca1viN said:

Awesome, downloading now!

# April 6, 2008 2:55 PM

Absyrtus said:

I am guessing this took you some time to get made?

# April 6, 2008 2:55 PM

Ca1viN said:

Having issues getting it to run WM6 Samsung i760 from the storage card, I'll try it from main memory and see if that makes a difference.

# April 6, 2008 3:32 PM

litheon said:

@Ca1viN, what kind of issues? That's the exact phone I run this from so I should be able to help.

@Thrope89, It did take quite a while to make it by developing on and off, but the main part of it was getting the back-end ready for access by a device with limited resources.

# April 6, 2008 5:36 PM

Gildster said:

Hey Litheon,

Just installed this on my HTC Touch and it worked like a charm 1st time out the gate... Great little app for keeping up to date with Gamercards.

Love the bar charts that you used on the MN site, really sweet - hopefully one day we will see an 'official' version of the much hyped 'Live Anywhere' service, but this is great and hopefully will take off!

# April 7, 2008 2:51 AM

bigmadmonkey said:

Hi Litheon

Nice work with this app. Im using a HTC TYTN II and after installing the framework 3.5 worked a treat. Thanks very much

# April 7, 2008 11:17 AM

DustoMan said:

I have a MotoQ running WM5 and this is the error I get when running off a storage card.  I already downloaded and installed .net Compact Framework 3.5

Live Anywhere.exe

NotSupportedException

at

Microsoft.AGL.Common.MISC.HandleAr(PAL_ERROR ar)

And it goes longer and I almost had it all typed out but I hit the backspace key outside this box and the browser went back and didn't save this form. :o(  Would more info on the error help? Or is my phone just not supported?

# April 7, 2008 11:30 AM

litheon said:

I think I'll have to make a build that will run on Windows Mobile 5 as well. That's the same error an MVP I gave this to to try out encountered as well.

# April 7, 2008 12:17 PM

litheon said:

If you're having issues give this a try:

litheon.com/.../LiveAnywhere5.zip

# April 7, 2008 8:27 PM

mupmuck said:

Nice work. :) Unfortunately, I don't have a windows Mobile. I have a Nokia 6121. :)

europe.nokia.com/A4432470

# April 7, 2008 10:32 PM

DustoMan said:

Tried that WM5 exe file... all I get now is a blank white screen. :o(

# April 8, 2008 6:56 PM

OperatingSumo said:

Litheon,

 Do you know of any applications similar to this one, that can be used for a Blackberry?

# April 12, 2008 12:28 PM

kruton7 said:

Wow, looks a lot better than my ixboxlive app for iphone.  If you ever dev for iphone I'll be all over that :)

# April 12, 2008 8:21 PM

KrustyCanuck said:

Hi there,

I was able to install this application on my HP iPAQ 6955 running Windows Mobile 5 (both the original download and the release you put out for 5).  Both programs run with no errors but I am missing the field that appears to be for entering the gamertag and the tabs are located under my "Retrieve 'Keyboard' and Options" bar at the bottom of the screen.

Not sure if this is an issue with my display being too low RES or what, but is there anything that can be done to work around this?

Thank in advance,

# April 13, 2008 7:23 AM