Texas Holdem Calculator Starting Hands Editor

I am currently developing a windows phone 7 app that allows users to view starting hands, currently from embedded sources.  However, I have also been working on a WPF application that allows them to be created/edited and exported.  This is almost complete.  I have a working prototype that allows starting hands to be created, edited and exported.  These are also able to be embedded in the THC app and loaded.  What remains is some code cleanup and re-factoring to improve the maintainability.

I have not yet published the app but plan to do so as soon as I can get one of the new WP7 phones that are due to release this fall.  I am open to suggestions on improvements or requests.

At this time, although the idea is to allow users to import their own starting hands into the app, I have not yet integrated HTTP or windows live access.  If MS decides to release a skydrive API for WP7 (aside from using live services via REST), I'll work on adding this functionality.  Stay tuned.

PS.  Both the THC and Starting Hands Generator will be open source via Sourceforge (check my profile for the link).

Texas Holdem Calculator Initial Release 1.0.0.0

The source is finally up:  HoldemCalculatorWP7-1.0.0.0-Src.  Feel free to download it and check it out.  Let me know if anything fails to open/run, etc and I'll do my best to fix it.  This was developed using Visual Studios 2010 with the RTW Windows Phone 7 tools.

WP7 Texas Holdem Calculator

I'm currently in the process of posting my WP7 source on sourceforge.net, my project page can be found here: Texas Holdem Calculator.

I'll probably offer the app via the Windows Marketplace to see what kind of interested it generates, clearly this is worth .99 cents or less.  The price really isn't the point but rather the experience.  The WP7 version of THC will be under the Create Commons license using, cc by-nc-sa or Attribution, Non-commercial, Share Alike.  Essentially this means that any may copy and distribute derivatives for non-commercial uses as long as they attribute me as the author.  However, feel free to contact me if there is a use case that might need my permission to bend the license.


Stay tuned, I hope to have the source up by end of day or tomorrow at latest.

CDMA A No Go For WP7

Until recently I was sporting a xv6800, the Verizon Wireless version of the HTC Titan, however, the phone has been put through the ringer and freezes quite often.  I decided to retire it and activate my old feature phone, the LGVX8300.  Clearly it's less capable, no touch screen a paltry 1MP camera, very little on-board storage, etc.  But, it's a champ when it comes to battery life and making calls.

I have been eligible for an upgrade for quite some time.  When it first came around, my upgrade, I was anxiously awaiting the Samsung Omnia II.  I picked one up, but after the 30 day trial a beast of a phone came through the rumor mill, the HTC HD2, so I quickly sent the Omnia back.  However, while waiting for the HD2, Microsoft decided, maybe not suddenly, to announce that Windows Mobile would be no more.  Instead they were to introduce a new OS, Windows Phone 7 (after some naming experimentation).

Since that time I have been diligently converting my Texas Holdem Calculator, THC On Source Forge, from Windows Mobile 6 (.NET using C#) to Windows Phone 7 (Silverlight using C#).  However, I guess this was announced a while ago, recently I've learned that WP7 will not be coming to Verizon wireless when it rolls out later this year.  This is extremely disappointed since I have waited nearly two years to upgrade to a phone I actually like.  Don't get me wrong Android seems decent but since I'm a .NET developer, I have dabbled in Java ME but it's lack luster, I prefer to develop using that platform especially since mobile development is my part-time hobby.

It seems I have two options, suck it up and wait a little longer or jump ship to a provider that uses GSM, namely T-mobile or AT&T.  I guess the third option is to skip WP7 entirely and go for the iPhone or an Android based device, but as mentioned earlier I like to write apps, even if I'm not making money.

For now jumping ship is not an option as my family members, who I share a plan with, still have contracts.  I guess I'll have to wait until then to make a final decision.