About WireBear Awesemulator

WireBear Awesemulator helps Windows Phone 7 developers take screenshots and create video overlays of the WP7 Emulator. It’s perfect for quick marketing, demo videos, presentations, and Marketplace images.

Key Features:

• Screenshots
  • Easily take Screenshots for the Microsoft Marketplace
  • Automatically Skins your images to make them appear “In-Device”
  • Multiple Image Formats (Png, Jpeg, Gif, Bmp)
  • Supports All Zoom Levels
  • Full Landscape Support
  • Optionally sets Copyright/Artist EXIF data

• On Screen Overlays
  • Perfect for Demos, Presentations, and Videos
  • Skinned Overlays makes producing quality, “In-Device” Videos a snap

• Full Control
  • Simulates all Hardware Buttons
  • Fully Customizable (Create your own skins, overlays or cursors using simple XML)
  • Supports Multiple Monitors
  • Auto Detects Zoom and Orientation
  • Full Mango support
  • No Device Required!

Why we Made It:

When we finished development on our first two WP7 apps _{^{(Shameless Plug: Panda! and THE DOG)}} there was no built in tool (pre-Mango) for taking the screenshots required for Marketplace submission. So we began the first iteration of Awesemulator just to take screenshots for us. It seemed like a better alternative than using the Snipping Tool and hoping we got the screen right every time. Since we like to take several screenshots during development for our clients, submit all that we can with the app, and update the screenshots with any updates – it seemed like a worthwhile investment.

We have developed several iOS apps and there are a couple of tools that have been extremely helpful. SimFinger by atebits is a great tool that overlays a device image on top of the iPhone/iPad simulator and a custom cursor allowing you to use screen capture software to create professional looking videos of your apps. Another tool, iOS-Simulator Cropper by Curious Times makes taking screenshots super simple by providing an automatic counter and save functionality along with skinned images.

We looked for similar tools for WP7 development and realized they didn't fully exist yet. So inspired by these developers (and also by their own generosity in making their tools free and at least in the case of SimFinger, opensource), we created WireBear Awesemulator and posted it here so anyone can see how we are doing it and get it for free.

We are pretty proud of this effort and we hope you like it. Please use the contact information below to send us a message about how you are using it, send us some example screenshots/videos (for the Gallery section), share any custom skins or custom cursors, or let us know of any problems (Using the Issue Tracker).

Who We Are

WireBear

WireBear is a smartphone application development company that provides expertise and development for the iPhone and other smartphones. WireBear specializes in development, distribution, marketing, advertising and training on app development for numerous smartphone platforms. WireBear is privately held with headquarters in the United States.

• Web:

WireBear.com

• Blog:

WireBear.com/Blog

• Twitter:

@wirebear

• Email:

Chris Kent

Chris Kent is the primary developer of WireBear Awesemulator and the coordinator of this project. He is also the Chief Technology Officer of WireBear.

• CodePlex Profile:

theChrisKent

• Twitter:

@theChrisKent

• StackOverflow: