AppCircus arrives in São Paulo on January 11 with a special event focused on Microsoft developers. The event will bring together some of the best apps for the Microsoft platform for the thriving Brazilian app scene and will include workshops for developers and app entrepreneurs.

During AppCircus São Paulo Spotlight on Microsoft, the city will bring together some of the developers of the most creative and innovative apps in Brazil. Each participant will pitch their app live to the audience and a jury of experts, before the best app is selected. The winning app will have the opportunity to become one of the 20 finalists to participate at the prestigious Mobile Premier Awards, which will take place in Barcelona on February 25 2013, coinciding with the Mobile World Congress, the world’s most important mobile technology event.

Participating in AppCircus is free and open to any designer, startup or business with a working app ready to present for three minutes live on stage.  To take part in AppCircus São Paulo Spotlight on Microsoft, participants must first register their app online at the AppCircus website before December 28.

Special workshop

Aside from networking with some of Brazil’s leading app experts, attendees can also take part in a special workshop focused on "Windows Phone – Platform Overview & Opportunities". Destined to disrupt the smartphone industry by offering its unique user interface and slick performance across several devices, Windows Phone is continuously attracting new customers in several markets worldwide. Companies (big, small or startups) have already figure out ways to capture new business opportunities via innovative applications running on Windows Phone. On this workshop, the Microsoft team will present an overview of the Windows Phone Platform, including its tools and SDKs as well as cover how companies can increase their revenue and market share while developing apps for Windows Phone. It is also an opportunity for iOS and Android developers get introduced into the Microsoft Windows Phone platform. You cannot miss that opportunity.

Brazil leads the app market in South America

Brazil currently leads the app market for mobile devices in the region thanks to the big growth in smart phones and tablets. According to Carles Ferreiro, CEO at AppCircus, the use of apps by Brazilian consumers is growing spectacularly: “there have been more than 400 apps developed for Windows mobile in Brazil and the scope for further growth is extraordinary thanks to the potential of areas like e-commerce and tourism”. The development of the Windows app ecosystem is a sector with “huge vitality” that offers “great professional and business opportunities for innovation and economic development”, says Carles Ferreiro. “This event gives us the chance to check out the potential of Microsoft Windows as a mobile app development platform and see some of the great ideas coming out of Brazil at the moment”.

Edited by Shaheera Asante

Name: Łukasz Dzierżak

App: Package Tracking

Age: 24

Lives in: Gliwice, Poland

Passions: Mobile apps development, good books, movies and winter sports

Couldn’t get through the day without: My girlfriend & searching for inspiration for new games and apps

From building interesting shapes with Lego and video tape as a young boy, in Pyskowice, Poland - to building cool apps on the BlackBerry platform; developer Łukasz Dzierżak tells us how his early childhood passion for shapes, has all grown up.

What was your first childhood experience with computers?

I got my first computer, an Amiga 500  when I was 12 years old; I wrote my first applications in basic language. I remember there were no possibilities to save my code (I didn't have a hard drive), so everytime I'd write something, I needed to re-write all the code on paper. Probably, this first experience with coding, showed me what I'd like to do in the future.

Do you have a qualification in Computer Science and Technology or are you a self-taught coder?

I’m a bit of both. My first lines of code I created when I was a young boy, so in that way I’m self-taught, however, institutions gave me the answers to some of code nature questions, I always had. Now I have a Bachelor of Science degree, in Biomedical Engineering from University of Silesia and currently, I'm studying M.Sc. studies in Informatics there also.

Why do you like creating apps for the BlackBerry platform? What is the most exciting aspect for you?

In my experience, the best part of coding for the BlackBerry platform is the versatility of tools and languages with which I can create apps for that platform - Java, Webworks, HTML5 standard, and on playbook there is also the c/c++, adobe air, or android java technologies to choose from.

For me, the coolest and most exiting thing in creating apps for the BlackBerry platform is the developer community and support, and the large base of different type of customers around the world. Firstly, when I have a problem, I know where to find help;  and I know that I will find many developers that will try to help me without any hesitation; that’s not the same with other platforms. Secondly, the knowledge I acquire to create an application that will suit so many different types of people in the world, is a great challenge; and as coders we need great challenges in our lives to evolve.

BlackBerry has been getting a lot of negative press these days, as a BlackBerry developer what would you say to critics of its platform?

I think that this question can't be fully answered, in my opinion only as an BB developer. It should be answered as both a BB developer and a consumer that uses smartphones. Yes, RIM and the BlackBerry brand has got a lot of negative press these days.

In my view, RIM has made some decisions that should have been made differently, of course the BlackBerry platform could be slightly different than it is now. However, does it mean that the actual state of RIM and BlackBerry is fatal? No, of course not. We’ve got the best support for their line of devices - you don't forget about them just a few months after their launch.

They (BlackBerrry), are commiting big effords to support their developers, not only in good times, but also when they have troubles. And most importantly, they (BlackBerry) always show developers the way they are evolving the BlackBerry platform ahead of the game, so we as developers, can prepare ourself and our ideas for the right time.

Are you planning to code on the new BlackBerry 10 Platform? What projects are you working on now?

Probably all current BlackBerry developers are planning to code something new and astonishing on the coming BlackBerry 10 platform.  What developers  need to remember is to adapt our current applications to this new environment. Our customers who use applications will want to use the same applications which they were using on the OS5/6/7 platforms. Beside that main fact, I'm currenty working on some new applications which will be ready for the big BlackBlackberry 10 platform release.  So stay in touch

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Łukasz will participate to the AppCircus at BlackBerry 10 Jam, an app competition powered by AppCircus that will take place during the BlackBerry 10 Jam conference on May 1 - 3rd, in Orlando, Florida USA. There's still three days left to register your app to this competition and get a the chance to win one of three $25,000 prize packages. Do it here!