MSDN Technology Evangelist Jim O'Neil has picked up an HTC Windows Phone 8X, and is planning to develop and release his first WP8 app over the festive period, as well as keep readers of his blog up to date with the process. To start with, he's detailed the tools and resources to be used, and it's a great starting point for anyone looking to join him in developing for WP8.

O'Neil is structuring this around the Generation App program, which takes new developers through a thirty day course that ends with marketplace submission and publication.

Generation App. It’s a free program that provides a structured, self-paced flow of information over a span of thirty days to lead you from installing the tools all the way through submitting your app to the marketplace. I’m currently on Day 3 and have a killer mini-browser to impress my friends and family.

If you're looking for a diversion over the festive holidays, perhaps getting started with WP8 development is for you? You can follow Jim at his blog, and if you do end up with a great application, let us know here at AAWP when you publish it!