diff --git a/Application/application.ios.ts b/Application/application.ios.ts
index 6a91198d2..fcc1ec841 100644
--- a/Application/application.ios.ts
+++ b/Application/application.ios.ts
@@ -54,10 +54,10 @@ class iOSApplication {
                         this.window.backgroundColor = UIKit.UIColor.whiteColor();
                         this.window.makeKeyAndVisible();
 
-                        if (appModule.onLaunch) {
-                            this.window.rootViewController = appModule.onLaunch();
+                        if (exports.onLaunch) {
+                            this.window.rootViewController = exports.onLaunch();
                         } else {
-                            log("Missing TK.UI.Application.current.onLaunch");
+                            log("Missing Application.onLaunch");
                         }
 
                         log("applicationDidFinishLaunchingWithOptions finished.");
@@ -66,8 +66,8 @@ class iOSApplication {
 
                     applicationDidBecomeActive: function (application) {
                         log("applicationDidBecomeActive: " + application);
-                        if (appModule.onResume) {
-                            appModule.onResume();
+                        if (exports.onResume) {
+                            exports.onResume();
                         }
                     },
 
@@ -77,8 +77,8 @@ class iOSApplication {
 
                     applicationDidEnterBackground: function (application) {
                         log("applicationDidEnterBackground: " + application);
-                        if (appModule.onSuspend) {
-                            appModule.onSuspend();
+                        if (exports.onSuspend) {
+                            exports.onSuspend();
                         }
                     },
 
@@ -88,15 +88,15 @@ class iOSApplication {
 
                     applicationWillTerminate: function (application) {
                         log("applicationWillTerminate: " + application);
-                        if (appModule.onExit) {
-                            appModule.onExit();
+                        if (exports.onExit) {
+                            exports.onExit();
                         }
                     },
 
                     applicationDidReceiveMemoryWarning: function (application) {
                         log("applicationDidReceiveMemoryWarning: " + application);
-                        if (appModule.onLowMemory) {
-                            appModule.onLowMemory();
+                        if (exports.onLowMemory) {
+                            exports.onLowMemory();
                         }
                     }
                 }
diff --git a/Application/application_common.ts b/Application/application_common.ts
index f6833c4d9..a4bd978ca 100644
--- a/Application/application_common.ts
+++ b/Application/application_common.ts
@@ -1,19 +1,14 @@
 require("globals");
 
-export var onLaunch = function (): any {
-}
+export var onLaunch: () => any = undefined;
 
-export var onSuspend = function (): void {
-}
+export var onSuspend: () => any = undefined;
 
-export var onResume = function (): void {
-}
+export var onResume: () => any = undefined;
 
-export var onExit = function (): void {
-}
+export var onExit: () => any = undefined;
 
-export var onLowMemory = function (): void {
-}
+export var onLowMemory: () => any = undefined;
 
 export var android = undefined;
 
diff --git a/BCL.csproj b/BCL.csproj
index 372a36940..0c2e8295a 100644
--- a/BCL.csproj
+++ b/BCL.csproj
@@ -174,12 +174,16 @@
     <TypeScriptCompile Include="timer\timer.android.ts">
       <DependentUpon>timer.d.ts</DependentUpon>
     </TypeScriptCompile>
+    <TypeScriptCompile Include="UserPreferences\user_preferences_common.ts">
+      <DependentUpon>user_preferences.d.ts</DependentUpon>
+    </TypeScriptCompile>
+    <Content Include="_references.ts" />
+    <TypeScriptCompile Include="Console\console.d.ts" />
     <TypeScriptCompile Include="timer\timer.d.ts" />
     <TypeScriptCompile Include="timer\timer.ios.ts">
       <DependentUpon>timer.d.ts</DependentUpon>
     </TypeScriptCompile>
     <Content Include="_references.ts" />
-    <TypeScriptCompile Include="Console\console.d.ts" />
     <Content Include="Image\Readme.md" />
   </ItemGroup>
   <ItemGroup>
diff --git a/UserPreferences/user_preferences.android.ts b/UserPreferences/user_preferences.android.ts
index 97e593d33..9e78bc1b5 100644
--- a/UserPreferences/user_preferences.android.ts
+++ b/UserPreferences/user_preferences.android.ts
@@ -1,97 +1,117 @@
-import utils_module = require("Utils/utils_android");
-import appModule = require("Application/application");
+import appModule = require("Application/application");
+import Common = require("UserPreferences/user_preferences_common");
 
-export class UserPreferences {
-    private sharedPreferences: any;
+var sharedPreferences = appModule.android.context.getSharedPreferences("prefs.db", 0);
 
-    constructor() {
-        this.sharedPreferences = appModule.android.context.getSharedPreferences("prefs.db", 0);
+export var hasKey = function (key: string): boolean {
+    Common.checkKey(key);
+    return sharedPreferences.contains(key);
+}
+
+// getters
+export var getBoolean = function (key: string, defaultValue?: boolean): boolean {
+    Common.checkKey(key);
+    if (hasKey(key)) {
+        return sharedPreferences.getBoolean(key, false);
     }
+    return defaultValue;
+}
 
-    public containsKey(key: string): boolean {
-        return this.sharedPreferences.contains(key);
+export var getString = function(key: string, defaultValue?: string): string {
+    Common.checkKey(key);
+    if (hasKey(key)) {
+        return sharedPreferences.getString(key, "");
     }
+    return defaultValue;
+}
 
-    public getBoolean(key: string, defaultValue?: boolean): boolean {
-        if ("undefined" == typeof defaultValue) {
-            defaultValue = false;
-        }
-        return this.sharedPreferences.getBoolean(key, defaultValue);
+export var getNumber = function(key: string, defaultValue?: number): number {
+    Common.checkKey(key);
+    if (hasKey(key)) {
+        return sharedPreferences.getFloat(key, float(0.0));
     }
+    return defaultValue;
+}
 
-    public getDouble(key: string, defaultValue?: number): number {
-        if ("undefined" == typeof defaultValue) {
-            defaultValue = 0.0;
-        }
-        Log('getting double for key ' + key + ' with default ' + defaultValue + ' result: ' + this.sharedPreferences.getFloat(key, defaultValue));
-        return this.sharedPreferences.getFloat(key, defaultValue);
-    }
+// setters
+export var setBoolean = function(key: string, value: boolean): void {
+    Common.checkKey(key);
+    Common.ensureValidValue(value, "boolean");
+    var editor = sharedPreferences.edit();
+    editor.putBoolean(key, value);
+    editor.commit();
+}
 
-    public getInt(key: string, defaultValue?: number): number {
-        if ("undefined" == typeof defaultValue) {
-            defaultValue = 0;
-        }
-        return this.sharedPreferences.getInt(key, defaultValue);
-    }
+export var setString = function(key: string, value: string): void {
+    Common.checkKey(key);
+    Common.ensureValidValue(value, "string");
+    var editor = sharedPreferences.edit();
+    editor.putString(key, value);
+    editor.commit();
+}
 
-    public getLong(key: string, defaultValue?: number): number {
-        if ("undefined" == typeof defaultValue) {
-            defaultValue = 0;
-        }
-        return this.sharedPreferences.getLong(key, defaultValue);
-    }
+export var setNumber = function(key: string, value: number): void {
+    Common.checkKey(key);
+    Common.ensureValidValue(value, "number");
+    var editor = sharedPreferences.edit();
+    editor.putFloat(key, float(value));
+    editor.commit();
+}
 
-    public getString(key: string, defaultValue?: string): string {
-        if ("undefined" == typeof defaultValue) {
-            defaultValue = null; // is this ok?
-        }
-        return this.sharedPreferences.getString(key, defaultValue);
-    }
+/*
+these are commented out to be used only if requested by users or otherwise needed
 
-    public getStrings(key: string, defaultValue?: string[]): string[] {
-        if ("undefined" == typeof defaultValue) {
-            defaultValue = [];
-        }
-        var hashSet = utils_module.Collections.stringArrayToStringSet(defaultValue);
-        var res = this.sharedPreferences.getStringSet(key, hashSet);
-        return utils_module.Collections.stringSetToStringArray(res);
-    }
+import utils_module = require("Utils/utils_android");
 
-    public setBoolean(key: string, value: boolean) {
-        var editor = this.sharedPreferences.edit();
-        editor.putBoolean(key, value);
-        editor.commit();
+export var getStringArray = function (key: string, defaultValue?: string[]): string[]{
+    Common.checkKey(key);
+    if (!hasKey(key)) {
+        return defaultValue;
     }
+    if (!defaultValue) {
+        defaultValue = [];
+    }
+    var hashSet = utils_module.Collections.stringArrayToStringSet(defaultValue);
+    var res = sharedPreferences.getStringSet(key, hashSet);
+    return utils_module.Collections.stringSetToStringArray(res);
+}
 
-    public setDouble(key: string, value: number) {
-        var editor = this.sharedPreferences.edit();
-        Log('setting double for key ' + key + ' with value ' + value);
-        editor.putFloat(key, float(value));
-        editor.commit();
+export var getInt = function (key: string, defaultValue?: number): number {
+    Common.checkKey(key);
+    if (hasKey(key)) {
+        return sharedPreferences.getInt(key, 0);
     }
+    return defaultValue;
+}
 
-    public setInt(key: string, value: number) {
-        var editor = this.sharedPreferences.edit();
-        editor.putInt(key, value);
-        editor.commit();
+export var getLong = function (key: string, defaultValue?: number): number {
+    Common.checkKey(key);
+    if (hasKey(key)) {
+        return sharedPreferences.getLong(key, long(0));
     }
+    return defaultValue;
+}
 
-    public setLong(key: string, value: number) {
-        var editor = this.sharedPreferences.edit();
-        editor.putLong(key, long(value));
-        editor.commit();
-    }
+export var setStringArray = function (key: string, values: string[]): void {
+    Common.checkKey(key);
+    var editor = sharedPreferences.edit();
+    var hashSet = utils_module.Collections.stringArrayToStringSet(values);
+    editor.putStringSet(key, hashSet);
+    editor.commit();
+}
 
-    public setString(key: string, value: string) {
-        var editor = this.sharedPreferences.edit();
-        editor.putString(key, value);
-        editor.commit();
-    }
+export var setInt = function (key: string, value: number): void {
+    Common.checkKey(key);
+    var editor = sharedPreferences.edit();
+    editor.putInt(key, value);
+    editor.commit();
+}
 
-    public setStrings(key: string, values: string[]) {
-        var editor = this.sharedPreferences.edit();
-        var hashSet = utils_module.Collections.stringArrayToStringSet(values);
-        editor.putStringSet(key, hashSet);
-        editor.commit();
-    }
-}
\ No newline at end of file
+export var setLong = function (key: string, value: number): void {
+    Common.checkKey(key);
+    var editor = sharedPreferences.edit();
+    editor.putLong(key, long(value));
+    editor.commit();
+}
+
+*/
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/UserPreferences/user_preferences.d.ts b/UserPreferences/user_preferences.d.ts
index 099f4ca80..faa486d71 100644
--- a/UserPreferences/user_preferences.d.ts
+++ b/UserPreferences/user_preferences.d.ts
@@ -12,4 +12,73 @@
     setLong(key: string, value: number);
     setString(key: string, value: string);
     setStrings(key: string, value: string[]);
-}
\ No newline at end of file
+}
+
+/**
+* report does such key exist
+*/
+export declare var hasKey: (key: string) => boolean;
+
+// getters
+
+/**
+* gets value of the key as boolean, user can provide default value in case there is no value for the key
+*/
+export declare var getBoolean: (key: string, defaultValue?: boolean) => boolean;
+
+/**
+* gets value of the key as string, user can provide default value in case there is no value for the key
+*/
+export declare var getString: (key: string, defaultValue?: string) => string;
+
+/**
+* gets value of the key as string array, user can provide default value in case there is no value for the key
+*/
+export declare var getStringArray: (key: string, defaultValue?: string[]) => string[];
+
+/**
+* gets value of the key as number (double), user can provide default value in case there is no value for the key
+*/
+export declare var getNumber: (key: string, defaultValue?: number) => number;
+
+/**
+* gets value of the key as integer, user can provide default value in case there is no value for the key
+*/
+export declare var getInt: (key: string, defaultValue?: number) => number;
+
+/**
+* gets value of the key as long integer (not fully supported by JS), user can provide default value in case there is no value for the key
+*/
+export declare var getLong: (key: string, defaultValue?: number) => number;
+
+// setters
+
+/**
+* sets value for a key as boolean
+*/
+export declare var setBoolean: (key: string, value: boolean) => void;
+
+/**
+* sets value for a key as string
+*/
+export declare var setString: (key: string, value: string) => void;
+
+/**
+* sets value for a key as string array
+*/
+export declare var setStringArray: (key: string, value: string[]) => void;
+
+/**
+* sets value for a key as JS number (double)
+*/
+export declare var setNumber: (key: string, value: number) => void;
+
+/**
+* sets value for a key as integer
+*/
+export declare var setInt: (key: string, value: number) => void;
+
+/**
+* sets value for a key as long integer
+*/
+export declare var setLong: (key: string, value: number) => void;
diff --git a/UserPreferences/user_preferences.ios.ts b/UserPreferences/user_preferences.ios.ts
index 02c40d975..baa16aab6 100644
--- a/UserPreferences/user_preferences.ios.ts
+++ b/UserPreferences/user_preferences.ios.ts
@@ -1,108 +1,106 @@
-import utils_module = require("Utils/utils_ios"); 
+import Common = require("UserPreferences/user_preferences_common");
 
-export class UserPreferences {
+var userDefaults = Foundation.NSUserDefaults.standardUserDefaults();
 
-    private userDefaults: any;
+export var hasKey = function (key: string): boolean {
+    Common.checkKey(key);
+    return (null != userDefaults.objectForKey(key)) ? true : false;
+}
 
-    constructor() {
-        this.userDefaults = Foundation.NSUserDefaults.standardUserDefaults();
+// getters
+export var getBoolean = function (key: string, defaultValue?: boolean): boolean {
+    Common.checkKey(key);
+    if (hasKey(key)) {
+        return userDefaults.boolForKey(key);
     }
+    return defaultValue;
+}
 
-    public containsKey(key: string): boolean {
-        // FIXME: is there a better way to do this check?
-        return this.userDefaults.objectForKey(key) ? true : false;
+export var getString = function (key: string, defaultValue?: string): string {
+    Common.checkKey(key);
+    if (hasKey(key)) {
+        return userDefaults.stringForKey(key);
     }
+    return defaultValue;
+}
 
-    public getBoolean(key: string, defaultValue?: boolean): boolean {
-        if (this.containsKey(key)) {
-            return this.userDefaults.boolForKey(key);
-        }
-        if ("undefined" == typeof defaultValue) {
-            defaultValue = false;
-        }
-        return defaultValue;
+export var getNumber = function (key: string, defaultValue?: number): number {
+    Common.checkKey(key);
+    if (hasKey(key)) {
+        return userDefaults.doubleForKey(key);
     }
+    return defaultValue;
+}
 
-    public getDouble(key: string, defaultValue?: number): number {
-        if (this.containsKey(key)) {
-            return this.userDefaults.doubleForKey(key);
-        }
-        if ("undefined" == typeof defaultValue) {
-            defaultValue = 0.0;
-        }
-        return defaultValue;
-    }
+// setters
+export var setBoolean = function (key: string, value: boolean): void {
+    Common.checkKey(key);
+    Common.ensureValidValue(value, "boolean");
+    userDefaults.setBoolForKey(value, key);
+    userDefaults.synchronize();
+}
 
-    public getInt(key: string, defaultValue?: number): number {
-        if (this.containsKey(key)) {
-            return this.userDefaults.integerForKey(key);
-        }
-        if ("undefined" == typeof defaultValue) {
-            defaultValue = 0;
-        }
-        return defaultValue;
-    }
+export var setString = function (key: string, value: string): void {
+    Common.checkKey(key);
+    Common.ensureValidValue(value, "string");
+    userDefaults.setObjectForKey(value, key);
+    userDefaults.synchronize();
+}
 
-    public getLong(key: string, defaultValue?: number): number {
-        if (this.containsKey(key)) {
-            return this.userDefaults.integerForKey(key);
-        }
-        if ("undefined" == typeof defaultValue) {
-            defaultValue = 0;
-        }
-        return defaultValue;
-    }
+export var setNumber = function (key: string, value: number): void {
+    Common.checkKey(key);
+    Common.ensureValidValue(value, "number");
+    userDefaults.setDoubleForKey(value, key);
+    userDefaults.synchronize();
+}
 
-    public getString(key: string, defaultValue?: string): string {
-        if (this.containsKey(key)) {
-            return this.userDefaults.stringForKey(key);
-        }
-        if ("undefined" == typeof defaultValue) {
-            defaultValue = "";
-        }
-        return defaultValue;
-    }
+/*
+these are commented out to be used only if requested by users or otherwise needed
 
-    public getStrings(key: string, defaultValue?: string[]): string[] {
-        if (this.containsKey(key)) {
-            var nsArray = this.userDefaults.stringArrayForKey(key);
-            var jsArray = utils_module.Collections.nsArrayToJSArray(nsArray);
-            return jsArray;
-        }
-        if ("undefined" == typeof defaultValue) {
-            defaultValue = [];
-        }
-        return defaultValue;
-    }
+import utils_module = require("Utils/utils_ios"); 
 
-    public setBoolean(key: string, value: boolean) {
-        this.userDefaults.setBoolForKey(value, key);
-        this.userDefaults.synchronize();
+export var getStringArray = function (key: string, defaultValue?: string[]): string[] {
+    Common.checkKey(key);
+    if (hasKey(key)) {
+        var nsArray = userDefaults.stringArrayForKey(key);
+        var jsArray = utils_module.Collections.nsArrayToJSArray(nsArray);
+        return jsArray;
     }
+    return defaultValue;
+}
 
-    public setDouble(key: string, value: number) {
-        this.userDefaults.setDoubleForKey(value, key);
-        this.userDefaults.synchronize();
+export var getInt = function (key: string, defaultValue?: number): number {
+    Common.checkKey(key);
+    if (hasKey(key)) {
+        return userDefaults.integerForKey(key);
     }
+    return defaultValue;
+}
 
-    public setInt(key: string, value: number) {
-        this.userDefaults.setIntegerForKey(value, key);
-        this.userDefaults.synchronize();
+export var getLong = function (key: string, defaultValue?: number): number {
+    Common.checkKey(key);
+    if (hasKey(key)) {
+        return Math.ceil(userDefaults.doubleForKey(key));
     }
+    return defaultValue;
+}
 
-    public setLong(key: string, value: number) {
-        this.userDefaults.setIntegerForKey(value, key);
-        this.userDefaults.synchronize();
-    }
+export var setStringArray = function (key: string, values: string[]): void {
+    Common.checkKey(key);
+    var nsArray = utils_module.Collections.jsArrayToNSArray(values);
+    userDefaults.setObjectForKey(nsArray, key);
+    userDefaults.synchronize();
+}
 
-    public setString(key: string, value: string) {
-        this.userDefaults.setObjectForKey(value, key);
-        this.userDefaults.synchronize();
-    }
+export var setInt = function (key: string, value: number): void {
+    Common.checkKey(key);
+    userDefaults.setIntegerForKey(value, key);
+    userDefaults.synchronize();
+}
 
-    public setStrings(key: string, values: string[]) {
-        var nsArray = utils_module.Collections.jsArrayToNSArray(values);
-        this.userDefaults.setObjectForKey(nsArray, key);
-        this.userDefaults.synchronize();
-    }
-}
\ No newline at end of file
+export var setLong = function (key: string, value: number): void {
+    Common.checkKey(key);
+    userDefaults.setDoubleForKey(Math.ceil(value), key);
+    userDefaults.synchronize();
+}
+*/
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/UserPreferences/user_preferences_common.ts b/UserPreferences/user_preferences_common.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..9517dc23b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/UserPreferences/user_preferences_common.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+
+export var checkKey = function(key: string) : void {
+    if ("string" !== typeof key) {
+        throw new Error("key: '" + key + "' must be a string");
+    }    
+}
+
+export var ensureValidValue = function (value: any, valueType: string): void {
+    if (valueType !== typeof value) {
+        throw new Error("value: '" + value + "' must be a " + valueType);
+    }
+}