The wait is over; you can now download the Windows Phone Developer Tools CTP Refresh from the Windows Phone web site at http://developer.windowsphone.com. With this CTP, you can develop and test Windows Phone 7 apps on the RTM version of Visual Studio 2010 (VS2010).

There are several improvements in the CTP, including an updated Windows Phone 7 OS image for the Windows Phone Emulator. See more detail about the release at a Windows Team’s blog post here.

We just announced the release to manufacturing of Windows Embedded Standard 7. Steve Guggenheimer, corporate vice president of the Original Equipment Manufacturer Division at Microsoft, shared more insight around recent OEM and partner activities with Windows Embedded Standard 7 in his blog.

Developers use Windows Embedded Standard 7 to create a variety of smart, connected, and service-oriented advanced commercial or consumer devices. These devices run thousands of existing Windows applications and drivers, ranging from Thin Clients to Multi-Function Printers, including:

• Advanced Set-top Boxes
• Fuel Pumps
• Full Featured Point of Service
• Gaming Devices
• Home Automation Gateways
• Industrial Controls
• Intelligent Appliances
• Multimedia Internet Devices
• Kiosks
• Digital Signage
• Mobile Point of Service
• Monitoring Devices
• Multi-Function Printers
• Networked Media Devices
• Thin Clients

Windows Embedded is a family of embedded operating systems that offer familiar tools and technologies to quickly bring the next generation of smart, connected, service-oriented devices to market. You can use the tool below to enter information about your device and embedded development environment, and the chart will display information about the Windows Embedded product or products best suited to you embedded development needs.

Source

Why is Azure important?

Have you wondered how cloud computing can bring your ideas to the web faster? Reduce your IT costs? Or be able to respond quickly to changes in your business and customer’s needs? If so, then you need to find out what Azure is all about!

What is this Windows Azure training?

In this Windows Azure training session you will learn about Azure; how to develop and launch your own application as well as how it impacts YOUR daily life.

• Implement Web Roles and Worker Roles
• Use Azure Table Storage and Azure Local Storage
• Deploy your application to the cloud
• Use Windows Azure Diagnostics

Special Bonus!

All attendees receive a free, temporary Azure account with full access

What does it cost me?

There is NO cost to participate in this training. 

Info and Registration: http://distributed.cloudapp.net/

Need more information: http://bit.ly/azure_training

http://www.imaginecup.us/peopleschoice.aspx

“We believe that students have the power to change the world,” said Anthony Salcito, vice president of Worldwide Education, Microsoft. “Encouraging students to study science and technology is critical to developing a skilled 21st-century work force. Through the Imagine Cup, we are bringing together the brightest young minds and empowering them to use technology to make a difference in the lives of people in their local communities and around the world.”

More than 14,000 high-school and college students throughout the country registered for the competition, and 20 student teams were chosen to participate in the Imagine Cup 2010 U.S. Finals in Washington, D.C., on April 26. The U.S. finalists will vie for the chance to represent the nation among students from over 100 countries and regions in the worldwide finals this July in Warsaw, Poland.

Create Phone Apps and Videos to Help Change the World

While the U.S. finalists for these categories have been selected, there are still opportunities for students in America and around the world to participate in the new Windows Phone 7 Series “Rockstar” Award and Envisioning 2020 Award categories.

U.S. Finalist Teams – 2010 Imagine Cup
Software Design	Game Design
· CDSS-AI, University of Arkansas at Little Rock · Coders Inc., Illinois Institute of Technology, Georgia Institute of Technology · Extraplaid, Utah State University · LifeCode, Wayne State University · MangoBunnies, Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis, DePauw University · MedRx, University of Arkansas at Little Rock · Mobilife, University of California, Davis · Mogollar, University of Arkansas at Little Rock · Team Blob, South Dakota School of Mines & Technology · Tesla Project, San Jose State University	· AwesomeSauce, Tufts University, School of the Museum of Fine Arts · Coffee Powered Altruism, Yale University · Cosmopolis, University of Southern California · Darkwing Duck, Golden West College · Fortran and C, University of California, Los Angeles · Ifrit Salsa, University of Houston · LeveL13, University of Houston · Red Team, Springbrook High School, Maryland · Team Name Not Found, Arizona State University, Tempe · To Be Announced, Central Piedmont Community College

Read the full press release here.

What is the Azure™ Services Platform? It is an Internet-scale cloud services platform hosted in Microsoft data centers, which provides an operating system and a set of developer services that can be used individually or together. It reduces the need for up-front technology purchases, and it enables developers to quickly and easily create applications running in the cloud using their existing skills.

Now that you know what it is, we want to give you resources to try out the cloud!

Get: 

• Get a Windows Azure account – http://bit.ly/azureaccountsignup

Learn:

• What is Azure” 4 min video – http://bit.ly/WhatisAzurePlatform-C9
• Windows Azure Training kit- http://bit.ly/AzureTrainingKit
• How to Deploy Azure App video- http://bit.ly/DeployAzureApps
• Interoperability SDKs – http://www.interoperabilitybridges.com/default.aspx
• Sample projects to review – codeplex.com, search “azure”
• Code samples & snippets – code.msdn.com, search azure
• Start-ups – microsoft.com/bizspark

Join:

• The vibrant online community – https://channel9.msdn.com/azure
• Azure user groups – http://www.azureusergroup.com

Now that you have all the resources, you can create cloud computing projects and upload them to the Microsoft Pinpoint marketplace. The marketplace will allow you to showcase your products and services to the people who need them the most. Click Here To Get Started Today!

http://blogs.msdn.com/billzack/archive/2010/03/13/windows-azure-platform-training-roadmap.aspx

·         The cloud creates opportunities and responsibilities

·         The cloud learns and helps you learn, decide and take action

·         The cloud enhances your social and professional interactions

·         The cloud wants smarter devices

·         The cloud drives server advances that drive the cloud

Coca-Cola Enterprises was one of the highlighted videos as they discuss the value that the cloud has brought to them.  Please take a look at the video (just click on the Coca-Cola logo):  http://www.microsoft.com/cloud/

Each month through June 2010, we’ll bring you a 60-minute Architect focused Webcast to educate on the latest trends/topics and how new technologies can align with your business needs.

February 25, 2010 at 1:00pm – 2:00pm EST

Title: Visual Studio Tools For Architects

Abstract: Come learn how the new code visualization, UML, and Architectural Validation tools inside Visual Studio 2010 come together to help you understand existing code bases, model domain specific problem domains, and maintain the proper control and visibility of those software systems.

Event ID:  1032440937

Link to Register:  http://msevents.microsoft.com/CUI/EventDetail.aspx?EventID=1032440937&Culture=en-US

Presenter BIO

Cameron Skinner

Product Unit Manager, Microsoft

Cameron Skinner joined Microsoft in 2005 and is currently a product unit manager on the Visual Studio team. He is responsible for overseeing the Visualization and Architecture capabilities found in Visual Studio 2010 Ultimate. Prior to Microsoft, Mr. Skinner was the CTO and chief architect of application development tools for Embarcadero Technologies. Earlier in his career, he served as CTO for Advanced Software Technologies. In his limited spare time, Mr. Skinner enjoys spending time with his wife and three children, Crossfit, and playing his acoustic bass.

Stay Connected:

February 26, 2010 at 1:00pm – 2:00pm EST

Title: How to Architect a Killer App for Windows 7

Abstract: Ever since its recent launch, Windows 7 has been enjoying rapid consumer adoption and glowing press reviews. This makes it a great platform to launch your next Killer App! In this session, we will explore how to architect an application to take advantage of several compelling Windows 7 features including multi-touch, integrated search and multi-processor improvements. We will review how others have exploited this growing "Windows 7 channel" to deliver applications ranging from enterprise line of business applications to consumer oriented, "mass appeal" applications (think Social Networking clients). As a bonus, we'll demonstrate how to quickly build Internet Explorer 8 Web Slices and Accelerators to complement your Killer App and to provide new channels to extend your reach. If you've got a great idea for a Killer App, don't miss this session. If you design, architect, and/or develop applications for fun/profit, then this fast-paced session is for you.

Event ID:  1032441748

Link to Register:  http://msevents.microsoft.com/CUI/EventDetail.aspx?EventID=1032441748&Culture=en-US

Presenter BIO

Allan da Costa Pinto

Architect Evangelist, Microsoft

Allan da Costa Pinto recently celebrated 10 years with Microsoft. In that time he has worked in several roles ranging from software consulting to support to technical evangelism. He is currently an Architect Evangelist focused on jumpstarting software projects with Microsoft’s cutting edge technologies such as Windows 7, Windows Azure and Silverlight. He lives in Hartford CT with his amazing wife, 2 kids, and 1 cat.

Stay Connected: