App Presence for Windows Phone 8, Windows (OS) & Beyond

I’m probably preaching to the choir on this blog piece; but for those viewing the following as a new and also welcomed presence to our WP8 eco-system; I share your excitement! Must admit officially seeing the Windows Phone app label on major company websites, TV commercials and AD’s; really helps the WP8 ecosystem overall with developers, OEM’s and more importantly loyal fans and customers.

They say seeing is believing and when you see first-hand your preferred brand of product in the public hands or through mass media; it provides a since of confirmation to your taste and style.

 

I’ve come to the conclusion that it’s a very slow, slow, slow and even slower process bundled with business politics and a bit of red tape; when it comes to the WP8 app development phase for a lot of key companies.

The overall excuse tends to be all about the market share presence; and keep in mind major companies today abide by the market as a code of conduct. You can still argue that it’s point A’s fault or point B’s fault when it comes to who’s holding up the process of pass-due apps or more to the point, NO app at all.

 

But… the fact still remains that the new and popular apps are not here when you want them to be. I strongly feel that’s why the new Microsoft has taken key steps to bridge the app gap even closer than previous road maps have proposed. In a previous keynote for Windows Build this year, Microsoft introduced a new Visual Studio’s feature with Universal apps tools.

The universal apps will allow developers to write code once and be able to use that same code for all Windows (OS), Windows Phone 8, Windows RT, and also other competitor ecosystems like android and apple. No matter what your coding language is Microsoft Visual Studios can accommodate your skillset to take advantage of this new universal app tool.

If by chance you are a developer or …maybe not; Microsoft has made available a free instance of Visual Studio’s that’s packed with more than enough coding army to produce an actual app from start to finish. There are a lot and I do mean a lot of free resources to use when you’re ready to try your hand at coding. I can’t name them all nor will I try to, but what I will do is point you in the direction of http://www.visualstudio.com.

From the home page I suggest taking advantage of the 90 day trail download, just to try out the full blown suite of Visual Studio’s 2013 and all it has to offer. You can access the support tab at any time to get a better understanding for Visual Studio’s or simply find out where to start.

I’m hoping to one day finish my first official app for the Windows ecosystem; and be able to honestly tell you that I am now an official Windows app developer.

Well folks that concludes my blog post for today; so …
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“Until next time – Stay Powered by Windows” _________________________________________________________________________________________________ By: Toran Lacy | @TWindows_

Team Microsoft, take a Bow! JOB Well Done!

Hat’s off to Microsoft! The first half of 2012 has been a remarkable one; the hard work put in from all aspects of the Microsoft Team has really re-shaped the tech industry’s direction. Since the early stages of the build conference last year Microsoft has truly outlined a strategic plan of relevance for the PC industry.

Let’s start with the enhancements to the hardware platform for companies like Intel, AMD, Texas Instruments, Nvidia, and ARM. The following companies were challenged by Microsoft to build and bring forth the best hardware accelerations for PC’s known today. This small step of aligning the key players to produce a better chip & system experience was truly a great piece to the overall roadmap.

As you can see Microsoft has laid the foundation for building upon the new release of Windows 8. The design flow known as “Live Tiles” has blossomed across their eco-system, not just for the Windows Phone; but for the entire line of products.

Granted the Windows Phone was the first device to grace us with the beautiful presence of live tiles; but now as a complete experience we can enjoy the continued flow of metro throughout the following sources -> Windows 8, Xbox music, XBOX 360 Kinect, Windows Phone Apollo and soon to be added to the list, our very own Microsoft Surface Tablet.

It’s no secret that Microsoft Windows is the number one operating system in the world, and as we look back over 30 years of proven innovations, it’s easy to see why. Microsoft has its thumb on the heartbeat of the technology industry, and will continue to control the Post PC Era life line.

There are so many areas of success to cover on the behalf of Microsoft’s first half, but I want to zero in on just a few highlights. We start with an array of Mango enabled Windows Phones, they range from models such as the Samsung Focus 1&2, HTC Trophy, HTC Arrive, HTC Radar, HTC Titan 1&2, Nokia Lumia 710, 800, and the beautifully design Nokia Lumia 900.

At the start of the year Microsoft launched a contest at the 2012 CES to prove that the Windows Phone was the fastest mobile (OS) built today. To get the attention of literary millions of audiences, and not to mention the competition; Microsoft put up $100 per challenger, and they used a handful of the Windows Phone devices to prove their point.

The Windows Phone challenge was a success, they literary blew pass and smoked the competition by more than 95% during the challenges.

Next up we have the consumer release of Windows 8, the reaction to this preview was history in the making. Literally on the first day of the download release, Microsoft had over 1 million downloads recorded for the new (OS); and to think still today the downloads are continuing. Windows 8 has already been named the recommended (OS) for top OEM’s as they prepare for future hardware announcements later this year.

To ensure the success of Windows 8 Microsoft has invested billions in patents, purchased social influences such as Skype, Yammer, So.cl (pronounced ‘social’ and as an added bonus a percentage of Face Book too. In addition to this foot work Microsoft has invested over 300 million to start a company with Barns & Nobel to develop and build Windows 8 apps for the e-reader platform as well as the new Microsoft Surface Tablet.

Indeed thus far the road map looks great for this first half, and as we look forward there will be greater innovations to follow during the second half of this awesome journey. As we review the following accomplishments we have one more mile stone to look at; (Nokia) who has returned to the mobile arena not just as a mobile player, but a company who has partnered with Microsoft to bring about great change to the tech industry.

A few months back Microsoft and Nokia set out to build a flagship Smartphone, and today that phone is non-other than the Lumia 900. Nokia set the stage with awesome commercial ads, and suspenseful surprises such as the Smart Phone Beta Test count down; as well as a surprise performance in the middle of Time Square in-which they debuted the beautiful Nokia Lumia 900. Together Microsoft and Nokia have continued to reach millions of users with new promotions and efforts for awareness of the Windows platform.

In conclusion to my blog post we look at just two more events that helped shaped the awareness of the Windows Phone presence. One that I had the pleasure of attending myself was the “Behind the Tiles Event”; Microsoft held several invites at local Best Buys around the US to provide one on one informative sessions on the Windows phone. They provided detailed walkthroughs, contest, goodie bags, and awesome giveaways. Needless to say the event was a great success, and the turnout was even better than expected.

Just weeks after this event Microsoft met with a few celebrities to help promote the new Nokia Lumia 900; the theme for this event was titled “ Free Time Machine”, the message for this promotion was how well the Windows Phone was built, and designed to give you free time to do other things. Specifically how fast the phone was at performing basic task or everyday functions quickly allowing you as the user to get back to what’s important- your time.

So for this event, celebrities such as Vernon Davis & Kourtney Kardashian came out to give away free time with Microsoft. There where grand prizes such as all paid expense trips to tropical getaways, cash prizes, gift cards, and more.

As we come to a close I would like to say again “JOB Well Done” and thank you to the entire Microsoft Windows family; if indeed the 2^nd half of this year is anything like the first we are in for an awesome year.

“Until next time – Stay Powered by Windows”
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By: Toran Lacy | @TWindows_

Microsoft’s Cafe Mango To Go Food Truck tours the U.S.

The Windows Phone marketing division back in Redmond has truly “Put People First” with this new marketing concept called “Café Mango To Go”.

This awesome ideal of giving away free food while spreading mobile awareness of the most innovative smart phone built to date; is simply groundbreaking.

The Windows Phone platform has truly changed the smart phone industry since it’s re-entry to the market; and to help get the word out about this amazing device, Café Mango To Go is on tour around the United States to an area near you.

To get insight on where they’ve been or where they will be touring next, just follow @CaféMangoToGo on Twitter; they keep the people informed as well as fed with healthy food and awesome Windows Phone gifts.

As a fan of Microsoft Windows I was excited to hear about this cool venture through the Windows Blogs; and when they came to my neck of the woods –> a*k*a Dallas Texas, I just so happen to be at work.

My wife called me up and said “guess what I’m looking at right now”, after a few failed attempts she said “A BIG RED Microsoft Windows Phone Truck”; my mouth dropped to the floor in utter excitement, I couldn’t believe my ears so I asked her to take pic’s and drive closer to see what they were up to.

She informed them that I was a crazed fan of Microsoft Windows and that he would love to be here right now. I told my wife to turn the car around and pick me up, but the Café Mango Team was heading out to their next location, and due to safety measures they couldn’t disclose any whereabouts.

Rest assure the next day after following them on Twitter I was geared up and awaiting the first location Tweet. It was so surreal seeing the all red Café Mango Truck decked out in the Windows Phone graphics, and an all-star cast of Microsoft staff dressed to the nine with red hat’s, red & white wind breakers, and black slacks.

      

This was truly a great experience for me and a beautiful presentation from the Microsoft Café Mango To Go Team. These guys had more than enough food and an awesome line up of Windows Phones to demo.

Being a proud Windows Phone owner myself I knew that from the demos they showed me, that this was a great play book of valid information for mobile carriers as well as first time users.

The concept of a mobile food truck with free food and an excellent range of educated staff has never been done before; the Microsoft Café Mango To Go team is exactly what we as fans, consumers, and businesses need.

In conclusion to my blog post, I encourage you to visit The Microsoft Café Mango To Go Truck, when passing through your state or neck of the woods. I promise you that it will be both fulfilling and pleasing to your belly as well as to your mobile awareness.

“Until next time – Stay Powered by Windows”
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By: Toran Lacy | @TWindows_

BIG thanks – to Nokia.

Big thanks to Nokia for the overwhelming trust and committed partnership to Microsoft, the two companies came together just over a year ago focused on great change for the future.

The benefits of pairing their current innovations together are beginning to payoff; and you can see from the media frenzy on behalf of Nokia’s marketing they are rubbing off on Microsoft a bit.

“The Amazing Everyday” has been an on-going theme for Nokia which really fits their product and marketing line. On the other hand Microsoft has blossomed in the advertising arena recently with the “Smoked by a Windows Phone” campaign.

Both companies are focused on the people and what we as consumers and fans want from their brands. As the excitement unfolds the Nokia phone models are making their way across both international and US markets. The latest Nokia release is the Lumia 900 model, powered with the Windows metro-style (OS), which is both beautiful and ground breaking.

In conclusion to this post I feel the momentum building for Nokia/Microsoft and we can only hope for great things as they both progress to make great change in today’s markets.

Thanks again to Nokia & Microsoft.

“Until next time – Stay Powered by Windows”
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By: Toran Lacy | @TWindows_