Microsoft User Experience Kit launched today at SXSW

• Posted by christhi on March 25, 2010
• 31 comments

Microsoft User Experience Kit launched today at SXSW

Today at SXSW, of which Microsoft Silverlight is a major sponsor of the Interactive Festival,  Microsoft User Experience Kit is targeted at technical and creative leads who want to better understand the tools, technologies, and scenarios that span Microsoft’s User Experience ecosystem.  Key topics range from “Building Immersive Multi-channel Solutions using Expression Studio” to “High fidelity and high Performing Desktop Touch Applications using Windows 7” to “Web Branding and Audience Targeting using SharePoint”.  The kit’s contents can be browsed online and/or downloaded for offline use.  It includes videos, presentations, sample code, and much more. Get the kit at http://uxkit.cloudapp.net!

The UX Kit is unique because while many technology-specific repositories exist, this is the first kit that helps “map” the Microsoft ecosystem, technology, and tools stack to that of the user experience, agency, and creative world.

Included in the UX Kit is a range of collateral and resources including: videos, reference implementations, sample code, live demos, installable tools, presentations, whitepapers and more. Featured technologies include Silverlight, Windows Presentation Foundation, Windows 7 Touch, Microsoft Surface, Windows Phone, SharePoint, Expression Studio, and Microsoft Advertising. Topics covered on the kit range from Rich Media Delivery using Silverlight and Deep Zoom to Multi-Channel Digital Marketing using Windows 7, SharePoint, Windows Phone, and Surface.

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FAQ 

Why another kit? There are many technology specific repositories but nothing that helps “map” the Microsoft ecosystem, technology, and tools stack to that of the user experience, agency, and creative world.

What is in the kit? Collateral such as videos, reference implementations, sample code, live demos, installable tools, presentations, whitepapers and more.

What technologies and tools are featured? Silverlight, Windows Presentation Foundation, Windows 7 Touch, Microsoft Surface, Windows Phone, SharePoint, Expression Studio, and Microsoft Advertising to name a few.

What topics are covered? Topics range from Rich Media Delivery using Silverlight and Deep Zoom to Multi-Channel Digital Marketing using Windows 7, SharePoint, Windows Phone, and Surface.

How do I “get the kit”? By following the link here! The kit’s browser is fully written in Silverlight and hosted on Microsoft Azure.  

When can I “get the kit”? The Microsoft User Experience Kit will be launched on March 15th at South by Southwest in Austin and go live right here. – http://uxkit.cloudapp.net 

Announcement: IE 8 Ships, 8 reasons to use IE 8

• Posted by christhi on March 22, 2009
• 38 comments

On March 19th at 9:00am PDT, we released Internet Explorer 8 to the web for Windows XP, Windows Vista, and Windows Server. Not only is this the best version of Internet Explorer that Microsoft has ever built, it’s the best browser available for consumers, businesses, and developers, period. Download it today at microsoft.com/ie8*. 

Here are eight reasons why Internet Explorer 8 is a great browser and deserves a look:

1. You want a web that moves as fast as you do: Highlight an address, click the blue "Accelerator" button ( ), and see all the things you can do instantly – like mapping, searching, and translating. Check out Accelerators from Digg, Facebook, eBay, and others.
2. You want to know if it's raining outside: Visit live.com, search for “Seattle Weather” (or any major city), hover over the search result, and click the green "Web Slice" button ( ) to add a weather Web Slice to your Favorites Bar. As of this morning there are over 1,200 Web Slices, Accelerators, and add-ons available worldwide in the IE8 add-on gallery.
3. You like everyone to get along:  And that includes wanting the web sites you visit to work well with your browser. IE8 is the only browser to include multiple rendering engines to address backwards compatibility— hit a site that doesn't seem right, hit the Compatibility View button, and you're on your way.
4. You're a visual learner: See pictures of what you’re looking for as you type in the Instant Search box – rich search results in action!
5. You want to find it again, fast: To quickly find sites you’ve visited before, simply use the new Smart Address Bar which searches your history, favorites, and feeds.
6. You like your privacy: Enjoy more control over your personal information and privacy on the Web with InPrivate.
7. You want an edge against the bad guys (aka security): Internet Explorer 8 offers unparalleled protection against malware – it's 10 times safer than Internet Explorer 7, 4 times safer than Chrome, 2.8 times safer than Safari, and 2.3 times safer than Firefox.
8. You hate interruptions: If one tab crashes, you can re-launch it without affecting your browsing experience – your other tabs keep right on working.

To see these features in action, check out a couple of quick videos that preview the IE8 experience here. 

While Internet Explorer 8 will be great for consumers, the benefits don’t end there. Internet Explorer 8 is also the best browser for businesses. With over 1,200 group policy settings, IE8 is the most manageable and secure browser available. With the ability to default to compatibility view, businesses have the flexibility to handle legacy LOB applications.

In addition, Internet Explorer 8 is the best browser for developers. Standards compliant, IE8 shows our dedication to building a browser for developers to invest in.  Accelerators and Web Slices can be created with just a few lines of code, making it easy to build on.  Plus, Internet Explorer 8 comes with a rich set of built-in developer tools that make it efficient and easy to develop and debug your site.  See the tools in action by hitting F12 in your IE8 browser.

Looking at developing any solution for IE8 please check out my check on slideshare.net: http://www.slideshare.net/christhi/silverlight-overview

Announcement: New User Experience Program for Partners Looking for Technical Support

• Posted by christhi on January 4, 2009
• 11 comments

Sign up has been streamlined and you should be able to access your benefits quickly.

Another Texas Network Partner Joins the BizSpark Ranks: SpringStage

• Posted by christhi on December 5, 2008
• 19 comments

SpringStage is a network of community catalysts who are in tune with their local entrepreneurship and startup scenes. The network will formally launch in early 2009 as a blog network. This is the first step in ensuring that there is a visible resource in every community for early stage entrepreneurs. Today, if you’re new to a city and you want to be involved in the startup scene there, there is no clear cut way to get involved. Springstage hopes to fix that by identifying and promoting credible catalysts in each community. We are providing the infrastructure for those catalysts to begin promoting their location entrepreneurship scene immediately. David Cohen and Alexander Muse are the founders of SpringStage. Both have been blogging for years and both are natural catalysts in their respective communities (Boulder, CO and Dallas, TX). Their blogs are read by thousands in their community and are considered go to resources on entrepreneurial events and news in their area. Both are experienced angel investors and entrepreneurs. Springstage was formed to take what we’ve learned and apply it nationwide to foster entrepreneurship. Every local community that hopes to improve the startup activity in their community can learn from those who have been successful doing so in the past. They can follow in our footsteps. 20 other bloggers are already doing so, and we’re just getting started. Our vision for Springstage is to be a beacon for entrepreneurial activities in local communities across the country. When someone enters a community and wants to get involved with the local startup scene, we want them to think about the local Springstage catalyst as the perfect starting point.  

You can folllow them at http://www.texasstartupblog.com

BizSpark Launch in Austin! Are you a Startup in Austin? Need Software to Run and Develop your Idea?

• Posted by christhi on November 12, 2008
• 4 comments

Learn about our new Microsoft Program to Get Upfront Access to Software and Support at No Cost to Run Your Business and Develop Your Software

The Startup District of Austin along with Microsoft and TechSet are sponsoring our very own BizSpark Launch Event on November 20th at Speakeasy downtown.

If you looked at the price of development software you realize how expensive it can be to equip all of your developers.   We no longer want that to be a hinderance to you developing great web based solutions and in the original spirit of what Microsoft was founded on we are providing some long overdue "entrepeneurial love" for the startup community and its name is BizSpark.  To learn more about this new program please join us at the following event.  

Ignition :: The BizSpark Launch Event The Startup District has had a great reception to thier news of becoming a BizSpark Network Partner, and they have already signed up several startups. On November 20th, there is a fantastic event coming up that will celebrate Austin startups, and Microsoft’s new BizSpark program.It’s called Ignition, and it’s going to be at the Speakeasy on November 20th from 7pm - 10pm. It is presented by the Microsoft Startup Zone, the TechSet, and StartupDistrict. The event will bring together 10 of the best startups in Texas, each will give attendees 20 slides at 20 seconds per slide. Talk about a fast pitch!Go to http://ignition-austin.eventbrite.com/ to register. It’s free to attend, and there will be free drinks and hors d’oeuvres, plus folks like Stephanie Agresta, Brian Solis, and the BizSpark team in attendance.Technorati Tags: Austin, microsoft, Startup, startup district, techset

Another BizSpark Launch Event in Dallas - December 3rd, 2008

• Posted by christhi on November 12, 2008
• 14 comments

BizSpark Program: How to Sign Up

• Posted by christhi on November 11, 2008
• 11 comments

Here is a great post on how to sign up for BizSpark either as a new startup to receive your free MSDN or as a Network Partner to help you begin to enable startups on your own.

http://blogs.msdn.com/aniyer/archive/2008/11/11/how-do-i-join-bizspark.aspx

This is a step by step "How To" post that take the mystery out of the process.  Thanks Anand for creating! 

Announcing BizSpark Microsoft's Program to get Startups off the Ground

• Posted by christhi on November 5, 2008
• 30 comments

Today we are launching Microsoft BizSpark, an exciting new offering that will enable software startups to leverage Microsoft development and platform technologies to deliver Next Generation Web and Software + Services applications.  

The Offer: Microsoft BizSpark is designed to accelerate the success of early stage startups by providing access to software, support, and visibility

·         Software:  fast and easy access to Microsoft’s current full-featured development tools, platform technologies, and production licenses of server products for immediate use in developing and bringing to market innovative and interoperable solutions with no upfront costs and minimal requirements

·         Support:  professional technical support from Microsoft (MSDN) and community support from BizSpark “Network Partners” around the world who provide a wide range of support resources for software startups (e.g., entrepreneur incubators, associations, & investors)

·         Visibility:  global visibility to an audience of potential investors, clients, and partners.  Startups will have the opportunity to complete a profile in the online Startup directory (BizSparkDB) which highlights promising companies, including the “BizSpark Startup of the Day”

Eligibility: BizSpark will be available to startups that fit the following criteria:

·         A private company building a software-based product or service (not intended for consultants/SIs or customers/enterprises)

·         In business for less than 3 years

·         Less than $1M in revenue

·         Nominated by a Network Partner or sponsoring member of Microsoft (feel free to contact me)

For more information go to http://www.microsoft.com/bizspark/ here you can find a local "Network Partner" and they can enroll you in the program as long as you qualify