Notes from WPC?Day 2

High energy at Air Canada Centre. Cloud topic #1.

Connected devices, continuous services. Cloud OS.

  • Windows Live
  • CRM Online
  • Xbox Live
  • Office 365
  • Bing
  • MSN

73% of businesses planning to use public/private clouds in next 3 years

37% say investing in modern apps a critical priority

In next 5 year number of smart devices to grow 3x

Azure and windows server 2012

  • Scalable & elastic
  • Always up, always on
  • Shared resources
  • Automated and self-service important

Azure Supports

  • 64 virtual processors per images
  • 1 TB of memory per vm
  • World leading performance
  • 1 million OPS per vm
  • New capabilities in azure and portal
  • Much easier user interface.  Finally!

Microsoft Business Services $ 1B run rate. 3k Dynamics partners attending WPC in Toronto.

Delivering vertical expertise is key to growth

Global ISV?s are joining MS Dynamics community.

Office 365 (O365) and CRM online together incredible platform.

  • Dynamic business vision.
  • Demo impressive.  (Ask us if you would like a personal demo of this.)

Tom Gruhler – Windows phone 8 GM

  • Flexible app distribution, enterprise app store
  • Enterprise device management.
  • Shared windows core , accelerates innovation
  • Easier to build and maintain Window?s solutions
  • Combined with 1.3 billion windows users and it’s unmatched.

I have to say the interface, usability and functionality of Windows Phone is quite impressive. I firmly believe it will be a contender. If you haven’t checked out a Windows Phone out lately, I highly recommend you do. http://www.windowsphone.com/

New Metro UI CRM Interface Coming!! In a word IMPRESSIVE!

UI/UX will be critical to creating successful apps and experiences using them. We have a UI/Design gap and should look for resource/partners to help in this area. A couple of screenshots below.

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CRM-Metro-UI

Quick Note on R9 /  Q2-2012 Dynamics CRM Release

R9 was not where Microsoft wanted it to be. Preview and beta feedback not as high as it should have been. Quality is highest priority. New VP of Engineering has taken over and after seeing feedback and the desire to deliver compelling and quality releases, they decided to push delivery of cross-browser support and new mobility to Q4.

New Engineering head is still committed to the new release cadence and expects to improve it. Expected to have Fall, Winter, Spring, Summer releases.


The Day?s Big Announcements:

Windows Server / Azure: A new community technology preview (CTP) of new technologies that enable hosting service providers to use their Windows Server data centers to deliver the same great web site and virtual machine capabilities recently announced for Windows Azure.
Switch to Hyper-V Program: Microsoft announced a new program to help customers transition from VMware infrastructure to Microsoft. The ?Switch to Hyper-V? Program provides partners with guidance, training and software tools, including the Virtual Machine Migration Toolkit, to more seamlessly migrate virtual machines to Windows Server Hyper-V and System Center.
Microsoft Dynamics: Several new global independent software vendors are choosing Microsoft Dynamics or extending their solutions across the Microsoft Dynamics platform, including: Campus Management Corp., Cenium, Inc., Cincom Systems, Inc., PROS Pricing and Technosoft.
Windows Phone: Showed off new hardware capabilities coming to Windows Phone 8 and some of the powerful features Windows Phone 8 will deliver through integration with Windows 8. They also showed off some of the most interesting new apps coming to Windows Phone, including: Words with Friends, Draw Something, Audible, Chase and PayPal, and games including Asphalt 7: Heat, N.O.V.A. 3: Near Orbit Vanguard Alliance, and Batman: The Dark Knight Rises.
What?s Your Cause Challenge: Microsoft wants to know: What?s your cause? Between July 10 and August 31, 2012 Microsoft Partners are challenged to nominate 500 eligible nonprofits serving youth in their communities to receive a software donation from Microsoft. Read here for more information!

Mike

Notes from Microsoft Worldwide Partner Conference (WPC)?Day 1

I finally have a few moments to update you on the major themes from Microsoft?s Worldwide Partner Conference (WPC) that was in Toronto, CA The week of July 9, 2012.

As this is a partner focused event, a lot of the information was focused specifically to that audience. There are some good nuggets thought end users as well.

Key highlights from Keynote:

  • 16,000 partners from 156 countries attending, additional 17,000 watching keynote online
  • 20 percent of partners have reached new gold CRM status (yes, Infinity is one of them!)
  • Verticals and industry focus are key to growth.
  • All new CRM online trials and customers to use O365 admin portals.
  • CRM online going extremely well, 31 quarters of double digit growth.
  • 60 percent of all new seats sold in last year are online.

Steve Ballmer talked about entering the New Era and how partners are at the core of this story. Kurt DelBene shared his thoughts and insight about being partners in productivity and announced Office 365 Open. Tami Reller highlighted Windows 8 and showcased how it adapts to the user experience and how far Microsoft has come since first talking about Windows 8 ? it meets expectations around mobility, battery life, and getting information everywhere. Some impressive stuff here.

Windows 8 RTM/GA: Windows 8 is on track for release to manufacturers (RTM) during the first week of August, and the product will reach general availability (GA) at the end of October. Enterprise customers can get Windows 8 by August, and the product will be available in 109 languages in 231 markets.

Office 2010 / Windows 7 momentum: There are now 1 billion people using Office worldwide, and licenses for Windows 7 have reached 630 million worldwide.

Microsoft acquires Perceptive Pixel: You probably know their technology?they make those cool, huge HD touchscreens TV?s that weather channel, the various news and political commentators have been using lately. ?The acquisition of PPI allows us to draw on our complementary strengths, and we?re excited to accelerate this market evolution,? said Kurt DelBene, president, Office Division for Microsoft. ?PPI?s large touch displays, when combined with hardware from our OEMs, will become powerful Windows 8-based PCs and open new possibilities for productivity and collaboration.?  Microsoft expects to push this technology to smaller and more devices. Demo was of an 82? HD TV?very cool?.I want one for my media room!

Mike