Windows App Day November 23rd, Antwerp

The app market is exploding, first on Apple & Android, now Windows 8 is triggering the same App explosion on the Microsoft platform. To make sure you get the necessary coaching and insight don’t miss the first Windows App Day. The agenda has 2 tracks, for App Development, User Experience and Design and is packed with national and international speakers. All of them actively working on Apps, design & the web and ready to share their learnings and best practices. Join us and get inspired!

• All About Apps: Windows 8, Windows Azure, Windows Phone and WebApps
• After the 100% app keynote we split into two tracks: one focused on UX, designers and web experts; a second one for developers.
• Feel free to switch tracks during the day to compose the schedule of your taste. Find detailed info on the sessions and our speakers on our Windows App Day page!

Don’t miss this first Windows App Day on November 23rd!

MEET Windows Azure!

Hear from Scott Guthrie and other senior technologists from Microsoft and the Bay area who will introduce you to Windows Azure and the latest in Microsoft’s cloud-based development technology.

Register HERE !!!

Windows Azure Saturday

Yet another pretty exciting event, this time organized by AZUG !!!

Register now for the Windows Azure Saturday on June 2nd!

You spoke, we’ve listened!

Windows Azure Saturday – June 2nd, 2012

Since we’ve sent out our last newsletter about organizing a Windows Azure Saturday, we’ve heard a lot of awesome feedback from you! In short, the conclusion was an overwhelming yes, please organize! And that’s what we did… Short summary: coding and barbeque! Want to join? Register now!

Windows Azure Saturday

Ready to dive into code? Have a cool Windows Azure idea and want to work on it in a small team? Now is the right time to kick-start your cloud solution and convince the other attendees of its value. We’ll start early and code the entire morning. Build a killer cloud service, a killer mobile app backed by Windows Azure, whatever! And enjoy a tasty barbeque afterwards!

All you need to do is

• bring your app idea
• your laptop
• make sure the Windows Azure SDK is installed
• work solo or in small groups to build your Windows Azure solution

Team up, work alone, do whatever you want. The main goal is to have fun & learn doing it!

Agenda

08:30 – 09:00: Welcome and set-up of laptop
09:00 – 12:30: Code, code, code!
12:30 – 13:00: Demo your cloud service
13:00 – 16:00: Barbeque time!

Prizes

We’ll provide some prizes for the best app created. We’re still working with our sponsors on this but there’s a huge one in the pipeline! More on that later.

Support

If you’ve been at AZUG, you know we have three Windows Azure MVP’s in our board as well as 2 ASPInsiders. And four MEET members as well! You’re in good hands if you have any questions, problems or want to make sure your Windows Azure application performs top-notch!

Practical details

Event date: June 2, 2012 – 08:30 – 17:00

Event location:
RealDolmen
A. Vaucampslaan 42
1645 Huizingen
Belgium
Want to join? Register now!

Have more to say?

You spoke, we’ve listened. Which proves we listen carefully! More feedback is welcome at azugbe.uservoice.com.

Other events

No room in your agenda on June 2nd? No problem! We have more events listed on our website.

IT Innovation with Windows Azure and Vidyano

Definitely an event from one of our top partners you don’t want to miss…

Date:

Thu, 3rd May 2012

Qualification:

Windows Azure / Vidyano

Company:

2sky / Vidyano (Rhea)

As a successful company you continuously look for ways to increase your business productivity. This requires constant innovation on your products and services to stay ahead of the competition. Often existing IT infrastructure and applications tend to be a bottleneck when adapting to these changing initiatives. In order to tackle this problem, Microsoft and 2sky have joined forces to offer your company a solid and flexible foundation for future growth.

HOW WILL YOU BENEFIT FROM THIS SEMINAR ?

During this seminar you will learn how you can refactor your business information and how this will help you to convince your peers for making the move to the cloud. You will also receive a one month access login to the live developed application for further analysis of the benefits that Windows Azure and Vidyano will bring your company.

LOCATION

Microsoft Belgium
Corporate Village
Leonardo Da Vincilaan 3
1935 Zaventem [Route]

Agenda

14:00 – 14:15
Why customers are choosing Vidyano
(Gunther Clauwaert – 2sky Business Developer)

Learn why customers have adopted Vidyano in their day-to-day ICT development

14:15 – 14:30
The 5 reasons why Windows Azure makes so much sense for you
(Christophe Van Mollekot – Microsoft Business Evangelist)

Discover the 5 top reasons why companies are adopting Windows Azure,
and how this could help your business

14:30 – 15:30
Your business data as an application in no time with Vidyano
(David Sleeckx – Managing Partner 2sky)

During this first hour we will show you how you can build a full blown application using your existing data infrastructure with little effort

15:30 – 15:45
Short break

15:45 – 16:30
Moving your Vidyano application to the Cloud
(David Sleeckx – Managing Partner 2sky)

During this part of the presentation we will show you how you can deploy your application on Windows Azure without writing a single line of code and have your application available anytime, anywhere, anyhow
“Don’t forget to bring your smartphone or tablet”

 

Register here

TechEd : Be At the Center of IT

TechEd is for technology professionals involved in building, deploying or maintaining IT solutions using Microsoft technologies. TechEd Europe will offer four days of more than 1,000 education opportunities and hands-on training across the full range of Microsoft products and solutions. You will learn in-depth about the latest technology trends and how you can leverage these effectively in your business. TechEd is the forum to gain the expertise, connections, and insights that will help you get the most from your existing IT investments.

• Hear about the future of Microsoft’s products, technologies, solutions and services directly from Microsoft’s leaders with news, announcements, and demos
• Attend technical sessions delivered by Microsoft engineers and industry experts
• Participate in Hands-on Labs and Technical Learning Centers designed to give you practical experience with the latest tools and technologies

• Network with Microsoft and industry thought leaders, and fellow delegates that share your technology interests and business challenges. You will be able to talk directly with experts about your specific issues and get answers to your questions in real-time
• Plan the features and architecture to support your product and business goals and to prepare your skills for the future

TechEd: Where You Get IT All

TechEd offers over 400 breakout sessions spread across 12 tracks featuring diverse technologies at a level of detail unmatched in the industry – from understanding the latest business productivity solutions to diving deeper on Microsoft’s Cloud strategy.

TechEd also features over 250 self-paced labs created by product experts, and is an ideal place to pick up new ideas and skills to increase productivity and build better solutions.

Plus TechEd Europe offers an additional day of deep training via the pre-conference seminars happening on Monday, 25 June. These day-long sessions will enhance your learning experience through supplemental in-depth, comprehensive training. Take an accelerated path to the certifications and skills you need to increase your professional appeal and prepare to add new value in the real world, with an extended skill set you can put to use immediately.

Register Here

Working on an app? Register Windows 8 App Clinics

Combining the broad reach of Windows, best-in-class developer tools, a reimagined user experience, support for new chipsets, and a built-in Store with industry-leading business terms – Windows 8 is the largest developer opportunity, ever.

But now what? In Belgium we have announced a series of developer camps, webcasts and MIC calls for projects. These activities will allow you to dive technically into the platform to support you in building apps. However, you probably need more.

What about testing on more than one device? What about discussing the best UX and experience to integrate with Metro? And most importantly, what about getting that access to the Windows Store and publish an app?
The answers are the App Clinics. Meet with the Microsoft Evangelists and consultants to discuss ideas, the app, architecture, the platform, UX and technical questions. It’s an open discussion and allows you to be ready for the next step: passing an App Excellence Lab with a Microsoft engineer, the last step before getting access to the Windows Store as a developer.

Are you actively working on a Windows 8 Metro app? Have an idea but are not sure what the next step is? Join us at an App Clinic and we’ll help you move to the next stage.

Register for a free SQL Server 2012 training

We’re very proud to announce that SQL Server 2012 is now generally available for purchase and download.  SQL Server 2012 delivers a powerful new set of capabilities for mission-critical workloads, business intelligence and hybrid IT across traditional datacenters and public and private clouds.

To help you fully understand how SQL Server 2012 can impact your business – adding more business value to your solutions or by helping you reach new customer segments – we are organizing a free classroom training in cooperation with Oak3, one of our learning partners.  In this training session you’ll get a technical overview of the new capabilities of SQL Server 2012.

Because we know your time and that of your developers is precious, we have made this a compact, half-a-day training session.  And if you miss the first session on April 17, we’ll have 2 more re-runs on May 3 and May 31.

Don’t miss this opportunity and register now by clicking on the session of your choice!

Web Camps Special Edition on May 3rd

 

Come to camp

… on May 3^rd in Brussels on a very special edition of Web Camp to learn the latest on web development on the Microsoft Platform!

Web Camps are free, fun, no-fluff events for developers, by developers.

This European edition is really unique with speakers flying in directly from the Microsoft main offices: Brady Gaster (of Channel9 Web Camps TV fame) and Matthew Osborn currently working on NuGet. Except a lot of code and great fun!

Place to be is the exquisite Event Lounge in Brussels. Learn how to develop beautiful, interactive and scalable web sites using Microsoft’s web tools and platform including IE, ASP.NET, MVC, WebMatrix, Windows Azure and Visual Studio. Learn from experts and get the resources for publishing to the web.

Quick preview of your camp content:

• The Microsoft Web Stack
• WebMatrix 2.0 – The Comprehensive Web IDE You Thought You’d Never Need
• Creating Rich HTML 5 Experiences
• Integrating Your Site with IE
• Building Sites Using ASP.NET 4.5
• Deploying Web Apps to the Cloud

Check out the full program  & sign up to spark your expertise

Limited places, so please be fast!

We hope to see you on our campground !

WPC = Windows PC?

Not really. From 8 to 12 Juli 2012 WPC stands for the largest international Microsoft Partner event of the year: the Worldwide Partner Conference. Last year we joined 15.000 Microsoft enthousiasts in Los Angeles, this year we head up north and meet in the beautiful Toronto, Canada! This 5 day conference is all about you, the Microsoft Partners. As our partner website states: the aim is to spark connections, deliver insight, and build business.

This is thé opportunity to meet (formally or informally) new Partner – and Microsoft contacts. During the keynotes and the huge offer of specific break out sessions you will be provided with Microsoft roadmaps and the way to get business value out of Microsofts’ current and future solutions. The thing that makes this event so interesting is the fact that you can instantly discuss these insights with people that are all there for the same reason: growing the Microsoft business.

Last year I had the chance to join the Microsoft Belux delegation of 160 people in Los Angeles. What I experienced outreached my expectations by far. During daytime the agenda filled up with keynotes, breack-out sessions, the expo and business meetings with Partners and/or Microsofties. All of these in a no-BS and productive, yet comfortable and relaxed way. Every year, MS Belux makes sure there is a comprehensive program in order to strike the balance between business and fun. Work hard, play hard.

LA, 2011: One of the partners who joined WPC for the first time:

“I have learned more about Microsoft in these 5 days, than I did the past 5 years.”

For practical info and registrations, please visit the WPC page or contact us via email.

Register for upcoming Windows 8 Metro Style App events

Now is the time to register for the upcoming Windows 8 Metro Style Apps events.
In this post you can find a summary of the main activities, for which you can find an updated view on our Metro Map.

1. Windows Camps at Microsoft and the Innovation Centers
2. MIC Call for Projects Windows 8 Metro Style Apps: still a few seats
3. MSDN Webcasts
4. Community events

—

1. Windows Camps

• 20/04/2012, 09.00-21.00: Academic Windows 8 Day and coding.
  From Metro Style to app development, to launching and selling your Windows 8 app in the Windows Store. A full day of Windows 8, specifically for academic audiences.
  Where: Brussels VUB
• 4/26/201209.00-17.00, Windows 8 Coaching Camp – Managed code and XAML Apps
  Spend a full day learning and coding Windows 8 Metro Style apps. Learn hands-on how to leverage your XAML, Silverlight or WPF skills and ride the metro.
  Where: Business Faculty Brussels
• 30-May-2012, 09.00-17.00 – Windows 8 Coaching Camp – Metro Style apps with HTML and JavaScript
  A full-day mix of presentations and hands-on labs designed to share all the knowledge you need to start building Metro-style applications for Windows 8 by leveraging HTML and JavaScript.
  Where: Business Faculty Brussels

2. MIC Call for Projects Windows 8 Metro Style Apps: still a few seats

A Microsoft Innovation Center Call for Projects is a streamlined process to call for ideas, give you training and support going from technical to Metro Design guidelines and UX. In addition, by participating in a Call for Projects you have a privileged access to App Clinics (testing on devices, discussion of the app) which leads to a selection of apps to go through App Excellence Labs later in June. The Excellence Labs are currently the only ticket for getting Windows Store tokens.

While the first info session has already been done end of March, there is still an opportunity to register. Make sure you register for each of the sessions separately in order to secure your full project call attendance.

MIC Brussels Project Call (all in English)

1. 16 April, 2012 09:00 — 17 Apr 17:00 – Windows 8 Metro Style apps – Hands-on Session
   Two full days of sessions and hands-on labs to build a Windows 8 Metro Style app in C#/XAML or HTML/JavaScript.
   http://micbru.fikket.com/event/call-for-projet-windows-8-metro-style-apps-hands-on-session
2. April 24 2012 9:00 to 17:00 – Windows 8 Metro Style apps – Brussels – UX Workshops session 1 – http://micbru.fikket.com/event/mic-project-call-windows-8-metro-style-apps-brussels-ux-coaching-sessions—3
   Attention: date change!
3. 14 May, 2012 09:00 — 17:00 – Windows 8 Metro Style apps- UX Coaching session 2 – http://micbru.fikket.com/event/mic-project-call-windows-8-metro-style-apps-brussels-ux-coaching-sessions
4. 21 May, 2012 09:00 — 17:00 – Windows 8 Metro Style apps – Brussels – Developer Q&A session – http://micbru.fikket.com/event/mic-project-call-windows-8-metro-style-apps-brussels-developer-qa-session

MIC Mons Project Call (in French)

1. 19 avril 2012 09:00 — 20 avr. 17:00 – Windows 8 Metro Style apps – Appel à projets – Windows 8 Hands-on training : http://events.mic-belgique.be/event/windows-8-metro-style-apps-appel-a-projets–2
2. 9 mai 2012 09:00 — 10 mai 17:00 – Windows 8 Metro Style apps – Appel à projets – UX Coaching sessions : http://events.mic-belgique.be/event/windows-8-metro-style-apps-appel-a-projets–4
3. 16 mai 2012 09:00 — 17:00 – Windows 8 Metro Style apps – Appel à projets – Developer Q&A : http://events.mic-belgique.be/event/windows-8-metro-style-apps-appel-a-projets–5

3. MSDN Webcasts

• 24 April 2012, 14.00-15.30Windows 8 Metro Style Apps: How to build a great app
  Learn how to integrate the Metro Design Principles. As we’ll focus on UI and UX expect little code but lots of input on how to make your app great, whether you are a designer or a developer.
• 8 May 2012, 14.00-15.30MSDN Live Meeting: Continuous Integration using TFS11 & NuGet
  This session will provide you with guidance, tips and tricks on how you can take benefit from NuGet and TFS11 to take your CI environment to the next level.
  Speaker: Xavier Decoster

4. Community events

• 4/27/201214.00-17.30, Windows 8 Metro Style apps – Conférence technique
  Join this technical conference to discover the Windows 8 Metro Platform and how to take advantage of the cloud to build connected apps. (Session in French)
  Where: MIC Mons

• 8 May 2012 18:30 – 20:30, Belgian C++ UG: Writing Metro Style Apps in Native C++
  User Group session consisting of two talks: Introduction to Writing Metro Style Apps in Native C++ (Marc Gregoire) and Going Deeper Into Writing Metro Style Apps in Native C++ (Karthick Gopikrishnan)
  Where: Microsoft Zaventem
• 9-May-2012, 14:00 – 17:30 – Windows 8 Metro Apps & Cloud
  Spend half a day at the Windows 8 Technical Conference, and learn all about Cloud powered Windows 8 Metro apps.
  Where: MIC Brussels
• 10 May 2012, 18:00 to 21:00 – FEWEB Full Screen session: How You Can Build Apps For Windows 8 in HTML5
  We would like to share how you can benefit from your existing skills and leverage them for Windows 8. There is a big opportunity for companies building Metro apps for Windows 8. You will Also get to know how you can prepare yourself for Internet Explorer 10.
• 11-May-2012 – 09.00-17.30 – Windows 8 Camp – Hands on session
  Spend a full day learning and coding Windows 8 Metro Style apps. Learn how to leverage your HTML5 and JavaScript, or C# skills and ride the metro.
  Where: MIC Brussels
• 21 and 22 May 2012 – Multi-Mania 2012
  Join Metro workshops and sessions in the largest Belgian multimedia and web conference.
  Where: Kortrijk
• 30-May-12, 14.00-17.30 – Windows 8 Conférence Technique MIC Mons
  Assistez à cette conférence technique afin de découvrir Windows 8 Metro Platform et comment tirer avantage du cloud pour concevoir des applications.
  Session in French
  Where: MIC Mons
• 5-Jun-2012, 18.00 – 21.00 – AZUG: Taking a metro ride on Windows 8 and Windows Azure
  Let’s explore what Windows 8, WinRT and Windows Azure can do together, how you can publish your application and how you can get live diagnostics from your users. Dive into push notifications and modern slavery in the form of worker roles in this evening filled with two practical sessions!
  Where: CapGemini Diegem
• 8-Jun-2012, 14.00-17.30 – Technical Conference- Windows 8 Metro Apps & Cloud
  Spend half a day at the Windows 8 Technical Conference, and learn all about Cloud powered Windows 8 Metro apps.
  Where: MIC Brussels
• 21-Jun-2012, 09.00-18.00 – Community Day Windows 8 track
  Where: Mechelen Utopolis

But wait, there’s more! You’ll find some Summer Hackathons and more sessions on our online Metro Map. See you soon at one of our events or App Clinics.

Don’t miss on the developer opportunity. Combining the broad reach of Windows, best-in-class developer tools, a reimagined user experience, support for new chipsets, and a built-in Store with industry-leading business terms — Windows 8 is the largest developer opportunity, ever.