NEW ORLEANS, March 19, 2003 — Today at the first Microsoft®
Mobility Developer Conference held in the United States, Microsoft Chairman and Chief Software Architect Bill Gates discussed the vast potential of the wireless industry and underscored the importance of mobile application development to the evolution of this industry as mobile devices become increasingly programmable and customizable. Gates provided a comprehensive summary of new development tools and programs his company has designed to assist with the creation and delivery of wireless applications.
In his keynote address today, Gates announced the availability of tools that will enable the development of connected wireless applications for next-generation wireless devices, including the launch of the Microsoft .NET Compact Framework and the Windows® Powered Smartphone Software Developer Kit (SDK). He also noted surging developer momentum for Microsoft MapPoint®
Web Service. Approximately 3,000 application developers and wireless industry representatives listened as Gates described how software innovations can help ignite a new marketplace for wireless applications and services.
“We want to make it easy for the 7 million Windows developers to build applications and services for the emerging wireless data market by providing familiar, yet customized tools,”
Gates said.
“It’s truly an exciting time for mobile application developers and the industry — there are incredible opportunities.”
Worldwide Launch of the .NET Compact Framework and Visual Studio 2003
The .NET Compact Framework brings the power of .NET and Web services to mobile devices connecting them to the wealth of data individuals care about. With Visual Studio®
.NET 2003, the broad community of Visual Studio developers can easily use existing desktop development skills and seamlessly make the transition to building smart mobile applications for the .NET Compact Framework. Visual Studio .NET 2003 and the .NET Compact Framework offer a single developer tool and a consistent programming model for building applications across a range of devices. With this new capability, Visual Studio developers worldwide are expected to drive the wireless industry forward by creating a wave of new wireless enterprise applications that take advantage of Web services and rich offline data access.
In addition, Gates unveiled a new customer solution using the .NET Compact Framework from The Pepsi Bottling Group Inc. (PBG) that is automating several of the company’s business processes and that will empower its sales force with better information, reduce operational costs and ultimately increase product sales.
Knowing that developers need device hardware to be truly successful, Microsoft also announced plans to boost mobile development with a promotion to provide 25,000 Visual Studio developers with ViewSonic V37 Pocket PC devices. More details about this program will be available at http://msdn.microsoft.com/vstudio/getpocketpc/.
Developers Dial Into Smartphone
More than 30,000 Smartphone Software Developer Kits have been delivered since the product’s launch in October 2002. Now, Microsoft is making the kit available to members of the Microsoft Mobile Solutions Partner Program (MSPP), the company’s fastest-growing partner program, which provides new technical, marketing and business development benefits. Members of the MSPP can add to the more than 100 certified applications for the Windows Powered Smartphone. More information on MSPP membership details can be found at http://microsoft.com/mobile/partners/.
The Smartphone SDK provides developers worldwide with the resources necessary to develop, test and deploy innovative wireless applications for the Microsoft Windows Powered Smartphone. The kit includes a special precommercial Smartphone and accessories along with the Microsoft Mobile Development Toolkit CD, containing access to all the development tools, technologies and resources that a developer will need to start building Smartphone applications immediately. In addition, the kit will include information regarding Mobile2Market, a comprehensive program designed to assist developers with the logo certification and market delivery of Smartphone and Pocket PC applications. More information on Mobile2Market can be found at http://www.microsoft.com/mobile/mobile2market /.
MapPoint Paves Path to Opportunity
Microsoft’s MapPoint offering, built on Microsoft .NET technology, is rapidly becoming the preferred mapping and location-based technology platform for developing mobile solutions. Action Engine Corp., Intrado Inc., Clarity Communication Systems Inc. and HP today showcased mobile solutions based on Microsoft’s MapPoint offering that enable mobile operators to tap new revenue streams and provide more meaningful mobile location-based services for consumers and enterprise customers.
MapPoint is a hosted, programmable XML Web service that lets developers integrate maps, driving directions, distance calculations, proximity searches and other location intelligence into applications, business processes and Web sites.
Mobile Solutions Challenge Winners Recognized
Also during Gates’ keynote address, Microsoft announced winners of the Mobile Solutions Challenge, which recognizes developers for creativity and ingenuity in mobile application development. The Mobile Solutions Challenge spanned a variety of solution categories that feature Windows Powered mobile applications for both Pocket PC and Smartphone. Winners by category include the following:
Business and Office Productivity/Smartphone
Company: CnetX
Application: Pocket SlideShow
Games and Entertainment/Smartphone
Company: Pixel Software Technologies Ltd.
Application: JIVEPlayer for Smartphone 2002
Utilities/Smartphone
Company: Fonix Corp.
Application: Fonix Voice Dial
Business and Office Productivity/Pocket PC
Company: WESTTEK LLC
Application: ClearVue Suite
Development Tools/Pocket PC
Company: Logotec Engineering Group
Application: Logotec Mobile@Connector
Digital Video, Audio and Animation/Pocket PC
Company: Cobalt Interactive
Application: iPaint Pocket Edition
Enterprise Solutions/Pocket PC
Company: Dynamic Methods Inc.
Application: Mobile Portal for Microsoft CRM
Games and Entertainment/Pocket PC
Company: Hexacto Games Inc.
Application: Lemonade Tycoon
Home and Education/Pocket PC
Company: AbleLink Technologies
Application: Visual Assistant
Internet/Pocket PC
Company: MyMobileStuff Inc.
Application: eVmO (Evolution Mobile)
Networking and Communication
Company: Soft Object Technologies Inc.
Application: Pocket Controller-Enterprise
Utilities/Pocket PC
Company: Fonix
Application: Fonix Voice Dial
About the Microsoft Mobility Developer Conference
The U.S. Mobility Developers Conference is the first of several that will be held this spring. Others will be held in Paris, March 31–April 2, and in Tokyo on April 25. Updates to this schedule can be found at http://www.mobilitydevcon.com/jump_.asp?uid=4856,37599.296328279321 .
The Microsoft Mobility Developer Conference is supported by the following corporate sponsors: at the Platinum level, AT & T Wireless, HP, Samsung Electronics Company Ltd. and Symbol Technologies Inc.; at the Silver level, Handango Inc.
About Microsoft
Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq
“MSFT”
) is the worldwide leader in software, services and Internet technologies for personal and business computing. The company offers a wide range of products and services designed to empower people through great software –any time, any place and on any device.
Microsoft, Windows, MapPoint and Visual Studio are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corp. in the United States and/or other countries.
The names of actual companies and products mentioned herein may be the trademarks of their respective owners.
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