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Top 10 reasons Day 1 of Build rocked it for developers

On Wednesday, Microsoft unveiled technology and innovations that help every developer easily and simply build intelligent apps and services that reach every platform and as many customers as possible.

Here’s our top 10 list of why Day 1 of Build rocked it for developers:

10.  The future is here now: Microsoft HoloLens Development Edition shipped.

9.  Bring on the Xamarin: Included in the Visual Studio 2015 Update 2 available now, Xamarin makes it easy to share common app code across Windows, iOS and Android apps while still delivering fully native experiences for each of the platforms.

8.  Presto! Your Xbox One is Now a Dev Tool. With Xbox Dev Mode, developers of all sizes can unlock their retail Xbox One to build and test Universal Windows Platform apps and games. Starting today, Xbox Dev Mode is available in a preview environment.

7.  Establishing the framework: Newly introduced Microsoft Bot Framework can be used by developers, programming in any language, to build intelligent bots to interact with customers using natural language on social platforms.

6.  You’re a natural: Microsoft Cognitive Services, a collection of intelligence APIs that enable systems to see, hear, speak, understand and interpret our needs using natural methods of communication, was unveiled.

5.  270 million reasons to believe: 270 million devices are now actively running Windows 10, with more than 5 billion visits to the Windows Store. Fans are discovering all new apps, including nearly 1,000 Cortana-enabled apps.

4.  Yes, Skype Bot: Microsoft released the Skype Bot Portal for developers to join and gain access to new Skype Bot API and Skype Bot SDK. With these, developers can bring new dimensions to Skype chats and experiences.

3.  Who needs paper when you can have Windows Ink? Windows 10 Anniversary Update brings all-new innovations including Windows Hello for apps and Microsoft Edge, Windows Ink to share your analog thoughts in the digital world, Cortana going proactive and reaching beyond the lock screen, and gaming getting better with Cortana coming to Xbox One.

2.  Talkin’ Bash: Windows 10 has support for Bash with Ubuntu user mode. Developers can get native access to some of the tools and open source frameworks only available on Linux through the Windows Subsystem for Linux.

And the No. 1 reason Build rocked it for developers on Day 1:

1.  You really can change lives: Developers can use services, like those in the Cortana Intelligence Suite, to transform not only businesses but people’s lives. They include Seeing AI, an app under development that helps people who are visually impaired or blind to better understand who and what is around them.