CodeGuru Staff

With the initial preview of Windows 8, Microsoft once again had a chance to be a real player in the mobile market. Windows 8, like the upcoming Android “Ice Cream Sandwich” OS, is one size fits all, meaning that it doesn’t matter if you are using a desktop computer, a tablet or a phone–the OS […]

Microsoft this week announced its new online marketplace for Windows Phone apps. The web-based Windows Phone app portal allows users to download apps directly to their device, with over 30,000 apps currently available. The Windows Phone Marketplace highlights featured apps in a carousel at the top of the page, with sections dedicated to free, top […]

It’s well known that Microsoft has been on a pro-JavaScript and HTML5 kick lately, but recently Microsoft was even more specific, pointing out its preference for JavaScript libraries such as jQuery for client-side user interface development. The challenge is proving to developers that jQuery and other JavaScript libraries, when combined with HTML5, can be used […]

The upcoming release of Microsoft SQL Server Codename “Denali” has many developers sitting on the edge of their seats. Microsoft is marketing Denali as the “Cloud On Your Terms,” and when combined with the SQL Server Developer Tools package, the release looks very promising. Cloud computing faces potential issues, most importantly the often daunting task […]

The ability to communicate with cloud services is a necessary capability for many applications on Windows Phone 7 (WP7). Yes, sometimes you will need to create your own cloud services to suit the needs of your app; and if you need a create your own cloud service, you can utilize such services as Microsoft Azure […]

Social networking is an important aspect of many people lives, both on a personal and business level. Microsoft this week announced that they will provide social networking functionality for its Dynamics CRM Suite of customer relationship management software. The move puts Microsoft on par with CRM market leader Salesforce.com, which has already added social networking […]

Federation services are often used as part of an identify infrastructure, as they allow the use of Single Sign-On (SSO) functionality for cloud-based services. Microsoft’s own internal production federation services are an excellent example of how a large corporation handles SSO. Microsoft’s federation work began in 2003 with the release of Active Directory Federation Services […]

Introduction NuGet is a free and open source package management system for .NET applications. The primary goal of NuGet is to help developers simplify the process of incorporating third party libraries into their .NET applications. There are several NuGet packages available for you to use or you can build your own. This step-by-step article shows […]

Microsoft’s Nathan Totten has an opinion about Facebook development–in fact, he has a pretty strong opinion, stating that “Developing with Facebook is like building a house on a swamp.” For Facebook developers who are having problems with the limitations of the Facebook SDK, Windows Azure can simplify the process. Totten worked at Thuzi, a social […]

Microsoft release its Kinect SDK earlier this year, and the Build-A-Bear store this week announced that they have released a Kinect-ready children’s Build-A-Bear called Kinectimals Now With Bears that includes an Xbox 360 Kinect game. Microsoft has been promoting the Kinect as a new paradigm for the user interface, and opened it up for “hobbyist […]

This week, Microsoft announced that it will be releasing the Windows Phone 7 update known as Mango to customers within the next two weeks. The update includes dozens of new features, including a new Start screen and an updated People Hub which brings all of a user’s social networks into one interface. Microsoft’s general manager […]

This week Microsoft released the latest beta of its Robotics Developer Studio 4 (RDS4) to developers. The RDS4 enables developers to create apps which control robots through the use of a Windows PC and a Xbox Kinect sensor. Microsoft has not only provided developers with the software needed to create their robotic visions, they have […]