Tag: Events

Windows Azure for Developers at LCNUG on Thursday

LCNUGThis Thursday, I’m presenting Windows Azure for Developers at the Lake County .NET Users Group (LCNUG) in Grayslake, Illinois. It’s nice to be presenting in my own backyard at the College of Lake County with developers from my local community. During our time together Thursday, January 12, I will walk through what Cloud Computing is all about and why we should care as developers. I will guide us through a journey of Platform as a Service (PaaS), Windows Azure and the common scenarios we encounter that are a great fit for Windows Azure and the Cloud. Together we will explore how to get started developing apps powered by Windows Azure, how to deploy to Windows Azure and Windows Azure specific classes and configuration that you should know.

For more information, check out http://lcnug.org/News/11-12-23/LCNUG_Jan_12_Windows_Azure_for_Developers.aspx.

To register, go to http://www.eventbrite.com/event/2684538527.

If there’s something specific you’d like to see or have questions about, shoot me a message and I’ll try to incorporate it and answer your questions.

Windows Phone Development Training in Chicago

There are lots of great opportunities in Chicago to help you be a successful Windows Phone developer. If you are looking for a day of training, help with completing your apps or even a community to work alongside you as you journey down the path of Windows Phone master, Chicago has it. The following list of training opportunities are taking place between now and the end of the year and will help you be successful as a Windows Phone developer.

Windows Phone Camp – November, 18th
http://aka.ms/wpchicago
This is a free, full day event chock-full of everything you need to know to develop a Windows Phone application. Whether you’re a seasoned veteran or just getting started with .NET development, this full-day event is for you. If you’re interested in making $$$, there will also be discussion on how to monetize your applications and profit from your apps.

The day will be capped with a hands-on session where prizes will be awarded for completed apps. This is the perfect opportunity to begin work on your dream application, or finish that app you’ve already started with Windows Phone experts to help and guide you. Bring your own laptop to join in the fun and show off your killer app!

There will also be a Windows Phone giveaway and many other cool prizes.

Windows Phone Camp Hands On Accelerator Lab – December 6th – 8th
https://msevents.microsoft.com/CUI/EventDetail.aspx?EventID=1032497581
It’s time to turn your napkin sketches into real, sellable apps for Windows Phone in less than a week! In this 3-day developer retreat, there will be experts on hand to help you build, test, pitch and deploy your app into the Windows Phone Marketplace. You will have hands on technical assistance, Marketplace subscriptions, and developer phones for testing.

It’s a great chance to get step-by-step advice from Microsoft and community experts and all you have to do is bring your existing app or app idea that you are ready to build.

Seating is limited and registration is not guaranteed. Get your spot today!

Chicago Windows Phone Developer Group – 1st Thursday of the Month
http://www.meetup.com/Chicago-Windows-Phone-Developers/
This group consists of professionals and students, residing in the Chicago area, who develop or plan to develop apps for Windows Phone devices and Windows Phone Marketplace. The group provides knowledge sharing, an exchange of ideas, and professional networking at monthly meetings. All things Windows Phone are discussed including Silverlight, XNA, .NET Framework, Cloud services, UI design and more.

Moving to the Cloud at the Chippewa Valley Code Camp

As a developer with years of experience developing web apps using ASP.NET, SQL Server, Windows Server and Active Directory, how do you move to the cloud with Windows Azure? How can you apply your existing skills and experience to developing cloud apps in Windows Azure?

These are common questions that get raised when considering Cloud Computing, PaaS and Windows Azure. Often, developers and technology managers have applications that come to mind when hearing about Windows Azure, but they are existing apps that were designed to run on-premise and not in Windows Azure. Since the apps already exist and it doesn’t make sense to throw them away and start over, Windows Azure seems out of reach.

This Saturday, November 12th, 2011, I will be presenting this at the Chippewa Valley Code Camp. We will take a simple, ASP.NET web app, designed to run in the traditional data center, and walk through the migration to Windows Azure. We’ll discuss the important considerations, practices, architectural differences, challenges, advantages and economic benefits to consider when migrating to Windows Azure.

The Chippewa Valley Code Camp has a great lineup of speakers and sessions including talks on Windows Azure, JavaScript, Windows 8, Kinect and Micro Controllers. If you aren’t registered, there’s still time and if you are, I will see you on Saturday.

Windows Phone 7.5 (Mango) Launch Party in Chicago

Today, Windows Phone went big in New York City at the Windows Phone “launch party”. In Herald’s Square, Microsoft created a massive 6-story Windows Phone that transformed into a stage for performers like Far East Movement. New Windows Phones were also made available today for as little as $49.99 from Samsung and HTC on both AT&T and T-Mobile.

If you are in Chicago and feel like you missed out, this Friday and Saturday, 11/11 and 11/12, Microsoft is hosting one of the five national Windows Phone launch parties at MCA Warehouse in Chicago. It’s completely free with food and cocktails from top local chefs, The Drums will be performing, and you also can get your hands on the new Windows Phone. I will be there Friday night, so find me and say hello.

Register soon because space is limited and you will not want to miss this party.
https://apps.facebook.com/windowsphonersvp/contests/160121

Windows Phone Launch Party on 11/11 and 11/12 (7PM)
MCA Warehouse
1747 W. Hubbard St.
Chicago, IL 60686

If you are in Dallas, Los Angeles or San Fransciso, Windows Phone launch parties are also coming to your cities.
Dallas on 11/16, 11/17 (7PM) with Young The Giant
Los Angeles on 11/30, 12/1 (7PM) with MuteMath
San Francisco on 12/6, 12/7 (7PM) with Best Coast

Speaking at GR DevDay Tomorrow in Grand Rapids, MI

Tomorrow in Grand Rapids, MI is GR DevDay. GR DevDay is a one-day software development conference that is completely volunteer-run and organized by developers with other developers in mind. GR DevDay grew out of the rapid growth and popularity of the GR Day of .NET conference which was organized by the West Michigan .NET User Group. While the historical ties remain strong, the scope of topics at GR DevDay will reflect the diverse nature of modern software development. A wide range of technology topics will be explored and developers of all backgrounds are welcome. A couple of things that I’m heavily involved in today are Cloud Computing with Windows Azure and Mobile development with Windows Phone. I will be giving two talks tomorrow and will cover both areas.

Architecting for Massive Scalability
The Cloud now makes seemingly infinite amounts of computing power accessible to everyone. However, to maximize this power, your applications need to scale. In this session, we will explore patterns that enable massive scalability. We will examine Brewer’s CAP Theorem and contrast it to the ACID principles that guide traditional line-of-business applications. And finally, we will explore how to apply these patterns when building applications for the Cloud using Windows Azure.

Making $$$ With the Windows Phone
The release of Windows Phone has created a rare opportunity for app developers to get in on the ground floor of a new and high-growth mobile app marketplace. In this session, we will explore the ins and outs of the Marketplace and how to get started building and monetizing apps for the Windows Phone. We will take a look at the successes and case studies of other Windows Phone developers and explore their strategies for monetizing their apps. Finally, we will explore Marketplace trends and analytics and identify a number of strategies to increase your app revenue.

The speaker and session line-up is fantastic with speakers like Jeff Blankenburg, Matt Hidinger, Samidip Basu, Chris Woodruff, Adam Ryder, and Jeff McWherter presenting a range of talks on Mobile, Cloud and Web.

If you are coming to GR DevDay, I hope to chat with you tomorrow! And if you’re interested in crossing the pond and heading to Chicago, Milwaukee or Madison, let’s talk.