Tag Archive: Azure

Azure

Microsoft originally announced it’s Azure cloud services and platform at last years PDC.

Azure provides businesses with a set of hosted services from Microsoft that allows developers to build rich web based applications that can scale well. Housed in Microsoft’s data centers, the service was initially released as a Community Technology Preview and free of charge during its testing phase.

Bob Muglia, president of the Server and Tools Business at Microsoft, announced the business and partner model for the company’s Windows Azure platform at the Worldwide Partner Conference in New Orleans today. Microsoft will offer Windows Azure, SQL Azure and .NET Services for purchase through a consumption-based pricing model, allowing partners and customers to pay only for the services that they consume. Microsoft partners also will benefit from special promotional offers and discounts.

What happens when you mash up Twitter, Silverlight 3.0, WPF and the Windows Azure platform? One sweet Twitter client that’s what.

Sobees is actually comprised of three different components. You have the WPF desktop client, which is called “Bdule”, the world’s 1st Silverlight 3.0 powered web version “Sobees Web” & the “out of browser” version. Which is also powered by Silverlight (good news for Mac fans). All three versions look and feel exactly the same. As of right now, only the desktop client has Facebook integration, which will make its way to the other platforms sometime soon.

Let’s take a look at the actual desktop client, I’ve been using Bdule as my primary Twitter access for some time now. The interface is simple, clean and very intuitive, with a choice of many different layouts. I prefer the three column look, with Twitter, Realtime Search & Facebook.

Twitter is where Bdule really shines, even the most hardcore power users should be satisfied with the available options. Which includes built in tiny url & twitpic support & options for multiple Twitter accounts.

Real-time search is another awesome piece of the Bdule puzzle. It not only searches Twitter, but Friendfeed & Oneriot as well. That’s true “Real-time Search” if you ask me.

Bdule also offers access to your full Facebook stream, which includes photos. You are also able comment and “like” posts right from Bdule.

Sobees and Bdule are in “Alpha” release, so expect a few minor glitches and quirks’, but in my opinion it’s nothing that should stop you from using it.

You can find both of them at www.sobees.com

So… Have you used Sobees\Bdule at all? Leave a comment if so, I would love to hear your experiences.

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