When many people think of
Microsoft, cool, edgy, and hip may not be the top adjectives that immediately come to mind. This is, after all, the company started by head-geek
Bill Gates. But this is also the company that created the Xbox, now with the incredible Kinect add-on that lets you control games simply by using body motions!
With Windows 8, Microsoft will tie all form factors together with the sleekest —some might even say sexiest — user interface ever developed by the software giant. The name for this new UI is Metro. With its clean and elegant Segoe font, interactive tiles, and integrated social networking, Metro is the same experience across all screen sizes. But if you have a Windows Phone or Xbox, you have already experienced Metro. Transformative may be bold language, but Windows 8 is perhaps the biggest change since Windows 95. It is the first operating system to work with both traditional PCs as well as touch screens. And Microsoft is betting big that consumers and businesses will find value in the Metro experience.
Bit-Wizards recognizes this significant change and is also investing heavily. This started with Windows Phone application development that resulted in five new apps over the past year. And last month, we began gearing up for Windows 8 by sending some of our best engineers and designers to Tampa and Orlando for training in the new Metro environment.
As a managed Microsoft Partner,
Bit-Wizards has access to top of the line training from Microsoft’s Developer Platform Evangelist (DPE) community. “The Windows 8 training exposed our guys to some of the best instructors Microsoft has,” says
Vince Mayfield, co-founder and CEO of Bit-Wizards. “Not only did we get a great learning experience in the core operating system, but the business value for our customers was provided as well. With the Windows market share exceeding 93 percent, the opportunity for businesses to develop apps for the desktop that will reach millions of consumers and decision makers is huge.”
Companies like GEICO recognize the potential and are already working on apps for Metro. The official launch date for Windows 8 is still hush-hush, but some news outlets are reporting that it may happen sometime in October, just in time for Christmas.