Microsoft Build 2015, Redmond's huge developer conference, started off a bit on the dry side, with C++ code making an appearance early on in a demo of Azure cloud services programming. But it picked up steam with news of free Mac OS and Ubuntu versions of the company's Visual Studio, techniques for easily migrating Android and iOS apps to Windows phones, and finally, the truly staggering HoloLens device.
Facing stiffer competition than ever from Apple, Amazon, and Google, Microsoft is stepping up its tech game under CEO Satya Nadella by being more open to having its systems work across platforms. We've already seen some of that with full-featured Office apps for Android and iOS and the open-sourcing of several developer and platform technologies such as .NET, and even with its browser incrementally supporting open technologies. At Build 2015, that openness took another leap forward.
Another large theme of the conference was the Universal App. This is related to the apps previously known as Metro and later renamed "Modern" apps. In fact, that last sobriquet is what appears in the interface, like when you search with Cortana for an app. But for developers, the Universal App consists of code that's largely the same whether it's running on a Raspberry Pi, a Surface Pro 3, a Lumia Phone, an Xbox, or even a HoloLens.
And of course the cloud, as embodied in Azure and its new machine learning capabilities was another major theme at the conference. How that relates to the estrus cycles of cows...well, click through the slideshow to find out.
Huge Crowd
Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella speaking at the Build 2015 first-day keynote on April 29.
Composing with Surface Stylus
Composer/entrepreneur David William Hearn composes using stylus input in the StaffPad app running on a Microsoft Surface Pro 3 to write chamber music during the Build 2015 conference. (There was a live performance of the piece at the end of the keynote, as a nice bookend.)
Lotsa Code
There was plenty of code on display at the conference right from the start; unusual for a Day One keynote, but after all, it is a developer conference.
Android Apps Become Windows Apps
Developers were shown how they could easily port Android apps to Windows Phone apps. (For more on that, see Microsoft's Dangerous, But Necessary Android App Route.)
Azure cloud services
Azure cloud services like the SQL DB Elastic Database Pool were announced at Build 2015. If the pool's not big enough, there's also an Azure Data Lake service.
Universal Windows Apps
Universal Windows Apps run on all these devices, with HoloLens the newest member of the family.
USA Today Universal App on Xbox One
Here's USA Today's Universal Windows App running on an Xbox One.
Bridge to a Billion Devices
Using "bridges" such as the easy ports of Android and iOS apps as well as allowing older Win32 and .NET applications in the Microsoft Store, Microsoft hopes to get Windows running on a billion devices within the next few years.
New Lock Screen
The Windows 10 lock screen will include hotspots to surface features relevant to the user, including apps and features.
Microsoft Edge Browser
At the conference, Microsoft unveiled the name of its new Web browser for Windows 10—Microsoft Edge. The browser will have built-in Cortana assistance for things like directions if you happen to be on a restaurant webpage. (For more, see 6 Reasons to Try Microsoft's Edge Browser andMicrosoft Edge Can't Fix the Awful Web.)
HoloLens
Microsoft showed more HoloLens developments at Build 2015. The device projects 3D objects into your real-world view.
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