MICROSOFT WORLD PARTNER CONFERENCE IN TORONTO N2012: New Technologies, New Capabilities, all New at WPC

NEW TECHNOLOGIES, NEW CAPABILITIES: All New at WPC! Today, we heard from several Microsoft visionaries about many new programs and technology features. This continues the momentum of our theme for this unprecedented Microsoft Worldwide Partner Conference – A New Era. Together. We heard about virtual machine capabilities for Windows Azure, a new program to help customers transition from the VMWare infrastructure to Microsoft, Microsoft Dynamics as a true game changer for ERP, and new Windows Phone 8 capabilities and features! Day 2 continued to impress with several NEW announcements that will help provide partners with cutting-edge solutions for customers so that we can WIN BIG in the marketplace.

Today's Big Announcements:
You may view more information about these announcements on Microsoft Press Pass.

Windows Server / Azure: A new community technology preview (CTP) of new technologies that enable hosting service providers to use their Windows Server data centers to deliver the same great web site and virtual machine capabilities recently announced for Windows Azure.
Switch to Hyper-V Program: Microsoft announced a new program to help customers transition from VMware infrastructure to Microsoft. The “Switch to Hyper-V” Program provides partners with guidance, training and software tools, including the Virtual Machine Migration Toolkit, to more seamlessly migrate virtual machines to Windows Server Hyper-V and System Center.
Microsoft Dynamics: Several new global independent software vendors are choosing Microsoft Dynamics or extending their solutions across the Microsoft Dynamics platform, including: Campus Management Corp., Cenium, Inc., Cincom Systems, Inc., PROS Pricing and Technosoft.
Windows Phone: Showed off new hardware capabilities coming to Windows Phone 8 and some of the powerful features Windows Phone 8 will deliver through integration with Windows 8. They also showed off some of the most interesting new apps coming to Windows Phone, including: Words with Friends, Draw Something, Audible, Chase and PayPal, and games including Asphalt 7: Heat, N.O.V.A. 3: Near Orbit Vanguard Alliance, and Batman: The Dark Knight Rises.
What’s Your Cause Challenge: Microsoft wants to know: What’s your cause? Between July 10 and August 31, 2012 Microsoft Partners are challenged to nominate 500 eligible nonprofits serving youth in their communities to receive a software donation from Microsoft. Read here for more information!

Navigating the Solution Innovation Center (SIC)
The SIC continues to be a hub of activity with partners meeting new partners, sharing ideas, and conducting business-building. Make sure you’re checking out some of these highlights while you’re there:

• Microsoft Citizenship’s Local Impact Map – The touch enabled Local Impact Map showcases our Partner Award winners! The Local Impact Map developer is Stimulant, and uses Windows Azure, SQL Azure, Bing Maps, and even Microsoft Tag. www.microsoftlocalimpactmap.com
• Partner Awards Wall – Take a look at those partners that were featured on the main stage this morning at the Vision Keynote! They are solution innovators from all over the World!
• Visit the Pinpoint Profiling Center – learn how to effectively use Pinpoint and the product marketplaces, get hands-on guidance on how to create or enhance a profile and integrate links to profiles in social media and other industry sites.
• Visit the WW Public Sector and WW Commercial Sector lounges – learn more about the Surface & Kinect partners that are showing their solutions around WW Public Sector and WW Commercial Industries.
• Don’t miss the Modularis car – located near the WW Public Sector Lounge, it is a partner solution using Windows 8 and Azure. Watch them use the Windows 8 Control Center to activate the car!
• Kinect/Xbox Gaming area – Relax and unwind with the latest games.

The WPC Contest
Congratulations to yesterday’s WPC contest winners! Don’t forget - please complete your session evaluations either via the mobile app or WPC Connect! Remember – When you give us your session feedback we’ll donate $1.00 for each session evaluation and $5.00 for each overall event feedback evaluation to Boys and Girls Club and/or Children’s Miracle Network. More detailed contest information can be found here.

Contest winners from Today:

Time	Original Item	Winner	Country
12:30	Portable USB Power Drive	Manuel V	Philippines
12:30	Microsoft Arc Mouse	Yos R	Indonesia
12:30	Artist Series Mouse	Jerry W	Philippines
12:30	Life chat -Headset LX3000	R. Sylvain B	Canada
12:30	LifeChat LX-4000	Bob O	USA
12:30	LifeChat LX-4000	Bob O	USA
1:30	Microsoft Lifecam Studio Web Camera	Wisit T	Thailand
1:30	Microsoft Lifecam Cinema Webcam	Wayne L	USA
1:30	Microsoft Arc Mouse	J. Ryan P	USA
1:30	Life chat -Headset LX3000	Jean-Pierre B	Netherlands
1:30	LifeChat LX-4000	Jake O	Philippines
2:30	Microsoft Lifecam Cinema Webcam	Maurizio N	Brazil
2:30	Microsoft Lifecam HD6000	Akthar D	Mauritius
2:30	Microsoft Arc Mouse	Stephan T	Germany
2:30	Life chat -Headset LX3000	W C	Canada
2:30	LifeChat LX-4000	Philip N	Sweden
3:30	Windows Phone	Brad F	USA
3:30	Microsoft Lifecam Cinema Webcam	Koenraad M	Belgium
3:30	Lifecam HD6000	Ozeas S	Brazil
3:30	Microsoft Arc Mouse	Sam M	Canada
3:30	LifeChat Headset LX-3000	Ricardas B	Lithuania
4:30	Microsoft Lifecam Cinema Webcam	Alex M	Botswana
4:30	Portable USB Power Drive	Richard P	USA
4:30	Microsoft Arc Mouse	Piotr T	Poland
4:30	Life chat -Headset LX3000	Kent M	USA
4:30	LifeChat LX-4000	Stephen A	USA
5:20	Samsung computer	danny c	Philippines

Contest winners from Monday, July 9th:

Time	Prize	Winner	Country
12:30	Portable USB Power Drive	Rich B	Canada
12:30	Microsoft Arc Mouse	Alec D	Belgium
12:30	Artist Series Mouse	Adam L	USA
12:30	Lifechat LX-4000	Jan H	Germany
12:30	Lifechat LX-3000	Pascal W	Netherlands
1:30	Microsoft Lifecam Studio Webcam	Kevin P	Canada
1:30	Microsoft Arc Mouse	Pramod R	India
1:30	Microsoft Lifecam Cinema Webcam	Luc M	USA
1:30	Lifechat LX-4000	Kenneth K	USA
1:30	Lifechat LX-3000	Akos Z	Canada
2:30	Windows Phone	Damon K	UK
2:30	Microsoft Arc Mouse	Scott G	Canada
2:30	Microsoft Lifecam Cinema Webcam	Carlos R	Canada
2:30	Lifechat LX-4000	Shaun R	Canada
2:30	Microsoft Lifecam HD6000	GJ V	Canada
3:30	Microsoft Lifecam Cinema Webcam	danny c	Philippines
3:30	Microsoft Arc Mouse	Samaa T	Egypt
3:30	Microsoft Lifecam HD6000	Andrew H	New Zealand
3:30	Lifechat LX-4000	Markus G	Germany
3:30	Lifechat LX-3000	Alexandre I	Canada
4:30	Microsoft Lifecam Cinema Webcam	Teppo H	Finland
4:30	Portable USB Power Drive	Bjorn L	Sweden
4:30	Microsoft Arc Mouse	William M	Kenya
4:30	Lifechat LX-3000	Dominik G	Germany
4:30	LifeChat LX-4000	Philipp M	USA
5:20	Samsung computer	Alec D	Belgium

Video Syndication WATCH LIVE TOMORROW Via Facebook and DigitalWPC:
Wednesday, July 11, 2012

8:30 A.M. – MPN Live
9:00 A.M. – Vision Keynote
11:00 A.M. – MPN Live
5:00 P.M. – MPN Live

Navigating and Planning Ahead for Sessions
Please note that with record attendance, sessions are full this year. There will be limited sessions that are recorded, which will be posted on digitalwpc.com within 48 hours of the session. In addition, PowerPoint decks will be loaded into WPC Connect. Please plan ahead for the walking distance and congestion. As a reminder, if you’ve booked your session via WPC Connect, this does not guarantee a seat. The John Bassett theatre may be an option if you’re looking to attend a session, as there are a large number of seats available. This theatre is located on Level 100 of the MTCC. Please check your conference guide for details.

Reminder for the Best Wireless Experience:
For the best wireless experience, please use your laptop or Slate tablet with 5GHz. This will ensure the best possible connectivity available.

It’s only Tuesday and already WPC is proving to be THE event where partners can come and hear the roadmap for the future. Tomorrow, we will hear from Kevin Turner and thought-leader, Deepak Chopra! I can’t wait.

Thanks for a terrific day of business-building, networking, and sharing!

Karl Noakes
Partner/Channel Marketing
Worldwide Partner Group