Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT) issued a new version of its Windows Azure Toolkit optimized for Google's (NASDAQ:GOOG) Android mobile operating system, promising developers an easier, more cost-effective approach to building cloud-based mobile applications targeting multiple device platforms. The toolkit includes native libraries providing support for storage and authN/Z, a sample application and unit tests, all built in Eclipse and leveraging the Android SDK. The Windows Azure Tooklit for Android is available for download here.
Microsoft initially released Windows Azure Toolkits for its own Windows Phone 7 and Apple's (NASDAQ:AAPL) iOS in early May--updated versions of both rolled out last week, with Windows Azure Toolkit for Windows Phone v1.3.0 available for download here and Windows Azure Toolkit for iOS v1.2.1 here. All three free toolkits enable developers to use cloud services as a back-end to support common requirements like device notifications, authentication, storage and leaderboards--according to Microsoft, developers also can enhance performance by writing client code optimized for each platform.
"Cloud computing levels the playing field," writes Microsoft technical evangelist Wade Wegner on the Windows Phone Developer Blog. "Any developer can tap into a larger--and virtually limitless--pool of resources from which to pull... Simply put, Windows Azure allows you to focus on your application. You don't have to worry about managing or monitoring the operating system, just as you don't have to worry about the hardware our network. As a managed service, Windows Azure takes care of things items for you." Wegner adds Microsoft will continue to update its Windows Azure Toolkits for iOS and Android to bring them in full parity with the Windows Phone toolkit.
For more:
- read this Official Microsoft Blog entry
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