...….and we're on the list!
Having been involved since before Surface came to Market in the USA, it's great to be recognised by Microsoft for our work and product development in this area.
Of Surface Premier Partners, the site's page says:-
"Microsoft Surface is a pioneering product brought to life by pioneering partners committed to the vision of together-computing.
The Premier Partners listed on this page have met criteria that sets them above the rest when it comes to developing solutions for Surface. The partners have demonstrated proficiency and experience with Surface in the market and we provide this special accreditation to showcase their work.
The Premium Partner list is is arranged alphabetically and even though we're a little way down (we really should have thought about this when we named the company!), I think the most important column in the list is the "Certified App" column.
For Customers wanting to get the best out of Surface, this column tells them that there are a few partners who really know how to create software that maximises the potential of this amazing platform. There are only five Surface partners with the "Certified for Surface" credential, and we're proud to be able to say that of the 17-20 apps that are Certified for Surface, 10 of them were created by nsquared.
It's been a privilege to work with Surface V1 and we're looking forward to being able to release all the V2 apps that we have ready to go on Surface V2 launch day.
It still sports its simple good looks, but it's now faster. That means that by keeping track of your to-do list with ntask, you have even more time to do the things that need doing. We've heard that there are ongoing sync issues with Exchange 2003 and we're continuing to investigate while we make sure that functionality for more recent services remains up to date.
With the latest updates, we're happy to be able to offer enhanced synchronisation for Microsoft Exchange and Microsoft Sharepoint 2007, and Microsoft Exchange and Microsoft Sharepoint 2010. We've also fixed the feature that required you to enter a due date for your tasks. Due dates are no longer needed in order to register a task.
You asked, and we delivered (a better ntask).
Created for one or two player interaction, the new nsquared Make Words for iPad helps learners with object recognition, recall and spelling skill development. We love that learners can play this game by themselves, with a parent, or with their siblings. We especially like that it encourages collaboration in a fun, competitive environment.
Collaborative learning is something that we're happy to see being highlighted more and more in the design of classroom learning experiences. To us, collaboration is a natural part of life and, not to put too blunt a point on it, has been one of the reasons that we humans have come to survive as a species as well as we have. We're also competitive animals. Sometimes it's purely for fun and often it's for survival:- plain and simple.
The bottom line is that we instinctively know that we're generally stronger when we band together to meet challenges, than if we go it alone. Collaboration allows us to share skills, knowledge and experience in order to take advantage of shared opportunities. It forces us to develop our communication skills and to be creative, which eventually increases the knowledge and approach of each and every one of the individuals in the group.
This is one of the reasons we loved Microsoft Surface so much when we were first introduced (and still do). It provides opportunities for un-interrrupted face to face learning and encourages collaboration. The dialogues that are part of the interactions never fail to surprise us in terms of content and complexity. Classroom learning has traditionally discouraged conversation, so it's great to see the change in focus.
iPad, with its generous screen size, touch screen interface, and ability to display and work in both landscape and portrait layouts, presents some similar opportunities, so we've been enjoying creating our apps for this clever interface. Our latest app, nsquared Make Words for iPad, has recently been released for download from the App Store and we couldn't be prouder. We've loved watching the interactions of our beta testers and we know that it will be a loved part of everyone's iPad app library. Enjoy.
With today's joint announcement by Samsung and Microsoft that the next generation Surface device will be available this year, we can finally end our required silence on the topic of Surface 2.0.
It's been a privileged ride being part of the select group of Microsoft's Surface partners that have had access to early information as the product has gone through its development phases. It's also been a laughable one as we watched the rumour mill reach some dizzy heights with regards to some of the more outrageous claims around what Surface 2.0 would be.
The new form factor has a 40-inch screen, is only four inches thick and can be mounted vertically or horizontally. It employs Pixel Sense technology which is a camera-less vision system, and there is a major shift in pricing, at least in US dollars. We're hoping this shift transfers equitably around the globe, making it more viable for small businesses and education to benefit from the brilliant attributes of Surface that set it in a class all of its own.
The news from us for new and existing Surface customers around the world is that we're ready to provide advice and solutions for businesses that invest in themselves with purchases of Surface 2.0. We already have market-ready Surface 2.0 apps for the Business, Real Estate, Hospitality, Banking and Finance, Retail and Education markets, and look forward to delivering more amazing experiences for Surface 2.0. Microsoft tells us that that the Samsung SUR40 will be ready for market launch later this year, and we’re looking forward to being able to announce our new product range.
In the mean time, our existing Microsoft Surface customers can continue to benefit from our in-depth understanding of Surface’s unique capabilities, and our long term continuing relationship with the Surface product team.
