Do you have an MVVM-based Windows Phone 7 application and you don't like having to hook into the RootFrame to navigate between pages? Do you wish you could just "ask" to navigate to a new view from your view model? One possible solution can be found in my new Channel 9 screencast.

Using an message bus to process navigation messages, view models can publish messages that are then handled by a separate navigation service, successfully decoupling your view model from the Windows Phone navigation service.

Get the finished source code here

Want to check out Windows Azure and see how it can make your life easier, save your company money, and show people your mad cloud skillz???   Check out the Windows Azure Pass. You can register a Live ID for a Pass and receive 30 days of free cloud computing.  NO credit card required. Do this before your boss comes over and expects you to have answers about ‘this cloud thing.’

Just go to http://www.WindowsAzurePass.com, and enter the promo code DPCE01. Your Pass will be activated within a few days, and you can start deploying code all day long.

Once you get a pass, you can attend a two-day boot camp to learn more about Windows Azure, try some hands-on labs on your own time, or join us online during office hours to get all of your questions answered.

What exactly do you get for free?

The Windows Azure platform 30-day pass includes the following resources :

Windows Azure

• 3 Small Compute Instances
• 3 GB of Storage
• 250,000 Storage Transactions

SQL Azure

• Two 1 GB Web Edition Database

AppFabric

• 100,000 Access Control Transactions
• 2 Bus Service Connections

Data Transfers

• 3 GB In
• 3 GB Out

The team I work on at Microsoft, Central Region Developer and Platform Evangelist (DPE), has been engaged with student teams participating in Imagine Cup.  A number of these teams have been selected to participate in the Imagine Cup US finals. 

What is Imagine Cup?  The Imagine Cup is the world’s premier student technology competition and is like “Olympics of technology.” 

Below I have include information and voting links for some of teams.  Through April 9th they in the running to win the Imagine Cup People’s Choice competition.  Click the links below to vote AND learning more about the teams.  You can vote once daily via the link AND vote via SMS message through April 9th.

Software Design

Game Design