SAP and Microsoft’s expanded partnership, custom universal Windows 10 apps for the PGA Tour and Internet of Things for everybody — Weekend Reading: May 20 edition

In this edition of Weekend Reading, we’ll catch you up on the week’s big moments, including an expanded partnership with SAP, custom apps for the PGA Tour and a London-based startup that wants more hands-on participation to shape the future of the Internet of Things.

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Tuesday at the 28th annual SAPPHIRE NOW conference in Orlando, Florida, enterprise software giant SAP and Microsoft made several announcements as part of an expanded partnership: joint plans to deliver broad support for the SAP HANA platform deployed on Microsoft Azure, new integrations between Microsoft Office 365 and cloud solutions from SAP and enhanced management and security for custom SAP Fiori apps.

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Fore! The PGA Tour is working with Microsoft to build custom apps on the universal Windows 10 platform for fans and volunteers. The premier professional golf association has also deployed Windows 10 to more than 800 devices in its organization, with a goal of 1,300 by the end of the summer.

As connected devices march toward ubiquity, a small vanguard of technologists, like Joachim Horn, founder of London-based startup SAM Labs, is working to democratize their future. Horn contends that it will take creators with a greater range of diverse perspectives to realize the full potential of the Internet of Things. His goal is to put the future of the Internet of Things in more people’s hands – literally. SAM Labs’ construction kits consist of wireless building blocks that empower budding inventors, from seven-year-olds to seniors, to create just about anything they can imagine.

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The recent Windows 10 Student Showcase  in New York City featured six young students from around the world who are using Windows 10 to innovate and create products and projects to achieve their dreams – including an 11-year-old who started a lemonade business at age four and recently signed a distribution deal with Whole Foods.

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With the growth of cloud computing, Microsoft has spent considerable time over the past year focusing on the energy and sustainability practices of the datacenters that power the cloud, says Brad Smith, president and chief legal officer. On Microsoft on the Issues, Smith outlines the principles that will guide Microsoft’s environmental sustainability work and five “clear and concrete commitments” Microsoft is making.

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Microsoft has joined forces with the United Services Organization (USO) to say thank you to deployed service members during May, which is Military Appreciation Month. Send a digital gift card to them before May 21, Armed Forces Day, and Microsoft will match all donations up to $25,000. Find out more about this promotion on Fire Hose.

The second Biome Settlers skin pack is now available on “Minecraft: Pocket Edition” and “Minecraft: Windows 10 Edition Beta.” Later this year, “Forge – Halo 5: Guardians Edition” will be coming to Windows 10 PCs – for free. Also check out the latest Red Stripe Deals, “Cooking Fever” and Roblox.

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This week on the Microsoft Facebook and Instagram channels, we met motion designer and light artist, Gabriel Pulecio. Using Microsoft Kinect and random, in-the-moment beauty, he explores the limits of light, dimension and the idea of infinity.

That’s it for our round-up. See you next Friday for another Weekend Reading!

Posted by Athima Chansanchai
Microsoft News Center Staff