Convergence and we're in the book!

Our friends from Webfortis wrote the book Microsoft Dynamics CRM 4.0 Unleashed and we're mentioned in chapter 26 (Microsoft Dynamics Add-Ons) on pages 789-790 (be sure to also read the rest of the book ;)!

Convergence was a blast, and I refer to both the expo as the space shuttle launch. We did visit the launch at 2:30 AM together with our Dutch colleagues from BusinessBase and we have the pictures to prove it!

This was taken from across the lake at Titusville, I think approximately 10 miles from the launching site.

Furthermore we had the opportunity to talk with a lot of partners, customers, MVP's and Microsoft representatives, we brought Menno his stroopwafels :), and we were able to demo our CWR Mobile CRM 4.0 client which will be released coming week! Watch this blog for the announcement.

Microsoft launches System Centre Mobile Device Manager 2008 (SCMDM)

Now that's an acronym. Repeat this quickly 5 times: Microsoft System Center Mobile Device Manager 2008.....Let's just call it Mobile Device Manager.

While we were at Convergence Copenhagen Microsoft announced this at the CTIA Wireless conference in San Francisco. Not long after that, in the session that Barry Givens and Erik van Hoof presented at Convergence, they were able to give a quick overview.

In short, this product enables administrators to manage and secure mobile devices. It can be used to enforce Active Directory policies on the mobile device or to deploy applications to devices. Next to that you can setup secure connectivity over VPN with session control and quick reconnect.

You will have to wait a while before you can actually use the full benefits of it, because only new and future versions of Windows Mobile will support MSCMDM. That's Windows Mobile 6 and beyond.

We have been looking at MSCMDM and basically for us this means that instead of using our installers to install or update CWR Mobile CRM, administrators can also use MSCMDM to deploy our application to multiple devices. Next to that you can setup secure connectivity between the mobile device and you internal networks in an easy way. So, we're already fully compliant with MSCMDM :).

For more details, read here and here.

Some impressions from (Convergence) Copenhagen

Some photo impressions from Copenhagen and the Convergence.


From left to right, Jeffry, Wiel and Erik at booth E23 at the Convergence Exhibition.




We were guest host at the Windows Mobile stand and we could demo CWR Mobile CRM in a very large HTC skin which was very cool! These pictures show some people from the Microsoft Dynamics Mobile team looking in awe at our application :). Left from the HTC skin, in black Mark Grady from the Windows Mobile team.


Change of the guards in Copenhagen. What a contrast with the change of the guards at Buckingham Palace, London. These fine soldiers had to wait for the traffic light to turn green!

Oh yeah, you can't go to Copenhagen without visiting the famous mermaid...

We knew the word was spreading about CWR Mobility, but we didn't expect to see CWR at Lego land ;)

Convergence 2007 Copenhagen is over!

Wow, what an event! Convergence Copenhagen is over. Three days packed with sessions, demo's, partner exhibitions etc. It has been an intense event, but very rewarding.

Erik did 3 sessions on Mobility and Dynamics CRM. Two from the Windows Mobile point of view together with Mark Grady from the Windows Mobile team and one from the Dynamics CRM point of view together with Barry Givens from the Dynamics CRM team. In both sessions he was able to showcase the power of using CWR Mobile CRM together with Dynamics CRM to build a great mobile CRM solution.

All sessions were fully booked and in one session people even needed to stand in the back because there were no more seats available!

We also had a booth at the partner exhibition and in addition to that we were "guest host" at the Windows Mobile booth for a few hours a day. The Windows Mobile booth featured an HTC mobile device as large as a 19 inch monitor (actually a monitor in a HTC skin...), so it was great to demo the mobile solution on it. We have to try to get one of those for some other events :).

It was nice to meet with customers and partners, some CRM MVP's (Ronald Lemmen and Michael Hoehne) and people from the Microsoft teams.

We were also invited to the Windows Mobile partner dinner. We met a lot of interesting people there. After dinner the party continued at some bars. Some people made it later than others. I heared about a few people who went to bed when the sun was already rising :). No, it was not me, I had booth duty the next day...

We're just about finished packing the stand equipment and get some relaxation. We'll fly home tomorrow afternoon, so we will have some time to go and see the famous Copenhagen mermaid before we leave :).

That's it, catch us at the next Convergence next year in Orlando!

Convergence 2007 Copenhagen is coming.

Join us at Convergence 2007 Copenhagen on 23–25 October 2007.
We will be demonstrating our latest software at booth E23.

Build your skills, enhance your knowledge, and network with the Microsoft Dynamics™ community. Learn about new product features, gain hands-on experience, and hear insights from key Microsoft executives.
This is your chance to offer feedback directly to developers and get immediate technical support for your solutions.
Plus you can interact with other users of Microsoft Dynamics who face similar business challenges.
Come see all that Microsoft Dynamics solutions have to offer and gain knowledge that can help your business throughout the upcoming year.

Register today.

Convergence 2007 (day 1)

Wow, what an event, unbelievable...

I had been planning on doing a live blog while I am at the Convergence, but i really had no time and was to busy meeting all these wonderful and interesting people...

The Convergence was the first time that we publicly showed our partnership with c360. They have become one of our worldwide distributors of CWR Mobile CRM. For them we whitelabeled and branded it to c360 Mobile CRM. The interest was enormous.

The first session I was in was a CRM Mobile session with Michael Rich. At a certain moment he talked about alternatives of CRM Mobile... And there we were, unanounced, on the Microsoft Slides: CWR Mobile CRM. He highlighted all the features that distinguishes our solution from Microsoft's offerings. He told the audience that is was a solution from the Netherlands and that we weren't present at the Convergence, so I had to stand up and told him we were there :)

After the session I was invited to go to the ISV TAP review for Titan (and that's about all I can say about that :) ). You will be very excited to see all the new features and enhancements they are making to the new release. That's where I got introduced to about ten Microsoft guys working on this new release, incl. Phillip Richardson, Program Manager for CRM.
We discussed a lot about our plans, CRM Live and opportunities to come...

At the Lounge I met fellow bloggers and/or MVP's Scott Colson, Jim Glass and Guy Riddle..

At the end of the day Microsoft threw a really great party. Live music, food, surfing and over 30 bars... wow...
At the party I met Frank Lee of Workopia. As an MVP and frequent blogger about moblity I had to show him our solution and I believe he was pretty enthousiastic... Keep an eye on his blog...
While standing in line to get something to eat I briefly shook hands and spoke a few words with Doug Burgum. He is a great guy and has been a wonderfull leader for the Microsoft Business Solutions group.

I have to go to the last part of the Convergence now, but I will let you know more in the next posts...