Spelling Champion 1.2.0 is released

I just submitted another release to the store, this release is a accumulative on top of 1.2.1.2. The new version number is 1.2.2.1. I am going to list down these new features starting from 1.2.1.2

These are the new features / fix included in this release:

1) Migrated Champion Service and its databases to Azure for better  reliability and availability.
2) Pin/Uppin Modules to/from Start on Module Page
3) In App Upgrade from trial version on Modules Page ( starting page)
4) Fix for a memory related bug in Lesson Page
5) Changes related to MS Ads control for better appearance.
6) Toast Notification using Azure Notification Hub
7) Drag and drop in Edit Lesson Page for better touch experience
8) Search a specific word on Edit Module Page for trouble-shooting purpose
9) Read all words and sentences in Edit Module page for review purpose
10) Live tile for better Windows 8 user experience
11) Improved logo images for better Windows 8 visual experience
12) From kindergarten to 5th Grade, total 10 modules about 3,000 words are available for free download.
13) Provide current app version number on About page for better production support
14) Provide logic to handle all unhandle exceptions to provide exception detail for better production support
15) Improved visual effect of About page and Preference page by adding theme color to the page header

Click here give it a try.

http://apps.microsoft.com/windows/en-us/app/spelling-champion/7ddd99ae-fd09-492f-9fd3-3e78639d7fae

Champion Service is in the cloud

I am pleased to announce that Champion Service has been migrated to Microsoft Azure (the cloud computing solution from Microsoft).  With this migration, the performance, readability, availability and scalability are all improved greatly.

The URL address for the service is now http://championservice.azurewebsites.net/


Thank you Mike Wood from Cerebrata and Samidip Basu, the organizer of Columbus Windows app developer Interest group.

There was a wise man 2000 years ago in Chinese History, named Xuin, (荀子，Chinese Master Zen). he once said " Moments of learning is far beyond days of thinking."    Indeed, I spent days try to figure what I need to migrate Champion Service to Azure with no luck. When last Saturday I went to Microsoft office to attend DevUnleashed Kackthon, I met Mike Wood, an expert in Microsoft Azure and Samidip, another expert in microsoft platform. I subscribed to Azure with Mike sat with me side by side. And today I spent about 2 hours to migrate the web site and 2 databases used by the site to Azure with no incidence.

Azure, I love you!


Peter Lu