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Microsoft shows off Windows 8 business app 'concepts'

What would a Microsoft Dynamics app look like if it was a Metro-style Windows 8 deliverable? Like this.
Written by Mary Jo Foley, Senior Contributing Editor

At its Convergence conference for Dynamics ERP and CRM customers and partners, which kicks off on March 19, Microsoft will show off early concepts of what the company's business apps could end up looking like when optimized for Windows 8.

The Dynamics team will be demonstrating these concept apps in Houston this week for the 10,000 or so expected Convergence attendees. These concept apps are Windows 8 HTML5 "Metro-style" (a k a WinRT-based) clients that connect to Dynamics ERP and CRM back-end services.

Here are screen shots from a couple of these demos, supplied to me by Microsoft. Start screen:

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This is an example of what the Microsoft Dynamics Start page in Metro style would look like. The UI would provide an immersive experience which can be personalized by each user.

Project approval:

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This is how Project approvals could look on a Windows 8 tablet device. The Metro-style app will provide the optimal experience for users across different device types, including tablet devices.

Microsoft execs are not sharing at the show any target dates as to when the company expects to field Metro-style versions of its Dynamics CRM or ERP wares. However, Dynamics AX evangelist and blogger Brandon George recently discovered that Microsoft is planning to deliver a Windows 8 version of its Dyanmics AX 7 client in 2013/2014. (He found this inside Microsoft’s own “statement of direction” documentation.)

Microsoft won't be the only company demonstrating early Windows 8 app prototypes at Convergence. Microsoft CRM partner Sonoma Partners is showing off what it's calling the first Windows 8 tablet app for the enterprise at the conference.

Update: Reader @alirobe has even more screen shots of the Dynamics Windows 8 concept apps on display at Convergence.

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