We are excited to announce the latest update to Windows Azure Marketplace, which brings some exciting new features, and commercial availability to 12 new countries. Now ISVs in 38 countries can benefit from the Windows Azure Marketplace.

 New Features

• Integration of a self-publish app catalog in the Seller Dashboard,
• Availability of the Bing API exclusively through the Marketplace,
• Expanded offers through the introduction of Sample Data, and
• Integration of PowerPivot.

New Countries

Currently, the Windows Azure Marketplace serves approximately 50,000 users and more than 70,000 subscriptions.

The new release expands commercial availability to the following countries: Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Greece, Israel, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Peru, Romania, South Korea, and Trinidad and Tobago.

Seller Dashboard Integration

Now ISVs can self-publish catalog apps through the Seller Dashboard. This more direct approach improves ease of use and supports faster time-to market for your apps.

Exclusive Availability of Bing API

We recently made the Bing API available through the Marketplace, and already there are thousands of users generating millions of transactions. Beginning 1 August 2012, Windows Azure Marketplace will be the only way to access the Bing API.  Currently all Bing API offers include a free trial amount of 5,000 transactions to help you get started.

Introducing Sample Data

New functionality has been enabled that allows all Anonymous and Authenticated users to see Sample Data for selected data offers.

Sample data is a small subset of data that is being offered as published through the Marketplace. The purpose is to give you better insight into the shape and meaning of data offers, and to reduce the number of steps needed to get meaningful data views. It also gives publishers a great new way to promote and advertise their data.

Sample Data is available from the catalog and details pages of these offers:

• US Air Carrier Flight Delays
• ESRI – 2010 Key US Demographics by ZIP Code, Place and County (Trial)
• 2006 – 2008 Crime in the United States (Data.gov)
• London Borough Profiles
• European Greenhouse Gas Emissions

PowerPivot Makes BI Stronger

Microsoft Office has launched the Public Preview of Excel 2013! For the Windows Azure Marketplace this means new PowerPivot integration that a broad range of customers are sure to find very appealing to serve their Business Intelligence needs. Find a data set, build a query, pull it in and add the power of World Data to PowerPivot!

Make the most of this update! Explore the Windows Azure Marketplace and take advantage of these great new features.

  – by Peter Horsman, Sr. Partner & Channel Marketing Manager, Windows Azure Marketplace