Mirae Asset wanted a device capable of providing full and extensive asset management services to customers as if they are in the office, rather than a simple mobile device for outdoor sales. However, the tablet PCs available in the market tend to focus primarily on mobility and convenience, which were insufficient bases on which to provide the full services Mirae Asset wanted and, more pragmatically, need from a business point-of-view when consulting customers in the field, rather than being confined to desktop-based interactions in the office. It was in the process of driving sales force empowerment and greater customer interaction that Mirae Asset learned about Windows 8. It soon realized that, with Windows 8, it would be able to ensure business continuity regardless of location or device type, with a seamless tablet PC experience akin to that of a desktop.

The Windows 8 version of Glory KORAIL, the essential app for busy people, was officially released on February 5, 2013. First released in 2010, Glory KORAIL gained sensational popularity among smartphone users. As a result, the percentage of ticketing through mobile devices, including smartphones and tablets, reached 32.5% in January 2013. While receiving enthusiastic responses from customers, KORAIL had prepared to support a new platform just in time for the launch of Windows 8, so as to speed up the era of paperless tickets. The objective was to allow more users to conveniently use the Glory KORAIL app through a wider variety of devices including desktops and notebooks, as well as smartphones and tablets.

Jeroen Bosch Hospital (JBH), an innovative medical center in the Netherlands, wanted to install interactive terminals at patient bedsides that would seamlessly connect doctors to patients. JBH chose Patientline, a leading provider of hospital bedside solutions, to deliver 800 touch-screen terminals in an intelligent system anchored by Windows Embedded. Managed by Patientline, the integrated solution will give patients and staff access to multimedia entertainment, communications tools, and electronic health records. In addition, Patientline cut time-to-market in half and reduced related IT maintenance costs by 40 percent, while the hospital expects to gain 50 percent (return on investment) ROI by offering additional services. The hospital reports that the familiar interface is easy to use, and that patients are empowered and healthier in a more collaborative, connected environment.

Dongfeng Nissan Passenger Vehicle Company wanted to improve the quality of its infotainment system by offering a customizable user-interface and compatibility with multiple devices. Dongfeng Nissan researched its options and chose a solution from Shenzhen Hazens Automotive Electronics Company based on Windows Embedded. The infotainment system, which includes the Intel Atom processor, provides high-definition satellite imagery navigation, digital television, rear-seat entertainment, digital media player functionality, and compatibility with diverse standards of 3G/4G networks. Dongfeng Nissan reports increased sales of its car models equipped with the new infotainment system. Moreover, the solution is more reliable, easier to maintain, and delivers superior usability that further enhances customers’ driving experience.

The Saudi Ministry of Justice (MOJ) needed a resilient and scalable data warehouse to support the modernization of courts administration and notaries who act in non-contentious matters. It chose Microsoft SQL Server 2008 Enterprise data management software and interrelated technologies. Eventually, 500 internal entities will connect to the data warehouse. The MOJ now plans to upgrade to Microsoft SQL Server 2012.

Online gaming company Waappy enjoyed increasing success with its popular social game “Lucky Star.” But as the number of players increased, Waappy realized that it needed to add more servers to accommodate demand, which became a burden on time and resources. Instead, it decided to migrate its application to Windows Azure. Now it benefits from easy scalability, reduced costs, and a higher quality of service.

Microsoft Partner Network member ODC, in Istanbul, Turkey, creates messaging products that companies use to successfully market to customers and connect with employees. To better meet increases in demand that strain hosting servers, ODC created its new product SmartMessage Lite by using Windows Azure, which helped improve scalability, increase availability, and provide a smart solution for small and midsize customers.

Customers pay Medialogia to search thousands of web news sources and let them know when they are mentioned. However, Medialogia had trouble updating all of its content in promised timeframes. By moving the indexing portion of its solution to Windows Azure, Medialogia has doubled the amount of content it can crawl. The company can also deliver near-100 percent service availability and has reduced data center maintenance costs by 50 percent.

Skipton Building Society needed a self-service portal for development environments for its mortgage services division HML. Its IT Shared Service Centre was tasked with finding a solution that would allow HML to provision virtual machines to keep pace with its agile development requirement. By deploying Hyper-V virtualisation technology, along with the Microsoft System Center 2012 suite of products, the firm avoided a £42,000 expenditure on a proof of concept and licences from the incumbent vendor.

Three east London boroughs—Havering, Newham, and Waltham Forest—joined forces to develop a shared citizen services platform using Microsoft technologies. They have established a joint development board—a first in United Kingdom local government—for design, development, and implementation of advanced customer relationship management and web technologies at an affordable cost. In the first phase of the development, cashable savings of £1.6 million (U.S.$2.6 million) have already been achieved in Havering. Newham has realised £12 million savings through joint working and its customer access programme for “digital by default” services. Citizens now conduct many more transactions online, including council tax, parking permits, and housing benefit claims. Other services—including adult social care, planning, and building control—are due to follow.