Get You Some Azure, Windows Phone, and Windows 8 Sample Apps

The new release of Sample Browser allows you to browse and search sample apps from over 3500 quality code samples, including Desktop/client, Web, Cloud, Data, Phone, and Xbox. For developers, this is just one goodie you want to have.

You can use the web-based version at http://code.msdn.microsoft.com or you can download and install a client version from http://aka.ms/samplebrowser. Both versions require Internet connection to browse and search sample apps, and point to the same source from which you download sample apps.

The browser version provides multiple choices on platform, Visual Studio version, programming languages, and contributors. In addition, it lets you choose a technology or topic. Once you find the sample app you want, you can download, extract and open it with the right tool.

If you cannot find a sample you like, you can submit a request or even upload a sample. You can manage all your own samples from the portal.

The desktop version provides slightly different user interface (Zune style). Under the MSDN Samples and Gallery, you can select one of the 16 categories to view sample apps such as Windows Azure, Windows 8 (under Build), HTML 5, and Windows Phone. Once you find the sample app you like, you can download it to a default folder you selected. You can change the default location using Settings.