Abstract: Concepts and technologies are described herein for interacting with contextual and task-focused computing environments. Tasks associated with applications are described by task data. Tasks and/or batches of tasks relevant to activities occurring at a client are identified, and a UI for presenting the tasks is generated. The UIs can include tasks and workflows corresponding to batches of tasks. Workflows can be executed, interrupted, and resumed on demand. Interrupted workflows are stored with data indicating progress, contextual information, UI information, and other information. The workflow is stored and/or shared. When execution of the workflow is resumed, the same or a different UI can be provided, based upon the device used to resume execution of the workflow. Thus, multiple devices and users can access workflows in parallel to provide collaborative task execution.

Abstract: Optimizing data rendering includes, in one embodiment, using templates to express a data request as a set of queries where each query in the set is prioritized based on, among other things, context factors such as capabilities of the requesting device, network factors, and user context. After generating the set of queries, each query in the set of queries is then executed to progressively populate the template with the requested data. As the queries are executing, the templates are progressively rendered.

Abstract: Optimizing data rendering includes, in one embodiment, using templates to express a data request as a set of queries where each query in the set is prioritized based on, among other things, context factors such as capabilities of the requesting device, network factors, and user context. After generating the set of queries, each query in the set of queries is then executed to progressively populate the template with the requested data. As the queries are executing, the templates are progressively rendered.

Abstract: Concepts and technologies are described herein for interacting with contextual and task-focused computing environments. Tasks associated with applications are described by task data. Tasks and/or batches of tasks relevant to activities occurring at a client are identified, and a UI for presenting the tasks is generated. The UIs can include tasks and workflows corresponding to batches of tasks. Workflows can be executed, interrupted, and resumed on demand. Interrupted workflows are stored with data indicating progress, contextual information, UI information, and other information. The workflow is stored and/or shared. When execution of the workflow is resumed, the same or a different UI can be provided, based upon the device used to resume execution of the workflow. Thus, multiple devices and users can access workflows in parallel to provide collaborative task execution.

Abstract: A search engine discovers and indexes applications in a search index and receives queries from devices. The search engine is configured to obtain contextual data describing context associated with the devices and/or social networking data associated with one or more users of the devices. Based upon the contextual data and/or the social networking data, the search engine modifies the query and executes the query to identify applications. The search engine generates search results corresponding to the identified applications. The search engine also is configured to generate advertising relevant to the modified query, and to rank the search results in accordance with the query, the contextual data, and/or the social networking data. The ranked search results and the advertising are presented to the client as search results and/or in a web store format. Activity of the client and the search engine can be tracked and reported to authorized entities.

Abstract: Concepts and technologies are described herein for interacting with contextual and task-focused computing environments. Tasks associated with applications are described by task data. Tasks and/or batches of tasks relevant to activities occurring at a client are identified, and a UI for presenting the tasks is generated. The UIs can include tasks and workflows corresponding to batches of tasks. Workflows can be executed, interrupted, and resumed on demand. Interrupted workflows are stored with data indicating progress, contextual information, UI information, and other information. The workflow is stored and/or shared. When execution of the workflow is resumed, the same or a different UI can be provided, based upon the device used to resume execution of the workflow. Thus, multiple devices and users can access workflows in parallel to provide collaborative task execution.

Abstract: Concepts and technologies are described herein for contextual and task-focused computing. In accordance with the concepts and technologies disclosed herein, a discovery engine analyzes application data describing applications, recognizes tasks associated with the applications, and stores task data identifying and describing the tasks in a data storage location. The task data is searchable by search engines, indexing and search services, and task engines configured to provide tasks to one or more client devices operating alone or in a synchronized manner, the tasks being provided on demand or based upon activity associated with the one or more client devices. A task engine receives or obtains contextual data describing context associate with the client devices and/or social networking data associated with one or more users of the client devices.