Abstract: Technologies are described herein for providing location-aware data access. In some configurations, techniques disclosed herein cause the display of selected categories of stored data depending on a geographic location of a computing device. Some illustrative configurations involve receiving a request to access data from a computing device. One or more devices may provide data defining a location of the computing device and a subset of the data may be selected based on the location of the computing device. The selected data may be displayed on a user interface or otherwise communicated to a computing device.

Abstract: Techniques for discovery of applications across a plurality of application stores are described herein. The discovery may be in response to a query and intent process, which may be initiated by a search query. The search query may reveal user intent to discover an application by operation of a search engine. The user intent may be matched with indexed application content. The application content may be obtained by operation of a discovery and indexing process. A crawler may discover and crawl a plurality of application stores. Additionally or alternatively, a feed store may receive direct feeds of application information and links to download locations from a plurality of application stores. Both the discovered data and direct feeds may be sent to an indexer, to create and maintain an index. Search results pages may be returned to provide users with information, links to developer websites and links to download pages from a plurality of application stores.

Abstract: An application search system may maintain an index of applications available from multiple different application stores, and includes parameters, such as features and/or content of the applications. When a user submits a query, the system may derive contextual information pertaining to a user device used to submit the query, applications installed on a particular user device and/or usage information for installed applications. The system then may, in one example, determine one or more applications relevant to the search query and, depending on the contextual information derived, may provide an entry point to access a particular application at a task level, may prompt the user to install the application, or may provide a web result related to the particular application.

Abstract: An application transfer protocol allows users to find applications relevant to a search query in an application search system. The application transfer protocol is used with an index that maintains a database of applications that includes parameters, such as features and/or content of the application. When a user submits a query, the system determines one or more applications relevant to the search query and implements the application transfer protocol to identify and present results to a user.

Abstract: The present invention facilitates the sharing of resources among multiple applications hosted on a server using shared resource providers. A shared resource provider is a logical grouping of shared services and resources to support the shared services, and is associated with one or more applications hosted on a computing device. The server fulfills requests for the shared services from the shared resource provider with which the requesting application is associated. Shared resource providers may be associated with many different applications, but each application may be associated with only one shared resource provider. The shared services may be configured for consumption by the applications at the server level, at the level of the shared resource provider, and the level of the application.

Abstract: Automated electronic review and approval of technical standards assists in product development. A draft technical standard is generated and electronically circulated to a review group. Review group comments are automatically attached to the draft technical standard. The draft technical standard is electronically locked before circulation to an approval group. The approval group members have access to comments of the review group members. Electronic approvals are collected from each member of the review group. Once each member of the review group has electronically approved the standard, the standard is rendered unchangeable. The standard is then released for global electronic access to a global database.