A new service called Eduify launched on the Windows Azure platform. This service is designed to help students with their writing by providing tutorials, samples, and information about how to verify and cite sources in research papers. Edufiy also adds a social element to the writing process as users can interact with their online friends via Facebook Connect integration, allowing for a more collaborative writing experience.
The Eduify service also addresses the need for students to have tools that more accurately reflect their modern, online lifestyles. In Eduify, for example, students can pull in online research from around the web and then prepare their paper in a web-based workspace that’s accessible from a computer or mobile phone. There are some great features in Eduify, too, like its ability to automatically create a bibliography. Later on, the company will add a paid document editing/proofreading service as well. Even further down the road, there are plans to integrate Windows Live Messenger and Live Mesh technologies in the service.
At the moment, Eduify is in beta, which makes sense as Windows Azure itself is still a CTP (Community Technical Preview). The company gained access to the Azure Platform after joining the Microsoft BizSpark program, a program which aims to help startups get off the ground by providing them with free tools and services for a set period of time. This allows them the breathing room they need to build a scalable and sustainable business without having to worry about those traditional startup costs.
Anyone interested in participating in the beta can sign up for an invite here from the Eduify homepage.
