New Media Console mini mobile application: an interview with Atlas developer Mike Palotas

This month, we’re excited to promote the release of the Media Console mini*—an application of the Atlas Media Console that you can download to your Windows 7 phone.

This mobile app was developed and released by a passionate and motivated Atlas developer. While we’re not officially releasing it under our suite of Atlas products, we love this app because it showcases what can be done leveraging our APIs, and the value and efficiency it delivers to our clients. We think you’ll love it, too.

We thought you’d want to hear all about this new app straight from the guy who built it: Mike Palotas.

Here are the highlights of our interview.

Mike, why don’t you tell us a little bit about your background. How long have you been working as a developer and, specifically, how long have you been working on the Atlas Engineering team?

Well, I got my Bachelor of Science degree in Computer Science & Engineering at Washington State University.

In May 2004, I first started working on the Atlas engineering team as a developer intern. In May 2007, I joined Microsoft when it acquired aQuantive (of which Atlas was a subsidiary).

What were your previous roles before you became a developer?

Well, as an intern, I did both testing and programming. But, before that…? (He grins.) My previous roles were in construction and building restoration right after college.

So, it looks like you’ve always been interested in creating things, right? Whether it’s creating software or recreating 100-year-old buildings?

Yeah, that’s right! (He laughs.)

Tell us about the Media Console mini. What inspired you to create this app?

Well, the Windows 7 phone and its new development kit had just come out. Our team also had the public APIs to build applications compatible with the Windows 7 phone.

I always wanted to create a one-stop shopping place for our Atlas clients. But, I need to give credit to John Keane our principal development manager who came up with the idea in the first place: create a small version of Media Console for the mobile phone.

What Atlas APIs did you use?

Specifically, I used the following APIs: Atlas Campaign Management API; Atlas Ad Assignment API; Atlas Creative Management API; Atlas Reporting API; and Atlas Organization API.

What are some of the cool features of the Media Console mini that you’d like to tell our clients about?

With the Media Console mini, advertisers can:

• View each level of the Media Console hierarchy tree
• Save items as favorites at each hierarchy level
• Do some lightweight editing of properties
• View graphs related to their campaign’s performance

What would be an advantage to using the Media Console mini?

Let’s say it’s the weekend, and an advertiser is curious to know how her campaign is performing. Because she’s away from the office where her work computer is, she can sign into the Media Console mini on her phone and view the latest performance of her campaign’s impressions, clicks, and conversions. If her campaign isn’t performing as well as she’d like, she can modify the properties of her media plan, buy, cost package, or placements. Right there on her phone. Without having to go into the office.

That’s fantastic!

Mike, you’re known on the Atlas engineering team as someone who is really passionate about what he does. Tell us what motivates and excites you to come to work every day.

I love working with computers and I love being able to tell computers to act a certain way. It excites me to make products that help improve our clients’ productivity. Personally, I just want to make digital advertising a little bit easier for our clients. If I listen to our clients and create features that help them do what they need and want in their day-to-day work, then, of course, I’ve got the motivation to make our products great or, at least, better.

I know that when I release a product, it’s not just my team’s or my company’s name that’s on it. My name is on it. Knowing this reminds me to do what’s best for our clients.

Definitely words of wisdom for all of us to keep in mind. Anything else you think our readers should know about the Media Console mini?

Yes. I’d like our clients to know that the Media Console mini isn’t meant to replace the Atlas Media Console. I designed it to be a quick way for advertisers to view their campaigns at each hierarchy level and to get simple performance reporting. It has very minimal editing capabilities.

More than anything, the Media Console mini shows you what you can do with our Atlas APIs.

Last but not least, where can our clients install the Media Console mini?

If you have Microsoft Zune software installed on your computer, you can download the Media Console mini at: http://social.zune.net/redirect?type=phoneApp&id=a03ed140-c087-e011-986b-78e7d1fa76f8

Otherwise, on your Windows 7 phone, you can go directly to the Marketplace and search on the keywords Media Console mini or Mike Palotas. The application should display in your search results so you can download it.

I do have one request, though, for our readers: If you like the Media Console mini, be sure to give me a nice review!

Well, the Atlas team is really excited about your app, Mike, and we hope our clients will be, too.

Thanks for taking the time to talk with us about it. We’re looking forward to hearing about your other side projects in the future.

Thanks, Zoë. I’m already working on something big that I think all our Media Console clients will be excited about. So, stay tuned…

*Disclaimer: The Media Console mini was created specifically for Windows 7 phones by Mike Palotas, and is not supported or maintained by the Atlas team or by Microsoft Corporation.