In this episode, recorded live at Microsoft Build, we sit down with Beth Massi! From community legend to product manager on the .NET MAUI team, Beth joins us for a deep dive into the world of hybrid app development.

We unpack the story behind the name “MAUI,” the evolution of Xamarin, and how web technologies can blend seamlessly into native apps. Along the way, we explore AI's growing role in developer tooling, the power of open source collaboration, and yes… even Star Trek captains.

Whether you're building mobile apps, curious about hybrid frameworks, or just here for the sci-fi and geek-outs, this episode has something for you.

Guest: 🎤 Beth Massi – Product Manager on the .NET MAUI team at Microsoft

Topics Discussed:

• What is .NET MAUI and how it evolved from Xamarin

• The clever (and rule-bending) origin story of the name “MAUI”

• Hybrid apps explained: Blazor, WebView, and using web tech in native apps

• The Blazor WebView vs. Hybrid WebView: use cases and benefits

• Real-world examples of .NET MAUI apps: from school buses to law audio books

• Syncfusion's partnership and contributions to MAUI

• Backward compatibility, rapid releases, and how the MAUI team handles it all

• AI tools like GitHub Copilot transforming UI design and developer productivity

• Designing cross-platform experiences without losing performance or personality

• Remote work and collaboration at Microsoft

• Beth's personal journey from MVP to marketing to PM

Links Mentioned:

• https://github.com/BethMassi

• https://github.com/dotnet-presentations/blazor-hybrid-workshop 

• Syncfusion Blazor Toolkit: syncfusion.com

Special thanks to Daniel Hindrikes for audio mixing