The market for Washington State Ferry apps is suddenly looking pretty competitive. Web X.0 Media (based on Bainbridge Island, of course) this week released a free, ad-based iPhone app called iFerry (iTunes), which offers schedules, alerts, delays, camera views of ferry holding lots, terminal locations and driving directions. The interface is slick, and it provides new competition for the $2.99 WSF Puget Sound Ferry Schedule (iTunes) and other apps for waterborne commuters.

Speaking of public transit, after its many debacles in the snow last winter, the Seattle Department of Transportation is taking steps to better prepare and communicate with the city's residents this time. What does that mean? A Facebook page, of course. SeattlePI.com's Scott Gutierrez has more details in this post.

Confused by Twitter's new, native Retweet feature? Wondering whether to use it? Kathy Gill, a University of Washington senior lecturer, best known to TechFlash readers as the person behind the first college Twitter class, explains the mechanism -- along with the pros and cons of using it -- in this helpful post.

Kevin Lisota of Seattle-based online real-estate company findwell offers a funny send-up of startup financing in this tongue-in-cheek post: Findwell raises round of funding and secure strategic investment.

Oh, the Microsoft execs must have loved this: Windows Phone Thoughts has a very Mac-centric (and very funny) photo in this post about Microsoft's behind-closed-doors "Mobius" mobile-technology conference with bloggers and analysts. (Via MacDailyNews)

At its Professional Developers Conference this past week, Microsoft rolled out its new Windows Azure platform, preparing to compete with the likes of Google and Amazon in the market for cloud computing. Hot off the presses, here's the download page for the official Introduction to Windows Azure, for anyone looking for a high-level overview.

And finally, a big welcome to the world to the newest member of the TechFlash team, James August Cook, a.k.a. Jack, a baby boy born this past week to John Cook and his wife, Holly. Everyone is doing well, and if journalism is genetic, Jack will soon be blogging from the crib.