Kurt Shintaku's Blog

Every year, you hear the same tired reporting that “the PC is dying” going all the way back to Steve Jobs declaration of 2010 being the beginning of the “post-PC era”.  In fact, the illustrious Tim Cook, CEO of Apple, made the comment “Why would you buy a PC anymore?” in a reference to the iPad Pro, which despite taking a page from Microsoft’s own Surface playbook, by any measurement hasn’t exactly lit the shelves on fire.

In any case, on the topic of the “PC dying”, Michael Dell disagrees.  And frankly, he has data to back it up:

“The post-PC era has been great for the PC. When the post-PC era started there were about 180m PCs being sold a year and now it’s up to over 300m, so I like the post-PC era,” he said.

“For the last 11 quarters in a row, we’ve been gaining share in PCs. Last year we outgrew HP and Lenovo. It’s a business with an installed base of 1.8bn PCs, 600m of them are more than four years old, and as we create new beautiful, thin, powerful PCs that are better than the thing you bought five years ago, people will replace the old ones. And we are getting more and more share of that opportunity each quarter that goes by.”

…

Read more from his interview below:

• THE TELEGRAPH: Michael Dell: ‘The post-PC era has been great for the PC’
  http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/dell/11991738/Michael-Dell-The-post-PC-era-has-been-great-for-the-PC.html

Looking for any information about any element of Microsoft’s cloud?  You’ve come to the right place:

<excerpt from the Microsoft Trust Center announcement>

Today we’re pleased to announce that we have created a single Microsoft Trust Center at www.microsoft.com/trustcenter, which unifies the trust centers of our enterprise cloud services—Microsoft Azure, Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online, Microsoft Intune, and Microsoft Office 365.

…

The Microsoft Trust Center gives everyone a single view into the commitments that we put at the heart of our trusted cloud: security of operations, data protection and privacy, compliance with local requirements, and transparency in how we do business. Now, customers can view a single page documenting which of our services comply with such standards as ISO 27018 or HIPAA, or our data location policies across services.

It should be noted that no other cloud service provider has the depth & coverage of Microsoft in the areas of security, privacy, compliance & transparency for attestations, evaluations, & reporting. 

The site for all of this information is located at:

• SITE: Microsoft Trust Center
  http://www.microsoft.com/TrustCenter
• ANNOUNCEMENT: Cybertrust Blog – “A Single, Unified Trust Center for the Microsoft Cloud”
  http://blogs.microsoft.com/cybertrust/2015/11/23/a-single-unified-trust-center-for-the-microsoft-cloud/

Here’s a quick registry hack found on Windows Central that will enable you to throttle maximum CPU utilization on your Surface Pro/Book to minimize power usage and extend the life of your battery even further.

1. Click start and type "regedit" (no quotes) to open the "Registry Editor"
2. Navigate to HKEYLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Power
3. Change the value of "CSEnabled" from 1 to 0.
4. Click OK, exit the registry editor & reboot.
5. Log back in and check your Power Options, you should have all of the hidden Power Themes & advanced options.

*Maximum processor state settings will modify the throttling settings.

This is particularly useful when you’re using the Surface Book in clipboard mode and want to maximize the battery of the tablet portion of the Book.

In case you missed it, we released the Beta 2 for SharePoint Server 2016 & Project Server 2016.

It introduces the following:

1. Profile synchronization with Microsoft Identity Manager
2. Data Loss Prevention
3. Extensible Hybrid App Launcher
4. Profile Redirection

Taken from the announcement blog:

Learn more about what’s new in SharePoint Server 2016 Beta 2 here. For more information on deploying SharePoint Server 2016 Beta 2 and additional product resources see our deployment guide.

…

You can download SharePoint Server 2016 Beta 2 today via the Microsoft Download Center and share feedback directly with our engineering teams through the SharePoint Server 2016 IT Preview Forum. We also welcome feature requests and feedback via the SharePoint Server Suggestion Box on UserVoice, @SharePoint on Twitter and in the comments below. We’re eager to hear your feedback and use it as we continue to drive towards our final release in 2016.

For more on the betas, read the announcement FAQ:

• BLOG: Announcing SharePoint Server 2016 Beta 2 and Project Server 2016 Beta 2
  https://blogs.office.com/2015/11/18/announcing-sharepoint-server-2016-beta-2-and-project-server-2016-beta-2/

In case you missed it, Windows 7 with supported service packs, went out of mainstream support on 1/13/2015. 

This means no further design changes or functional fixes/updates are made for the OS.

More importantly, extended support (security fixes, per-incident support) for Windows 7 Enterprise and Professional exists until 1/14/2020. 

This is only about 4 years away, meaning that all workstations & running applications will need to be tested & upgraded to a supported OS by then to ensure continued availability of security fixes & incident-paid support – just as was done for Windows XP.

More on Windows 7’s coming expiration is available here:
https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/lifecycle?C2=14019

Here’s a free tool from Microsoft Research that I forgot to post a couple months ago called “Photo Story”. 

It similar in nature to the old Photo Story application we used to have for Windows that automatically chooses the best representative photos of an event and organizes them into a themed video, complete with stylized music and editing, that you can easily share via email or social media.

Here’s a short video that explains what Photo Story for Windows Phone does:

You can download the free app here:

• DOWNLOAD: Photo Story for Windows Phone
  https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/store/apps/photo-story/9nblggh1z351
• OVERVIEW: “New app creates stylized story compilations from your photos”
  http://blogs.microsoft.com/next/2015/08/13/new-app-creates-stylized-story-compilations-from-your-photos/

(I’m on vacation.  Which means I’m gonna try to get some of these posts out of the way that have been sitting cached up for ever.  So here we go.)

———

Are you a Halo fan?  Ever wondered where some of those epically cool posters come from that some of us Halo fans have in our offices, homes, cubes, etc?  Here’s where you get them from:

• REDBUBBLE HALO POSTER STORE
  http://www.redbubble.com/shop/halo+posters 

They have Halo 5 posters as well as classic posters from Halos 1-4.

This is a heck of a course.  And it’s FREE.

Every organization must prepare for the possibility of cybercrime within its networks or on its computer systems. Are you able to investigate crimes, like fraud, insider threats, industrial espionage, employee misuse, and computer intrusion? These days, every IT Pro should learn to recover key intelligence from Windows systems.

Learn how to do just that, from leading expert Erdal Ozkaya, and find out what you need to become a digital forensic professional, incident responder, and media exploitation expert, capable of piecing together Windows system events, second by second. Erdal joins forces with Hasain “the Wolf” Alshakarti and Raymond Comvalius to show how cybercrime happens, what you can do to prevent it, and how to respond when it occurs.

1. Windows Security and Forensics
   Take a look at the current state of the security landscape, Windows Security, and what "computer forensics" are.
2. Windows Memory Attacks and Forensics
   Learn how and why hackers attack a system’s memory, and see how Memory Forensics can help address the problem.
3. Windows Authentication Attacks and Forensics
   See demonstrations of how attackers use credential dependencies to gain elevated access to systems and to perform lateral movement. Plus, learn how to detect and prevent many of these attacks.
4. Windows Forensics
   Explore Digital Forensics, and find out what to do as a first responder to preserve evidence for legal actions.
5. Network Forensics
   Explore network forensics, along with case studies, best practices, and online analysis techniques.
6. Malware Incident Response
   Learn about malware incident response, including identifying, locating, and removing malware.
7. Windows 10 Forensics
   Take a look at Windows 10 forensics, and hear about new security features and innovations that can help forensic experts with their work.

Learn the following through this course:

• Examine how and why hackers attack a system’s memory.
• Identify how attackers use credential dependencies to gain elevated access.
• Review what to do as a first responder to an attack; learn to preserve evidence for legal actions.
• Explore network forensics.
• Learn about innovations of Windows 10 that can help forensic experts do their jobs.
• Learn the basics of computer forensics.
• See how to respond to malware incidents.

Enroll in this on-demand course here from Microsoft Virtual Academy.

• Microsoft Virtual Academy: Windows Security & Forensics
  https://mva.microsoft.com/en-US/training-courses/windows-security-forensics-14383?l=YCKufUQsB_5105244527

If you have an issue with your Surface device or simply have a question, the best place to start is NOT Reddit.

No, the best place to start for any sort of issue with Surface hardware or software is… wait for it… Microsoft.  Shocking, I know.

IN-PERSON SUPPORT
If you have one available, I strongly suggest going into a local Microsoft Store where you can get a Technical Advisor to speak to about your issue.  Find your local Microsoft Store here:

• Find your local Microsoft Store:
  https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/store/locations/find-a-store

PHONE SUPPORT
If you need to talk to someone on the phone, there are a couple options:

• Microsoft Retail Store Support
  1-877-696-7786
  http://www.microsoftstore.com/store/msusa/
  en_US/DisplayHelpContactUsPage
• Microsoft Surface for Business Support
  1-800-642-7676
  https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/gp/customer-service-phone-numbers(WARNING: Fee-based & charges will apply per-hour of support)

ONLINE SUPPORT
Otherwise, here are the Microsoft sponsored sites and support areas for you to submit you questions.

• Surface Community Forums:
  Discussion forum with support from MVPs and public users.  Lots of historical answers.
  http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/surface
• Surface Support Library: 
  Documentation & Frequently Asked Questions
  https://www.microsoft.com/surface/en-us/support
• Surface Answer Desk:
  Live Online Agent-based Q&A & Support
  https://www.microsoft.com/surface/en-us/support/contact-us
• Surface Twitter:
  Quick answers or guidance toward to right outlet for questions.
  https://twitter.com/surfacesupport/
• Surface Online Service Center:
  Check warranty & status of service orders here.
  https://myservice.surface.com/en-US/Pages/Welcome.aspx
• Surface TechCenter:
  Technical Documentation Site for Surface
  https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/surface.aspx
• Surface for IT Professionals Blog:
  Latest tech news and announcements around Surface.
  http://blogs.technet.com/b/surface/
• Surface Support for Business site:
  Answers to questions about enterprise distribution, SCCM-based management, troubleshooting WiFi on corporate LANs, enterprise administration, packaging drivers, etc.
  https://www.microsoft.com/surface/en-us/support/business
• Surface Warranty Support for Businesses:
  Fee-based incident support for businesses.  Also pointers to Premier Online incident submissions.
  https://www.microsoft.com/surface/en-us/support/contact-us-business

Planning is already well underway for Microsoft Convergence 2016 and it’s shaping up to be a fantastic event. Convergence brings the best minds in business and technology together. You’ll discover breakthrough business insights, explore emerging solutions for your industry, and learn how your peers are reinventing their roles.

Join us and discover strategies that can help you, your team, and your business achieve more.  We’ll have some exciting details to announce soon, so make sure you stay in-the-know. Bookmark this website, sign-up for e-mail updates, and stay connected through social media.

Registration opens in early January 2016. Get ready!

• DATE:
  April 5-7, 2016
• LOCATION:
  New Orleans, LA
• REGISTRATION:
  https://www.microsoft.com/en/convergence/neworleans16