Kurt Shintaku's Blog

This is sort of well documented on the Internet however in a slightly different context so I thought it might be helpful to describe my situation for others searching for a similar issue:

PROBLEM:
Adobe Flash was INCORRECTLY RENDERING graphics & and displaying a BLACK SCREEN for Flash video on my machine.

BACKGROUND:
I’m running Windows 8 Enterprise Edition with Internet Explorer 10.  One day, I booted up my Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Touch and discovered that, despite the “Flash is installed correctly” web page working on Adobe.com, following Flash scenarios didn’t work:

• Web pages with YouTube videos embedded within them failed to display the video, while the audio worked correctly.
• Web pages with complex Flash objects rendered incorrectly and showed graphics in the wrong places, with buttons failing to work, basically making them unreadable and unusable.

Note:  This is in contrast with other folks on the Internet where Flash doesn’t even appear to be installed AND pages request that “Adobe Flash must be installed to view this content”.

SOLUTION:
There’s two solutions.  A quick fix & a longer term one:

1. DISABLE HARDWARE ACCELERATION WITHIN INTERNET EXPLORER
   This solution is referenced on online forums when web pages state that Flash doesn’t appear to be “installed”.  This solution however ALSO works/applies when Flash does appear to be present for use by web pages however doesn’t render graphics & video correctly for the user.  Strange as it may seem, hardware acceleration is a parameter within Internet Explorer that affects the performance of Flash as a plug in. 

   If you check “Use software rendering…”, you effectively disable the GPU’s usage in IE & should find that Flash suddenly works for everything:  Playback works fine within embedded YouTube videos & rendering should work fine with complex vector graphics based Flash apps on the web.

2. UPGRADE LENOVO THINKPAD X1 CARBON DISPLAY DRIVERS
   The strange behavior exhibited by Flash when hardware acceleration is in use is a symptom of poorly written display drivers in use for the Intel integrated GPU. 

   Once the drivers are updated to version 9.17.10.2875 (Apr 19, 2013), the issues within Flash disappear and you can re-enable hardware GPU acceleration within Internet Explorer 10.
   http://support.lenovo.com/en_US/research/hints-or-tips/detail.page?&DocID=HT074689

Heads up: CES 2014 Early (FREE) Registration ends Aug 31. If you’re planning on coming, y’better get on it!

• https://t.co/vUqn83cqX6

Note re: badge process this year.

2014 Badge Process:
Please note we have implemented a new and efficient badge pickup process and will no longer be mailing badges in advance of the event. All attendees can pick up badges on-site at over 25 locations. More information on how to get your badge on-site will be provided in your confirmation email and on CESweb.

2014 Pricing and Cancellation Policy:

• Registration Fee Structure:
  • Free through August 31
  • $100 from September 1, 2013 through January 1, 2014
  • $200 from January 2, 2014 through January 10, 2014
• Cancellation Policy:
  • Cancellations for paid registrations received in writing on/before December 27, 2013, are refundable, minus a $50 processing fee. After December 27, 2013, cancellations are subject to the entire fee. If you do not cancel by December 27, 2013, and do not attend International CES, you are still responsible for payment. You may substitute the name of one registrant for another at any time.

For Surface Pro:

AppyMouse: Free on-screen “touchpad” for controlling the mouse pointer & provide precision while working in the Desktop.

I’ve been using this little app.  It’s a surprisingly good app that’s such a no-brainer… you have to wonder why someone hadn’t thought of it before.

Go get it! 

• DOWNLOAD: Appy Mouse – Tool for Windows 8 Touch Screens
  http://appymousing.com/

Slow & steady…

FRAMINGHAM, Mass. August 7, 2013 – Despite beating Wall Street expectations in terms of shipment volumes, Apple’s share in the worldwide smartphone operating system market posted a year-over-year decline during the second quarter of 2013 (2Q13). Meanwhile, Android and Windows Phone both managed slight increases during the same period. According to the International Data Corporation (IDC) Worldwide Quarterly Mobile Phone Tracker, vendors shipped a total of 236.4 million smartphones in 2Q13, up 51.3% from the 156.2 million units shipped in 2Q12. Second quarter shipments grew 9.3% when compared to the 216.3 million units shipped in 1Q13.

"The iOS decline in the second quarter aligns with the cyclicality of iPhone," says Ramon Llamas, Research Manager with IDC’s Mobile Phone team. "Without a new product launch since the debut of the iPhone 5 nearly a year ago, Apple’s market share was vulnerable to product launches from the competition. But with a new iPhone and revamped iOS coming out later this year, Apple is well-positioned to re-capture market share."

"Last quarter we witnessed Windows Phone shipments surpassing BlackBerry and the trend has continued into the second quarter," said Ryan Reith, Program Manager with IDC’s Mobility Tracker Programs. "Nokia has clearly been the driving force behind the Windows Phone platform and we expect that to continue. However, as more and more vendors enter the smartphone market using the Android platform, we expect Windows Phone to become a more attractive differentiator in this very competitive market segment."

…

Read more at:

• IDC PRESS RELEASE:
  Apple Cedes Market Share in Smartphone Operating System Market as Android Surges and Windows Phone Gains, According to IDC
  http://www.idc.com/getdoc.jsp?containerId=prUS24257413 

Wanna start building profitable Windows Phone apps?  The new Windows Phone App Studio is now available in beta!

Ready. Set. Go. Done!

We know you – the savvy developer filled with great ideas but not enough time. If only you had a way to quickly build and test your latest innovations. With the Windows Phone App Studio, you do!

The Windows Phone App Sudio lets you swiftly build apps for immediate publishing, testing, and sharing with clients, co-workers, and focus groups. Need to make changes or try variations? With the App Studio it’s a snap!

And when you’re ready to add advanced programming features, the Windows Phone App Studio generates your source code – a feature no other app-builder tool provides. Get with the program!

NOTE: Windows Phone App Studio requires an Invitation Code.  In order to get an invite, email “studio aht microsoft daht com”.

• BETA: Windows Phone App Studio available!
  http://apps.windowsstore.com/default.htm

UPDATE 8/8/13 9:36AM:
Here’s a couple photosynths of the event.

• Best Buy Windows Store (Outside – The Tent)
  http://photosynth.net/view.aspx?cid=857a6fa0-2410-465e-9cce-970be41aab2a&m=false&i=0:0:1&c=0.806346:-0.670488:0.166245&z=933.295242946005&d=-1.40825591249366:-0.53269120647421:-0.584449959671909&p=0:0&t=False
• Best Buy Windows Store (Inside)
  http://photosynth.net/view.aspx?cid=41dee137-9818-4bcd-bfab-ec8e125f70f2&m=false&i=0:1:0&c=-0.244033:-0.276042:0.184812&z=532.466408353145&d=1.26512620986002:-2.28695598738909:-2.9274079697934&p=0:0&t=False

———————
ORIGINAL POST:
For those of you watching the rollout of the "Windows Stores" at Best Buy, here’s the big launch today in West LA.

Introducing the Windows Store – Only at Best Buy

Join us Wednesday, August 7 for the Windows Store Launch at the West LA Best Buy Store from 10AM to 5PM. Enjoy Windows 8 product demos, food and beverages, live DJ, giveaways and offers.

3PM-5PM
The first 200 customers to demo a Windows 8 device in the Windows Store will receive a wristband for a chance to meet Clint Mathis and Mauricio Cienfuegos, two tickets to an upcoming LA Galaxy game, and a free signed soccer ball.

5PM – 7PM
Personal appearance with Clint Mathis, former U.S. Men’s National Team and LA Galaxy player and Mauricio Cienfuegos, former El Salvador Men’s National Team player and Galaxy player.

The first 200 customers to demo a Windows 8 device in the West L.A. Best Buy store starting at 3pm on August 7th will get a wristband for the opportunity to meet Clint Mathis and Mauricio Cienfuegos, two tickets to an upcoming LA Galaxy game and
an autographed soccer ball. Wristbands are limited in quantity and available on a first-come, first-serve basis. Limit one (1) wristband/autograph per person, while supplies last. No personalization. Not responsible for lost, mutilated or stolen wristbands. Talent appearance subject to availability and change. Sponsors do not guarantee the talent appearance or the opportunity to receive an autograph

LOCATION:
11301 W Pico Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90064
Phone: 310-268-9190

• EVENT: Windows Store Launch at Best Buy West LA, August 7th, 3:00PM-7:00PM
  http://stores.bestbuy.com/109/event/windows-store-launch-at-best-buy-west-la/

Brand new training available for System Center 2012 R2 including videos & PowerPoint download:

View this Jump Start to learn what’s new with System Center 2012 R2. Discover the new capabilities in infrastructure provisioning and monitoring, automation and self-service, IT service management, and application monitoring.

Microsoft Senior Technical Evangelist Symon Perriman and several other presenters show how the next version of System Center delivers an end-to-end cloud management stack through advanced integration with Windows Server 2012 R2 and Windows Azure.

• TRAINING: What’s New in System Center 2012 R2 Jump Start (Microsoft Virtual Academy)
  http://www.microsoftvirtualacademy.com/training-courses/what-s-new-in-system-center-2012-r2-jump-start

Free from Microsoft Press – a 248 page, eBook in ePub & PDF format.

This book is aimed at test engineers, managers, developers, and folks interested in understanding the changing world of test. Over the last several years, software testing has changed a great deal. In the past, test plans were on paper, filed away and out of sight. Today they are—or can be with Visual Studio—living documents, as manual and automated tests are integrating into the test workflow supported by the test infrastructure.

Today you no longer have to set up physical boxes; instead you can set up and automate virtual environments composed of virtual machines to meet your testing environment needs. With Visual Studio and Team Foundation Server, the pain of dealing with a heterogeneous test infrastructure is reduced, the cost and effectiveness of testing a product is improved, and regression testing becomes cost effective instead of a nightmare.

Knowing how to test is important, but understanding how this new infrastructure is changing the business of testing and software delivery is critical. Today’s businesses require nimble teams that can support continuous delivery and deal with updates and bugs in an agile fashion. It’s what your customers have come to expect.

In this guide, we follow a team as they move from a conventional approach to testing towards one more suited to the needs of present-day development. We see how they address the costs and the pain of their old methods by adopting the testing infrastructure of Visual Studio 2012.

• RELEASE: “Testing for Continuous Delivery with Visual Studio 2012”
  http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=35380

Attention Android-based Phone users:  Office is now available at no charge if you have an Office 365 subscription.  That is all.

• BLOG: Office 365 subscribers get Office Mobile for Android phones
  http://blogs.office.com/b/office-news/archive/2013/07/31/office-365-subscribers-get-office-mobile-for-android-phones.aspx

My favorite messaging app isn’t Skype or Lync.  It’s GroupMe.  And it’s free.

Whhaaa?  Yup.  It’s a group messaging app that serves a very specific but very useful purpose. 

Messages are instantly sent across either the Internet to the recipient’s GroupMe app on their mobile device or via SMS text msg if they don’t have it installed. 

Recipients can either use the smartphone app to reply or transmit photos & if they received the message via SMS text message, they can reply (or send a photo) and automatically reply to the rest of the group.  Note to Verizon Wireless Windows Phone users:  Group replies are not available via SMS text messaging without using a tool like the GroupMe app.

1. NO COST MESSAGING: Saves on text messaging charges since the default transmission medium is the Internet.
2. FAST, FAST, FAST: Much faster transmission than text messaging, especially between carrier networks where texts are buffered and may experience significant delays.
3. RELIABLE: More reliable, less latent than WhatsApp.
4. PRIVATE:  Secured messaging. Text messages on the other hand, are readable by anyone… as witnessed by “Texts from Last Night”
5. INTERNATIONAL: Works internationally over the Internet, avoiding cross-network texting complications.
6. GROUPS: Enables group messaging – Verizon doesn’t allow txt msging with groups.
7. HISTORY:  Provides past message history for new members joining a group.
8. FALLBACK TO SMS: Falls back to SMS text messaging if the transmission with the app fails
9. CROSS PLATFORM:  Runs on iOS, Android, Windows Phone, Blackberry
   (Windows Phone app: http://www.windowsphone.com/s?appid=4116f88c-ad1b-464a-b12d-c5f52b2e16e2)
10. DESKTOP:  Desktop browser users can communicate on the GroupMe network via a web browser. (https://web.groupme.com/groups)

And it’s a Microsoft technology… so sign up & get the app here!

• DOWNLOAD: “GroupMe” – Group Messaging Client (FREE!)
  http://groupme.com/a