Kurt Shintaku's Blog

YAY!  The Microsoft Desktop Optimization Pack 2011 R2’s out and available to download!

[as taken from the Windows Blog]

A couple of weeks ago at the Microsoft Worldwide Partner Conference, we announced that the Microsoft Desktop Optimization Pack (MDOP) 2011 R2 would be released in August. Today, I am excited to tell you that MDOP 2011 R2 is now available for download from the Microsoft Volume Licensing site. Customers who do not have access to the Volume Licensing site have the option to download it from TechNet or MSDN and Windows Intune customers have access to MDOP as an addition to their subscription.

The Microsoft Desktop Optimization Pack (MDOP) is a suite of technologies that helps improve compatibility and management, reduce support costs, increase asset management and improve policy control. MDOP technologies give customers’ better control of the desktop, accelerate and simplify application deployments and management, and enable IT to provide highly responsive service. This can significantly reduce the total cost of ownership of the operating system and entire application management lifecycle.

With MDOP 2011 R2, we have added Microsoft BitLocker Administration and Monitoring (MBAM), Microsoft Diagnostics and Recovery Toolkit (DaRT) 7.0, and Microsoft Asset Inventory Service (AIS) 2.0. This release builds upon the foundation of MDOP 2011, which was released in March and included Microsoft Application Virtualization (App-V) 4.6 SP1, Microsoft Enterprise Desktop Virtualization (MED-V) 2.0, Advanced Group Policy Management (AGPM) 4.0, AIS 1.5, DaRT 6.5, and Microsoft Desktop Error Monitoring (DEM) 3.5.

As a quick refresher, here are the details on the new products available with MDOP 2011 R2:

Microsoft BitLocker Administration and Monitoring (MBAM) will simplify deployment and key recovery, centralize provisioning, monitoring, and reporting of encryption status for fixed and removable drives, and also minimize support costs. Key features include:

• Streamline BitLocker Provisioning: IT professionals can simplify BitLocker provisioning as part of their Windows 7 deployment or they can have the user enable it after their deployment.
• Generate out of box reports: Users can easily generate compliance reports with out of box reporting.
• Retrieve recovery keys: IT professionals can quickly and easily retrieve recovery keys via a webpage specifically designed for helpdesk use.
• Protect recovery keys: By storing recovery keys in an encrypted database you can be sure that they are protected.

Microsoft Diagnostic and Recovery Toolkit (DaRT) 7.0 is a set of tools that helps easily recover unusable PCs, rapidly diagnose problem causes of issues, and quickly repair unbootable or locked-out systems. Key updates include:

• Remote diagnostics and recovery: Software based remoting means that helpdesk staff can securely diagnose and recover PCs with DaRT without ever visiting the user’s PC or having to reimage the PC.
• Flexible deployment option: You will have the option to choose the right deployment option, or combination of options, to their individual needs. DaRT can deploy via PXE, USB, CD, DVD, or to the local recovery partition.
• Increased customization: IT professionals have the ability to create DaRT images that restrict end-user access to tools while making these same tools available to Helpdesk and IT staff.

Microsoft Asset Inventory Service (AIS) 2.0 is a cloud based asset management service that can help make good inventory management decisions and has some of the most requested features customers asked for:

• Updated/localized UI and improved software reporting: Offers users improved inventory capabilities, with include a more intuitive user interface and reports that are easier to read.
• Increased scalability and language support: Updates will allow for 100,000 clients to be supported per account and will also now be available in 11 different languages.
• Comprehensive view of software installation: Customers get a complete view of the software installed on enterprise PCs, manage software and hardware assets, and forecast future needs. The service also analyzes how Microsoft Volume License agreements are deployed to help more easily manage true-ups, renewals, and license reallocation.

To learn more about MDOP, visit the Microsoft MDOP TechCenter site at:
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/bb899442

To download the software, use the appropriate location:

• Enterprise Volume Licensing Site
  https://www.microsoft.com/licensing/servicecenter/
• MSDN Subscription Downloads
  http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/subscriptions/downloads/default.aspx?PV=42:178
• Technet Subscription Downloads
  http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/subscriptions/downloads/default.aspx?PV=42:178

This is funny.

Some guy wrote a tool on XDA-Developers that essentially redirects the display out to a JPEG file every second and displays it in a Win32-window on your desktop.

Then some other guy went and optimized the code so that it worked at basically a 4-7fps clip. 

He also wrote some extensions so that the program worked wirelessly between the device (over WiFi) and your desktop computer to provide something akin to a display redirector.

Then he ranted about how bad the original code was.  LMAO!

• Here’s the forum post:
  http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1134698
• Here’s the link to the downloadable beta:
  http://forum.xda-developers.com/attachment.php?s=f30c7afb8145f8d722a741e41c9544d1&attachmentid=633229&d=1308753539
• Here’s the rant:
  http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=14916356&postcount=75

And it’s official:

Kinect Confirmed As Fastest-Selling Consumer Electronics Device

New Kinect Device sells quicker than the iPhone and iPad

Guinness World Records, the global authority on record breaking, today confirm that the Kinect for the Xbox 360 is the Fastest-Selling Consumer Electronics Device. The hardware, that allows controller-free gaming, sold through an average of 133,333 units per day, for a total of 8 million units in its first 60 days on sale from 4 November 2010 to 3 January 2011.

The sales figures outstrip both the iPhone and the iPad for the equivalent periods after launch.

…

READ MORE AT:
http://community.guinnessworldrecords.com/_Kinect-Confirmed-As-Fastest-Selling-Consumer-Electronics-Device/blog/3376939/7691.html

Here’s a list of accessories that I have bought for my Samsung Series 9 to augment it’s capabilities for the better.

USB Flash Drive Reader

• elago Mobile Nano II USB 2.0 microSDHC Flash Memory Card Reader ($9)
  http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002HGFKR8
  (This is an easy way to have a 32GB MicroSD flash drive plugged in all the time)

32GB MicroSD Flash Card

• Lexar 32GB MicroSD Class 10 ($88)
  http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004AM610M
  (You can get cheaper but you don’t want you flash memory to fail.  And you need FAST flash memory – not slow stuff.  Lexar is a very reputable company with very high quality, FAST flash.)

AC Power Adapter

• HQRP AC Adapter Charger Power Supply Cord compatible with Samsung Series 9 ($29)
  http://www.amazon.com/HQRP-compatible-NP900X1A-A01US-NP900X3A-A02US-NP900X3A-A03US/dp/B005AUFNVG/
• AC Adapter Charger Power Cord for Samsung Series 9 Laptop ($19)
  http://cgi.ebay.com/AC-Adapter-Charger-Power-Cord-4-Samsung-Series-9-Laptop-/110716594270?pt=Laptop_Adapters_Chargers&hash=item19c739285e  
  (You need to have more than one power adapter.  I bought two extras for home and work to leave permanently)

USB Network Adapter

• AirLink101 AWLL5088 Wireless N 150 Ultra Mini USB Adapter ($17)
  http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003X26PMO
  (The weak wireless Ethernet signal is due to a poor antenna in the Samsung Series 9.  If you install a simple $17 Airlink Wireless Ethernet dongle you’ll find you get 5-bars in signal.  Keep it just in case.)

Gigabit Ethernet Dongle

• Samsung Series 9 LAN Dongle
  http://www.costcentral.com/proddetail/
  Samsung_SERIES_9_LAN_DONGLE/AAAE0NAMBUS/11330810/
  (I bought 2 extras of these so that I had one permanently connected at home, one at work, and one that I carried around in my bag.  Why do I need to use Ethernet cabling?  Because I transfer content as very high speeds – faster than what Wireless provides.)

Wireless Ethernet Adapter + Bluetooth

• Intel Centrino Advanced-N 6230
  http://www.provantage.com/intel-62230an-hmwwb~4ITE90Q5.htm
  (Why am I buying a new Bluetooth/Wireless Ethernet adapter?  Because the reliability is better on the Intel and it provides WiDi.)

USB VGA Display Adapter

• Plugable USB-VGA-165 USB to VGA Adapter ($45)
  http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004D0QC0A
  (I selected the “Plugable” (sic) brand because of the consistently good reviews I’ve seen about their products. You can also install multiple Plugable adapters on a single computer to get up to 6 additional displays)

This is just wicked cool.

Robin Richards produced a ‘subway map’ of many of Microsoft’s acquisitions & investments.  A tight snapshot of the map is pictured to the right and as you can see… it’s HUGE.

It includes such famous acquisitions & investments as:

• Bungie
• Jellyfish
• Apple
• Facebook
• etc.

The entire map is downloadable as an Acrobat .PDF file so you can print it out in full fidelity.  Check it out at Robin’s site:

• DOWNLOAD:  Microsoft Acquisitions & Investments @ Ripetungi
  http://ripetungi.com/microsoft-acquisitions-and-investments/ 

[again, horribly stolen from BUILD 2011.09.13-16 Anaheim, CA]

BUILD is the event that shows you how to take advantage of the future of Windows. Get insight on creating touch-centric user experiences, fast, fluid, and dynamic applications that leverage the power and flexibility of the core of Windows, used by more than a billion people around the world.

Learn how to create powerful new apps while retaining the ability to use your existing apps. See how web-connected and web-powered apps built using HTML5 and JavaScript have full access to the power of the PC.

Explore how the full power of hardware-accelerated Internet Explorer 10 transforms your experiences with the web. See how the UI was designed to work seamlessly with a diversity of devices and form factors. BUILD is the first place to dive deep into the future of Windows.

If you are a contemporary developer, who thrives on the newest and coolest, who loves the freedom of the web and the power of all devices from mobile to desktop, you need to join us to help BUILD the future. Our approach means no compromises—you get to use whatever kind of device you prefer to run the apps you love.

Register by August 1^st and save $500.

In 1995, Windows changed the PC. BUILD will show you that Windows 8 changes everything.

[as taken from http://blogs.msdn.com/b/dachou/archive/2011/07/26/free-html5-training-august-19-2011-los-angeles.aspx]

As developers, you keep hearing a lot about HTML5, but many don’t know what it actually means or is truly capable of. If you want to learn about it, your choices are limited; you can either pick up a book or attend an expensive conference that often only scratches the surface. The HTML5 Web Camp is an opportunity to connect with designers and developers and show you what’s possible, and how you can start using it today. HTML5 WebCamp is a completely free event, and will start with demos and presentations, and will end with hands on lab sessions, that will allow you to walk through materials and get your questions answered! Space is limited.

Date: August 19, 2011; 8:30am – 5:30am

REGISTER HERE

Here is a list of topic will be covered at the Los Angeles WebCamp:

• Introduction to HTML 5 and IE9
• Introduction to CSS3
• Overview of HTML5 Graphics with Canvas & SVG
• Adding Video, and Sound with HTML5
• Practical HTML5: Using It Today
• Hands on Labs

Don’t get too excited now…  If you don’t have a Visual Studio development environment with the Kinect SDK loaded, you’re not gonna go anywhere with this being that it’s uncompiled source code.

That being said:  If you know how to compile this… SWEET.  Change slides with only your hand & arm motions.

• DOWNLOAD:  Kinect Powerpoint
  http://kinectpowerpoint.codeplex.com/ 
• VIDEO:  Your Nightmares Have Arrived: Kinect-Driven Powerpoint
  http://techcrunch.com/2011/05/27/your-nightmares-have-arrived-kinect-driven-powerpoint/

Most customers are infected with malware through deceptive HTML email links & browsing infected web pages.  All of these links rout through the desktop’s web browser.

FACTS:

• Internet Explorer 8 & 9 block 90-100% of known web malware.
• Safari, Chrome, and FireFox: just 13%.

Most web-borne outbreaks could have been stopped by simply having the right browser deployed.  Antivirus software isn’t strong or fast enough.  If your company wants to be secure, they need to deploy Internet Explorer 9.

• Internet Explorer 9 utterly dominates malware-blocking stats
  http://arstechnica.com/microsoft/news/2011/07/internet-explorer-9-utterly-dominates-malware-blocking-stats.ars

Looking to get your company off of Windows XP?

Use this not-so-subtle, handy gadget for your desktop to count down the number of days until Windows XP End of Support (EOS) in 2014.

• DOWNLOAD: Windows XP End Of Support Countdown Gadget
  http://www.microsoft.com/download/en/details.aspx?id=11662