Kurt Shintaku's Blog

This half-day event is the best way to get an early look at Microsoft Lync Server 2010: the next generation of Microsoft Office Communications Server 2007 R2. Lync Server 2010 offers:

• A single interface uniting voice communications, presence, instant messaging, and audio/video/web conferencing.
• A familiar user experience accessible through MS Office, SharePoint, and Exchange.
• A single identity connecting users to contacts inside and outside of the organization.
• A consistent experience across PC, phone, web, or mobile devices.
• Exceptional security and reliability.
• Interoperability with existing systems for smoother deployment and migration.
• A rich platform for development, bringing unified communications into custom solutions ranging from business workflows to line-of-business applications.

Now the streamlined communications performance you’ve come to rely on with Microsoft Office Communicator 2007 R2 and Microsoft Office Communications Server 2007 R2 has just gotten better. Improve collaboration, facilitate easier management, and lower the cost of ownership of your communications systems.

Please note that we can only guarantee your seat for a limited time, so please RSVP early.  We look forward to having you participate in this exciting training event!

REGISTRATION
Please contact me for registration, time, date, and location information if you are a customer of mine.

We have a free half-day TechNet training coming into town covering upgrading from Exchange 2003 / 2007 to Exchange 2010 in Los Angeles (Oct. 20) or Irvine (Oct. 21).

This event will start with an overview of Exchange Server 2010 to set the foundation.  From there we will move to planning considerations followed by key tasks for getting from Exchange Server 2003 or 2007 to Exchange Server 2010.  We will conclude with information on what is coming out with Service Pack 1.  Throughout the session, we will be demoing the tools available as well as walking through an actual upgrade process from Exchange Server 2007 to Exchange Server 2010.

We will cover the following items:

• Overview of Exchange Server 2010 features
• Differences between Exchange Server 2003 / 2007 and Exchange Server 2010
• Pre-requisites for existing Exchange 2003 / 2007 environments
• Awesome Free tools
• Certificates and why you should care
• The upgrade process
• Purpose of Database Availability Groups

REGISTRATION
Please contact me for registration information if you are a customer of mine.

Microsoft Exchange Server 2010, the cornerstone of Microsoft’s Unified Communications solution, enables you to achieve new levels of reliability and performance by delivering features that simplify your administration, help protect your communications, and delight your users by meeting their demands for greater mobility with anywhere access to communications.

Our experts will help you explore and learn about all the new features and functionality of Exchange 2010.

Sample Webcasts:

• The MOF Reliability Workbook for Exchange 2010 Client Access and Transport (Level 200)
• Using a Microsoft Information Protection Solution with RSA Data Loss Prevention (Level 300)
• Technical Introduction to System Center Data Protection Manager 2010 (Level 200)
• How Microsoft IT Deployed Exchange 2010 on Premises (Level 300)
• Microsoft Exchange Server 2010 Storage Architecture (Level 300)
• Deploying and Managing Microsoft Exchange Server 2010 Transport Servers (Level 200)
• Calendar Sharing and Federation in Microsoft Exchange Server 2010 (Level 300)
• Microsoft Exchange Server 2010 Unified Messaging (Level 300)
• Microsoft Exchange Server 2010 Management and Operations (Level 200)
• ICE: The Secret of Edge Media Connectivity in Communications Server 2007 R2 (Level 300)
• Discover the New OWA: Outlook Web App (Level 200)
• Monitoring, Backing Up, and Restoring Exchange Server 2010 with System Center (Level 300)
• Microsoft Office Communications Server 2007 R2 Audio Conferencing Deep Dive (Level 300)
• Microsoft Exchange Server 2010 High Availability (Level 300)
• Unified Communications Development for Non-Professional Developers (Level 300)
• Getting the Most Out of Exchange Server 2010: Performance and Scalability (Level 300)
• Voice Architecture and Planning for Communications Server 2007 R2 (Level 300)
• Information Protection and Control in Microsoft Exchange Server 2010 (Level 300)
• Voice Administration and Monitoring for Communications Server 2007 R2 (Level 300)
• Exchange Server 2010 Upgrade and Coexistence with Exchange Server 2007 and 2003 (Level 200)
• Addressing E-Mail Archiving and Retention with Exchange Server 2010 (Level 300)
• …

There are 35 webcast recordings available on demand for Exchange Server 2010 & Office Communications Server 2007 R2.

LINK:  Exchange Server in Depth: Master Concepts and Optimize Your Server Environment 
http://www.microsoft.com/events/series/tnexchangeserver.aspx?tab=webcasts&id=43235

This has been well-known for a while but for those of you who haven’t tried it, NFL Sunday Night Football is available in high definition 1080p streams using Microsoft Silverlight.

Watch HD 1080p stream LIVE (dynamically adjusts resolution based on your bandwidth in real-time), switch between 5 different camera views instantly, watch two views PiP, view real-time stats of teams/players, fwd/rew/slomo/freeze the broadcast, and more!

• WEB:  NFL Sunday Night Football
  http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/26393211/
  (or http://tinyurl.com/SLNFL)
• DIRECT LINK:  Sunday Night Football Silverlight Player
  http://snfextraplayer.nbcsports.com/Player.html

Here’s a quick list of the fantastic interactive features available in the new Silverlight NFL player:

1. PiP CAMERA ANGLES ON-DEMAND: Be sure to check out the Picture-in-Picture functionality we built in there, giving you the ability to switch between 1 of 5 camera angles LIVE during the game in either the small picture window or the main video frame.
2. DYNAMICALLY ADJUSTING VIDEO QUALITY: Notice that the video quality automatically & seamlessly changes depending on your available bandwidth from 300kbps (480i) to 2.1Mb (1080p). Hover over the bandwidth icon in the lower right hand corner to see your current bandwidth.
3. STATS & COMMENTARY ON-DEMAND: During the game & commercial breaks, you hace access to game stats and play-by-play information from top NBC commentators. Click on the "Reveal" button in the bottom left corner to see social networking discussions and game stats live.
4. CLICKABLE ADS & FULL SCREEN EXPANSION: Expand the entire windows to the size of your display… and click on the screen during ads throughout the game to jump to the advertiser’s web site for "special deals".
5. REWIND/FAST FWD/15 SEC JUMP: View the broadcast llke you were using your DVR! Rewind 15 seconds to review the last play or rewind/ffwd through the live broadcast just as if it was being recorded live, all without lame "Buffering…10%" messages. (Courtesy of patented Microsoft Windows Media 9 streaming)
6. MULTIPLATFORM: The Silverlight broadcasting experience is portable, making it possible to broadcast the stream to Windows PCs, Macs, and Windows Phone 7 devices. That’s right: A rich interactive NFL experience scaled down to your phone. Awesome.
7. HIGHLIGHTS & EXTRAS: Missed the pregame or the first part of the game? View the ‘good parts’ with a simple click of the scenes listed in front of you. Replay the pregame commentary.
8. SHARE-A-PLAY: Wicked hit? Awesome pass? Disgusting north-south run? Hit the Share button and instantly share the play with others over Facebook, Twitter, email, and any number of 12 different social networking facilities.
9. PAUSE & SLO-MO: Totally forgot about this. Need to hit the head? Wanna see if the catch was REALLY inbounds? Was the pass made over the line of scrimmage? Rewind the play and slow it down in HIGH DEF and see it for yourself if the refs don’t review it.

But don’t just take my word for it.  Take a look at what the edito fo Macworld said about the Silverlight experience of watching the NFL on NBC… on a Mac!

• NEWS:  Macworld editor says Silverlight is much better than Flash for video
  http://www.timacheson.com/Blog/2009/sep/
  macworld_editor_says_silverlight_is_better_than_flash_for_video

——————–

SIDENOTE:  Be sure to check out the first 30-40 min of every NFL "Sunday Night Football" broadcast – specifically the "star cam" & the "cable cam" views.  It’s view-worthy for no other reason than since the game’s not yet started, there’s really nothing much for the cameras to focus on other than the fans-in-the-stands & the cheerleaders and frankly that makes for some great entertainment in it of itself.

I apologize for disappearing off the face of the earth.  I’m currently in Las Vegas prepping for the BAI Retail Delivery (Banking Administration Institute) Conference at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center. 

This is the nation’s largest retail banking conference and is attended by many of our partners as well as our largest financial services customers.  If you’re a customer of mine reading this… yes, there’s an 80% chance your company is represented here by someone on the retail side of the house.  I will be in the expo along with the rest of the Microsoft Financial Services industry team.

So, if you’re passing by Las Vegas… and you’re interested in talking about innovations in technology use within the financial services industry, come on by Booth #335!  Or if you’re just in the area, ping me, and we’ll hit “Red Square” at Mandalay for a snack!

Incidentally, here are Microsoft’s partners at BAI Retail Delivery this year:

• ARGO – Booth #718
  ARGO is a recognized innovator providing technology-based solutions to major banks, regional banks, credit unions credit aggregators as well as credit originators and processors.  ARGO’s solutions integrate multiple distribution channels including Branch, Contact Center, Internet, and Loan Processing Centers, plus support product line integration for financial products including Deposits, Credit, Investments, and Insurance.
  www.argodata.com
• Cognizant – Booth #304
  Cognizant’s Banking & Financial Services (BFS) practice offers industry-leading
  expertise in developing, implementing, and optimizing IT applications and infrastructure, as well as business process outsourcing. As Cognizant’s largest industry practice, BFS serves nine of the top 15 FIs in NA, four of the top fve in the UK, and many leading firms in CE and APAC. 
  www.cognizant.com
• Fiserv – Booth #727, mR5
  The EnAct solution from Fiserv is powered by Microsoft Dynamics CRM and is
  designed exclusively for financial services institutions. The EnAct solution boasts rich banking sales management capabilities for all business lines and management levels, and it leverages a powerful and highly intuitive platform, Microsoft Dynamics CRM. 
  www.fiserv.com  
• Harland Financial Solutions – Booth #1302
  Harland Financial Solutions supplies software and services to thousands of financial institutions of all sizes. The company is a leader in core systems, item and payment processing, enterprise content management, branch automation, customer relationship management, business intelligence, lending solutions, risk management, compliance training, financial accounting, mortgage, and electronic banking solutions.
  www.harlandfinancialsolutions.com  
• Jack Henry & Associates – Booth #1209 ProfitStars (A Jack Henry company)
  Jack Henry & Associates, Inc. (Nasdaq: JKHY) is a leading provider of computer systems and ATM/debit card/ACH transaction processing services that serves more than 11,200 fnancial services organizations nationwide through four primary brands.  ProfitStars® provides solutions to mitigate and control risks, optimize revenue and growth opportunities, and contain costs.
  www.jackhenry.com

As expected, we published the launch catalog of devices available from the carriers and OEMs running Windows Phone 7.  Here’s a glimpse of what they’re showing:

• AT&T Samsung Focus
• AT&T LG Quantum
• AT&T HTC Surround
• T-Mobile HTC HD7
• Dell Venue Pro 
  (Ooh.  Vertical slide out keyboard!)

LINK:  Windows Phone 7 Launch Device Catalog
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsphone/en-us/buy/7/phones.aspx

I really love these two ads.  Nothing’s funnier than the truth.

The first is designed to capture your imagination with a single shot view of everyone… well… you’ll see.  The second is more short-attention span theatre for folks that need things changing every 5 seconds.  And both ads do a very good job IMHO.

Our Windows Phone 7 launch will be video broadcasted via stream starting at 6:30AM PST!

• VIDEO: Microsoft and AT&T to Hold Windows Phone 7 Press Conference
  http://bit.ly/cQLh7P

(…6:30AM PST!  Rise and shine fellow west coast geeks!)

Now, in case you miss it or prefer to read about it play-by-play, here’s some liveblogs going on of the event starting at 6:30AM:

• Seattle Post Intelligencer – a.k.a. Journalist Nick Eaton’s Microsoft beat blog
  http://blog.seattlepi.com/microsoft/
• Engadget – a.k.a. Joshua Topolsky & the Engadget team, the masters of the Live Blog
  http://www.engadget.com/2010/10/10/microsofts-windows-phone-7-launch-event-is-tomorrow-at-9-30am-e
• CNET – a.k.a. Beyond Binary’s Ina Fried, the Microsoft beat writer.
  http://news.cnet.com/8301-13860_3-20019051-56.html?tag=topTechContentWrap;editorPicks
• Windows Phone Central – a.k.a. Malatesta & Nickinson of the very long lived WMExperts Podcast
  http://www.wpcentral.com/windows-phone-7-launch-liveblog-9-30-a-m-edt-6-30-a-m-pdt
• Ars Technica – a.k.a. The “One Microsoft Way” blog
  http://arstechnica.com/microsoft/news/2010/10/liveblog-windows-7-phone-launch-in-london-and-nyc.ars
• Technologizer – a.k.a. Well-known industry pundit, Harry McCracken
  http://technologizer.com/2010/10/08/join-me-for-live-coverage-of-the-windows-phone-7-launch/
• Windows Observer – a.k.a. Master Chief Petty Officer Richard Hay, 27 year Navy Veteran & all-around ubergeek
  http://www.windowsobserver.com/2010/10/10/windows-phone-7-press-conference-and-launch-event-live-blog/
• intoMobile – a.k.a. The all-platforms blog
  http://www.intomobile.com/2010/02/15/live-blog-microsofts-windows-phone-7-press-conference/

Yup.  It’s a little early but the portal on Microsoft.com for Windows Phone 7 is up and running.

Why do you care?  Well, because if you are at all interested in Windows Phone 7, not only do they go over what’s great about the phone on this site, you can also BUY software for your device, learn how to use the device, and even FIND YOUR LOST PHONE from the portal by signing in with the Windows Live ID tied to the device you lost.

Cool.

Instead of covering all it’s aspects, I’m just gonna post the link as well as Neowin.net’s coverage of the portal since they did a pretty darned good job.

• LINK: Windows Phone 7 Portal
  http://www.microsoft.com/windowsphone/en-us/default.aspx
• LINK:  NEOWIN’s Review of the Windows Phone 7 portal
  http://www.neowin.net/news/windows-phone-7-portal-goes-live-early

New podcast folks as announced by the folks at the Windows Phone Blog!

Windows Phone Radio… the podcast, just broke ground a couple days ago.  There are two episodes posted so far, available for subscription via Zune Marketplace or RSS.  The description of the series is as follows:

“Windows Phone Radio is the place for the latest news and information from the Windows Phone team at Microsoft. Your hosts Brian Seitz (@brianseitz) and Matt Akers (@skipdeez) will track the people behind the news and broadcast on location from around Microsoft campus and industry events.”

Subscribe to it now via Zune or RSS… and follow along on the Windows Phone blog!

• BLOG:  Windows Phone Blog
  http://windowsteamblog.com/Windows_Phone/b/windowsphone/
• SUBSCRIBE WITH RSS:  Windows Phone Radio
  http://wpradio.podcast.windowsphone7.com/rss
• SUBSCRIBE WITH ZUNE: 
  http://social.zune.net/External/LaunchZuneProtocol.aspx?pathuri=navigate%3FpodcastID%3D576d7f83-2b2e-4afe-8e89-a20e3746d8c1