Kurt Shintaku's Blog

There is a memory leak that results from using Windows Media Player 11 on high definition audio devices having to do with the Lsm.exe process.

As you fast forward through your Windows Media Player library, or have a playlist set to repeat, you may lose a large amount of handles in a short amount of time. This can lead to performance degradation and in some cases, "out of memory" error messages and other unexpected behavior. If you review the Task Manager you may notice that Lsm.exe is consuming a large amount of memory.

This issue only occurs if the following statements are true:

• Your computer utilizes a High Definition Audio Device
• You are running Windows Vista, or Windows Vista 64-bit.
• You are using Windows Media Player 11 to play back audio files.

There is a hotfix available from Microsoft to resolve this issue (http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx/kb/933245) however Kristan Kenney describes a scenario where the hotfix may still not work so you might want to check out his blog for more information.

Kristan Kenney’s Blog on Windows-Now: 
http://www.windows-now.com/blogs/kmkenney/archive/2007/05/21/workaround-for-lsm-exe-handle-and-memory-leak.aspx

So I’m a little late posting this announcement about the release of WMDC 6.1 and many people have cut-and-pasted the description information on the download so there’s not much point in doing the same thing here.

DOWNLOAD:  (12.1MB)
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=46f72df1-e46a-4a5f-a791-09f07aaa1914&DisplayLang=en

Here’s a few observations as someone that actually has in fact downloaded it, and is using it right now:

1) NO VALIDATION NECESSARY
Surprisingly, no Windows validation is necessary for this thing.  It just allows you to download it without any sort of verification, which I suppose makes sense considering it’s technically a driver model and a service handler for Windows Mobile-based devices.

2) WORKS WITH WINDOWS MOBILE 6.0
There had been some issues getting the original WMDC 6.0 for Windows Vista to work with Windows Mobile 6.0 devices. This appears to work flawlessly.

3) UPGRADE IN PLACE
Disconnect your device and just run the install.  It’ll stop the Sync service currently running and upgrade all the WMDC components.  You’ll see the "swirlly" disappear from the System tray however the next time you plug your device it, it’ll take another pass at installing drivers for your mobile device, then start WMDC running again. 

It’ll ask you if you want to register for notifications of free software and stuff.  It’s worth it.  We make deals with certain developers to provide free copies of their stuff to our customers usually as a marketing technique to get their names out there.  Give it a shot.

Domino users… check this out:

Transporter Suite configures Directory and Free/Busy interoperability between Lotus Domino 6 or 7 and Exchange Server 2007 and Windows Server 2003 Active Directory and migration of users, mail and applications from Lotus Domino 5, 6 or 7 to Active Directory, Exchange Server 2007, and Windows SharePoint Services 3.0.

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?familyid=35fc4205-792b-4306-8e4b-0de9cce72172&displaylang=en&tm

ZuneIt is a free YouTube/GoogleVideo video downloader plugin for Internet Explorer 6.0/7.0. 

While you’re visiting a YouTube video, a single click can automatically download the video stream and convert it to Windows Media Video format for your own personal archival.  It’s available from:  http://sourceforge.net/project/showfiles.php?group_id=185239

Note however that YouTube recently changed the formats of its pages and has broken ZuneIt so you’ll want to wait until this Monday (June 11th) for a revised version that supports the new page.  The issue was identified yesterday by Keertiss, ZuneIt’s author on SourceForge:
http://sourceforge.net/forum/forum.php?thread_id=1750269&forum_id=647080

So, we locked up Soapbox to just registered users for a period of a couple months while AudibleMagic scoured through the content to eliminate copryrighted material.  (And yes, I had a couple items in my stash that were copyrighted unbeknownst to me.  The experience is interesting… it basically removes the content and leaves a blackbox placeholder in Soapbox that reads, "Copyright Violation")

In any case, the big news is that we signed deals with NBC & Fox to broadcast their content on Soapbox.

Think about that for a second:  NBC & Fox are going to be using Soapbox as the backend for their video broadcasts.  For two large media companies to suddenly broadcast their content on another system… there must be a pretty compelling reason to do so.

Can you say… Silverlight?  <grin>  Of course, I’m guessing.  But c’mon.  Y’know it’s gotta be coming.

Retrieving the stylus of a pen-based device takes time and requires a second hand. Especially for short, intermittent interactions many users therefore choose to use their bare fingers instead. Although convenient, this increases targeting times and error rates.

We argue that the main reason is the occlusion of the target by the user’s finger. We propose a pointing technique we call Shift that is designed to address this issue.

When the user touches the screen, Shift creates a callout showing a copy of the occluded screen area and places it in a non-occluded location. The callout also shows a pointer representing the hotspot of the finger.

Using this visual feedback, users guide the pointer into the target by moving their finger on the screen surface and commit the target acquisition by lifting the finger. Over large targets, in contrast, no callout is created and users enjoy the full performance of an unaltered touch screen.

In our user study, participants acquired targets faster when using Shift than when using the traditional offset cursor technique.

MICROSOFT RESEARCH PAGE:
http://research.microsoft.com/~baudisch/projects/shift/

http://images.soapbox.msn.com/flash/soapbox1_1.swf
Video: Shift – a new UI for Windows Mobile

David DeJean reports at InformationWeek that the issues with Adobe Reader & Acrobat have been resolved with Adobe’s recent release of Adobe Reader & Acrobat 8.1.

Adobe got caught in a time trap on Vista. It shipped Acrobat 8 Professional, Acrobat 8 Standard, and Adobe Reader 8 in November, as close to Vista compatible as it could get from working with the operating system beta code, but by the time Vista finally shipped in January, I suspect some of the cargo had shifted, and Adobe’s products weren’t as compatible as the company — or I and many others — would have liked.

The new releases are pronounced to be fully compatible not only with Vista, but with Microsoft Office 2007 as well — which means they integrate with the new ribbon UI.

http://www.informationweek.com/blog/main/archives/2007/06/adobe_updates_a.html

More details are available at Lori Defurio’s Adobe blog at:
http://blogs.adobe.com/loridefurio/2007/06/announcement_ac_2.html

Do you have kids?

Microsoft Math 3.0 is a set of mathematical tools that can help you get your work done quickly and easily. The primary tool in Microsoft Math is a full-featured scientific calculator with extensive graphing and equation-solving capabilities.

You can use it just like a handheld calculator by clicking buttons, or you can use your keyboard to type mathematical expressions. Microsoft Math now supports ink input for Tablet PC users and optimizations for Ultra-Mobile PC users.

Additional math tools help you evaluate triangles or convert values from one unit of measurement to another.

All for the low cost of $19.95!  Downloadable now!

http://www.microsoft.com/math/ProductDetails.aspx?pid=001&active_tab=Features

Today we announced the name for the next release of SQL Server™: Microsoft SQL Server 2008, formerly code-named SQL Server “Katmai,” and the delivery of the first SQL Server 2008 Community Technology Preview (CTP), now available for customer download at

DOWNLOAD:  http://www.microsoft.com/sql/prodinfo/futureversion/default.mspx

Description:
With the SQL Server “Katmai” June CTP release, customers can immediately utilize new capabilities that support their mission-critical platform and enable pervasive insight across the enterprise. June CTP lays the groundwork for innovative policy-based management that enables administrators to reduce their time spent on maintenance tasks. June CTP provides enhancements in the SQL Server BI platform by enabling customers to provide up-to- date information with Change Data Capture and MERGE features, And develop highly scalable analysis services cubes with new development environments.

Mission-critical platform
Declarative Management Framework (DMF)
Declarative Management is a new policy-based management framework for the SQL Server Database Engine that delivers the following benefits:

• Ensure compliance with policies for system configuration
• Prevent/monitor changes to the system by authoring policies for the desired configuration
• Reduce total cost of ownership by simplifying administration tasks

Pervasive Insight
Change Data Capture (CDC)

• Change Data Capture (CDC) is a generic component that will track database changes asynchronously and expose the changes through a relational interface which can be consumed easily.
• Through this interface, consumers can very easily track changes based on their specific requirements and consume the change data  using T-SQL or other data access methods.

MERGE SQL Statement

• Common data warehouse scenarios require developers to either insert information or update information. SQL Server 2008 will provide new statements within the SQL language to enable developers to provide this functionality with a single statement.

VSTA Support for the Script Task and Component

• Auto migration – Existing script components in SQL Server 2005 will automatically invoke the new VSTA environment, which makes the migration of old script components seamless.
• C# support – With this improvement, SSIS package developers will be able to code in C#, along with existing Visual Basic .NET
• Debugging – Standard VS debugging features are also fully enabled in this new environment.

Star Join Query Optimizations

• For improved query performance for common data warehouse scenarios, Star Join Query optimizations reduce query response time by recognizing data warehouse join patterns.

AS Dimension Design: Improved Supportability and Integration of Best Practices

• Enhance UI for creating and editing dimensions to guide users toward designs that follow best practices.
• These include: Finish Attribute Relationship Designer, Dimension structure (presentation of attribute relationships), modification to wizards to align output with best practices, simplifying creation of composite keys, and AMO warnings (spanning all objects, not just dimensions)

Developer Productivity
Table Value Parameters

• In many customer scenarios, it is necessary to pass a set of table structured values (rows) to a stored procedure/function on the server. These values may be used for populating/updating a table directly or for more complex manipulation of data for business logic purpose. Table valued parameter will provide an easier way to define a table type as well as allow applications to create, populate and pass table structured parameters to stored procedures and functions.

Training:
TechNet Webcast: The Next Release of Microsoft SQL Server: Overview (Level 200)
Monday, June 4, 2007
12:00 P.M. – 1:15 P.M. Pacific Time

• http://www.microsoft.com/events/EventDetails.aspx?CMTYSvcSource=MSCOMMedia&Params=%7eCMTYDataSvcParams%5e%7earg+Name%3d%22ID%22+Value%3d%221032341071%22%2f%5e%7earg+Name%3d%22ProviderID%22+Value%3d%22A6B43178-497C-4225-BA42-DF595171F04C%22%2f%5e%7earg+Name%3d%22lang%22+Value%3d%22en%22%2f%5e%7earg+Name%3d%22cr%22+Value%3d%22US%22%2f%5e%7esParams%5e%7e%2fsParams%5e%7e%2fCMTYDataSvcParams%5e

We proudly announced the launch of "Microsoft Surface" a table appliance that enables computer interaction not just using a multitouch interface… but more importantly, through the manipulation of physical objects representing virtual objects projected upon a flat surface using only one’s hands and little else.  Based on the placement of small objects like sheets of paper, glass tiles, and other physical objects like cellphones or pencils, a projector/monitor displays the image of computer-generated virtual objects over a a table like surface by recognizing shapes and object identities.

Visit the Surface web site at http://www.microsoft.com/surface/ or read the MSNBC coverage at http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/18928656 for more details. 

http://images.soapbox.msn.com/flash/soapbox1_1.swf
Video: Power of Microsoft Surface

TACTILE OBJECT RECOGNITION
If anyone asks you, Microsoft Surface’s ability to allow any user to work with actual physical objects on a Surface ‘table’, like a cellphone or a CDROM or a sheet of paper and have them interact with the computer is what makes ‘Surface’ different from other like-interfaces.  Windows recognizes the object and displays information about it on screen appropriately.  The technology is based on something we called PlayAnywhere that was developed by Microsoft Research.  With "mutlitouch displays"  being all the rage, it’s important to highlight that this is a completely new & different dimension to working with computers. 

http://images.soapbox.msn.com/flash/soapbox1_1.swf
Video: Magic of Microsoft Surface

AFFORDABLE
And equally important:  This is affordable technology.  It’s not so expensive that it can’t be monetized and purchased by business that want to use it as a differentiator to their customer base.  Don’t be surprised if you see a lot of Surface-based interfaces available in Hollywood & Las Vegas Ultralounges for example.

INNOVATIVE
Yeah, there’s gonna be a few haters saying that multitouch screens have been demonstrated before, but I think they would be hard pressed to see object recognition as part of the interface.  I think this really will be the first time this will be openly demonstrated and commercially viable.

http://images.soapbox.msn.com/flash/soapbox1_1.swf
Video: Possibilities of Microsoft Surface

PEOPLE-FRIENDLY
The bottom line however is that I believe that people like tactile contact.  People want to work with physical objects – not just grab or touch virtual objects on a touch screen ala Minority Report.  It’s not just a human instinct – it’s just plain ergonomics.  If you’ve ever had to type on a QWERTY keyboard without tactile feedback (flat keyboards) you know what I mean. 

The result is that Microsoft Surface is an extremely intuitive, yet tactile interface for working with data in an ergonomic environment that even Grandma can enjoy.  Imagine playing checkers with someone remotely using real checkers on a Surface-enabled table.  The possibilities are endless.

—————-

A NOTE ON MICROSOFT & INNOVATION
This was announced suddenly and with quite a bit of fanfare.  Historically, we haven’t done this sort of thing.  As a rule, we usually have a lot of open, end user feedback during product development and evolve the creation of new technology based on end user need so nothing is really ever a surprise to our customer base.

But because of our lack of "shock & awe" tactics, even though we have really innovative technologies, we lag behind in the "PR battle.  Well, I think our folks upstairs have gotten a little tired of certain other companies being constantly associated with "innovation" and garnering a lot of free media publicity even when the supposed announcement is "questionably innovative".  So with select technologies, I think they’re choosing to keep our research hush-hush for a little for the opportunity to have a "big reveal/announcement" around the stuff and garner all the PR & attention that it brings.  Take for instance the announcement Silverlight:  That was a massive development technology PR splash with serious, true innovation behind the announcement.

It won’t happen for every product I’m sure but hopefully, as a result of this change in tactics, we’ll see folks paying a bit more attention to some of the other truly innovative thinking that we have in products already on the market that originated from Microsoft Research.  For example:

• WINDOWS VISTA CORE
  It might not be a headline grabber, but the core services in Windows Vista that provide it’s future application support is a fundamental change in desktop software development.  In 1MB of memory, someone can quickly develop an extremely rich application that provides a visually stunning user interface, securely communicates with other services & applications over the web, and delivers event driven automation & decision making.
  And all of this is possible using core services within Windows Vista: 
  – .NET Framework
  – Windows Presentation Foundation
  – Windows Communication Foundation
  – Windows Workflow Foundation
  
• ROUNDTABLE
  This didn’t garner as much attention as I think it deserved:  Roundtable’s ability to so panoramic views of boardrooms and conference room tables is truly innovative, giving remote viewers the opportunity to see everyone in a meeting room simultaneously and vice versa.  Additionally, Roundtable automatically focuses another video feed on the currently-speaking individual keeping the sense of "context" one would have by keeping the persons attention on the person speaking at all times as if the remote viewer were actually present.  This provides a fundamentally closer experience between the two locations, instead of the typically separated/segregated  experience most video conferences provide today.
  
• WINDOWS MOBILE
  I can remote control my desktop workstation, and administer my server through my Windows Mobile phone. 
  I can stay current & view RSS feeds & listen to Podcasts  that are automatically downloaded through the cellular connection throughout the day on my Windows Mobile phone. 
  I can watch live TV and view content on either Tivo or a Windows Media Center system remotely over the cellular Internet connection I have on my Windows Mobile phone.
  I can actively bid on eBay auctions and get notified if I win/lose, buy books from Amazon in one click, and I can view traffic information for the highways in Los Angeles.
  …and oh yeah, I can read email as well.  From Exchange, Hotmail, Yahoo, Gmail, or any POP3 server.

So if you’ve been a Microsoft Technology follower and you’ve been wondering when Microsoft was going to start playing the PR/Media game in keeping certain research elements secret and making "big splashy" announcements that keep people on the end of their seats, I think you can probably anticipate a more things like this in the future.