Our BlackBerry’s will be running push services from Windows Live Services as soon as this summer. See the Microsoft press release here.
Microsoft and RIM to Bring Windows Live Services to BlackBerry Smartphone Customers
Agreement will enhance the communications experience on BlackBerry smartphones through popular Windows Live Hotmail and Windows Live Messenger services.
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Too many devices in your life? Microsoft wants to help you simplify, and on Wednesday it launched a limited technology preview of Live Mesh.
Microsoft said Live Mesh is its new “software-plus-services platform and service that uses the Web as a hub to centrally connect people to the information, applications, people and devices they care about most.” The preview is currently limited to a relatively small number of testers, but a larger beta is expected later this year.
Harder, Not Easier
The platform came about, wrote Microsoft’s Amit Mital on a company blog, following an internal discussion about digital life. The Web is central to Microsoft employees’ lives, he noted, and they stay connected to it through a variety of devices.
“Unfortunately, at least initially,” Mital wrote, “every new device I add makes my life a little harder, not easier.” He said there were many times where he would find that a file was on another machine, or he couldn’t access something because he was offline.
Hence, Live Mesh. It allows devices to work together, data and applications to be available from anywhere, sharing to happen with just a few clicks, and your information to always be up to date and available.
In practice, a user signs up with a Windows Live ID and then goes to a personal Live Mesh page. The user then adds a device to a personal “device mesh,” which allows each Windows device to become “aware” of others. Mitral noted that, in the future, Live Mesh will support the Mac and various mobile devices.
Alternative Delivery Models
After a device has been added, there are a few changes in the device, most notably a new notifier icon in the Windows Taskbar. When a user hovers over the icon, a list of devices, news feeds and folders in the mesh pops up.
A user can, for instance, add a folder to the mesh, which adds it to all the devices in the mesh. A side Mesh Bar is available via Internet Explorer, which provides information on user activities and notifications and allows the user to remain up to date with any changes.
The contents of a folder can also be easily shared with others in a mesh, such as vacation pictures. If someone in your mesh adds pictures or notes to the shared folder, Live Mesh gives you a “News” update.
With Live Remote Desktop, a user can also directly access and control other devices in the mesh from any browser, such as a home PC or from someone else’s PC.
Live Mesh is part of Microsoft’s attempt to reposition itself, said Mark Margevicius, a research director with industry research firm Gartner. Just as it did when the Internet first hit, he said, the company “fears becoming irrelevant in the future IT world.”
The new platform could become one of the alternative delivery models for IT, he said, adding that Gartner has predicted that a variety of such models will emerge. Although Microsoft is in a unique position to leverage legacy systems for such an alternative model, Margevicius said he “won’t be surprised” if other companies offer similar platforms.
Source: CIO Today
Microsoft has released Windows XP Service Pack 3 to manufacturers three years after the last service pack. SP3, the last release for Windows XP, will be available April 29th for download and includes security updates. An analyst said Windows XP will be capable of more years of service and it’s not clear that enterprises will embrace Windows Vista.
SP3 will be distributed to home users via Automatic Update in early June, the company said. Online documentation for Windows XP SP3 will be updated next week.
The new service pack is a 70MB download to update Window XP and can be installed on top of either SP1 or SP2. It doesn’t work with the 64-bit version of XP, however.
Users don’t care about the difference between rich Internet apps and desktop apps. They just want software that is simple to use no matter where you lead them.
IBM and Linden Labs are working on a enterprise version of Second Life, where employees can cross between a private virtual world inside a firewall and outside on the Second Life Web site. The tools under development are based on Second Life Grid. IBM’s task is to ensure security for custom-built virtual worlds inside enterprises.
IBM and Linden Labs, creator of the Second Life virtual world, announced Thursday that they are developing tools for enterprise-quality virtual worlds. The goal is to solve a key problem for enterprises that want to use the avatar-based environment: the need to cross back and forth across a corporate firewall.
The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) has approved Microsoft’s Office Open XML (OOXML) file format as an international standard. OOXML was originally rejected, and won’t be finally adopted if ISO or International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) members file a formal appeal over the next two months.
Get the full story from Top Tech News here.
From Rick Cockrum of Shards of Consciousness fame -
Learn the difference between advertising and marketing. Use them both.
Marketing is the sum of the activities you perform to get the word out about your business and attract the customers you want.
Advertising is one marketing activity. It usually entails publishing paid announcements about your business.
At our theatre we advertise in the local paper weekly. Our marketing consists of a website, word of mouth from our customers (our best marketing), involvement in local activities, public service functions, involvement with local business groups, talking about the theatre in the course of day to day conversations, signage.
You can see that advertising, while important, is only a small part of marketing.
Get connected on April 20-23, 2008 at the DevConnections Conferences and Expos in Orlando, FL. Register at www.devconnections.com. Every attendee receives a free copy of MS Visual Studio 2008.
Microsoft ASP.NET Connections
Visual Studio & Architect Connections
SQL Server Magazine Connections
SharePoint Connections
Keynotes:
Norman Guadagno, Director of Product Marketing for VS Team System
Microsoft
Scott Guthrie, General Manager, .NET Developer Platform
Microsoft
Tom Rizzon, Director of Sharepoint and Office Server
Microsoft
Quentin Clark, General Manager of the Database Engine Group
Microsoft
Michael Coles wrote a nice little tips article for SQLServerCentral.com on doing your best to fight SQL Injection.
As a developer you probably already have many little tricks in your toolbag to fight these pesking predators. It certainly doesn’t hurt to see another coder’s ideas.
Here’s a quick exerpt -
For many years now, SQL Injection attacks on large corporate websites have been highly publicized. Several articles around the Web have described what an injection attack is, how it works, and the basics of how to defend against it. A couple of very good articles here at SQL Server Central also delve into this topic (SQL Injection by Christoffer Hedgate and SQL Injection - Part 1 by Randy Dyess).So why did I feel the need to write another article on SQL Injection? For three reasons:
1. The good work by Mr. Dyess and Mr. Hedgate offer code samples and examples for ASP. I felt that a sample pertaining to ASP.NET, for those without the ASP background, was in order.
2. These two authors focus on using parameterized queries; and in the case of Mr. Hedgate, validating user input. Excellent advice all around, but I feel there are other lines of defense which should be addressed as well.
3. Finally, no matter how many SQL Injection articles are posted around the Web, DBA’s and developers continue to post highly exploitable code samples to newsgroups and discussion boards.
In this article, I hope to build upon the good work of Mr. Hedgate and Mr. Dyess, and provide updated samples as well as a more complete defensive strategy for dealing with SQL Injection.
Get Michael’s full Update SQL Injection article here.
IT workers total 12 million votes in the United States today. Here’s how they surveyed from a Computing Technology Industry Association (CompTIA) and Rasmussen Reports poll. Where do you fall?
Political Party breakdown:
Republican 35%
Democrat 26%
Other 40%
Most important issue facing the next President:
Economy 39%
War in Iraq 18%
Immigration 15%
National security 14%
Govt. ethics/corruption 6%
Health care 4%
Other 2%
Not sure 2%
Social Security 1%
If the 2008 Presidential Election were held today who would get the vote:
McCain 29%
Obama 29%
Clinton 13%
Huckabee 11%
Paul 9%
Not sure 9%
CNN.com is reporting an AP story of confirmed cases of computer gadgets being purchased from manufacturers and retailers pre-installed with multiple electronic viruses.
Apple has confirmed many video iPods were delivered to your homes with viruses as serious as providing hackers a way to steal passwords from your computer; including your bank account login information stored in your web browsers’ configurations.
Best Buy has pulled many gadgets including electronic photo frames from their shelves blaming their partner manufacturers for the virus issues.
Sam’s Club and Target are performing internal investigations to attempt to validate complaints against their products.
The AP said they’ve contacted some of the world’s largest electronics manufacturers to interview them on protecting their processes from virus insertions but all have declined comment or did not respond. Among them are Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., which is based in Taiwan and has an iPod factory in China; Singapore-based Flextronics International Ltd.; and Taiwan-based Quanta Computer Inc. and Asustek Computer Inc.
The bottom line for each of us as consumers is to be prepared. Be prepared for the worst and protect yourselves and your computers. If you have not already, purchase an anti-virus software application from one of the major manufacturers such as Symantec or McAfee. And be diligent about keeping the anti-virus definitions up-to-date.
If you’re prepared, are smart about your Internet surfing and have taken the proper security steps to protect your computer system(s), you can sleep soundly 95% of the night. Let us worry the other 5% for you.
According to the Windows Vista Weblog, SP1 for Vista will be available for download on March 19.
The source says Amazon lists the retail version of Windows Vista SP1 being available on March 19.
The post also has Microsoft making the service pack available for download through the Windows Update install service on March 19.
Dejan Cancarevic posted his most used CSS tricks on his blog, StylizedWeb.com. You might want to shoot over there and check them out.
1. Rounded corners without images.
2. Style your order list.
3. Tableless forms.
4. Double blockquote.
5. Gradient text effect.
6. Vertical centering with line height.
7. Rounded corners with images.
8. Multiple class name.
9. Center horizontally.
10. CSS drop caps.
11. Prevent line breaks in links, oversized content to brake.
12. Show Firefox scrollbar, remove textarea scrollbar in IE.
If you don’t read any other blog articles today (besides this one!) read Steve Rubel’s The Future is Web Services, Not Web Sites.
He speaks of brand messages on the Internet expanding beyond just a single website image. The constellation consisting of many satellite sites involving social community profiles will represent the brand as importantly as today’s main website.
Did you hear that AOL bought Bebo today? What was that? AOL? The Time-Warner AOL?
That’s right. You heard it correct. AOL bought Bebo for a cool $850 million.
I’m guessing AOL’s thinking is to make them a more valuable entity. And to possibly make them look more attractive to future buyers.
More analysis on this move later. Read the AOL buys social network Bebo for $850 million news alert here from c|net.
BIO-key has announced the release of version 3.5 of PocketCop, which gives law enforcement officers access to state and federal databases, including motor vehicle information. Police officers can quickly and easily check to see if a given person is wanted or if a car was reported stolen.
According to their website, “PocketCop is BIO-key’s industry-leading solution for secure access to federal and state law enforcement and motor vehicles databases from handheld devices.”
“With PocketCop, officers on foot, motorcycle, bike, marine and mounted patrol, as well as investigators and command-level staff, can quickly and easily identify a wanted person or stolen vehicle directly from a BlackBerry smartphone.”
PocketCop also takes advantage of the BlackBerry wireless platform’s built-in web browser to reduce IT administration costs. With real-time deployment, the PocketCop end-user can download and activate the PocketCop thin client application software from any location to make the PocketCop-enabled BlackBerry smartphone fully operational and ready for use in the field.
The official Ubuntu website is conducting a brainstorming session in which anybody can participate. Ever wish there were a particular feature or wish one functioned more efficiently?
Suggest a new (or upgrade to a) feature by creating an account at the Ubuntu Brainstorm website and then submitting your wish. Other visitors to the site can then vote on your wishes.
Ubuntu is saying if your wish receives a number of votes to deem it top popular, then it will have a very good chance of getting integrated in the next release.
Current most popular ideas that were submitted -
Here’s a bit of critical information as an introduction to Microsoft’s Windows Server 2008. Start the research now. We’ll be having more conversations very shortly. Thanks.
Windows Server 2008, with its built-in Web and virtualization technologies, enables you to increase the reliability and flexibility of your server infrastructure. Learn how new virtualization tools, Web resources, and security enhancements can help you save time, reduce costs, and provide a platform for a dynamic and optimized datacenter. Powerful new tools, such as Internet Information Services 7.0 (IIS7), Server Manager, and Windows PowerShell, allow you to have more control over your servers and streamline web, configuration, and management tasks. Advanced security and reliability enhancements, such as Network Access Protection (NAP) and the Read-Only Domain Controller, harden the operating system and protect your server environment to ensure you have a solid foundation to build your business on.
Webcasts
Watch these 90-minute Windows Server 2008 webcasts and learn how your organization can leverage the enhancements in Windows Server 2008. Tune in for live webcasts and stream or download webcasts for on-demand viewing.Virtual Labs
Try out Windows Server 2008 during a virtual lab. It’s simpleno complex setup or installation is required. You get a downloadable manual and a 90-minute block of time for each module, and you can sign up for additional 90-minute blocks anytime.Podcasts
Stream or download these TechNet audio podcasts onto your favorite podcast software or mobile device. These podcasts are free and do not require registrationjust click, listen, and learn about Windows Server 2008.
Get more info at the Windows Server 2008: Web, Virtualization, Security, and a Solid Foundation for Your Business Workloads website here.
The 4th beta of the Firefox 3.0 browser was released Monday and includes more than 900 enhancements over the previous beta.
Mozilla said the new beta includes improvements to performance and memory usage, fixes for stability, and platform-specific enhancements. Some of the enhancements include a new download manager to make locating downloads easier; a full page zoom feature that allows you to zoom in and out of pages more easily; and integration for Vista, Mac OS X, and Linux that features platform-specific icons, buttons, and other user interface elements.
Get the beta 4 download here.
This is the first positive step I’ve seen taken by Apple towards making the iPhone a possibility in the secure world of the business enterprise. The rumors have been flying for a while that Apple had licensed Microsoft’s ActiveSync so the iPhone could function on Microsoft Exchange.
The introduction of the iPhone SDK this week verified those rumors. We can’t get too slap happy yet though. Apple has only licensed the protocol. The functionality is not there and won’t be for a couple of versions later in the iPhone. That means at least mid - 2009.
BeetTV.com interviewed Marc Mercuri, a Platform Incubation Team Architect at Microsoft recently on Tafiti. Tafiti is an experimental search product which combines the companys Live Search offering with its Flash competitor, Silverlight. According to Microsoft, Tafiti, which means do research in Swahili, is designed to help people use the Web for research projects that span multiple search queries and sessions by helping visualize, store, and share research results.
Primarily Microsoft seems to intend Tafiti as a means of showing off Silverlight and indeed, Tafiti has a gorgeously slick front end. Search results occupy the main portion of the frame and the right hand side holds a shelf where you can save search results via drag-and-drop.
On the left is a carousel which allows you to cycle through the various search result options Web, Images, etc which can also be saved. All of your saved search results can be shared through Windows Live Spaces.
Very cool video demonstration.
CIO.com recently stood up an interesting survey - BlackBerry Users Vote: How Tethered Are You?
I think a more important question for company decision-makers would be, How Tethered Should My Team Be?
My world is very interesting and overall I think unique. Not unique for the tech industry but unique as compared to the work force as a whole. I require myself to be electronically connected at almost all hours of every night and day. Much to Nicole’s chagrin, yes, ‘every’ night and day. My tech team is nearly the same and during their disconnected times there should be another connected person capable of filling the needs of the organization.
Let’s move to other member (sets) of the organization’s team. Should the Operations team be consistently connected? Should the Creative team be consistently connected? Should the Sales team be consistently connected? Should the Marketing team be consistently connected? (I’ll stop there but there are other teams just a critical such as HR, Finance / Accounting, etc.) Within each of these teams an evaluation of senior management, team leads and team members should also be weighed. Should they, or at least their role, be consistently connected?
Here’s my answer - YES! Yes, they absolutely sure should. Each of these teams occupies a vital role in the decision-making processes that are important to the organization’s success. A senior member of each of these teams should be always available, reachable and able to communicate at any given time as dictated by the real-time needs of the organization.
So how do we make this connected state happen? Smartphones. Smartphones that are reliable, (platform) stable, secure, usable, functional and yes, okay attractive. Smartphones that put email, SMS, MMS, Internet access, IM and phone calls at your fingertips. RIM’s BlackBerry tops the list of recommendations from leaders of most top organization around the globe including myself. Nokia (the N95) makes fine smartphone products as does Palm (the Treo series) and HP (the iPAQ series).
CIO.com’s Survey Results for “How Addicted to Your SmartPhone Are You?
5% - My phone is for business. I put it away at night, unless I’m traveling for work.
2% - I check messages every few hours after work and on weekends. But I’d never bring my smartphone on vacation.
19% - I’m more productive because of my smartphone, and it doesn’t negatively affect my work/life balance. I wouldn’t call it an addiction.
67% - My smartphone never leaves my side. At work, rest, play, vacation, you name itmy best electronic friend is with me.
7% - IMHO That’s NOYB. BB4N. EOM. (In my humble opinion, that’s none of your business. Bye bye for now. End of message.)
Where do you stand? Do you make yourself available to be a vital piece of your organization?
-kp.
Business owners and marketing directors want to know how to be found on search engines. It is one of the most frequently asked questions we receive. It may not be the most important question regarding internet marketing for all or our clients but it is almost always in the marketing mix. Traffic from search engines can greatly increase the sales or services provided by a company. There really is no silver bullet but there are four ways to increase search traffic:
Copywriting
Linking strategies
Networking
Traditional Advertising
Copywriting encompasses using the right keywords in the copy, the title of your page or subject matter, the popularity of the subject matter and url’s to name just a few. Copywriting has a direct affect on providing readers or visitors to your site with relevant copy and gaining links to your site.
Linking strategies is the art of getting or acquiring other websites to link to your site. It is very time consuming to go out and get websites to link to your website. Creating a topical area with relevant information can encourage others to link to your site.
Networking online includes going to blogs within your niche, get to know others in your market and link to similar but not competing sites. Linking to them and they will reciprocate. Use the social network to increase your web presence including YouTube.com, MySpace.com and even Twitter.com to name just a few.
Do not discount the use of traditional advertising such as T.V, radio, newspapers, magazines or even billboards to drive traffic to a website. Traffic to GoDaddy.com surged more than 1500% on Super Bowl Sunday 2006 and Budweiser.com increased more than 500% according to ComScore Networks Very few companies can afford a Super Bowl ad but it does illustrate the power of traditional advertising.
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