I am starting a list of the the things I love and hate about the new release Office that is coming out and even though I know that I am working with Beta version, most of the product seems to be working fine with just a few quirks I have to live with. There are some integration issues with some of the products I for use daily basis, but I believe that these will be worked out very quickly once the final release arrives.
Now is the time to start thinking about replacing that outdated Windows 2000 Server. July marks the date for support services of this version of Windows Server to be discontinued. Current Server Operating Systems offer so much more flexibility and function and you need the security that is part of the newer server opsys’s.
If you were looking for in these simple and quick method of creating posts on the fly, Posterous could be a great program for you to use. You have the ability to connect multiple accounts to this site so that your posts or automatically shared with other online sources. In this test, I have linked twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube and my BobsTechTalk Blog. Will these sites get updated automatically as on a post new entries into the Posterous blog site. Now here is the interesting part. You are able to easily add entries by either emailing your message to the site, Texting to this site, or making a web entry to the site itself.
The site is very simplistic, so don't expect a lot of extra capabilities. I have not tried live writer as of yet to see whether it could post directly to this site, so that will be something that I will try as time permits. If you send a video or attach photos to your e-mail when sending it to the site, it will be posted with the pictures, and will update the picture galleries and the sites that can accept pictures from you. You have the ability to add connections too many different sites and I am sure they will be continuing to add more as time goes on. So if you want a quick way to post a single entry two multiple sites in one fell swoop, this might be one quick and easy method of doing so.
But me know what you think of this program. I'd be interested in how many if you are using it or if you find it useful.
Friday was a very interesting day because of Microsoft Courier Tablet leak that occurred simultaneously with Apple’s announcement of the iPad’s release date. There has been a lot of hype surrounding iPad and how it is going to be super hit for Apple like the iPhone and iPod products have been for them. But if even half of what the new video that is being presented by engadget is true, this product blows the socks off of the iPad as a useful Professional’s tool.
endgadget’s article describes this device as:
“We're told Courier will function as a "digital journal," and it's designed to be seriously portable: it's under an inch thick, weighs a little over a pound, and isn't much bigger than a 5x7 photo when closed. That's a lot smaller than we expected -- this new picture really puts it into perspective -- and the internals apparently reflect that emphasis on mobility: rather than Windows 7, we're told the Courier is built on Tegra 2 and runs on the same OS as the Zune HD, Pink, and Windows Mobile 7 Series, which we're taking to mean Windows CE 6.”
“… the interface appears to be pen-based and centered around drawing and writing, with built-in handwriting recognition and a corresponding web site that allows access to everything entered into the device in a blog-like format complete with comments.”
“,,,there will be a built-in camera, and there's a headphone jack for media playback. Most interestingly, it looks like the Courier will also serve as Microsoft's e-book device, with a dedicated ecosystem centered around reading.”
The ‘Digital Journal’ Tablet term is a perfect description of the proposed Microsoft Courier Tablet device. Seldom does my partner get so excited about a device but this one Jude said to me that he “would buy this in minute when it becomes available.” This device was initially introduced as a future device last December and has been hinted about at different Microsoft announcement events. With the release of this new video we get a better sense of the capabilities of the device and how it will fit into a busy professional’s lifestyle. So what is so special about it?
The first thing you notice is its dual screen display. This doubles your workspace and the ability to interact between applications and information. When reading a book the experience will be more “book like”. The device is designed around the concept of being used as a journal. It will allow you to compile information from different sources onto pages that can be shared with other members of your team. It will allow you to take pictures with the built-in camera and include those images in your journal pages. The concept of journals is very interesting because you can use it to separate different projects so that you can publish them as separate entities to the group you need to share them with. If you use OneNote or EverNote compare this to the notebook theme in these applications.
I do have some questions about this product that the answers will be very interesting to know. First is battery life. To make this truly useful it will need to be at least 10 hours of continuous use but even longer would be beneficial. Storage is another consideration. If it has an SD card slot, or a USB port that you can plug a USB Flash Drive into, then you have a method of giving yourself unlimited storage and an easy way to back up your data. Either way, this would be truly useful to have available and would give you almost unlimited storage. Another thought would be that it would be highly integrated into a cloud based site, for storage, sharing information and application access. With so much emphasis being placed on web based applications, it makes sense that it will have a tight integration with cloud based applications.
In reading all the information that is coming out about this proposed product, I felt that everything that I wanted out this type of device was being answered. One of my major complaints with the iPad is its lack of a stylus. Granted, Apple’s focus with their device is primarily entertainment Microsoft’s focus is on productivity. The stylus is important in this function. It looks like there will handwriting recognition built-in so the need for a keyboard will be minimal but if you were to turn the unit on its side the one screen could be turned into a keyboard with the second screen being the word processing page. Of course there is no hint of a keyboard so this is all speculation. Being that the unit is only 5x7 this keyboard would be very small indeed.
I made a mockup of what a 5x7 device would look like and I found a couple of things out. First, it is small enough to be easily transportable. It is light. And, for us guys that don’t want to have to start carrying a Man Purse around, it fits easily in the front pocket of my khakis. When you fold it open, you have two of these surfaces to work with. The central area between the screens is used as a docking area that holds information like a visual clipboard, so that you can easily move information and images between applications. Cutting and pasting is done very easily with a combination of both stylus and fingers. Flipping pages is very intuitive using your finger to scroll either horizontally or vertically through the user interface and the different applications. All in all, it blows the iPad out of the water with a much more useful device to the professional worker whether they are a salesperson, designer, serviceman, physician, lawyer or anyone that is an Information Worker.
So, if you can’t tell, I’ll spell it out. I’m very excited about this device concept and hope that the proposed release of it for the Q3/Q4 timeframe is true. This is one of the few new products that I would get in a long line for. I just wish that its release was sooner that what is being proposed. So the question arises, do I go out and get an iPad when it becomes available next month, or do I hold out for the Microsoft Courier. I don’t think that it is that hard of a decision, I really didn’t want the first generation iPad anyway, too many limitations. So if the Microsoft Courier does become a real, available device later this year, I think that in the long run I will much happier with it than the iPad. We’ll just have to wait and see what happens!
Original September leaked video, which was pretty cool in its own right:
I love my Camtasia Studio. If you have visited my Blog before you will have noticed some of the videos that I have posted to support my How To Video submissions. This is a great application for creating support videos for your organization as well as educational materials for employee’s or if you are an Educational Organization this is a great teaching aid for that as well. The retail cost of this product is $299.00, educational and volume discounts are available as well. It is available for both Windows and Mac. If you want to try it out you can download a trial version here.
Here are the recommended set of system specifications to get the most out of the product. Any current computer that is essentially purchased to work with graphics should be adequate but you will want to have a system with at least these specs to work with your development projects, especially if you are planning this system to be a production machine.
Minimum Requirements:
Microsoft Windows XP, Windows Vista, or Windows 7
Microsoft DirectX 9 or later version
1.0 GHz processor minimum ~ Recommended: 2.0 GHz (for PowerPoint and camera recordings.)
500 MB RAM minimum ~ Recommended: 2.0 GB
115 MB of hard-disk space for program installation
Optional Requirements:
Camtasia Studio Add-in for PowerPoint requires PowerPoint 2000, 2002, 2003, or 2007
Production to the Apple iPod/iPod Touch/iPhone format requires Apple QuickTime 7.2 or later
Dedicated Windows-compatible sound card, microphone and speakers (recommended)
Camera video recording requires a USB Camera. Digital video (DV) cameras are not supported. USB Web camera
The Nitty Gritty
Camtasia has three major functions that allow you to produce a video. Included is programming to capture image that is on your screen as well as PIP function to include a web camera recording as well. If you only need audio capture you also have that function as well. You can also do an onscreen capture of a PowerPoint presentation so that you can distribute a slide presentation as a video.
Camtasia Studio includes a simple video editing application that allows you to edit the recorded images, add additional video or still images, add new audio overlays and music, you can pan and zoom into areas of your screen capture to ensure that your audience is focusing on the information that is important.
Once you have your edited video production completed you are ready to produce it in a format that you can deliver to your audience. You have a wide choice of formats as well as some quick post functions to Internet like TechSmith’s Screencast, or YouTube. Then it is easy to incorporate the video once it is on the web into your web pages.
My Impressions
What I like is using this program for all of my video productions, whether it is something I capture with Jing (another TechSmith product) or video that I take with my new Flip Camera, I can create and edit and produce video for almost any kind of venue, quickly and easily. So if you have been thinking about putting together a library of videos showing the proper procedures for different company functions, needing to put together video promotional material for your customers or wanting to get your most current family outing edited a posted to YouTube for the family to see, this could very well be the product for you.
Skype has been around for a long time now and I find that it still is an essential tool in my arsenal daily used applications. It works into our environment at the office even more because our main service ticketing system utilizes will make use of it to dial out from the customer contact pages. It gained even more of my appreciation this past Friday when I spent most of the afternoon in video conference with our public relations person. We have been working on prepping for this weeks video projects about CES and were able to work online, with full video and sound and sharing files back and forth between our computer systems while in our separate offices. Not that this is something recently available, it was just that it was geeky neat! We were able to easily bring different people into our office and review captured video and each of were able to process the work that we each needed to complete and share with each other.
Items needed: Skype Account, Computer, Web Camera, an Internet connection and someone with the same basic setup. If you are connecting computer to computer your Skype account is free. If you want some of the other basic features that are available from Skype like calling to a non-Skype user or a land line, or having a Skype Phone Number then these services make Skype that much more useable.
Lenovo seems to be causing the most interest at CES with its wealth of new product announcements. The one that really catches my attention is the new IdeaPad U1 hybrid notebook that will be released in the June 2010 timeframe and will be priced around $999. What makes this product so special is that it is a combination slate and notebook. The screen detaches from the notebook shell and it becomes a Linux multi-touch slate that is enhanced for digital media consumption. You can use it to watch video, listen to music, watch a movie or read a book. It has full wireless so it can also be used to browse the internet as well while detached. When you bring it back to the notebook shell it snaps into place and it instantly (or relatively quickly) switches back to a Windows 7 based notebook.
Now let’s look at its basic features: The screen is an 11.6 inch HD Led backlit multitouch screen that is detachable and weighs 1.5 pounds. When attached to the shell it weighs 3.8 pounds, is cherry red, has two operating systems each having its own processor running independently or sharing info between them. We don’t know the specific Intel dual-core processor that is in it yet that is used on the Windows 7 side. The Screen runs the SnapDragon Processor. It also sports a 1.3-megapixel webcam, ethernet 10/100 ports, 802.11 a/b/g, Bluetooth, (2) USB ports and an eSATA/USB combo port to attach more storage if you care to. This is the first notebook/slate computer that combines the versatility of a notebook with the entertainment value of a slate style computer. Jim Louderback does a nice video review of this product that I have included below.
Lenovo Ideapad S10-3t
Tekzilla announces this Lenovo convertible Netbook a iTablet Killer. Lenovo’s Ideapad S10-3t will be released this month and will be priced starting at $499. With a 10.1 inch capacitive touchscreen that can be swiveled and laid back against the keyboard to turn this netbook into a Tablet PC. It will be available with either an Intel Atom 1.66GHz N450 processor or a 1.83GHz N470 processor, up to 2GB of DDR2 RAM, and a 320GB 6400rpm 2,5 inch SATA hard drive. Network connection is important and this unit comes with a built in 80802.11b/g/n2.11b/g/n wireless radio, Bluetooth 2.1 and Ethernet port. 3G and WiMax will be available as options as well. It has two USB 2.0 ports, a 6 in 1 card reader, VGA external port, headphone and microphone jacks, and a 1.3 megapixel webcam. A 4-cell or 8-cell battery will also be available providing up to 10 hours of battery life on the 8-cell battery. Again, Jim Louderback did a very nice video review of this system.
I am going to start off by saying that I am really excited by this year’s CES (Consumer Electronics Show). For any of you that are not familiar with this product showcase that happens every January in Las Vegas, it is the show that has survived over the years as a presentation platform for both concept products and soon to be released products in the electronics industry. This show has probably survived all of the others because of its wide range of focus. You will find just about every kind of electronic gadget you can imagine.
This year seems to have quite a lot of products involved in several major product lines, EBook Readers and Mobile Computer Technology. In fact, notebooks and netbooks are equally in the lime light, and the main manufacturer that seems to be coming out with the greatest innovations is Lenovo. Smart phones are also all will blows and I think we will see quite a few new products in this arena as well.With the advent of the movie Avatar, 3D has been brought back into focus (pun intended). We will see both TV’s and players that will be giving you 3D imaging right in your living room, but that is not all. Content from multiple sources is becoming more important and we are seeing the addition of internet access right on your TV of Amazon Video on Demand, YouTube, Picasa, Bloomberg news, weather and now Netflix Streaming and even Skype video phones. So now you have the ability to have Video Phone conversations with your friends and families right from your Television. Cameras and Camcorders are going to be interesting as well. High Def is the keyword this year and we will see many products providing High Def in many different form factors. Gadgets in your cars is fast becoming the biggest competitive area for Auto Manufacturers. Ford is starting to become the king in this area with the Ford Sync being the its initial offering now they are piling on with other video presentation of car function and information access. I will go into this in much greater detail in future postings. I am getting to the point that I want a Ford because of the technology they are offering more than the car. I have got to touch and feel this soon!
Below is a quick list of the different technologies zones that are highlighted this year at CES. The links provided below will take you to a better definition of each of these technologies zone designations and will give you a better feeling of what CES is all about.
This is probably the first year that CES so excited me with the potential of the products that were going to be presented that I contemplated hopping and chat and when there myself to see them firsthand. But, we're so blessed with th the state of the techno: Jude from presenting information across the Internet that I can take full advantage of those individuals and companies that do this full time. So over the next couple weeks I'll be digesting all of the information that I can from all the various sources that are available and come back to you with those products that I have found most interesting and useful for all of us.
In this economy it is important to take advantage of all of the offers that are available to you. Here is one more that you can take advantage of to help with any current installations you are planning this Quarter.
The Microsoft Big Easy Offer 4.0 runs from Jan 3, 2010 thru Mar 31,2010 and provides partner subsidy funds that can be used with us to help with the implementation of your Microsoft solution including software, hardware and services.
A subsidy is a check made payable to the Microsoft partner of your choice, us I hope. This subsidy can be used to enrich and implement your Microsoft solution. The subsidy allows you to purchase additional products or services from the us thus lowering your Total Cost of Ownership.
You can build up your subsidy by choosing:
Products from more than one product group.
Licenses with Software Assurance.
Advanced or Enterprise Editions.
Talk to us and we can help you decide what you want to implement now to help you afford the best solutions for you.
Here’s the big question: How do you take advantage the Big Easy offer?
Make a qualifying purchase between January 3, 2010 and March 31, 2010.
Receive your partner subsidy check from Microsoft.
Spend your subsidy funds with your Microsoft partner upon receipt. Please note that subsidy funds expire after 90 days of the check issue date.
There is a Big Easy Calculator that is available that will allow you to work on the best scenario for your situation.
How to use the calculator:
Select the license type for each product version. If you don’t know which license type to select, contact your partner for more information.
Select the product group from the second list.
Select the product from the third dropdown list.
Enter the number of licenses for each product in the worksheet below.
Increase your subsidy amount by adding more product groups and number of licenses, choosing advanced or Enterprise versions, and choosing licenses with Software Assurance (L&SA)!
The bottom line is that if you are considering upgrading, then here is something else that you can take advantage of to help offset the cost of implementing your installation. Be sure to contact us to help you make the best decision for you!
Merry Christmas Everyone! It’s rainy and wet here today, Yuck!, but we still have a little snow to make it seem like Christmas. I want to start with the Flip camera.
I liked how easy the camera worked and the low light capabilities of the unit. One thing that I noticed though was how noisy 20 odd people can be when crowded into a small space. Because the camera is so light you don’t get tired holding it but you also don’t have the heft to help you steady it either. I tried putting together the pictures using the Flip Software but it seems cumbersome so I tried switching to Window’s Movie Maker. The sound track from the video seemed to shift some on that and I wasn’t real happy with that either. That bothers me because Movie maker is easy to use it would be nice if it would work for this purpose.
I need to give it another try but I miss my big machine. It got a little sick with of the stupidity of its primary operator. I had a Facebook message come through that pointed to a site that a virus/trojan attached and I went through the motions of loading the virus without thinking. Shouldn’t be operating a computer that early in the morning I guess. It really got zapped and the guys are still working on it. I hope we don’t have to reload the computer from scratch. This is not the time of year to be doing that.
My off loading the data to network drives will allow me to bring the system back up to speed rather quickly though if that is what we have to do. So if you run into an email that has you installing software onto your system, don’t do it. Delete, Delete DELETE! Even the best of us can get suckered.
What I really wanted was a Canon 5D but the Camera Fairy isn't coming through for me. So... I picked up a Flip Ultra to tide me over until she decides if I have been naughty or nice. Oh, I guess I’m mixing up my holidays. Whoops!
The Flip is a cute little thing, and it is hard to believe that the Flip, smaller than a cigarette case, can take such beautiful pictures and store up to two hours of video.
The controls are simple and straightforward. So to it will be very simple to learn how to use and operate. It has a 2X zoom lens and the image you get is very good. I'm not real wild about the sound but it's not too bad when you get close up to the individual you are taking a photo of.
The video we are shooting is done with two small HD cameras, one of them an Aptek the other is a Flip similar to the one I just got.
The biggest problem that I am observing with what we have done so far is with the sound quality. We'll have to see what we can do about that. We are looking at at a sound kit that has a mixer and a desk mic in it, and I have a wireless lavalier mic that we can try as well. If that works we'll need a second wireless set later as we keep going.
We are all very excited about how many options and uses we will be able to use these videos for. So be sure to come back often and see how we grow our video library with different product reviews, how to's and news from our industry.
Here’s our first try at the webcast. First problem we see is that the sound is a bit tinny. We need to setup and use a microphone and mixer I think to get this to get a bit more base.
We have been putting the final touches on the first edition of our video studio. We are so excited about what we are doing and how well it is coming together. Paul Koslow who is our webmaster, is starting a new project that includes producing online videos and quick commercial video as well. We feel that with the technology and software available today that we can put together a first class production house, in our house, pun intended, that will allow us to not only provide us with a video content production facility for our website but also for short spots on cable TV like the ones we have done in the past for FYI. This gives us more control, faster to finished product processing, and will help us learn more about what we need to make this all work well for us. Be sure to tune in for more information as all this great stuff begins to mature. Below is a screen test of what will be coming to you soon…
We have been getting much closer to putting the final touches on our first “produced” web video which is going to become a weekly feature of our website. These videos will contain content from a varied subject matter but will all pertain to our Solutions Oriented focus. So, you will see videos on new products, news items, how to’s and interviews with individuals in our industry. We are really looking forward to this new venture and really hope to be able to grow it into a valued support tool for you our clients. Stay Tuned and I will bring you more news about this new feature from www.localsupport.com.
We are putting together a video studio that we will be using to put together a simple weekly support video for our customers. We are looking forward to this new addition to our support portfolio and will be posting these videos for your use in several different places. I will continue blogging on this site of course, and will be creating content both in the studio as well as from my desktop. We are looking forward to sharing with you tips, tricks and new product reviews of the many technology related items that we have found. We hope you will find this new venture helpful and enjoyable as well. Welcome to our world of Tech Talk with Bob and Jude!
I have been told that this guy has been around the area for awhile now. These magnificent birds are so beautiful.
He was probably a red-tailed hawk, not being a consistent bird watcher I am not 100% sure. But I love the coloring on his face. The wind was really blowing some cold air which made him puff his feathers more. At first when he turned his head to look at me creeping up on him they were so puffed up I thought his head looked like an owl. Then the laid back down and you could tell that he was not.
The branches of the tree he was perched in were so thin that while he was he sitting there they bounced up and down in the wind quite a bit.
To learn more about these magnificent animals visit:
We are once again authorized for Microsoft Educational purchasing/sales.
Computer Connections goes through yearly renewals of all of its Microsoft Credentials. This entails many hours of training and testing programs and the paperwork that goes along with documenting all of these processes. We do this for you, our customers to be able to provide the widest choice of products and services we can.
In this month’s issue of the Laurel Mountain Post I have included many items that I have been keeping my eyes on or have recently acquired for myself. As per usual I have posted an excerpt from the issue so you can get to it directly as well. I have posted all of my articles here and you can launch the November – December issue by clicking here.
If you want your very own issue mail to your home you can do so by subscribing to the Laurel Mountain Post. It is only $15 per year which includes the $1 cost per issue and of course the ever present mailing costs. This is a great local area magazine that brings a little history and also current events happening in the area. So if you want to know a little more about your neighbors be sure to pick up an issue today!
Saturday, April 17, 2010 at 9:15AM 
