Should I Subscribe to O365 for myself?

If you are considering using Microsoft Office Suite at home you have several options that you can consider. The first is whether you want to pay on a subscription basis or if you want to move into a one-time purchase model. In the subscription model you have two choices between Office 365 Personal or Office 365 Home.

Why would I choose a perpetual license? First, you only pay a fee one time. You can either purchase “Home and Student” or “Home and Business”.  Main difference between these two? You get Outlook in Home and Business. If you are not using Outlook or are happy accessing your email through a web browser then the “Home and Student” may work for you. Priced at $145.00. Home and Business is $229.99. The Cons on going with a perpetual license are many, they are licensed for only one machine and legally cannot be moved to a new system purchase from an old installation. It doesn’t license installation on mobile devices and you don’t get any cloud storage. Lastly, you don’t get to always use the most current version. Microsoft seems to have major updates every 3 years. If being current doesn’t matter to you then…

Why I like the subscription model. First, I can always be up to date. If you only have one machine but a couple of mobile devices, tablet or phone, then you are licensed to put these most of the suite products on these as well. You also have access to on-line versions of Word, Excel, PowerPoint and OneNote so that you can be on any computer and access your programs. You get 1 TB of cloud space, so you can also store you documents to the CLOUD and have access to these files from any device. Last, you get the full Office Suite. Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote, Publisher, Access and Outlook. Office 365 Home offers installing the office suite for up to five users with each user getting their own 1TB cloud storage space for a cost of $99.99/year. Office 365 Personal is $69.99/year.

Now let’s do the math. If you think you would be upgrading your Office license with each new release you Perpetual licenses would be slightly less expensive then your subscription counterparts. However, you are not getting the ability to install on mobile devices, in the case of Office 365 Home you can install on up to 5 workstations (all the kids, you and your wife’s systems, and you don’t have the cloud apps or storage space. If you need it on more than 1 machine than the Office 365 Home subscription seems to me to be a no brainer. Of course if your employer has opted into Office 365 Business Premium, then that creates a whole different scenario.

Beware the PUP (potentially unwanted programs)

Top download portals to avoid

Michael sent this out to us internally but it is something that has bothered me for quite awhile so I thought I would get it out there so you would be able to be aware. I use downloads.com all of the time for some of the programs that I want to use but you have to watch what else is being asked of you. They are making money from your clicks and installs of products that you never really wanted. Beware!

Interesting read about how commonly used download portals (ex: download.com, tucows, etc...) bundle crap that you don't need. I think this is a really nice read and we should post it to the Facebook site. Not only does it tell you which sites bundle stuff, it also gives instruction on how to carefully read what you're clicking on and avoiding getting the bundled stuff in the first place as well.

http://blog.emsisoft.com/2015/03/11/mind-the-pup-top-download-portals-to-avoid/

PCmover Announcement

Press Release:

Lately, Windows users have been discovering issues with using Windows Easy Transfer to upgrade from their old Windows PCs to a new Windows 8.1 PC. Microsoft has since come out in official forums stating that they are reducing support for Windows Easy Transfer in favor of promoting the cloud. This diminished support is seen through the incompatibility with Windows XP and Windows Vista users, as well as the ability to only transfer over data files by using only an external hard drive or USB. Unfortunately, this leaves many Windows users unable to transfer over their old documents, music, settings without a great deal of hassle and extra work. Programs will have to be re-downloaded and installed, serial numbers will need to be dug up, and the transfer process will be a long, grueling one. With support for Windows XP ending this April, many XP users will be looking to make the upgrade to Windows 8.1, but won’t find any help in getting there.

Laplink is aware of customers’ concerns over upgrading or migrating to a new PC and is now offering PCmover Home for free to any user moving from a Windows XP to Windows 8.1. We’re also offering several discounts to help alleviate Windows users’ worries over upgrading. Attached you’ll find our press release, where you can find more information on how PCmover is providing the solution to the Windows Easy Transfer Problem.

Dragon NaturallySpeaking Home 12

I went and purchased a recent copy of Dragon NaturallySpeaking version 12 for myself to use at home and I decided also to bring it into work to see if it would help me out there as well. I have been using the built in voice to text recognition functions that are in Windows 7 but it seems to be getting worse and worse as I use it more which seems very contradictory since this was to be getting better as you use it got worse. I am very impressed with how well it works both in its accuracy and in its speed.

I will have to report back into you have couple weeks to update you on what I have found. I think that I will find it to be quite useful and will become part of my daily tools that I use to complete projects that I do throughout the day.

Dragon Naturally Speaking Home Edition 2012

The home addition of Dragon NaturallySpeaking is not only an expensive but is so much more responsive and more accurate than using the built in Windows 7 voice recognition software. It makes voice dictation so much simpler and allows me to quickly and easily dictate my blog posts. I think I will be using this a lot more often both at home and in the office. It will help me and quickly getting email messages sent to allow me to create more descriptive information then I would if I were just typing them out.

The commands are very simple and straightforward and seem to be intuitive to what you are trying to accomplish. The learning curve is very short and training it for your voice which allows you to get up and running very quickly. I have noticed that the command sidebar positions itself on the screen and is best viewed on a widescreen monitor. This is something I don’t have at the office and may have to prompt me into finally replacing the screens as I have been thinking about.

I find the response is much faster than the Windows speech recognition program and I am not constantly slowing down waiting for the program to recognize what I am saying. One downfall that I have seen so far though is that Live Writer doesn’t seem to work with this program directly. So I need to create my document inside Word first and then drop it into live writer program. I am not sure that this is all that bad because I find that Microsoft Word seems to have a better grammar checker then does Live Writer. And Lord knows that I need all the help that I can get!

As a whole I am very happy with the purchase, and I think I will get very good use out of this product. If anyone else is using this program and would like to make comments on their experience with it I would love to hear from you.

Windows 8 Drivers for Xerox Documate Scanners

Press Release: We are seeing drivers become available for Windows 8 very quickly. Xerox sent out this notification today. If you have a Xerox Documate Scanner go to: xerox.com

Dear Xerox Documate Scanner customer,

As a registered user of our Xerox Documate scanners, we are pleased to announce that all drivers for its most popular professional and consumer scanners have been updated and deemed fully compatible with the new Windows 8 operating system. New and updated drivers are now available for immediate download.

“We are committed to giving our customers a favorable scanner experience with full operating system compatibility and our engineering team has worked diligently to ensure that Xerox DocuMate® products are compatible with the new Windows 8 OS,” said Walter Thinfen, chief information officer and vice president of support and services at Visioneer, a Xerox licensing partner.

Availability of Drivers
Windows 8 drivers for Xerox DocuMate scanners are available immediately on the Xerox Scanners.com support page. Driver support for other Microsoft operating systems can also be found at this website.

We appreciate your business and loyalty. If you have any other product inquiries, please call us at 925-251-6399, Monday through Friday 7 am to 4 pm PST.

Thank you,
The Xerox Scanner Support Team
http://www.xeroxscanners.com/en/us/support/

Press Release: Visioneer Announces Windows 8 Compatibility for its Entire Document Scanner Line

So just if you were worried if you scanner investment would be for not when you moved to Windows 8 here is a message from Visioneer to assuage that fear:

Scanner drivers passed Microsoft standards of compatibility, reliability and performance
PLEASANTON, Calif., Oct. 30, 2012 – Visioneer®, Inc., a leader in intelligent imaging solutions and Microsoft Gold Certified Partner, announced today that through its development relationship with Microsoft Corp., Visioneer scanner drivers have all been tested and deemed fully compatible with the new Windows 8 operating system and are available for immediate download. Visioneer has updated the drivers for their most popular professional and consumer scanners so users can take advantage of the enhanced productivity of Windows 8.
“Visioneer is committed to giving our customers a favorable scanner experience with full operating system compatibility and our engineering team has worked diligently to ensure that our products are compatible with the new Windows 8 OS,” said Walter Thinfen, Chief Information Officer and vice president of support and services at Visioneer. “With Windows 8, Microsoft is delivering a foundation for advanced customer experiences across applications, services and devices.”
Availability of Drivers
Windows 8 drivers for Visioneer scanners are available immediately on Visioneer’s web site at support.visioneer.com. Driver support for other Microsoft operating systems can also be found at this web site.
About Visioneer
Visioneer provides a broad range of scanning solutions for the desktop, distributed and departmental document imaging markets as well as the mobile and remote business scanning segments. In 2003, Visioneer combined its leading scanner technology with the Xerox brand recognition to develop the Xerox® DocuMate® product line. Visioneer and Xerox DocuMate high-performance business scanners and imaging software solutions offer users speed, image quality, advanced paper handling and ease-of-use with exclusive Visioneer OneTouch® technology. For additional information on Visioneer and Xerox scanning solutions, visit www.visioneer.com, www.visioneer.com/company/news or www.xeroxscanners.com. For open commentary and industry perspectives visit http://www.facebook.com/visioneerinc, http://twitter.com/visioneerinc.
NOTE TO EDITORS: XEROX® and DocuMate are trademarks of XEROX CORPORATION in the United States and/or other countries. Visioneer® and Visioneer OneTouch® are registered trademarks of Visioneer Inc. All other companies and products mentioned may be trademarks of their respective holdings and are hereby recognized. Prices, features, specifications, capabilities, appearance and availability of Visioneer and Xerox products and services are subject to change without notice. © 2012 All rights reserved.

Lenovo buys Stoneware

Lenovo has purchase Stoneware, apparently to acquire their cloud computing and classroom management software products. Stoneware’s product lineup includes webNetwork, LanSchool and webRDP.

Stoneware’s webNetwork simplifies your life by enabling you to create a Unified Cloud. A unified cloud delivers private data center, public cloud and local device resources through a common webDesktop. With webNetwork you can simplify your user’s life by providing a common HTML5 webDesktop. The webDesktop, accessed through the Unified Cloud, delivers all files, applications and reports through a single user id and password on any device. They suggest that this product will make IT costs go down and simplify the user’s online access. See Brochure. Business – K12 – Higher Ed. So whether you are using a phone, tablet, notebook or workstation you will have the same basic look and feel through their web browser interface

Lenovo certainly has a strong Educational presence and this new product offering can only help with giving them more focus.

Peter Hortensius, Lenovo senior vice president and product group president, said that the Stoneware acquisition furthers the vendor’s PC Plus initiative, its strategy to branch out beyond PCs to the interplay of multiple devices, the central point of which is enabling client devices such as notebooks, tablets and smartphones to communicate through the cloud.

“Adding Stoneware cloud computing into the Lenovo line up presents a significant opportunity to leverage their success, and enhance our PC+ offerings, all to the benefit of our customers,” he said.

Rick German, Stoneware chief executive, seemed to enjoy the prospect of talking to a worldwide audience, in what, for the small developer, must be rarefied air. “Lenovo is one of the largest and fastest growing technology companies in the world and for Stoneware, a small company with roots in the heartland of the United States, we are delighted to be given the opportunity to deliver real benefit to customers on a global stage,” he said.

More on these product offerings as we get news from Lenovo directly.

Is using Stamps.com a good deal?

My initial impression is positive but the real question is whether I am going to be able to use it enough to reach the $15. per month requirement for the pro account. If I use this for the office I will save a lot of time and effort by using this program. The software is fairly flexible and will allow you to quickly address and create the required postage stamp to mail the packages and large envelopes of data that I send out all week long.

The package came by US Postal service and came in a small box containing a scale with a USB cable to connect to your computer, a program cd, some sample stamp and label sheets, $5 worth of postage, and instructions on how to setup and use the product.

How does Stamps.com make money? By selling you the supplies of course. You can get anything from the labels in different sizes and formats, envelopes in different styles and formats and USPS shipping boxes. The prices for these products aren’t exorbitant but they are not the cheapest products that you can find either. The big thing to remember here is how much more convenient this is compared to having to hoof it to the post office to basically due this same thing. If you have been using one of the many other choices out there that rents you the certified postage meters you will see that this is another area that you will save a lot of money on the monthly fees associated with this service.

The big questions I am going to have to answer for myself is whether I am going to take this into the office to keep at my desk or if I will hoard it at home to be used from there instead. It may even become part of my traveling bag. We’ll just have to see who will win out!

Windows XP only has two years support left

So, we are seeing the information coming to us from many sources but what does this deadline in 2014 really mean? So what is Microsoft saying to us? There are just two years to go. Two years to migrate your Windows XP-based PCs to a more modern operating system, such as Windows 7. Two years to enter the 21st century. Two years until XP support is over.

This week Microsoft began its two year countdown to the end of Windows XP support. The magic date is April 8, 2014. This is also true for Microsoft Office 2003. “If you still have some PCs running Windows XP and Office 2003 in your organization,” Microsoft director Stella Chernyak wrote in a post to the Windows For Your Business Blog, “now would be a good time to start migrating them to Windows 7 and Office 2010.”

The number of systems this will affect is huge. About 50% of Windows based systems (approximately 900 million) are still running Windows XP with that percentage probably much higher for enterprises. Microsoft downplays the benefits of continuing to use XP by stating that XP was “a great software release for its time”  but that the market and user’s expectations have grown with time. Most people would agree though, that Windows XP is no less usable today it just not able to take full advantage of today’s technology advances.

The number one reason most people tell me that they are hesitant in moving to Windows 7 is application compatibility. Either with actual programs or web applications. In most cases I haven’t seen this as a problem unless you are still running forms of DOS applications. Even then there are workarounds though not very elegant. Web apps are another concern though where in some cases older browsers are need to be used to function correctly. This has been a big problem especially since support for IE 6 has been dropped and the reported security problems with this browser version are well documented. This tie down of the infrastructure growth is something that needs to be addressed but in many cases is time consuming and could be quite expensive.

The number two and three blockers of Windows 7 migration have nothing to do with technology. Money and inertia are telling because in large institutions are like an ocean liner and you can move them easily from their current course quickly. In today’s tight economy everyone is looking at cutting costs not incurring new costs. We are all trying to learn to do with what we have for longer.

Paul Thurrott wrote:

XP, in some ways, is the best investment the enterprise ever made, the Windows version that refuses to die. Ironically, it came of age at a time when Microsoft was trying to grow beyond its roots as a maker of systems for smaller companies; in courting enterprises and big business, Microsoft had to extend the lifecycle for its platform offerings far beyond that of older products. And XP’s lifecycle was positively affected by the lateness of Windows Vista, which caused Microsoft to push things even further out.

So let’s go back to my initial question, what does it mean to you when Microsoft stops supporting Windows XP? Microsoft states: “An unsupported version of Windows will no longer receive software updates from Windows Update. These include security updates that can help protect your PC from harmful viruses, spyware, and other malicious software, which can steal your personal information. Windows Update also installs the latest software updates to improve the reliability of Windows—new drivers for your hardware and more.” In other words, your system could become open to attack with Microsoft no longer plugging the holes like they currently do with their patch updates. In a locked down environment this may  not mean anything but very few of us live in that kind of world. The internet has become a large part of our computer experience and a necessary evil. We need to look forward starting now to work our way into migrating our systems to Window 7 so that we are not caught up in the problems that could occur down the road by not taking the necessary steps and upgrading your equipment/software.

Windows lifecycle fact sheet

More Information from Microsoft:

Windows XP Support and End of Sales

Even though we ended the sale of Windows XP on October 22, 2010, we still plan to provide support for individual users and businesses until April 2014. For more information, see the Windows XP Help & How-to page. As Windows XP sales come to an end, it's also a good time to think about upgrading to Windows 7, which is designed to be compatible with many of the Windows XP programs you're accustomed to using.

My business relies on Windows XP. What'll happen if I have technical problems?

We understand some of our customers aren't ready to upgrade their PCs to Windows 7. Although Windows XP will soon disappear from stores, we'll continue to offer Extended Support for the operating system until April 2014. For more details, see the Microsoft Support Lifecycle.

Can I run my earlier Windows XP programs on Windows 7?

Windows 7 is designed to be compatible with the most popular hardware and software products you use every day. Thousands of these will work just fine. The Windows 7 Compatibility Center makes it easy for you to find out if particular programs or hardware work with Windows 7.

What if my business software only runs on Windows XP?

Some editions of Windows 7 support Windows XP Mode, which enables you to run older Windows XP business software right on your Windows 7 desktop. Designed primarily with small- and medium-sized businesses in mind, Windows XP Mode comes as a separate download and works only with Windows 7 Professional, Ultimate, and Enterprise. Windows XP Mode also requires virtualization software such as Windows Virtual PC. Both are available free on the Microsoft website. 

Can I downgrade my OEM version of Windows 7 Professional to Windows XP Professional?

Intel Hybrid Cloud Technology–A new way to do networking in your business…

Cost has always been an issue when trying to implement the right technology into your business. Intel has developed a solution that will help you keep your equipment and software up to date as well as affordable. This solution will allow us as a Technology Support Company to provide you, our clients, with reliable equipment that is easy to maintain and support both on a hardware basis as well as the applications that let you run your business well.

This new equipment is a support tech’s dream with built-in management features that allow us to perform quick reliable remote assistance on your equipment. As your needs change, or as you add new users and equipment the licensing is simple and straight forward. This solution provides a 3 year refresh cycle that helps us provide you with up to date hardware and software and the right tools on a monthly subscription basis. You will have less worries about having the most current tools to allow you to be competitive in your business marketplace.

Intel is working with many of the leading software manufacturers to provide applications that fit in with the pay-as-you-go subscription model. This small business solution scales with your business growth so you only pay for the services that you use. You won’t have a high up front cost to purchase the software and if the usefulness of the application comes to an end all we have to do is turn it off and you will no longer be billed for it.

Intel describes the benefits of the AppUp Small Business Service as follows:

• Cloud-like flexibility. Customers consume IT software on a monthly basis without a high upfront fee. Cost scales with number of users, offering a predictable, manageable way to pay for software. You can adjust your monthly software costs as business conditions and the number of users change.
• Remotely manageable. With an MSP managing the server, you get focus on managing your business rather your customers’ servers.
• Data control. With an on-premises server, you can keep data on-site and within your control.
• Lower solutions cost. Run multiple applications and add new applications while paying only for what you use.

Application Categories include:

• Business Applications (intuit, Tally
• Healthcare Applications (gloStream
• Server O/S (Microsoft, SUSE Linux, Clear Center, Pragma Systems)
• Email/Collaboration/Instant Messaging (Workspace)
• Database (Apani)
• Firewall/Unified Threat Management (UTM) (Astaro, Asigra, GFI, SIOS)
• Back-up (StorageCraft, kineticROBOBAK, Vembu)
• Remote Management (Level Platforms, Lumension)
• Disaster Recovery
• VOIP-PBX (Fonality)

With all of the products and more becoming available weekly we are very excited about the affordability of this approach. Be sure to keep an eye on this blog to see more as we begin implementing this exciting new business solution!

Brochure

Setting up a PowerPoint Slide Show to run Standalone and Continuously…

I had a discussion with one of our customers about an inexpensive setup for sign management using an All-In-One PC mounted to a wall in their employee information area and then running some type of automated image slide deck on the screen to provide information updates and calendar info for their employees.

I decided to do this using PowerPoint and setting it up to create a self executing file that once it is started will run continuously on the system. Here is a quick video clip on setting this up using PowerPoint 2010.

Not Happy with iMovie on the iPad try Avid Studio

One of the reasons that I got and iPad 2 when I did was because I wanted to try my hand with video editing on it. Have I done much with it? Not really but the was my reasoning. Another product has just launched from Avid called Avid Studio for iPad. This is probably the first real competitor to Apple’s iMovie video editing app.

What makes this so interesting is that Avid was king of digital video editing in Hollywood for a long time, and then Apple came out with the far more affordable Final Cut Pro/ Final Cut Studio, and enticed a few big name directors to give their new software a try.

So how do they compare? Both products can do the basics that you would expect for any video editor. You can insert videos, photos, and music, trim clips, add titles, and export to YouTube. But this is where iMovie begins to fail.

Audio Management – in iMovie when you insert a music track it becomes the background for the entire movie. You can’t insert clips and manipulate transitions. You are stuck with playing the whole song. In Avid Studio, you can trim your sound clips and insert them anywhere in your movie and layer up to 3 clips at a time.

Inserting Photo and Videos as PIP - One of the cool features Avid Studio provides is the ability to insert photos or video over the main movie in the timeline. Meaning, if you want to have a photo or video play in the middle of a movie clip, you can do so while still having the audio and elapsed time from the main movie playing in the background. This is one the features I most like about Avid Studio. The only thing you can do in iMovie is split up the clip and put a photo or movie clip into the middle. Avid’s way — which Apple does support on the desktop version of iMovie — is more useful.

Video Management – iMovie doesn’t allow you to access imported video that was done with iTunes. The only videos accessible with iMovie are the ones in your camera roll or in albums. Avid does allow access to imported videos.

Titles and Montages – iMovie forces you to use their themes to insert titles in your movie. This means that all text inserted in iMovie must be overlaid with part of your movie. Avid Studio comes with fun montages as well as allowing you to use plain black slides with text to create your titles. The montages can be made up of anywhere between 1 and 4 photos and may be static images or mini video clips.

Conclusion – Avid Studio wins hands down. Both products are priced the same at $4.99 but there is so much more flexibility available in Avid Studio.

Here is a quick overview video of this product produced by MattsMacintosh published to YouTube.

One step further, here is a 20 minute tutorial from MeadorsMusings posted to Youtube.

Click on this link to view even more helpful YouTube Videos on this subject.

Buy Microsoft Office Home & Business before Feb 27 and get Microsoft Publisher as a free download!

if you have purchased Microsoft Office 2019 Home and Business between January 15, 2012 and February 26, 2012 you have until March 23, 2012 to download your free copy of Microsoft Office Publisher.

Downloading Publisher is 1-2-3 easy!

Accept the terms and conditions

Enter your 25-character Product Key from Office Home and Business 2010

Follow the on-screen instructions

If you haven’t purchased your copy yet, do so now before Feb 26th to qualify for a free copy of Publisher.

Frequently asked questions

See the terms and other details of this offer.

Get details regarding promotion dates and deadlines by country

http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/buy/microsoft-office-and-publisher-FX102655579.aspx

Mimio PR: MimioStudio 9.0 Releasing on Feb 6!

It's official: MimioStudio™ 9.0 software will be released on Monday, February 6th! At that time, it can be downloaded from mimio.dymo.com.

MimioStudio 9.0 software makes interactive teaching much easier for teachers. It's uniquely intuitive, and seamlessly integrates every MimioClassroom™ product. It also incorporates the new MimioStudio ActivityWizard, an innovation that intelligently automates the activity-creation process, saving time and minimizing errors. Please see below for MimioStudio 9.0 and ActivityWizard differentiators.

MimioStudio 9.0 Differentiators

• Integrates all MimioClassroom devices–the MimioTeach™ interactive system, MimioVote™ assessment system, MimioView™ document camera, MimioCapture™ ink recording system, and MimioPad™ wireless tablet–seamlessly, for a truly user-friendly experience.
• Offers a built-in knowledge engine–ActivityWizard–that lets teachers generate educationally sound and engaging teaching activities in minutes.
• Includes MimioStudio Gradebook, which automatically records student answers and eliminates the need for teachers to hand-grade tests.
• Imports files from Smart, Promethean, and Common File Format (IWB), so teachers can use content they may already have.

ActivityWizard Differentiators

• The easiest and most intelligent activity builder available automates the activity and lesson building process.
• Includes a knowledge engine with a comprehensive library of content, and activity templates that allow automatic assembly of a complete activity in minutes.
• Teachers can build activities that target skill acquisition, rate-building, and evaluation.
• The entire activity-generation platform is founded upon proven instructional design principles.
• Automatically calls out critical components for creating effective instruction.

Evernote vs. OneNote

And the battle goes on. There have been some recent updates to both of these programs that have prompted me to take another look to see which one is better suited for what I need.

Evernote’s general capabilities are still not as rich on the PC/Desktop side as they are in OneNote but it still has a better overall feel and function between all of the different devices that you can bring it up on. I have listed a table below on some of the major features and how each product rates in respect to each other.

Feature	Evernote	OneNote
Notebook –this feature allows you to group notes together to make them easier to access	Two Level-You can create a master Group and then have notebook containers listed within the master Group or container.	On the surface it appears that you only have two levels here as well however, you may have as many Notebooks that you want. The second level is called a section in OneNote but there are two types of sections that you can create, the first is a Section Group which can create one or more Sections or more Section Groups. A Section then is what actually is the container for your note pages.
Free Form Entries	You don’t have this with Evernote	You can place your entries anywhere you wish on the note. I really like this feature and I miss it with Evernote.
Text Style	The basics are here but they are very limited.	A much richer choice of controls to enhance your text styles. You can create a much richer end product here.
Web Versions	Very similar whether you use the Web Interface or the Desktop Interface.	The Web interface is poor at best not only to the desktop version but also to what Evernote provides. This is the one feature that is a tipping point for me to continue using Evernote as my primary note taking application.
iPad App	Again, this is very similar to the both the Web and Desktop Apps. This makes it much simpler to move from one device to another.	Ugh! The newly released app is ten time better than it was but it still is a poor cousin to anything else. Still not good enough. Evernote wins here as well.
Application Interfaces	Evernote is very strong when it comes to integrating on the iPad with other applications. It should since this is the world that it has mostly evolved in. More and more secondary apps that I use have tie ins to not only Evernote but also Dropbox that these features keep me coming back.	OneNote has very strong tie ins with other Office Applications that I use a lot. This makes it very hard for me to stop using it but in reality, other than the task management associated with Outlook many of the other features that I want can also be found in Evernote.

So, for me I still lean towards Evernote as my primary note program but I still find myself jumping into OneNote when I need that extra formatting or connection to Outlook.

Let me know your thoughts!

Burn ISO Images Natively in Windows 7

From Windows Experience Blog by Brandon LeBlanc 

We just had a question come internally about this and I thought that it might be interesting to have it available for everyone else as well…

Geeks and IT Pros often have to burn an ISO image (.iso file) to physical media such as a CD or DVD to test out and install software. We have made it easier to burn ISO images in Windows 7 by natively supporting the ability to burn ISO images directly within Windows without the need of a third party tool.

To burn an ISO image in Windows 7, all someone needs to do is simply right-click on an ISO image and choose “Burn disc image”.

This launches Windows Disc Image Burner, giving you the option to burn the ISO image to either a CD or DVD.

If you check “Verify disc after burning”, it will verify the ISO image burned correctly. Choosing to verify a disc you burned will require additional time so if you’re in a hurry, you will probably want to ensure this option is unchecked.

I often burn ISO images to a DVD-RW so I can re-use the media. What’s great about Windows Disc Image Burner is that it will detect that a DVD-RW has content on it already and prompt you asking if you would like to erase the disc and burn new content to it. This ensures you don’t accidently erase and burn over something important that may be on that DVD-RW disc. This is awesome because it lets me re-use DVD-RW media.

If you haven’t already discovered this feature in the Windows 7, you should give it a shot especially if you are burning ISO images quite a bit.

AVG Service Update

AVG 8.5 migration to AVG 2012 (Small Business)

End of Service Update for AVG 8.5 was released.

Users that are currently on AVG 8.5 need to migrate to AVG 2012 to stay fully protected. We have created a step by step guide to help you.

Please note that you are required to have AVG Remote Administration 8.5 installed on your machine before you begin the migration process. If you do not have AVG Remote Administration 8.5 installed please refer to the “Important note before installation”.

Important note before the installation:

• Workstations with AVG 8.5 will not be able to communicate with new Admin Server 2012, however the list of these stations will be transferred to the AVG Admin Console.
• All stations that will be upgraded to AVG 2012 will be restarted during the remote installation.
• When installing AVG remotely using the AVG Network Installer Wizard, please bear in mind that a manual restart is always required in case there is AVG 8.5 on the target stations. Sometimes the restart is needed also when reinstalling AVG 2011/2012. The restart is needed because all old AVG services and drivers are scheduled for removal upon restart, and new drivers and services cannot be started due to this. The result of reinstallation without restart would be an unprotected station.
• In general, it is recommended to install AVG remotely during off-peak hours, and enable the option "Reboot the computer after finishing AVG 2012 setup if needed". This will ensure that the computer will be unprotected for the shortest possible time.

Visit this site for more information…

Next Month MS will be pushing silent updates to your IE

Microsoft is auguring that taking the responsibility out of the hands of users will keep the Web safer. This is not a new procedure for browser companies, but is an acknowledgement that Google’s model is proper methodology.

"It's the future ... for all software," said Andrew Storms, director of security operations at nCircle Security. "At this point, at least in the consumer space, people are expecting software to be up to date, and for it to do it itself."

Beginning in January it will roll out automatic upgrades of IE to the newest version suitable for a user's version of Windows. Windows XP users still on IE6 or IE7, for example, will be updated to IE8; Windows Vista or Windows 7 users running IE7 or IE8 will be pushed to IE9.

Previously, Microsoft has asked for user permission before upgrading IE from one version to the next, even if Windows' automatic updates are enabled.

The company will debut the new practice in Australia and Brazil next month, then expand the program gradually to other markets. Microsoft has not set a timetable for U.S. users.

While Chrome is the only browser that currently upgrades to the next version without asking users for permission, Mozilla is working on doing the same with Firefox. Mozilla has pushed back its schedule to release its auto update feature in Firefox 12, which is scheduled for April, 2012.

Microsoft will allow Users to retain control over when they want to update to new versions. So don’t worry about that. Enterprises using WSUS (Windows Server Update Service), or other patch management systems will not be affected. Microsoft is basically saying that if you set group policies through WSUS [to block automatic upgrades] that they are not going to override that.

Companies and individuals can also deploy the blocking toolkits that Microsoft had previously crafted for both IE8 and IE9 to stymie any auto-updating. Those kits can be downloaded from Microsoft's website. In future editions of IE -- meaning IE10 and beyond -- Microsoft will include an opt-out setting that users can select to disable automatic upgrades. While Chrome does not have such a setting, Firefox will when it eventually launches silent updates.

This seems to be a good balance between Microsoft’s desire to get consumers on the newest IE and retain its traditional conservatism where enterprises are concerned.

IE security updates, which are delivered every other month through Windows updates, will not be affected, as they are already silently downloaded and applied if users opt in to automatic updates.

Overall I view this turn of events as positive. Most of the work we do with systems these days are still cleaning systems of Malware, usually caught from visiting websites. So forcing an update to your browser only makes sense in the ongoing battle against the Malware creators. I applaud Microsoft for finally taking this approach.

Evernote Note Links–How to use them.

While I am on a roll with Evernote here is a rehash of a recent article from Evernote on how to use Note Links to organize and extend Evernote within Evernote and outside to other applications that you use.

Published October 21, 2011, Posted by Kasey Fleisher Hickey in Tips and Stories

Note Links are a new-ish feature we introduced that’s been talked about here and there on the blog. Not only are Note Links a powerful way to create an organizational structure that you like, they’re a way to actually associate your notes with a variety of 3rd party services. Let’s talk about how you could be using Note Links.

Creating a Note Link

You can create Note Links on any desktop version of Evernote and access Note Links from Evernote anywhere (including mobile versions). Creating a Note Link is easy: right click on a note and choose the Copy Note Link option, or choose it from the Note Menu. The link will be placed into your clipboard. From there, you can paste the link anywhere — a calendar event, a Post It on your desktop, another note, another application that you use, etc. Note Links are meant for you to access your own notes more quickly. Clicking on the Note Link in any location will pop up the note associated with that link.

Note Links are a super powerful way to bring organization, structure, and connectivity to all of your notes in Evernote.

Create Note Links on Your Desktop, Access them Everywhere

Once you start using Note Links, you probably won’t go back. Here are some great reasons to give them a try:

1. Create a table of contents for a selection of notes. Whether you’re working on a study guide or planning your wedding, you can use Note Links to get ahead of the game. Create a new note and add Note Links for things like Notes: October, Notes: December, etc. or “Guest List,” “Flowers,” “Vendor Numbers.” Do this for a Shared Notebook to help collaborators see your organization structure at first glance.
2. Add more context to your calendar. Have a meeting scheduled and want to remember all of the goals you jotted down in Evernote? Place a Note Link associated with your Goals note straight into the calendar invite by pasting the link into the notes section of your calendar. Pull up your note straight from your calendar by clicking on the link.
3. Associate notes with a big presentation. Keep the research you’ve saved in Evernote handy right inside a working presentation: drop Note Links into slides or comments for quick reference.
4. Access your frequently-used notes, fast. Have a handful of notes that you’re always referring to (a piece of code for your blog, instructions for cleaning your pool, or important numbers related to your kids activities), link them all to a ‘Most Used Notes.’ You’ll barely have to search again.
5. Create a calendar reminder. Wish your notes could remind you of to-dos? They can. Create a checklist or to-do list in your Evernote account. Paste a Note Link into notes section of your calendar event like ‘To-do’ deadlines and use your calendar with Evernote to stay on top of whatever you have to get done. When you click a Note Link from the Web, or your calendar, it opens Evernote on your desktop (if you have it installed) and highlights the note.
6. Add Note Links to Shared Notebooks. If you put Note Links into a note and drop that note into a Shared Notebook, the people you’ve shared that notebook with will be able to use them, too. This particular use case is super helpful if you’re working on a project that might require a table of contents, for example, to give added structure to a Shared Notebook.

These are just a few ideas for how you can use Note Links. How are you using Note Links?