2 Weeks with SkyDrive

SkyDrive grows up

I have been an avid user of SkyDrive from the initial beta – when I was a member of the now-defunct Microsoft Featured Communities* – at a time when it was known as Live Folders or something.

Later on, Microsoft integrated the functionality of its FolderShare product into what then became to be known as Windows Live Mesh, into the product.

In all those iterations, Live Mesh, as the product was known, had always been a fine product, and probably the first widely-distributed, consumer cloud storage service, though back then the word cloud hadn’t been snatched by everyone and man+dog!

Live Mesh was somewhat easy to use, giving users lots of storage for that time, a whopping 5 GB! Somewhere along the line, Microsoft decided to fork the product, and created a separate, new SkyDrive, which had different set of uses, though this time with 25 GB of storage.

As Microsoft is regularly wont to when it believes that it has an insurmountable lead, it went into a brain fart, and decided to limit the maximum uploadable file size to 50 MB. Yes, Microsoft can sometimes be that stupid, as a company.

Anyways, the new SkyDrive was part of the cancelled - April 30, 2012 - OfficeLive product, providing the storage subsystem for it. It was also, I believe, the underlying storage service for the old MyPhone product which was a cloud backup service for Windows Mobile smartphones. Suffice it to say that MyPhone was ahead of its time, as well.

Making it more ubiquitous, SkyDrive was also part of every Hotmail, Windows Live ID, Passport, or Microsoft account, with no restrictions based on where your email account was hosted.

This was “A Good Thing!”

However again, Microsoft, inexplicably, stood still.

With the increasing need for offsite - cloud – storage, several new services sprung up to deliver consumer cloud storage services with a greater ease of use for even the most n00biest amongst us.

The leader in delivering easy-to-use Web 2.0 consumer storage was DropBox.

DropBox was drop-dead easy: it created a folder on your hard drive that was synched to the cloud. All you had to do was initiate the install. Making the product even better, DropBox allowed sharing of specific folders with your friends, and making the product go viral, it gave you an increase of 250 MB free storage to the initial 2 GB. As expected, everyone lapped it up, primarily because of the offering, but also because the service, unlike SkyDrive, did not have any file size limitations.

For a while, it looked like DropBox was going to take over the [consumer cloud storage] world. However, a strange thing happened on the way to The Forum: people happened to glance at DropBox’s TOS, and found out that use of the service not only exposed your ‘stuff’ to all DropBox’s ad partners, it also made DropBox (the company) a co-owner of all your property stored on their service.

When I heard that, I pulled the ripcord and ejected from that service. I never went back. So did quite a few people.

However, in tweets, I lamented the unavailability of a simple SkyDrive.

Last month, the heads of the SkyDrive product at Microsoft announced changes coming to the product. I was also pissed off the in the transition to the new product, both the remote desktop component of Live Mesh, and the direct-PC-to-PC sync feature would be discarded. These feature deprecations were on top of the SMS storage/archival functions that were discarded after the MyPhone service died.

To say that I am still upset is a grave understatement.

So why with all this, do I think SkyDrive has become a winner?

Follow and learn, my young Padawans.

SkyDrive, the 2012 version
Subsequent to the release of Windows 8 Consumer Preview, Microsoft released the Metro SkyDrive app, which was an improvement over the old.

For one, this app ape’d the version for Windows Phone, with stunning visuals, live tiles, and a strict adherence to the ‘Metro’ design philosophy, and it boasted of simple install.

Moreover, it gave users the ability to browse the physical hard drives on the host system, whatever the folder hierarchy may be.

All this from Metro, and I loved it.

Well, last Monday, the other shoe dropped.

Mike Torres and Omar Shahine, group program managers for SkyDrive announced that the next generation of SkyDrive, this time the desktop version of the product, had dropped. Additionally, the new SkyDrive now had an initial storage limit of 7 GB, down from 25 GB. However, existing SkyDrive users could upgrade back to 25 GB just by following a link form their subsequent sign-on into SkyDrive from 23 April. For new users, the increase from 7 GB to would cost them some trifle amount per annum.

However, based on my aforementioned angst about the missing features, I was less than enthused, and initially ignored the product.

Later on in the day, when respected Twitter friends Rich Hay (@winobs) and Romit Metha (@theromit) gave it favorable mentions, I decided to give it a go.

And I was surprised.

Installing SkyDrive
I was expecting SkyDrive for the desktop – hereinafter called SkyDrive, while the Metro version would be called Metro SkyDrive – to continue to be a browser-only** product. It no longer is.

Like the Metro and Windows Phone products, SkyDrive is now an app downloadable, and installable.

I installed it, and…surprise, surprise!...SkyDrive was now a desktop applet fully integrated into the user’s file structure!

I logged in, and all my SkyDriven files started synchronizing between the desktop and the cloud.

I started feelin’ it, as they say in the ‘hood.

I installed SkyDrive on four systems: three running Windows 8 Consumer Preview, and one running Windows 7 Ultimate Edition.

There were no installation issues with any of the systems.

Using SkyDrive
I populated SkyDrive with my files and folders from a nearly full 4.5 GB Live Mesh account, and the sync started automatically in the background. Simple.

As it was synchronizing my stuff, I realized that this was a good time as any to re-order and streamline the files I had in my Live Mesh.

I proceeded to do that, finding quite a few duplicated files across the several systems I use regularly use. Including unneeded and unwanted files, I was able to eliminate about 1 GB of space. I reordered the folders, and now, I am happy.

What’s missing
The number one missing component is the FolderShare-style direct-PC-to-PC sync without cloud storage feature. It is probably a bandwidth breaker and costly for Microsoft to support, but I would think the wonks at Microsoft would come up with a way to simply arbitrate the PC-to-PC authentication, and just get out of the way, offloading the bandwidth costs from itself to the user(s). Please bring this back.

Second is the remote connection feature from Live Mesh. While it is not a deal-breaker, the remote connection feature has been a great help. I frequently use it to connect to systems not on DirectAccess and it does a fantastic job, especially with displaying the remote desktop in high/full fidelity. It was simple, and extremely easy to use. Sorely needed.

Third is SMS Sync. In the old, unlamented Windows Mobile Era, the now defunct MyPhone service allowed users to store and archive SMS (text) messages. That went away with the advent of Windows Phone, and does not seem to be on the roadmap of Windows Phone. Too bad. For it was a very good idea, and one that I would definitely pay for. I miss it.

Dislikes
The gaping security hole that is non-encrypted files.

I am serious!

Locally stored SkyDrive files are not encrypted to the specific user’s account.

Why does this matter?

Trip this: if you use SkyDrive in a multi-user configuration on a single PC with multiple admin accounts on the system, each admin account has unfettered access to all contents of your SkyDrive.

No, I am NOT kidding!

You have to ask yourself, what were the drones on the SkyDrive team thinking?

While multiple-PC families abound, there still are several instances whereby multiple users need to be able to access the same system.

Begs the question: why isn’t the SkyDrive folder encrypted to each specific user?***

No one from Microsoft has, or seems, to be able to answer the question.

This issue needs to be swiftly resolved if SkyDrive is to become a major Prime Time Player.

Conclusions
The current State of SkyDrive shows that Microsoft has finally decided to be more than a player in the consumer storage space, but also to win.

SkyDrive is easy in all aspects: to download, install, and sync. Moreover, it is now cross-platform, extending not only to OS X, but also to just about all mobile operating systems. (Well, the ones that matter, that is.) Additionally, the exposure of SkyDrive APIs to all means that developers can now build value into SkyDrive, from apps that access it, to apps that are actually built to use SkyDrive as the underlying mechanism.

This is a ‘good thing’.

Why?

It is a subtle crash course in cloud-delivered storage services, and if as expected, it does more than just gain a foothold, SkyDrive will help build familiarity with the cloud to consumers. As they go further, this should lead to all aspects of the cloud: compute, store, database, and analytics being services that those same customers would like to, or ideally, have to consume, in their business lives.

At that point, Windows Azure****, Microsoft’s enterprise-class cloud entry with those services, is already available. It would take nothing for people who become familiar enough with the Microsoft cloud as consumers to entrust their businesses to Microsoft’s business cloud, which is Windows Azure.

However, not all is copasetic with SkyDrive.

I strongly feel that Microsoft has to address the local security of SkyDrive on Windows before it becomes a PR issue or nightmare.

Seriously, why isn’t the local SkyDrive folder encrypted?

My reservations aside, I unreservedly recommend SkyDrive. Especially in this new iteration.

It is fast, simple, lightweight, reliable, and just does the job.

Windows integration is superb, and having identity federation by Microsoft through the use of Microsoft Accounts – formerly Windows Live ID - is a fantastic add.

It works.

Yes, SkyDrive has grown up, and we are about to enjoy the benefits of it.

A competitive matrix between SkyDrive and its principal competitors has been created by Microsoft, and a screen snip of that matric appears below.

Competitors:

Apple iCloud

DropBox

Google, is everywhere

* Much thanks to Aaron C. and Nick W. for their stewardship of the Featured Communities. I lament the death of that program almost daily.

** It is quite telling that earlier today, I was surprised to see a browser version of SkyDrive. It has taken me just one week to completely forget it has always been there!

*** As with my shout out as to why one cannot use the CTRL-Z convention with a mouse in Windows 8 Metro, I cannot seem to get a worthy answer.

**** More information on Windows Azure is here, and a basic description from Wikipedia is here.

Selling the Nokia Lumia 900; aka I visit an AT&T store

I went to a AT&T company store last weekend.

I waited a while after AT&T released the Nokia Lumia 900 LTE smartphone to make a call at one of the AT&T O&O (owned-and-operated) stores in Denver, Colorado.

In January of 2011, I almost caused a ruckus when I [believe I] shamed the staff at a Denver-area AT&T store into admitting that they were people who epitomized the very terms “salesdrones” and “salesdroids”, as they were not interested in either listening to the desires of the customers or selling them the smartphones the customers want, but more interested in selling the easiest-to-sell products, whatever that might be..

Of Salesdrones, Windows Phones, Nokia, and AT&T Stores
This is a store I hadn’t been to before, for I wanted to be a ‘mystery shopper’.

I went into the store, and asked the first available salesdrone what the best deal on a ‘very good smartphone’ was.

Surprisingly, I was told of the Nokia Lumia 900 as the very first choice!

A non-iPhone recommendation?

Seriously, you could have floored me with a feather!

“Are you serious” was my next question.

The (lady) salesdrone proceeded to walk with me to the display, and launch into a listing of the virtues of the phone, and surprise again, the virtues of Windows Phone.

There, she, ever so slightly, went off the rails. For while she was enthusiastic, she made several factual errors that could be attributed to either sales exuberance, or inadequate training.

I proceeded to attempt to steer her towards either the iPhone or any of the Android junk that littered the store, but she wouldn’t bite.

I then asked for the service plans available, and at that point she whipped out a pricing matrix any CPA would be proud of, and launched into a lengthy explanation of the various benefits of each service plan.

My eyes glazed over, after approximately 10 minutes of listening to the drivel.

Well meaning, and well delivered, but drivel nonetheless.

When I couldn’t take it any longer, I informed her that she had sold me on it, whipped out my Sprint HTC Arrive POJ (piece-of-junk), and informed her that I would have to bring my ‘Better Half’ over so she can sell her on it too. In her defense, the lady was gracious, and confidently told me to come back anytime, and gave me her work hours.

I then left the store

AT&T now actually sells Windows Phones?
My primary shock here was that there was a concerted effort to at least bring Windows Phone into the sales conversation from not just the sales drone that attended to me, but from her colleagues as well, from the snippets of conversations I could overhear.

This is in stark contrast to the last time I ventured into an AT&T store and was amazed at the number of times my attending salesthingy tried to dissuade me from getting the Samsung Focus 1, with that beautiful AMOLED screen!

This is refreshing.

I don’t know if this new development is due to either much better training, a renewed focus on motivating the sales-foot soldiers, and better advertising. It could also be due to to the previously announced intention to use spiffs to motivate salesdrones and salesdroids to add sales pitches for Windows Phones to their repertoire.

Whatever it is, it has certainly moved AT&T store sales folk to talk Windows Phones with never before seen vim and vigor.

I hope they keep it up.

Why isn’t the Nokia Lumia 900 LTE selling at a faster clip?
Really, why isn’t it?

It is an elegant device, it sports a superior operating system, it has affordable pricing, and it takes advantage of the much faster LTE network.

Just like the iPhone did at launch, and since then.

So, what’s missing?

If you re-read the earlier part of this article, you might remember where my attention started to wander, and I lost cohesion with the salesdrone’s words: talking about available voice-data plans.

The data plan!

Yes, people!

The friggin’ data plan!

In all respects, the Nokia Lumia 900 is a worthy rival to the iPhone. So why not go ahead and admire the heck out of the iPhone all the way by copying the final thing that made possessing it easy?

This is where both Microsoft and Nokia have dropped the proverbial ball.

One of the most important things that Apple did when the iPhone was initially introduced, was make a pact with AT&T whereby the devices came with simple data plans that greatly aided , and simplified the buying process.

Now, this isn’t rocket science, and is easily to replicate.

However, I have not seen Microsoft, despite my many ministrations to them to do so, avail themselves of that little gem.

It greatly simplifies, and aids the buying process.

It truly does.

Unfortunately, apart from the planned use of spiffs, all I see Microsoft attempting to do, is repeat the same tired campaigns, hoping that some ad or the other would resonate enough with the populace, and drive them to the store.

Maybe, the ads would.

However, even if you factor in great, unforgettable ads, and well-incentivized salescattle, the STOP event created by the unnecessarily complex and myriad number of data plan options eviscerates all that goodwill, and might just end up driving sales prospects away, in virtual tears.

This is absolutely nonsense, and has to stop.

Yes, it has to stop, for the good of the platform.

Microsoft has to go the extra mile, and develop pricing plans for each, and every ‘signature’ device for every carrier, playing to the strengths of the specific carrier and the device(s) offered.

That would extend the cachet for high-end Windows Phones, and help drive demand generation for it.

If Microsoft has to subsidize the phones or data plans, they should do so, knowing all too well that Windows Phone users have an attach rate equaling that of the iPhone, and thus giving Microsoft an opportunity to recoup those very same subsidies on the back end.

I fear that if this is not done, this incredibly beautiful and functional mobile operating system could be eternally relegated to an also-run status.

Follow @johnobeto

The HP TopShot LaserJet Pro m275 w/ 3D Scanning

The TopShot LaserJet Pro m275 is the first color laser MFC from HP

At first glance, the TopShot M275 looks like any other MFC, until you take a closer look, and see that what you supposed was a carrying arm – don’t try to lift it with this feature! – is actually an optical scanner. Size wise, the m275 is no different from the horde of MFCs on the market. However, this is a color laser MFC.

However, the TopShot is something more: it is a color 3D scanner. In what is quite innovative, not just in the utility of 3D scanning, but also in cost, the LaserJet Pro m275 brings fast scanning and color laser printing down to a price point that makes it very competitive with the horde of similar devices out there.

3D Scanning
The most visible innovation of the TopShot is the 3D scanning capabilities. And for that, its entry into the MFP space at affordable pricing is welcome.

I have used it to take a myriad number of scans here at The Orbiting O’Odua, and I will be taking the device to MedikLabs to see how others use and value this function as part of their daily work lives.

OOBE
I took the printer out of the box, removed the packaging materials, was surprised to find that it already came with the toner cartridge(s) installed, and plugged it in.

I opted for the manual – at the device- connection to the LAN here, and used the touchscreen controls to easily achieve that.

Install #1: Windows 7 Ultimate Edition. I inserted the device driver CD into my primary desktop here, an HP z600 Personal Workstation running Windows 7 Ultimate Edition.

Install initiated from the CD, and Windows 7 proceeded to initialize the printing and scanning functions.

Easy.

Install #2: Windows 8 Consumer Preview. After dabbling w/ the M275 for a while in Windows 7, I ejected the driver disk, and used the optical drive for something else. I then rebooted the system, and selected the Windows 8 instance.

In attempting to install the TopShot MFC, I came upon a surprise: the HP LaserJet Pro M275 has storage embedded into it that contains Windows 7 drivers for the device.

This is very cool, and a most welcome development.

A few weeks before, I had lamented the fact that in 2012, optical media is still used for the distribution of device drivers.

To me, it shows that OEMs were either not aware of the increasingly larger numbers of computing devices that do not have attached or available optical drives, or they are not taking advantage of the potential savings, in packaging size and in reliability, that a [mostly USB] flash-based device driver module could bring to them.

Hopefully, we shall see more of this going forward.

I used the advanced printer setup option to install the printer into the OS, which went swimmingly. Everything went well, and I am using without any issues.

Preliminary conclusions
The TopShot is a fantastic brand extender, in that it is the first color laser and wireless MFC from HP. It is also a 3D scanner, a first for products in this price range.

As expected from an HP printing device, it is quite fast, and very easy to use. The 3D scanning features are an added benefit, and I am looking forward to talking to a PM for the product in the next few weeks on this feature alone.

Right now, the device is being relocated to MedikLabs for further testing review.

Follow @johnobeto

SunGard & the High-Availability Cloud

This is 2012, and companies of all sorts, from the smallest single-employee operation to mighty Wal-Mart have begun a relentless march towards the cloud.

Everyone.

I have been on a quest to learn everything about the cloud that I can, not just for personal edification, but also to see how we can deliver appropriate services to our clients based on each company’s specific needs.

As usual, the Microsoft and HP cloud offerings have been my first ports of call.

However, as with any nascent development, it behooves all charged with setting strategy and direction to look at everything out there.

As a result, when I was offered the opportunity to speak with a couple of folks from SunGard Availability Services a short while ago, I accepted.

Why?

SunGard is well known, and very well regarded as a business recovery and continuity company.

For years, a large percentage of Fortune 5000 companies have relied on SunGard to help them secure their backups, retrieve those same backups, and help their businesses recover from disasters, financial or otherwise. By all indications, it has delivered on the promises made.

As a result, SunGard, in my opinion, provides what is the cloud equivalent of mission-critical: a high-availability cloud. This is of a higher order than that generally offered by regular cloud providers.

Let us dive in

Who and what is SunGard?
As explained earlier, SunGard has provided disaster recovery services for enterprises and regulated entities for about three decades of experience, combined with QoSs backed by iron-clad service-level agreements.

For cloud services, SunGard is hoping to replicate their forte with a potent combo of consulting, powerful cloud infrastructure platforms, managed services, and managed applications.

Informationally, SunGard’s verticals are healthcare, retail, manufacturing, financial, and education. They target a swath of companies with annual revenues from $50 million to $2 billion.

The SunGard Cloud
For the cloud, SunGard has transferred its DR and consulting chops into delivering the services in the graphic below.

SunGard
According to SunGard, it takes more than just hosting to deliver its services.

It is involved with client companies from the architecting stage in order to ensure that the client’s goals can be aligned with the services SunGard can deliver.

Once there is an alignment, SunGard moves to managed services mode for the client, I am told. It hosts and manages enterprise apps such as Oracle, SAP, Exchange, databases, and more. SunGard then provides operating system management, backups, and monitoring.

According to SunGard, they are able to provide clients with enterprise basic, private, and multi-tenant platforms within high-security and regulations-compliant datacenters.

For hardware, SunGard relies on the vBlocks from VCE, which is a joint venture of VMware, Cisco Systems, and EMC.

In the vBlock, VMware provides the hypervisor, Cisco provides the server and networking hardware, and EMC provides the storage subsystems.

On paper, this is a formidable product.

However, I am not convinced at just one of the planks on this platform: the server component. I believe that the server subsystem is the weak link here, and the most unproven of this solution. Nevertheless, that weakness can be managed, and actually turned into an asset by a savvy operator, and datacenter manager.

Which SunGard is.

As explained in the sidebar above, if expertly managed, the shortcomings I see in the vBlock product can be turned into an asset, and it appears that SunGard has succeeded in leveraging years in DR to bring just that.

I hope to follow up on SunGard to learn more about their offerings, and to see if there is something in their plans for a Windows-centric constituency such as mine.

Conclusions
SunGard is something I hadn’t thought about when I commenced on my “Cloud Journey” several months ago.

Rather than either just hosting, a la Rackspace, or IaaS or PaaS plays such as Windows Azure or Amazon Web Services, SunGard brings managed cloud services and disaster recovery/bulletproof web-based business continuity to the midmarket with plans to drive that downwards.

While I am not totally convinced in the adequacy of both their hardware platform choice in the VCE vBlock product, and the current strict and monolithic requirement to move prospects to the VMware platform instead of letting them BYOHypervisor, I think they are doing their clients a service by sticking to their core competencies. That, after all, is what we do at Logikworx.

SunGard’s chances look good. They have a well-established, and equally well-respected brand in business continuity, and they are relying on proven hardware from Tier-1 OEMs in the VCE vBlock.

Follow @johnobeto

Andy Marken’s Content Insider #223 - Blending Life

BYOD is Bad for IT, Great for Bad Folks

“I'm drowning here, and you're describing the water!” – Melvin Udall, “As Good as it Gets,” Tristar, 1997

Unless it was just yesterday, it’s probably tough to remember your first day on your job.

You know, after your HR briefing you were shown your desk, your computer and, if you did a lot of business travel, your Blackberry. Then you were thrown in the deep end to sink or swim.

Today, you get your workspace and set up your tools – your notebook, your smartphone, your iPad. HR sends you the link to policies/procedures, videos.

You’re in the deep end.

Frank Sachs takes it all in stride, “I grew up in hell! My grandmother has more attitude than you!”

It’s called the consumerization of IT or BYOD (bring-your-own-device) workforce.

Humans in Center – Each new wave of technology dwarfs its predecessor. PCs dwarfed mainframes, which in turn were subordinated by the Web which opened the door for mobile, lightweight digital devices. The new devices are extensions of the owner, which is why they are vital in our home/office environment. Source – Mark Sigal

It came about slowly, insidiously, naturally and everyone has their opinion on how it happened:

• Millenials who started their jobs and grew up with notebooks in their backpack, phones in their pockets were accustomed to always being in contact with everyone, anytime, anywhere.
• The Blackberry was cool – for its time – phone/email always with them but it was rigid to use; and let’s admit it, communications were ugly.
• The boss got a sexy new iPhone - the guy/gal wanted to be on an equal standing with his/her kids -- and was determined to use it no matter what and insisted IT support it. That opened the door and everyone wanted to be as hip, productive as the boss.

Our vote goes for the last reason; but the others sure encouraged it.

Boss Opened the Door
Today, almost everyone in the organization has their personal tech gadgets – iPhones, iPads, notebooks/ultrabooks, Android device.

BYODs – When the doors opened for people to bring in their own devices for work and home, people did … in record numbers. It usually started innocently enough by the boss or new millennial always-connected employees; but the flood soon proved to bring everyone in the organization along. It will only continue

And they expect to have the devices connected to the corporate network so they can manage their personal lives and get their work done.

A recent survey by Dimensional Research of IT executives found:

• 88 percent of survey respondents want to have a policy in place regarding personal devices
• 82 percent are concerned about the use of personal devices for work purposes
• 64 percent are not confident that they know of all personal devices being used for work purposes
• 60 percent reported a greater demand for support of Mac OS X since the introduction of the Apple iPad and iPhone
• 59 percent reported that personal devices have created the need for organizations to support multiple operating systems
• 32 percent admit that employees use unauthorized personal devices and applications to connect to their network

Even before Apple rolled out the new iPad, corporate sales were doing “okay.”

Seeing that his was on backorder, Simon Bishop mumbled, “So the life that I was trying for is over, the life that I had is gone, and I'm feeling so damn sorry for myself that it's difficult to breathe.”

Market of One for Now – It’s been three generations and as many years and the Apple iPad still has no significant competitor. One of the reasons is obviously that it just does what it is supposed to do the way you want it to do it. But more importantly, its walled garden has good apps that IT people (and others) sorta’, kinda’ trust.

With the new units hitting the stores and apps cropping up everywhere with no serious competitor in sight, people in all businesses/services can’t wait to get their hands on the new iPad.

And they have all the best reasons why they need it now.

Business Users – While most “consumers” bought their iPads to play games, read materials and watch videos; business people chose them for more practical, business-oriented applications. And, as you can see, most folks used them as they planned.

But their iPads are additive, not replacements because:

• They Aren’t Smartphones – handsets have a lot more apps and you can make a phone call with something that pops into your pocket
• Tablets are good travel/business companions for working with email, taking notes more easily, read books/news, watch movies on a decent size screen, play games
• Laptops/notebooks are still ideal when it comes to getting work done. Sure you can add a keyboard and larger screen or take along both and use them accordingly
• Ultrabooks (think Macbook Air) give an ultra-slim design, laptop power, near-table battery life, very good storage/work capacity
• Most business users like to get at least a couple of years of work from their devices, especially when the new one is “a little better” -- not revolutionarily different/insanely better

BYOD blurs the lines between work and personal lives; so rather than eliminating one or more devices, we now carry three.

There is a lot of engineering going on at Apple as well as Intel and its partners that will merge the tablet touch screen look/feel with ultrabooks. Then we may be able to lighten our load with only two devices; but that seems to be two or three years away.

Security Holes Grow
Of course that won’t solve the biggest challenge IT has today, protecting the organization’s sensitive assets – data.

Bad Guys, Gals – While the old days were marked by individuals targeting organizational networks, mobile devices changed all that. It’s just too easy to hack/slash a mobile device today. At the same time, the security requirements for IT continue to grow.

For example, our mobile data capacity is:

• Smartphone – 32GB
• iPad – 64GB
• notebook – 500GB and when we swap the “heavy” unit for an SSD ultrabook, it will probably be 240GB

So?

All of that capacity holds a treasure-trove of valuable personal/company data that hackers, whackers and cyber thieves would love to have. Others carry around even more valuable corporate data on their devices.

And if you didn’t know it, your company’s biggest security risk is you and your BYOD home/work devices.

As Simon Bishop noted, “The best thing you have going for you is your willingness to humiliate yourself.”

Recently, there have been a number of articles in the New York Times and other media regarding mobile device loss/theft and tapping into the device(s) to extract critical information or worse.

A couple of years ago on a family trip, our son whipped out his notebook to make a point of how poorly people secure their computers. He used the airport’s free Wi-Fi and get onto/into six computers … it took no time at all!

He proved his point.

Security Checkpoints
Recent reports point out that people who regularly do business in China go “device naked.”

That’s a little drastic for most instances; but as we consumerize IT, closing the holes is proving to be increasingly difficult.

It’s tough to change personal habits. But with spies, fraudsters and con artists becoming bolder and better, employees have to do more to protect confidential, sensitive information.

That means across town, across the country or halfway around the globe.

Hacking the corporate network is still fun for black hatters; but the folks who want the important, valuable stuff have a much easier, much better target that’s really easy to hit … employees.

Well-intentioned employees, people who download questionable apps and folks who work around security hurdles are much easier opportunities to work with.

However, the company saves money because it’s “your” device and you’re able to blend your personal and work life with some of the coolest tools on earth.

It’s just that sometimes you may want to hold them at more than arm’s length!

Looking at the total situation, Frank Sachs commented, “If there's a mental health organization that raises money for people like you, be sure to let me know.”

G. Andy Marken is founder and president of Marken Communications

Follow @johnobeto

Reviewing the Nokia Lumia 900 review strategy

Today – I believe, Nokia and AT&T released the Nokia Lumia 900 for public consumption.

Coincident with that have been quite a few reviews delivered online and in print. The coincidental timing of the deluge of reviews leads me to believe (again) that there was an embargo on those reviews, and that the embargo expired today sometime.

As a result, there has been, as I mentioned earlier, a deluge of posts on the worthiness of the product. The mobiles-focused sites have generally done bang-up and fair efforts regarding the product. Some of the tech sites have also given it a fair shake, reviewing the product on its own, as part of the Windows Phone family, and with respect to the iconic market leader, the Apple iPhone.

What is quite infuriating however, is the sheer number of blog posts and tweets today by people I would kindly class as uninformed jackasses.

These people, lacking any technological prowess to sufficiently review a product resorted to what they do best: SEO and link-baiting reviews.

I was not, and I am not fooled.

As their tweets came across my desk while I was trying to work today, I glanced at the headlines, and compartmentalized them as the trash I was sure they were and are.

I didn’t take the [link] bait!

It would be quite easy to just blame the writers for their stories, but it would mask the couple of issues wrong with the Lumia 900 launch, namely,

1. Large-scale embargos,
2. Inept marketing by AT&T, and equally inept, out-of-character marketing by Nokia,
3. Microsoft reverting to “Bad Microsoft” and seemingly using the team and/or playbook from the failed Zune and Windows Vista launches, and
4. The potential for the wrong perceptions to become [a distorted] reality.

“Say what now?” you may ask.

Let me explain.

The problem with large-scale embargos for a contender to a market leader

There are times when large-scale embargos work: when there is news that you want to blast all over the planet. For such events, getting a group of self-involved journalists – I have included bloggers and social media twitterers here, with apologies to my journalist friends – to work in lockstep requires the creation and enforcement of a strict embargo, as attempting to keep a large group on message is akin to attempting to herd cats.

Unfortunately the reverse is true when a physical product launch and and attendant reviews drop.

Why is this?

All of a sudden, you have competing websites, publications, and media outlets going after the same eyeballs. To differentiate their reviews, and drive traffic or revenue to their respective properties, a vocal subset of these embargoed folks then decide to play an unethical game of “who can pan this product/device the most”.

It is a game most foul!

So why do companies do it?

Simply, laziness.

What these lazy companies do is look at traffic numbers and decide that they must be in the game over there, because, as the bank robber once said, “that’s where the money is!” A Microserf once told me that as well, when I asked it about the fails surrounding Zune marketing.

However, it soon becomes a zero-sum game. Because the media outlets are looking out for number one, they feel they can perform a follow-up to the piece when the world has proven them wrong. I will give these people the benefit of the doubt, and not insinuate that they are tying to ingratiate themselves with the market leader.

Disbelieve me?

Look at Apple.

For all their product launches, they make sure that the distribution list for unreleased product is limited to (external Apple employees?) Mossberg and Pogue. Period.

As dutiful vassals, they take the product(s) through their paces – supposedly – and always return with fawning reviews.

Making me believe if it was iTurd, they would call it the best ever.

While I don’t advocate such a tight distribution list, I think the distribution list can be a lot smaller, with the engagement of informed reviewers and sites. Funny enough, Microsoft does stuff like this for the Windows Server product, bringing people to reviewer’s workshops that showcase the product(s), letting the reviewers’ experience and constituency to then guide their reviews.

Microsoft is not alone in doing this. HP does it, and the old AMD used to hold workshops before...well, before…

Seems simple, but there you are.

Inept marketing by AT&T, and equally inept, out-of-character marketing by Nokia
Does anyone remember a memorable ad about Lumia 900 that they saw prior to today? Or anyone since then?

Me neither.

Does it bode well for the fortunes of Lumia 900?

What does it say about the approach to marketing by AT&T and Nokia?

AT&T can be forgiven. After all, they are a mobile-telco, and used to using a cudgel to get people to buy their wares, often because they have no choice based on the near monopolies mobile telcos enjoy in these United States.

Nokia however, cannot be forgiven for this gaffe. They are a true multinational corporation. They compete with other mobiles OEMs in shark-infested waters, especially when they are in competition from low-cost manufacturers from the Orient.

As successful as they have been globally, Nokia has faltered here in America. You would think that they would have learned the error of their ways, and put together a team that would take their impressive investments in Windows Phone to a higher, financially successful level.

They haven’t.

Microsoft reverting to “Bad Microsoft” and seemingly using the team and/or playbook from the failed Zune and Windows Vista launches
Microsoft. //groan// O, Microsoft!

In the Zune era, the (for want of a better word) idiots running marketing for the device looked at the biggest loudmouths in the mainstream and social media communities, and decided that because of the traffic those people had, they would send them Zune devices, and hope for the better.

That strategy, also known as throwing crap at the wall in order to see if any globule is sticky, is almost always doomed to fail.

I remember reading a ‘review’ from one of the people Microsoft gifted with the device.

The reviewer was named Om Malik.

His objectivity was apparent. You can also understand why I thoroughly discount anything he does today.

Completely!

Not at any time, did Microsoft read deep into the various Zune enthusiast communities back then to find people who knew enough about the product to be informational, and create their own [Zune] media heroes. They just keep on trying to change the closed minds of these numbskulls to no avail.

The result?

Zune failed.

Woefully.

In fact, I would wager that the silly-named and technically inferior German MP3 player, the I.Beat Blaxx, probably sold more copies than Zune!

The same error was repeated with Windows Vista

Microsoft woke up for Windows 7, and I/we thought Microsoft had finally seen the marketing light, and turned the corner.

Nevertheless, they seem to be making the same mistakes again.

They have proceeded to seed the punditry with Lumia 900 products based solely on some nebulous metrics, and not as a result of the technological savvy of the selected sites.

It is quite appalling for me to read constantly of several Windows Phone, and indeed, Mobile devices MVPs using their own funds to purchase Windows Phone units. Meanwhile, uninvolved members of the mainstream and social media received the phones, and resorted to point #1 above.

On what planet does that make sense?

Evidently, it makes perfect sense at #1, Microsoft Way in Redmond, Washington.

The potential for the false & wrong perceptions to become [a distorted] reality
Somebody – I don’t remember who – once said, and I paraphrase: “if a lie is spoken with enough authority and repetition, it then becomes [perceived] as the truth, no matter what the truth is.”

A modern day manifestation of that phenomenon is the current birther situation in the political United States.

Thanks to the turdheads at Fox News, the oft-repeated mantra the President Obama is not an American has not only gotten a foothold, but completely engulfed the imaginations of the weak in our society. As a result, you hear people who should know better, including several physicians I know, ask themselves the question, or try to illuminate me into believing their delusion: that the President is a secret Kenyan, a secret Moslem, or whatever their feeble minds have glommed onto.

Don’t worry, I studiously avoid these well-read, but obviously unintelligent humanoid bipeds.

Coming back to the matter at hand, a serious barrier to success for the not just Lumia 900, but all of Nokia, and by proxy, Microsoft, is the gap between unfounded and untrue perceptions, and the reality of their entwined offerings.

I was going to write something, but blogger Romit Mehta, beat me to the punch with his excellent analysis of this issue in his blog post titled The Problem with Reviewing the Nokia Lumia 900.

In fact, I was moved to write this after reading his article.

I cannot add anything to this point that he has not covered.

Conclusions
Microsoft and not just its Windows Phone, but also all its partners in general, have to wake up to the fact that they are now the underdogs.

Their silly practice of looking at traffic numbers as a determinant for who gets advance information and review materials have to change, especially if they are to improve the fortunes of Windows Phone, and deliver Windows 8 and Windows Phone 8 with a bang. Appealing to the self-appointed cognoscenti is a failed strategy.

The mainstream and social media types they currently pamper do absolutely nothing for them, and they have to make a concerted effort to recreate a genuine, and authentic groundswell that would help them to prosper enough to be a formidable competitor to the false perceptions they have to overcome.

Barring that, we just might be writing an appropriate epitaph for Microsoft a year from today just as we are mentally writing the ones we would like to publish for the likes of Yahoo! and RIM.

Follow @johnobeto

The 2012 HP Pathways to the Cloud Road Show, Dallas

I attended the Dallas event of the 2012 HP Pathways to the Cloud Road Show, and I came away more knowledgeable about the way HP has been able to meld their vast offerings into a coherent series of solutions that enable easy onramps to the cloud.

This cloud roadshow is intended to show partners how to leverage either their existing infrastructure, or their HP partnership into creating the cloud solution, be it public, private, or hybrid, that best suits their business needs.

From the keynote onwards, we were led through informational sessions where featured HP products, the new and impressive Gen8 series of Proliant servers, the amazing 3PAR storage monsters, and the incredibly affordable and reliable HP Networking products were presented as part of a holistic whole than can be put together to act in symphony according to a user’s desire.

I was able to capture part of the presentation in the video below. (A word of caution: it is about two hours long!)

HP Pathways to The Cloud Roadshow, Dallas 2012 from John.Obeto on Vimeo.

2012 HP Pathways to the Cloud Road Show, Dallas from John.Obeto on Vimeo.

Video blogger Jake Luddington was at hand, and he was able to snag HP Cloud Advisor Charlie Bess into giving him a couple of interviews.

Charlie Bess Interview #1

2012 HP Cloud Roadshow: Charlie Bess 001 from John.Obeto on Vimeo.

Charlie Bess Interview #2

2012 HP Pathways to the Cloud Roadshow: Charlie Bess Interview #2 from John.Obeto on Vimeo.

I am trying to free up some time to attend the Denver leg of the Road Show, as I would like to imbibe all the info disseminated at the ISS Proliant Gen8 Deep Dive.

Follow @johnobeto

HP Pathways to the Cloud Roadshow, Dallas

I am in Dallas for this instance of the HP Pathways to the Cloud Roadshow.

Based on the proverbial ‘cloud’ being where we all must  move towards as the next step in delivering not just storage, but also compute and services to our various and varied constituents – hey, it’s the election season after all - a deep knowledge of the cloud is required, and necessary.

Happily, HP is being quite helpful here.

This Roadshow series, will enable just about anyone with a thirst for knowledge to attain just that.

I shall be blogging and tweeting away as the show goes on.

You can follow on me on Twitter, and also add these hashtags to you twitterstream: #cloud, #hpci, #hpcloudus.

Previous/Related post here.

Follow @johnobeto

2012 HP Global Workstation Event: the z620-powered GlobalMed Diagnostic Nurse’s Station

GlobalMed of Colorado, showed off a mungo cool portable Nurse’s Station powered by one of the new HP z620 Workstations.

This system would not only speed up patient processing, but would do so safely, and with a verifiable audit trail.

For added benefit, it integrates with a host of EMR/EHR solutions.

HP z620 powering the GlobalMed diagnostic workstation from John.Obeto on Vimeo.

Suffice it to say that I am happy Wifey didn’t get to try this out personally, for I would have had to extend her one of those no-interest, no-repayment loans wives ask for, and get.

I have to try to schneider one of those for an extended review at MedikLabs.

Follow @johnobeto

2012 HP Global Workstation Event: PACS processing with HP z620 Workstations

One of the most important needs in healthcare today is the need for accurate radiographic readings of images by trained clinicians.

HP’s Linda Goodrich talks of how the new z620 Workstations bring a new level of power to bear when processing PACS images.

HP's Linda Goodrich on PACS processing using the new z620 workstations from John.Obeto on Vimeo.

Follow @johnobeto

The 2012 HP Global Workstation Event

This is the intro video for the event

HP Global Workstation Launch from John.Obeto on Vimeo.

Follow @johnobeto

2012 HP Global Workstation Event: Nvidia Quadro graphics in the HP Z1 Workstation

Nvidia Quadro graphics GPU powers the HP Z1 Workstation.

This is a video they made.

Nvidia's HP Z1 video from John.Obeto on Vimeo.

Follow @johnobeto

2012 HP Global Workstation Event: Power without the Tower

This video shows some of the reactions of the attendees to the 2012 HP Global Workstation Event when the impressive HP Z1 Workstation was revealed.

HP Global Workstation Launch Event 2011 from John.Obeto on Vimeo.

Believe me, the Z1 is even more impressive in real life!

Follow @johnobeto

Media harlotry & Day One iProduct purchases

I remember the original iPad launch

It was something else: an iconic product – the iPhone – had been infused with a larger screen, more smarts, and priced at a point never heretofore seen.

As someone who had by that date spent about an hour with what was supposed to have been it’s competitor, the late and totally unlamented HP Slate 1, that product was one I wanted so succeed, because I wanted it to show the yobs at HP what true innovation was!

For this launch, the product was ONLY going to be available at the Apple Store*.

As a result, and with the memory of past product launches where Apple ‘managed’ product availability to create an artificial groundswell, the Apple cattle went out in full force to pick up the latest gift from their god, and literally pay tribute, in earthly monies, to him.

It was a momentous event, and all the mainstream media morons played along, flooding the airwaves with ‘live’ video from Apple stores across this great nation. They never failed to regale us with tales of how some peónic staff member of theirs had succeeded in obtaining an iPad after spending untold hours among the great Apple unwashed. These tales were peppered with sighting of some of the lesser celebrities of today, who seeking to make it into the pantheon currently held by those aliens from Cardassia**, were also able to buy one.

Me, I just discounted it.

And then, I saw HIM!

Who?

Steve Wozniak, Apple co-founder***.

Supposedly, he had waited in line to buy an iPad as well.

Are you freakin’ kiddin’ me?

He couldn’t call Jobs up, and have a truckload delivered to his crib?

Other people though, ate it up, and I called it what it was: a masterful PR coup.

The unfortunate outcome of The Woz’s successful PR stunt – and believe me, it was a stunt! – is that lesser folks, including bloggers who should know better, have taken to trying to imitate the stunt.

And they’ve all failed.

Unfortunately the failures have not held these people back. Since that original iPad launch, every wanna-be yum-yum and man+dog have been polluting my Twitter stream with their updates from one launch or another.

Annoying the fu’k out of me in the process!

Friday was the launch of iPad3

And again, there was talk of long lines at Apple stores.

Which was a head-scratcher!

Why?

Because the friggin’ product was simultaneously available at just about every department store in the nation! For goodness sakes, discount and ware house stores had it. Even Kmart! The only places that don’t have it are the dollar stores, because it costs over $1.

Yet, people waited in line to buy it at the Apple Store?

The seeming worst offender was…get this…Wozniak.

Supposedly, he had a minion stand in for him until the factotum was at the top of the line, then the Woz emerged from his trailer or transportation conveyance, changed places with the drudge, and then made a triumphant entry into the store to procure his iPad3. Supposedly.

If so, it sucks.

It reduces the Woz, an icon himself, to the same level as the visionless bloggers who have been trying to imitate him.

Say it ain’t so, Woz!

Dude, you are  an icon!

Start behaving like one!

My rule-of-thumb is this: if <insert Apple product here> is only tangential to your job, don’t bore us with your escapades to Applestore. It is juvenile, not new, and boring.

If you’re an apple fanboi, the same applies to you.

The only people I have no scorn for, and actually celebrate their dedication as they wait in line are the Apple/Mac/iOS professionals I know, such as Jeff Gamet, who writes and podcasts about all things Apple, or Stephen F., whose symposia actually feature iconic and eclectic giveaways. In fact, for all the multi-billion dollar companies around, and the gazillion radio stations in the US, it was Stephen’s expo that actually gave away the first iPad, as far as I know!

As for Jeff G., his tweets, together with those of @cxi, are the freshest, most eclectic on Twitter! Jeff’s Starbucks tweets should be called “The Starbucks Chronicles”.

Their wait in line, I understand.

If you’re not one of them, hold back for a minute, shake yourself, do a 180, and head back home.

This entire thing is tired, and thoroughly played out.

By the way, I have a standing rule at all of my companies: if I see your ass on TV or if you give an interview stating that your ass has been waiting in line for x amount of hours/days for something or anything, it better be that you were waiting in line to vote in democratic elections. That time I would probably pay for, as I already do so for presidential elections.

Other than that, consider yourself sacked.

With immediate effect and automatic alacrity!

*Maybe memory fails me, and I may be thinking of the iPhone launch. Either way, my point(s) stand, and I could give a flying fu’k about making a timing error.

**It is quite galling to see Cardassians think that a mere name change to Kardashians, and some physical cosmetic work would make us forget their atrocities. I am not fooled!

***At the FusionIO party at the 2010 HP Tech Forum in Las Vegas, I won one of the door prizes, an [original] iPad, which was autographed by, and given to me by Steve Wozniak.

Follow @johnobeto

Windows 8 Consumer Preview & Server 8 Beta–Part #2 of 4: Using Windows 8 CP

This is Part 2 of 4 posts on Windows 8 Consumer Preview and Server 8 beta. There might be a Part 5 focused on Server 8 only. However, that is a game-time decision.

• Part 1: How we intend to review Windows 8 Consumer Preview and Server 8 Beta
• Part 3: My conclusions on Windows 8 Consumer Preview
• Part 4: A review of the apps I have purchased with the Windows 8 Store

For the past few weeks, I have been a 100% user of Windows 8 Consumer Preview.

As Windows 8 moves from the pre-beta for the beta, dubbed a “Consumer Preview” by the powers-that-be at Microsoft, the time has come to turn a critical eye on the product, in hopes that issues identified now would be corrected by the time the product goes gold.

These are my thoughts on Windows 8 Consumer Preview so far.

Download & Installation

Download: Almost simultaneous with the announcement of the Consumer Preview, Microsoft made the preview bits available for download.

That’s where the first issue occurred: the download link was for an upgrade, not a clean install! And only after the the process started would you be made aware of this. If there was any notification of this, it wasn’t visibly apparent.

Nicely, Microsoft seemed to have adequately provisioned CDNs for fast downloads. I had no problems with the download from either the O’Odua or MedikLabs; with the delivery fast enough, even taking into consideration the fact that broadband here in rural NE Colorado, well, sucks.

SoCal and NoCal experienced no hiccups, with everything going smoothly.

Installation: Buried deep within the install FAQ is a note informing prospective testers of the requirement of a product key, with one duly provided. That information is buried deep, and not easily accessible. Not good.

However, installation of Windows 8 CP, as since the late unlamented Windows Vista, was a breeze: it takes about 17 minutes. Period.

We have installed W8CP on approximately 53 systems without any issues. Better than that, we didn't, and so far, haven’t had, any major issues with driver compatibility*.

Windows Server 8 Beta: Conversely, the download and installation of Windows Server 8 beta was smooth and trouble-free. I initially installed it on a Proliant ML110, and selected the GUI option. I later installed the Windows Experience Pack, since you know, I like Windows :-) Easy, peasy.

My only issue is that there are no enhanced video drivers for the console. Makes using it undeniably ugly.

Apart from that, installing the management apps we use at Logikworx went smoothly. I have retained the services of our trusty Windows 2008 Small Business Server at the Orbiting O’Odua as well as a Windows Home Server for backups. At MedikLabs, I simply made the VM containing their EMR/EHR installation over, and made it ready. I also installed my management software on the WS8b box there. Both of the installs were on Proliant ML350s.

The Metro interface

Contrary to articles I have read since the release of Windows 8 DP back in September, I actually like the Metro interface.

The tiles, especially the live tiles, are immediately useful, and informative, and intuitive, and the iconography is peerless.

Mind you, I don’t know if that is because I have been a satisfied user of Windows Phone 7. However, I do know that the easy presentment of apps and Metro functions makes using Metro a snap. The Metro ‘Charms’ – command and control functions – are never more than a finger flick (touch-enabled systems) or a mouseover-to-the-monitor’s edge (non-touch) away.

Included with Metro, are a set of 17 Metro apps that, in my opinion, show the promise of how powerful Metro, which is powered by the mighty Windows franchise, could be.

Using the default Metro apps

So, I’ve used the Metro apps. What did I find, or like?

Calendar
The Calendar app is fast, sharp and crisp for viewing, and easy on the eyes.

It automatically pulled in my appointments from the Windows Live ID I used for the install, easily displaying them.

However, in this release, the app does not have a Todo list, and while you can add appointments, you cannot delete them. I repeat, you cannot delete any appointments!

You also cannot multi-select items.

Verdict: not very useful; 

Camera
The camera app is a conundrum.

At initial startup of the camera app on the system, , it asks for permission to use the system’s camera and microphone. If denied, it goes into dumb mode, displaying nothing until the user figures how and just what is going on. A more useful and informative dialog box would help relieve this, and solve many a phone call to tech support.

But it works. It works well, and like a smartphone’s camera, it also allows you to use a webcam as a video source from within the app. However, it saves those videos to the Pictures folder.

The most annoying thing about Camera though, is the lack of instructions anywhere. You’ve got to ask Microsoft how the heck do they think average Joe & Jane would determine what the controls are?

Verdict: Kinda useful;

Finance
The Finance app is of no value to me. As a result, it is the only app I have uninstalled all systems.

Internet Explorer

Metro IE, with all the promise it holds, does absolutely nothing for me!

Why?

Cannot be customized, no home page, no bookmarks, no easy, intuitive way of tab determination; no this, no that.

It is almost as if this product was created for people devoid of brain activity!

So I refuse to use it.

Meanwhile, this position is in total contrast to my position of desktop IE, which is the ONLY browser Logikworx supports, and is the only browser in almost 90 percent of all our client’s infrastructure.

Go figure, right?

Verdict: useless

Mail

Mail is one app that is immediately useful.

The integration of Mail with Windows Live login is excellent, and I love the live tiles, updating and notifying users on the Start menu.

The ability to add Microsoft Exchange is genius, with adding multiple Hotmail accounts a plus.

What I don’t like at all is the fact that Hotmail accounts are headlined “Hotmail”, with the account details subtitled below it. Ideally, one doesn’t need to be reminded that it is a Hotmail account, right? Hopefully, that gets sorted right away.

What is perplexing is the fact that as of today, you can add Gmail accounts, but not POP/IMAP accounts! Seriously, who is the clown who thought this was okay?

Verdict: very useful, but the lack of POP/IMAP account import reduces the value;

Maps

Maps rocks!

This app is very good, well thought out, and presents information clearly.

I was pleased to see that my rural local, and indeed, the Orbiting O’Odua finally caught in its splendor on Maps.

Directions were clearly laid out, and easy to read and follow.

Verdict: versatile, useful;

Messaging

Confession: I almost NEVER use Messenger.

I have probably not used it on any system since before Windows 7 went live, and my primary reason for not doing so is the fact that I can use the messaging functions in Lync to achieve the same results. My siblings prefer to disturb call me on the phone rather than message me online.

From my 2-minute test of the product, I realized that I would like Messaging to explicitly ask me for permission before setting my messenger status to online. That is a major fail right there.

Verdict: ho-hum, for not explicitly asking permission to reset online status;

Music

The Music app is slick in a Zune-esque way, displaying graphics and animations with great aplomb.

That’s where the love stops!

It is uncharacteristically sloooow! In operation is it a very poor cousin to the afore-mentioned Zune.

Oh, and guess what?

It DOES NOT search you computer for media at first start!

It just…sits there!

Doing…NOTHING!

So after a while, I scream, “Are you freakin’ kiddin’ me???”

Mind you, there ISN’T even an option to manually search your system for audio media.

So after I pipe down, I leave Metro, goto desktop, fire up Windows Explorer, copy files from a secondary drive/partition, and then go back to Metro, fire up Music.

Then wait for umpteen minutes as it catalogs –the already cataloged – music files.

This is a consumer app?

This needs fresh thought; it needs a total reimagineering of the user experience

Verdict: definitely a work in progress. ;

People

I like the People app.

The UI is fresh, contacts are logically and intuitively laid out

People also displays activity from your contacts and yourself, rotating them in a pleasing slideshow.

However, all you can do is view the activity. In an ideal world, I would able to make the activity actionable, and be able to either reply or forward the news.

As with the Contacts app on Windows 7, this app presents all your Windows Live contacts. Since I have Twitter linked to my Windows Live ID, those got presented as well. The ability is also provided to add LinkedIn, Google (cue Nancy Kerrigan, “why, why WHY???”), and Microsoft Exchange contacts.

Apart from Google, I like that.

Better yet, I like the idea and practice of a unified contact list. It helps, and makes contacting them easier. This sort of Social Media integration is nice. Moreover, the integration of these contacts is automagic, and unlike the Music and Video apps, performed automatically.

I have a problem with that: ideally, the app should ask me for explicit permission before doing so.

What disturbs me though, is that there isn’t any way to differentiate the contacts according to what original list they come from. This is not good. It makes inadvertent cross contamination of contacts easily possible.

I for one would really hate to contact someone with a similar name as another, and make a fool of myself.

Verdict: That alone, is what stops this app from attaining the 5-star pantheon.

Photos

The photo app is nice, slick, intuitive.

However, like Music and Video, it does not autosearch or allow searching/adding directories other than the default video media location.

It does allow for integration of Facebook and Flickr photos.

Verdict: lots of promise;

Remote Desktop

This is about my favorite Metro app so far.

It provides a pleasing and fast RD connection to other systems on the network.

It does the job, and does the job well.

I like it. A lot!

Verdict: mungo cool!

SkyDrive

SkyDrive shows what Microsoft can promise, and what it delivers when it cannot let go of the vestiges of it’s silliness of old.

• SkyDrive integrates into Windows upon install. Good
• SkyDrive preserves web-based folder hierarchy. Good
• SkyDrive does not let users choose default SkyDrive store location. BAD
• SkyDrive syncs files back and forth. Good
• SkyDrive does not easily let users add new files. BAD
• SkyDrive does not automagically subsume, integrate with, or import Live Mesh folders. BAD
• SkyDrive does not let users perform the FolderShare PC-to-PC file and folder synchronization any longer. BAD

You have to ask yourself, what were the yum-yums on the SkyDrive team thinking?

• Remember Remote Connections? Well, forget that functionality. It has gone bye-bye! VERY BAD

Verdict: Still a work-in-progress;

Video

For my thoughts on the Video app, read my notes on the Music app.

Why this deserves more ink is because while being as brain dead as the Music app, Video adds another level of stupid by polluting your video wall with seemingly random videos culled in from the Internet.

All this without asking you, in very bold letters and not the long verbiage obviously derived by the numbskulls in Microsoft Legal

I freaked!

In fact, I am still freaked out by it

Verdict: useless;

Weather

The weather app is beautiful, well written, useful.

I like and use it, with my only issue the fact that the little hamlet in Nigeria where my Dad was born cannot be pulled up. Also the village where my Mom’s folk hail from. Annoying J

Verdict: a true first class app;

Windows Reader

Now, you’re talking. The ability to use a built-in PDF reader is quite cool. While it is not as featured as the Logikworx current recommended application, NitroPDF, but it works.

My only issues with this product is 1) it doesn’t retain customizations – I have to set it to one-page-at-a-time, every time it starts up, and 2) there isn’t a desktop version of this app. At this time.

Verdict: useful, nice, slick;

Xbox Companion

Connected it to Xbox. Played around with the controls. Jury’s still out on the value of this app. Leastways for me.

Verdict: neutral; no rating

Xbox Live Pinball FX2

This is my #2 son’s current favorite Windows 8 Consumer Preview feature.

However, this product is going to cost me, as it runs friggin’ slowly on his TouchSmart IQ518, the first product ever to do so. Funny enough, this slowness is new, didn’t occur with any of the apps from the Developer Preview.

That said, the product is fast and cool on all other systems. I like it

Verdict: extremely addictive;

Xbox Live Solitaire

Windows and Solitaire go hand-in-glove.

I haven’t played Solitaire since the release of Spider Solitaire. However, since W8CP doesn’t have Spider, I have been playing Solitaire, and I like it. The graphics and animations are pretty, effective.

Verdict: addictive;

Using the Store

Windows 8 Consumer Preview features the debut of the Windows Store.

Windows Store is at once familiar and useful. For it is quite reminiscent of the Windows Phone and to a lesser extent, the Zune marketplaces.

Store displays an issue I have with most of the Metro apps: where is the damned Search button or box?

Indeed, where is it?

Moreover, navigation is barely adequate with the skimpy number of available apps. Is this the way it would be with the expected deluge of apps? I hope not!

My three kids share two computers: a TouchSmart IQ518 and a TouchSmart 600.

For peace, each child has an account on both of those systems and also on the laptops Wifey and I have in our bedroom.

I installed Windows 8 CP on the kids’ TouchSmart IQ518, and proceeded to create local child accounts for the kids. I then went to the Store and installed or ‘purchased’ a number of games I believe they would like.

I logged on to the first local account, and couldn’t find any of the games.

I went into the Store app, located the games, and tried to install them….

…and came to a screeching halt!

In order to do so, the local account requires a Microsoft account!

Are you friggin’ kiddin’ me?

So, trip this: I would have to create three accounts, one account each – no biggie – for each of my kids. I would also need to attach a credit card to each of those accounts in order for them to be able to make purchases when that feature is activated.

Again, are you freakin’ kiddin’ me?

Basically, purchasing apps from the Store is per account, not per system? I would have to duplicate purchases for each user on a system?

Microsoft C-level executives are in on this, and think it is a good idea?

Seriously?

Verdict: usefulness negatively impacted by the user account issues; 2/5

____________________________________________________

In Part 3 of 4 of my Windows 8 Consumer Preview series, I will offer my conclusions on the product so far, and for Part 4, I will review the products I have ‘purchased’ from the Store.

*Epson printers are identified and automatically installed. However, the installed driver is a basic one only. Downloading the latest Windows 7 drivers do not help, as they fail a short way into the install process.

Follow @johnobeto

Windows 8 Consumer Preview & Server 8 Beta - Part #1 of 4: Getting ready

This is Part 1 of 4 posts on Windows 8 Consumer Preview and Server 8 beta. There might be a Part 5 focused on Server 8 only. However, that is a game-time decision.

Since the release of Microsoft Windows 8 Consumer Preview and Windows Server 8 beta last February 29^th, Logikworx & AbsolutelyWindows have initiated a test-and-review regimen for both products.

The Consumer Preview is the first beta of Windows 8, and despite that, it is very polished, and carries with it the weight of all that Windows is. However, unlike the Logikworx Windows 7 Review Regimen, the compressed nature of the Windows 8 beta process has necessitated some changes:

Windows – in all forms – is extremely strategic to us at Logikworx, and we would be dedicating ever-increasing resources to what in its final summary would be our testing, training, and implementation project for our clients in the Windows 8 Era.

Why are we doing this?
A crucial part of our management requirements with our client companies is participation in Microsoft Licensing. Some of their Software Assurance benefits is access to the Microsoft stack while their contract with Microsoft is in force.

As a result, built into our contractual agreements with our clients, is a proviso whereby we upgrade them to the latest shipping Windows client and server operating system(s) prior to the end of their license contract. That ensures that even if our services are terminated, the client still reaps the benefit of their spent money.

With that in mind, I am breaking the Windows 8 review process into three distinct yet concurrent phases:

1. The Orbiting O’Odua & MedikLabs: I will be conducting my personal tests with both personal and business systems. The O’Odua systems and those of MedikLabs will be first, followed by that of another guinea pig, a local real estate company. We have several systems which I shall break down as I go along. I will also be deploying (1) ML110 G5, (2) Proliant ML350 G6.
2. Logikworx SoCal: Luckily, all company-assigned laptops as EliteBooks, equipped with SLAT CPUs and UEFI. That has allowed everyone in LA to go to Windows 8 CP as their primary operating system since February 29, 2012. Their previous Windows 7 desktops were virtualized, and are available as VMs should they run into compatibility issues with Windows 8. We will also be utilizing a series of Proliant ML110 and ML350 servers as the staff demands it.
3. LogikLabs NoCal: LogikLabs will exclusively focus on conducting Server 8 betas. Moreover, all of our virtualization testing – with Hyper-V 3.0 and VMware – for Windows 8 will be conducted here. For this, we have (5) Proliant ML350 initially. Over the next few weeks, we would be adding (2) Proliant DL380 servers, and (1) Proliant DL385. I am thinking of authorizing the purchase of a unit of the HP X5000 NAS box for storage.

I will speak extensively over the next several months on the local projects as I will manage them directly. However, unless there is a pressing development that requires public disclosure, I shall treat just about all of the results from this test as proprietary, only delivering aggregated information that I feel we have sufficiently scrubbed of company secrets.

The Windows 8 Consumer Preview at The Orbiting O’Odua & MedikLabs

As on 10.00 PM on Sunday March 11^th, Windows 8 Consumer Preview has been installed on the following systems here at

At The Orbiting O’Odua:

• HP EliteBook 2740 Tablet PC
• HP TouchSmart 600
• HP TouchSmart IQ518
• HP TouchSmart tm2 Tablet PC
• HP TouchSmart tx2 Tablet PC
• HP z600 Personal Workstation
• Lenovo ThinkCentre M90z

Windows Server 8 beta is installed on a Proliant ML110 G5 server

At MedikLabs:

• HP EliteBook 8440w
• HP TouchSmart 300
• HP TouchSmart 610
• HP TouchSmart 9100
• HP Pavilion tx2000 (2)
• HP z600 Personal Workstation
• Toshiba Tecra M7

Windows Server 8 Beta is installed on Proliant (2) ML350 boxes.

The backbone at both the O’Odua and MedikLabs is Windows Server 2008 R2. What I have decided to do is use Server 8 beta exclusively at the O’Odua, and set aside a Proliant running Windows Server 2008 R2 as an additional member server, while all production systems would be running Server 8 beta at MedikLabs. Both networks are each backed up by an HP StorageWorks Data Vault x510 box running Windows Home Server 2011.

Installation
Windows 8 CP: Installation was a snap, as has been customary with Windows since Windows Vista.

I was surprised to see that some Metro apps from the Developer Preview had vanished, and that the [Windows Metro] Store was now open. I installed some desktop apps, and bought some Metro apps. My full preview review is here.

Windows Server 8 beta: Installation of Server 8 beta was a snap as well. As of today, I haven’t promoted any of the Proliants to be the primary DC at either the O’Odua or MedikLabs. However, I intend to do so at the O’Odua this weekend, and at MedikLabs by Easter.

The third entity we shall be testing Windows 8 CP and Windows Server 8 beta at is at a local real estate agency. Due to time constraints, though, we won’t be starting the testing there for several more weeks.

When we radiate this test out to the local realtor’s office, we will be utilizing her eclectic mix of HP and Dell desktop computers as well as HP notebooks. We will not be adding the Proliant ML110 server there to our review systems.

Follow @johnobeto

The 2012 Constellation SuperNova Awards

I have been selected as one of the judges for the 2^nd Annual Constellation Research SuperNova awards.

I am humbled by the selection.

The SuperNova Award is an extremely special award given to the ne plus ultra in computing, technology, and Web 2.0.

The judging takes place over several months, and is conducted by an equally worldwide group of judges well versed in the required subjects . To be included in such an august group is definitely an award in itself, this time, for me.

As a backgrounder, I decided to reach out to R. “Ray” Wang, CEO of Constellation Research, and ask a few questions about Constellation Research and the SuperNova Award

Please tell me about yourself and Constellation Research. 

Constellation is a research and advisory firm based in the heart of silicon valley. We're focused on business themed research with topics such as the Future of Work, Next Gen Customer Experience, Matrix Commerce, Big Data - Analytics- Performance Management, Technology Optimization, and Consumerization of IT and the new C-Suite.  We have over 100 clients.  Our 14 analysts and 21 team members and board of advisors span 22 cities around the globe.

What business demographic is targeted by Constellation Research, and who is the average Constellation Research customer?

the average Constellation customer is above average - that is to say - they are early adopters, innovators, those who are not afraid of change.  Consequently, we assist with keynotes, webinars, art of the possible workshops, innovation summits, vendor shortlisting and selection, contract negotiations, and innovation tour services.  For our top customers, they are part of our Galaxy Club, a invite only membership group where we discuss meaty topics and foster new networks among the buy-side end user communities.

What is the SuperNova Award?

The Constellation SuperNova Awards celebrate and recognize leaders and teams who have overcome the odds to successfully apply emerging and disruptive technologies for their organizations. This annual search for innovators includes an all star judging panel, substantial prizes, invite-only admission and speaking opportunities at Constellation's premier innovation summit - Connected Enterprise

More information on Constellation Research is here, and more information on the SuperNova Award can be found here

Many thanks to Ray and his team at Constellation Research for selecting me.

I am truly looking forward to weighing in.

Follow @johnobeto

The 2012 HP Pathways to The Cloud Roadshow

On March 7, 2012, HP kicked off it’s 2012 Pathways to The Cloud Roadshow in Houston, Texas.

HP Pathways to Cloud is a 2-day event that will walk attendees through how to build a tailored cloud computing environment using the latest in HP Converged Infrastructure solutions. The first day is dedicated to training HP sales representatives and channel partners on the latest enterprise product offerings. Day 2 is open to HP customers, and will bring together the best HP subject matter experts to help you navigate the path to cloud.

According to HP,

HP Pathways to Cloud will help you explore and understand the key elements involved on the path to cloud.

HP's Converged Infrastructure solutions leverage the most innovative technology to build cloud computing environments that are tailored toward agility and business value.

Discover how HP's latest innovations in servers, storage, networking, services and software lay the foundation whether it be with private cloud, modular building blocks, an Instant-On approach, a hybrid model, or cloud service options.

HP is indeed on the ball.

What you would quickly realize, like I did, is that HP’s cloud offereings are part of a holistic approach to the cloud encompassing hardware, software, and virtualization.

Late last year, I had the opportunity to attend the HP Cloud Tech Day where we were briefed by several HP cloud wonks including the celebrated HP Cloud Advisors, especially E. Shoemaker*.

My recordings of videos from the 2011 HP Cloud Tech Day are here for you to use as a refresher before attending the Roadshow.

1. HP Cloud Tech Day: Gary Thome
2. HP Cloud Tech Day: Hyperscale with Paul Santeler
3. HP Cloud Tech Tech Day: HP CloudSystem

 * Mr. Shoemaker is a true genius at not only understanding the cloud, but also for explaining it. He broke down the cloud for me effortlessly.

Follow @johnobeto

Andy Marken’s Content Insider #218: Females Rising

The Changing Mix of Business Leadership

“Power is like being a lady... if you have to tell people you are, you aren't”– Margaret Thatcher, “The Iron Lady,” Pathe International (2011)

A year ago, we were late in leaving for the office and noticed a lot of fathers were escorting their kids to the grade school. Last week, it seemed as though the numbers hadn’t changed much.

With the business community being cautiously optimistic, it made us wonder if we’ll ever get back to the point where mom stays home handling the myriad of family/household activities and dad returns to the grind.

During the recession, men accounted for more than 71 percent of the job losses. The latest unemployment figures stand at 9.8 percent for men 20 or over and 8 percent for their female counterparts, with women making up 47 percent of the total labor force.

Ellen Galinsky, president of the Families and Work Institute, said that their studies indicate that the man of the house isn’t finding a job as quickly as he hoped and if/when he does, it is for a lower salary. "Work isn't working very well for men," she noted.

In addition to having more women in the workforce worldwide, we’re seeing a growing number of high-profile women running and influencing companies as well as very active mentoring organizations such as Women 2.0.

Influence Shift
Look at the women of influence:

• Meg Whitman, CEO of HP, of course almost anyone would look good after two men (Mark Hurd who did what the board asked him to do – maximize profits – and Leo Apotheker who did his darndest to push the company over the edge). Meg seems to be the quiet, positive, steady hand the company needs today.
• Virginia Rometty, CEO of IBM, who came up through the ranks of the company, was mentored and groomed by some of the best in the industry.
• Ursula Burns, CEO of Xerox, O.K., she had a female boss in Anne Mulcahy but that should count as 2-3 points for Xerox, especially since Burns is also African-American.
• Marissa Mayer, head of Google’s local products, where there is a posse of other very smart female executives.
• Sheryl Sandberg, Facebook COO, not only earned about $31 million last year but will possibly be worth $1.6B after the company’s IPO. She puts her personality and presentation skills to good use, not only for Facebook but also for women.
• Carol Bartz former CEO of Autodesk and Yahoo, is one of our favorites because she was a solid executive, often unfairly attacked because despite all of her executive skills just didn’t seem to click in Yahoo.

There is an increasing number of very qualified executives inside and outside the consumer/business technology arena. Some are outstanding, some very good, some good, some just…well, the mix is about like guys.

They’ll repeat Margaret Thatcher’s response, “I wasn't lucky. I deserved it.”

Contrary to what you might think, they haven’t taken over the industry.

Work to be Done – Women – who already have good logical, analytical minds – are a long way from having equal representation in the communications/computing technology industries. However, they are increasingly taking their place in managing these product area programs; and a number of the industry associations and schools are helping them grow into management positions.

According to a recent McKinsey study, women constitute:

• 40% of the management workforce
• 46.8% of the total workforce
• 42% of MBAs
• 59% of bachelor degrees
• 61% of master degrees
• about 50% of law and medical degrees

Women are crucial to US economic growth. Their participation in the workforce took off in the 1970s. Today, their productivity accounts for about a quarter of current GDP.

Follow the Money
According to the US Census Bureau, women oversee over 80% of consumer spending --$5 trillion dollars annually.

They also control the purse strings when it comes to disposable income – O.K., all of the control in our home.

As Margaret Thatcher noted, “The cocks may crow, but it's the hen that lays the egg.

You might naturally expect women to take the lead in business, industry and government – sure couldn’t do worse than the guys have – but entrenched company, female mind-sets and behavior are keeping all but the most focused women from advancing.

McKinsey found this is particularly acute when they transition from middle to senior manager.

Give ‘Em an Inch – As women increasingly take their place in business, industry and government, their roles are rapidly moving beyond the traditional 9-5 jobs to program/project management.

The invisible biases aren’t insurmountable. In fact, the business case for having gender diversity seems to be very compelling. Firms with a male/female leader balance have a better ROI (return on investment), better return to shareholders and a higher stock price. They tap into the huge women’s market. They attract the best talent from the gender-diverse talent pipeline.

Take IBM for example – they have enough track records to “prove” the benefits. Ms. Rometty spent her whole career at IBM and has shown that diversity is more than window dressing as well as a great way to measure the performance of her then boss – Sam Palmisano.

Actually, IBM has a rich history in this area:

• Hired 25 female college seniors in 1935
• Tapped their first woman VP in 43
• Instituted a three-month family leave policy in 1956
• Initiated the IBM Women Inventors Community for patent filing
• Started early inclusion programs for minorities, disabled, gays
• Has a formal, aggressive mentoring program

They still come up short in comprehensive equal representation; but at least they are aware of the challenge, issues, opportunities.

Thoroughly Mix
Gender diversity is simply good business.

Dip, Recovery – The recession impacted male/female employment; but more of the jobs lost were held by men and many of the rust belt jobs won’t return. With the employment picture picking up, it is still the females who are finding early stages and middle management jobs more rapidly. Industry experts expect women to continue capturing leadership positions. 

Or as Margaret Thatcher said, “Of course, it is the same old story. Truth usually is the same old story.” Especially in today’s economy, which isn’t going to change any time soon.Oh sure, guys can say gals are getting the jobs because they have historically been underpaid (boy’s club members whisper they’re worth less).

More Equal Pay – The median hourly pay gap has closed slowly in recent years in the Americas and Europe. Even in many of the skilled professions, women still experience pay discrimination. As women take the lead as the primary breadwinner in the family, the gap should quickly disappear and hopefully, people will be compensated based on their expertise, experience; not their sex. Source – The Guardian

But the truth is women just look better than guys (Oh, knock it off!!!) in very key leadership areas, especially in today’s open business environment! In fact, in the nationwide Pew Research Center Social and Demographic Trends survey, about the only area we guys shine is that we’re more decisive…O.K., sorta’, kinda’, maybe.

All the Best – Men and women alike agree that women have the leadership traits that most people expect in their bosses, leaders. Perhaps all they have to do is decide to take command and their reign will begin.

One-in-five (21%) still said men make the better leaders. Most (69%) said men and women make equally good leaders. Despite the educational advances and workforce shift, relatively few women have risen to become corporate leaders.

Business Benefits
But studies by McKiney, Pax Investments, HBR (Harvard Business Review) consistently show that more women in leadership measurably helps companies succeed.

According to Joe Keefe, president of Pax, “When women are at the table, the discussion is richer, the decision-making process is better and the organization is stronger.”

No one expects women to leave the workforce when the economy bounces back because today’s housing values are eroded and retirement accounts are “reduced.” In addition, only a person running for regional, national office will say wage growth is going to return to “normal”…whatever that is. Besides, women are tasting the inner/outer rewards of leadership and they … like it!

It’s because they’ve seen the truth in what Margaret Thatcher said, “Look at a day when you are supremely satisfied at the end. It's not a day when you lounge around doing nothing; it's when you've had everything to do, and you've done it."

It’s about time men allow (no, “assist”) females to become mainstream decision-makers in business, industry, government.

They might make some meaningful contributions that help this and future generations…couldn’t hurt!!!

Intrepid branding maestro, G. Andy Marken is founder and president of Marken Communications

Follow @johnobeto

HP Cloud Tech Day 2011: CloudSystem Matrix

I was at the 2011 HP Cloud Tech Day in Houston, Texas, and we had the opportunity to be briefed on HP’s CloudSystem Matrix.

HP Cloud Tech Day 2011 - HP CloudSystem Matrix from John.Obeto on Vimeo.

Follow @johnobeto