Day: January 18, 2007

Zune Tips & Tricks

by ucinfo, posted in Flaphead, Zune

Microsoft KB Articles for the Zune

Download the Zune Manuals

Download Zune Software

How to control your Zune device

  • Hold switch: Move the Hold switch to the unlocked position to lock the controls. You can do this to prevent accidental button presses and screen activations.
  • Headphone jack: Use the headphone jack to connect the included earphones or a minijack A/V cable.
  • Control Pad: Press on the top or the bottom of the Control Pad to change the volume. Press and release on the right side of the Control Pad to skip ahead, or press and release on the left side to skip back. Press and hold right to fast-forward, or press and hold left to rewind.
  • Back: Press and release the Back button to return to a previous menu. Press and hold to return to the Home Screen.
  • OK: Press the OK button in the center of the Control Pad to make a selection.
  • Play/Pause: Press the Play/Pause button to play or to pause. Press and hold for three (3) seconds to turn your Zune device on or off.
  • Connector port: This is the connection for the sync cable and for accessories.
  • Reset: To restart your Zune device, follow these steps: 1. Move the Hold switch to the unlocked position.; 2.Press and hold the Back button as you press on the top of the Control Pad.

How to erase all content from your Zune device

To erase all content from your Zune device, follow these steps:

  1. Start Zune Software on the computer.
  2. Connect your Zune device by using the sync cable.
  3. Give the Zune device time to synchronize or stop synchronizing. To stop, on the Options menu, point to Sync, point to your device name, and then click Stop Sync.
  4. On the Options menu, point to Sync, point to your device name, and then click Erase Zune Device.
  5. You receive the following message: “Erasing your Zune device library will remove all songs, videos, and pictures. Are you sure you want to continue?” Click OK.
  6. Erasing may take several minutes. Do not move or disconnect your device. You receive the following message: “Zune device library erased.”
  7. Click OK.

Erase content from a Zune device without using a computer

You can also erase the content from a Zune device without using the Zune software. This method is useful when you want to erase the content but you do not have access to a computer.

Caution No warning or confirmation message will appear on the Zune device when you use this procedure.

To erase the Zune device without using a computer and the Zune software, follow these steps:

  1. Set the Hold switch to unlocked.
  2. Press and hold the Back button Back at the same time as you press the top of the Control Pad.
  3. Immediately press and hold the Back button Back at the same time as you press the right side of the Control Pad and the OK button in the center of the Control Pad. Continue to hold these buttons until your Zune device restarts and you receive the following message: “Clearing contents. Please wait.”
  4. When the Home screen appears, the erase is complete, and you can again use the Zune device.

How to restore your Zune device

When you restore your Zune device, the startup partition and the data partition are removed and rebuilt. This process erases all content from your Zune device. This includes the Zune firmware. You must reinstall the firmware before you can again use your Zune device.

How to Move Content From Your Zune to Your PC

It seems to be one of the lesser-known functions of the Zune desktop software, and in fact something that many news stories about the Zune say isn’t possible, but you can in fact move content from the Zune to a partnered PC very easily. It’s not entirely obvious, or intuitive, but once you know what to look for it’s quick and easy. Here’s how.

  1. Connect your Zune and start the Zune desktop software (if it doesn’t automatically start)
  2. Browse to the content on your Zune that you want to move to the PC
  3. On the left-hand column, where you’d normally put items you want to sync from the PC to the Zune, you’ll see that the text is changed slightly. Now it says “Drag Items Here: to create a list to sync from ZUNENAME to your computer”. Drag content from the Zune and drop it into this area
  4. When you’ve queued up the content from the Zune into this zone, click the Copy From Device button at the bottom of the right-hand column
  5. Your content will be moved over. Where it ends up depends on what type of content it is – look in the root level of My Pictures, My Music and My Videos for the content

How To Put Your Zune Into Sleep Mode

Because the Zune is based on a hard drive, it takes longer to boot up than a similar Flash-based device. To combat this, and to give the Zune the “instant on” that every user wants, the Zune goes into a suspended power state – kind of like standby mode on your PC. Pressing the Play/Pause button will bring it out of standby, where it’s available for immediate use in about one second. Keeping the Zune in such an instant-on state takes a small amount of power however, which is why after 24 hours, it will shift down into sleep mode. But what if you want to put the Zune into sleep mode right after you’re done using it, because you know you won’t be using it again for 24 hours or more?
To force the Zune into sleep mode (which is when it’s really off and consuming no battery power), press and hold the Back button then press down on the control pad. After four seconds or so, the Zune will go into sleep (off) mode and it will no longer use any battery power. To turn the Zune on again, you’ll need to press and hold the Play/Pause button and it will boot up – taking 15 seconds to complete.

How to Reboot Your Zune

A quick and simple tip for you Zune owners: if your Zune is acting up, such as locking up when playing a video file or something similar (thankfully this is very rare on the Zune), rebooting the unit might help. To reboot your Zune, all you have to do is press and hold the Back button (the left-most button, the one with the arrow pointing left) while pressing upward on the control pad. It doesn’t have to be a simultaneous press: you can first press the Back button then while holding that button, press a
nd hold the control pad upward. You’ll see the Zune raise the volume (or whatever pressing up will do in the mode that the Zune is in) then after a few seconds, it will reboot itself. The reboot process takes around 15 to 20 seconds.

DataTraveler Secure – Privacy Edition

by ucinfo, posted in Flaphead, Gadgets

This looks quite good, and just what I want.

Source: http://www.kingston.com/ukroot/flash/dt_secure_privacy.asp?id=8 and http://www.kingston.com/flash/datasheets/MKF_1123_DTSP_WP.pdf

Kingston’s DataTraveler Secure — Privacy Edition (DTSP) is the world’s first USB Flash drive that secures 100 percent of data on-the-fly via 256-bit hardware-based AES encryption. Specifically designed to meet corporate level security and compliance requirements, the DTSP is ideal for organizations looking for an efficient, cost-effective method of securing data. DTSP protects all or your data, while allowing for ultra-fast data transfers and huge storage capacities

…

The major difference between the DTS and DTSP drives is that the DTS drive allows for a public zone where files are always visible and accessible. The DTS – Privacy Edition drive does not allow a public zone; all data is invisible and encrypted until the user has successfully entered a valid password to access the privacy zone and its files. In addition, DTSP drives require a strong password, with a minimum length of 6 characters and requiring a mix of three of the following: Upper/Lower-Case Alphabetic, numeric, and special characters. Strong passwords, coupled with limited password retry capabilities (explained in section 1.3), make DTSP drives ultra-secure for enterprise-grade data protection.

…

It would seem that the USB drive can have two “zones”, one public and one private.  when you try access the private zone it auto-launches a built-in login program to enter a password and access the drive.

Can’t find any prices for it yet

Nortel and Microsoft CEOs Outline Transformation of Business Communications

by ucinfo, posted in !News, Flaphead

Humm, interesting

Source: http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/press/2007/jan07/01-17BusCommTransformationPR.mspx?source=rss&WT.dl=0

NEW YORK — Jan. 17, 2007 — Today, Microsoft Corp. CEO Steve Ballmer and Nortel* CEO and President Mike Zafirovski announced a joint road map to deliver their shared vision for unified communications. The road map is the result of an alliance between Microsoft and Nortel announced in July 2006, and includes three new joint solutions to dramatically improve business communications by breaking down the barriers between voice, e-mail, instant messaging, multimedia conferencing and other forms of communication.

Speaking at an event at Studio 8H in Rockefeller Center to more than 100 customers along with reporters and analysts, Ballmer and Zafirovski outlined how companies can improve employee productivity and effectiveness and reduce the costs and complexity of communications. They also announced 11 new implementation services from Nortel and the opening of more than 20 joint demonstration centers where customers can experience the technology firsthand.

Update for daylight saving time changes in 2007 for Exchange 2003

by ucinfo, posted in DST2007, Flaphead, KB Articles, MsExchange

At last this fix is out of test and in to the wild.

Source: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/926666

In the spring of 2007, the start dates and the end dates for daylight saving (DST) time in the United States will change to comply with the Energy Policy Act of 2005.

For more information on planning for the Daylight Saving Time changes in 2007

http://www.microsoft.com/windows/timezone/dst2007.mspx

Longhorn Server to Be Named Windows Server 2007

by ucinfo, posted in Flaphead, Windows

I wonder how much the marketing people at Microsoft get paid to come up with inovative product names? Source: http://www.msblog.org/2007/01/16/longhorn-server-to-be-named-windows-server-2007/

An unnamed Microsoft official just confirmed to ActiveWin.com that the new Windows server succeeding Windows Server 2003 will be named Windows Server 2007, now known in its beta form as Windows Server “Longhorn”. Windows Server 2007 is currently slated to be released in the second half of 2007, culminating a long beta process which began in early 2005. In addition, development has begun on the next series of MSCE certification tests geared for Windows Server 2007.

Cattle branding comes to the 21st Century

by ucinfo, posted in Flaphead, Gadgets

So in the old days, you would get yourself a Branding Iron with your “mark”, heat it up and then slap it on the side of your cattle.  Nice!  Well  Somark Innovations of St. Louis, MO  has novel use of RFID by creating a
Biocompatible Chipless RFID Ink for use in Cattle .

Not to sure about the secondary target markers .. military personnel!

Source: http://www.somarkinnovations.com/Files/SomarkBiocompatibleChiplessRFIDInk.pdf

St. Louis, MO – January 9, 2007 – Somark is proud to announce the successful testing of Biocompatible Chipless RFID1 Ink in cattle and laboratory rats. The test proved the efficacy of injecting and reading a Biocompatible Chipless RFID Ink “tattoo” within the skin of animals. The
technology will be initially leveraged to the livestock industry to help identify/track cattle and thus mitigate export trade loss from BSE2 (a.k.a. Mad Cow Disease) scares.

Secondary target markets include laboratory animals, dogs & cats, prime cuts of meat, and military personnel. The company, which is currently raising a Series A equity financing, will license the technology to secondary target markets.
Ramos M. Mays, Chief Scientist, is excited with the results. “This is a true proof-of-principle and mitigates most of the technological risk. This proves the ability to create a synthetic biometric or fake fingerprint with Biocompatible Chipless RFID Ink and read it through hair.”

Sony announces its entry into the CompactFlash market

by ucinfo, posted in Flaphead, Gadgets

Cor this must have killed them to enter this market.

Source: http://www.sony-europe.com/view/View.action?section=en_EU_Press&pressrelease=1168443961003&site=odw_en_EU&page=PressReleaseDetail

Paris, 16 January, 2007 – Sony Europe’s Recording Media & Energy (RME) division today announced the company’s entrance to the CompactFlash™ memory card market. The first product line-up, to be announced shortly, is designed to handle the demanding speed and performance requirements of digital SLR cameras and is available with up to 4GB of storage capacity for the most demanding user.
“High end digital camera enthusiasts, from consumers to professional photographers, have a huge and growing demand for storage capacity,” said Renaud Isnard from Sony Europe’s Network Media division. “With the addition of CompactFlash cards to its product range Sony widens the choice for users of D-SLR cameras, such as the new Sony α100 model, that are looking for fast and reliable recording media from a leading brand.”
The first Sony CompactFlash™ memory cards will be available later this Spring. The initial line-up will include CompactFlash Type I cards with 66x and 133x transfer speeds and capacities between 1GB and 4GB. The products will be branded as part of Sony’s α100 D-SLR camera system.

Mac gets first RAID storage server

by ucinfo, posted in Flaphead, Gadgets

So, how long until we get a Mac server then?

Source: http://www.theregister.co.uk/2007/01/15/mac_raid_storage/

small Minneapolis firm showed off what it claims is the first enterprise level RAID storage for Mac OS X systems at MacWorld last week.

Amid the iPhone hyperbole, Storage Elements demonstrated its unified iSCSI/fibre channel Mythos storage server.

CEO Brad Wenzel said: “We’ve been working in the field a long time and we’ve put about six years into building this system.”

HD DVD versus Blu-ray

by ucinfo, posted in Flaphead, Gadgets

This made me smile! Source: http://www.tgdaily.com/2007/01/11/ces2007_hddvd_blu_ray/

… Quite famously in the war between Betamax and VHS the latter won especially because the adult industry preferred it. If you’ve been around long enough, you probably remember that the very early home video rental stores were primarily responsible for driving Betamax out of the market. And those stores carried almost exclusively pornographic content.

… Pink Visual heavily complained about the fact that Blu-ray discs cannot be replicated and a range of other studios, who did not want to be mentioned by name indicated that the cost of going with Blu-ray cancels the technology as a possible HD solution for this industry. “Only bigger studios can afford Blu-ray, and even then it’s not economical,” we were told.

It would seem that either Blu-ray has to do some catching up very quickly. But we got the strange feeling that HD DVD has won the format war already, at least in the porn industry.

Inside Microsoft Office 2008 for Macintosh

by ucinfo, posted in Flaphead, MsOffice

.. and dont forget the Mac!

Source: http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/features/2007/jan07/01-09Macworld.mspx?source=rss&WT.dl=0

REDMOND, Wash., Jan. 9, 2007 — Microsoft continues to deliver world-class technology products for the Mac platform – as it has for more than 20 years. Founded in 1997, Microsoft’s Macintosh Business Unit (Mac BU) is a leading developer of productivity software for Mac customers worldwide. Currently available products include Microsoft Office 2004 for Mac, a productivity suite that is comprised of the e-mail application and personal-information manager Entourage 2004, Word 2004, Excel 2004 and PowerPoint 2004; and Microsoft Messenger for Mac 6.0.

.. PressPass: What would you say are the key differentiators in the new version?

Ho: With Microsoft Office 2008 for Mac, we focused on what our users want the most – compatibility with PCs, along with unique features for their Mac experience. Microsoft Office 2008 for Mac is packed with new, Mac-first, Mac-only features that are designed to provide a unique, engaging and definitively Mac experience, along with new collaboration elements to provide increased compatibility with the 2007 Microsoft Office system for Windows.

Mac customers have told us they want quick access to tools and features within Office, and we’ve made a lot of improvements to deliver that. We share a new graphics engine with our Microsoft Windows counterparts, called Office Art 2.0, and we have a new UI that introduces the Elements Gallery. Both of these features leverage Apple OS capabilities to retain a Mac-like look and feel while taking advantage of new technologies.