AVG Service Update

AVG 8.5 migration to AVG 2012 (Small Business)

End of Service Update for AVG 8.5 was released.

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

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

Important note before the installation:

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

Visit this site for more information…

Look at the bright orange Lenovo!

The new Lenovo IdeaPad U300 has some interesting specs and is going after the Ultra PC market that seems to be the new must have design for the ULTRA CHIC!

But, if you are a road warrior you want to have a really functional PC that is light and doesn’t take up much space. This is one of the reasons that I run around with and iPad under my arm and what would interest me in Lenovo’s Ultrabook™ design.

Here is a list of the U300’s best features:

• Slim, Ultrabook™ design for easy mobility, from just 0.6” thin
• Minimalist, one-piece aluminum shell, available in Graphite Gray or Clementine Orange (coming soon)
• Long battery life* with up to 30 days standby time
• Lenovo RapidCharge brings battery charge to 50 percent in 30 minutes
• Boot in as little as 10.5 seconds with RapidDrive SSD technology**
• Breathable keyboard uses Intel® Advanced Cooling Technology to improve airflow so PC can run cooler on your lap
• Cool-touch palmrest and intelligent glass touchpad with easy scroll, zoom and rotate functions
• HD graphics and stereo speakers with SRS® Premium Surround Sound™
• USB 3.0 port, HDMI output and 1.3M (720p HD) webcam
• Intel® Wireless Display (WiDi): wirelessly stream content from your laptop onto a big screen (requires TV adapter)
• BIOS-embedded anti-theft protection

U300s Tech Specs

Take the Lenovo U300 Tour:

Google continues to build on its Solar Energy Investment

PR: Ending the year with another clean energy investment.

Google has added another $94 million investment of four solar photovoltaic projects that is being built by Recurrent Energy near Sacromento, CA. This brings their entire investment in Solar Energy to $915 million. They have also committed themselves to providing funding to help more than 10,000 homeowners to install solare PV panels on their rooftops. They go on to state that this $94 million investment represents a much larger scale result than the individual rooftop installations providing a total capacity of 88 MW of energy, equivalent to the electricity consumed by more than 13,000 homes.

Google isn’t the sole investor in this project. They are investing with KKR and Recurrent Energy.Google’s posting states:

We’re joining KKR on their first renewable energy investment in the U.S. We believe investing in the renewable energy sector makes business sense and hope clean energy projects continue to attract new sources of capital to help the world move towards a more sustainable energy future

The energy produced by these projects is already contracted for 20 years with the Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD). SMUD recently created a feed-in tariff program (FIT) to help green the grid for Sacramento-area residents. We’re excited that these projects are the first to be built under the program.
We’ve had a busy year at Google. Since January, we’ve invested more than $880 million in clean energy projects. We believe the world needs a wide range of solutions—from wind, to transmission, to solar PV and concentrated solar—and we look forward to new opportunities next year to further expand our portfolio of clean energy investments.

Microsoft reveals SkyDrive Apps for both Windows Phone, iPhone

In the if you can’t beat them, join them category…

Microsoft has release a new SkyDrive Apps that work with both the Windows Phone and the iPhone. With 25Gb’s of free space in the Cloud, this provides you with another easy method to share files easily between computers and mobile devices where ever you are.

As reported in TweakTown posting: 

As devices proliferate, having a great experience on the Web is only one piece of a pretty complex puzzle. People are choosing where to put their files based on how portable and accessible they are across the various devices they use; therefore, it's critical that we continue to extend the SkyDrive experience to the devices you use every day.

Windows Phone's latest update, Mango, has deep integration with SkyDrive through its hubs Pictures and Office, which allows sharing of text, e-mail or IM. Users, as always, wanted more. Torres adds:

Many still want the full SkyDrive experience from Windows Phone, including tasks like browsing their entire SkyDrive, sharing links to folders or files, deleting files, and creating folders.

If you're on an iOS-based device, hit up the App Store and download the SkyDrive app. Torres adds about the iOS version:

On the iPhone, we've taken the next step by making the new SkyDrive app for iPhone available in 32 languages worldwide. In addition to their OneNote notebooks, iPhone customers can now access all of their files in SkyDrive, create folders, delete files, and share links to folders and files directly using the Mail app.

Next Month MS will be pushing silent updates to your IE

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Allscripts CEO honored with lifetime achievement award

ACHIEVEMENTS

The College of Healthcare Information Management Executives (CHIME) Foundation, which represents more than 1,400 of the healthcare industry’s leading CIOs, named Glen Tullman, CEO of Allscripts, the 2011 winner of its Lifetime Achievement Award. Presented Oct. 27 at the CHIME11 Fall CIO Forum in San Antonio, Texas, the award recognizes contributions to the healthcare IT industry throughout the recipient’s entire career. CHIME cited Tullman as “one of the nation’s leading advocates for the electronic, real-time sharing of healthcare information to improve patient care, lower costs and drive collaboration among physicians, hospitals and others in the healthcare community.”

Vulnerability in TrueType Font Parsing Could Allow Elevation of Privilege

Microsoft Security Advisory (2639658)

Updated: Tuesday, November 08, 2011

General Information

Executive Summary

Microsoft is investigating a vulnerability in a Microsoft Windows component, the Win32k TrueType font parsing engine. An attacker who successfully exploited this vulnerability could run arbitrary code in kernel mode. The attacker could then install programs; view, change, or delete data; or create new accounts with full user rights. We are aware of targeted attacks that try to use the reported vulnerability; overall, we see low customer impact at this time. This vulnerability is related to the Duqu malware.

Upon completion of this investigation, Microsoft will take the appropriate action to help protect our customers. This may include providing a security update through our monthly release process or providing an out-of-cycle security update, depending on customer needs.

We are actively working with partners in our Microsoft Active Protections Program (MAPP) to provide information that they can use to provide broader protections to customers. For information about protections released by MAPP partners, see MAPP Partners with Updated Protections.

Paul Thurrott has his on take on this posted Nov 8th 2011

Amazon Prime - A Potent Differentiator for Amazon

Amazon's Prime Program was originally set up to provide Amazon Members a service that gave them free 2 day shipping. Amazon has evolved this service into far more. The addition of free video streaming for Amazon Prime Members was an interesting addition and when compared to Netflix's streaming service while maybe not having as large of a library is still favorable. Netflix streaming costs about $95/per year, compare that with Amazon's $79. Now with the addition of the free lending library where you can get one book per month, compare this with a cost of $9.99 per for purchase that you are saving $119/year on average this service provides comparable $200's in services for just $79 with the added benefit of free two day shipping on the hard goods that you order. Makes me think of this as a one of those services that area really good value!


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Panasonic Toughbook CF-H2 Tablet for the Healthcare Sector

This is Panasonic’s second generation rugged tablet PC is part of the Toughbook product line that is specifically designed for health-care workers. Panasonic states that this product sets: “new standards in ease of use, connectivity and productivity, the CF-H2 is a lightweight, water-resistant, shock and drop-tolerant and easily disinfected tablet device that meets the highest demands for mobility and networking within clinical environments. It allows doctors and nursing staff to benefit from instant access to medical records at the point of care, accurate documentation on patient conditions and medication, and enables greater efficiency of clinical processes.”

What’s Inside:

With the latest Intel Core i5-2557M (1.7GHz) Ultra Low Voltage processor with vPro and the Intel HD 3000 graphics for enhanced multimedia capabilities, the Toughbook CF-H2 performance has been improved more than 400% over its CF-H1 predecessor. The CF-H2 is ideal for power hungry healthcare applications such as Electronic Patient Records (EPR) and Patient Administration Systems (PAS). RAM has also been raised to 4 gigabyte as standard, with up to 8 gigabyte optional, and it comes with a 320 gigabyte hard disk drive as standard with 128 gigabyte SSD as an option. The operating system is Windows 7 Pro.

Features and Benefits List:

Clean, reliable and durable - The CF-H2 has also been designed for easy disinfection, reducing the risk of infections being spread from patient to patient. Maintaining its fanless design, limiting the opportunity for germs to be transported by the device, the CF-H2 Health model features a smooth surface with sealed buttons and no exposed ports. Panasonic has also developed a special exterior case material, which can withstand frequent alcohol wipes. To further aid in disinfection, a Panasonic-designed software utility can be programmed to remind users to wipe the unit down at defined intervals and automatically records a successful cleaning for the hospital’s permanent records.

The CF-H2 remains the toughest rugged tablet in its range. It is drop tested to 90cm and has water, dust, vibration and temperature protection.

Ergonomically designed for clinicians - The CF-H2 is designed for clinicians who need to multi-task whilst holding the device in one hand. Lightweight rugged design (approx. 1.58kg), with an easy-to-grab handle, the fanless device maintains a low surface temperature using its unique heat dissipation system and is available as a dual touch (digitizer and touchscreen) and touchscreen model.

The best screen visibility on the market - The CF-H2 always ensures the screen delivers just the right level of brightness for optimum viewing whatever the conditions, inside or out. To achieve premium visibility the CF-H2 uses a 10.1” display with Panasonic Transflective Plus technology. This operating mode helps to reduce power consumption and enhance battery life as no backlight is required in bright environments. This results in a massive enhancement of up to 6,000 unit equivalent of transflective brightness under a 200K lx environment.

Functionality to fit every purpose - For maximum productivity around the hospital, medical staff need to perform a wide range of tasks. The CF-H2 is ideally suited. Optional Barcode readers are available to assist with data capture requirements. For taking photos, the CF-H2 Health features an optional auto focus, 2.0 megapixel camera with one LED light. For Using Audio Applications whilst working, the CF-H2 features a front speaker to enhance audio capability.

Healthcare workers often need interfaces to connect devices and peripherals for data capture and communication purposes. The CF-H2 is perfectly positioned to fulfill this requirement with a USB 2.0, LAN and serial port (optional 2nd USB 2.0 port in lieu of LAN port) available directly integrated within the device.

The CF-H2 also has all the options covered to ensure medical data is secure. Quick user authentication can be achieved using the optional fingerprint reader enhanced security. There is an optional contactless smartcard reader, which is compliant with ISO 14443 type A and type B, or an integrated, contact smartcard reader covered and sealed with it own latch for maximum protection and security.

Built to stay connected on the move - Ensuring medical workers can always stay in touch when on the move, the Toughbook CF-H2 offers WLAN, 3G (optional), Bluetooth and GPS (optional) for navigation and job scheduling. To improve data transfer capability, the Ericsson F5521gw HSPA+ module with wireless ready connection manager can be integrated as an option, significantly increasing download speeds up to 21Mbps. Available upon request, the device can also be switched into Anti-Theft-Protection mode by utilizing the latest Intel ATP technology.

The power to last - To ensure that medical workers have a device that can work for as long as they do, even when access to power is lost, the CF-H2 can operate for up to 6.5 hours (MobileMarkTM 2007, 60nit) running on Windows 7 by using the hot swappable, high-capacity twin-batteries developed internally by the Panasonic battery division. The CF-H2 charges its 2 batteries at the same time, in a rapid parallel mode, for quicker charge times (approx 3 hours).

All units also use the Panasonic Power Management Utilities technology to maximize power efficiency by managing the power of all relevant resources required by the CPU depending on each task or by definition of individual user profiles.

Improved system start-up - To maximize the efficiency of health workers, the CF-H2 also includes Panasonic’s Quick Boot Manager which can reduce the boot-up time of the device down to approximately 15 seconds.

“This next generation Toughbook CF-H2 for the health sector is the ultimate rugged medical tablet,” said Stephen Yeo, Panasonic Toughbook European Marketing Director. “Listening closely to our existing customers, we have built a second generation device that is more powerful, easier to use and with more functionality than any comparable device on the market whilst maintaining all the essential health features required from clinicians in a busy medical environment.”

Compatibility that counts - To ensure existing customers can continue to use existing peripheral equipment, the new CF-H2 is compatible with many of the CF-H1 peripherals such as docking stations in order to provide long-term product lifecycle stability.

Backed by outstanding service - Every Toughbook comes with a 3-year warranty covering hardware failures for systems used as designed; with a 96-hour repair commitment and a 5-year spare parts guarantee.

Kindle Indie Bookstore

While this isn’t new News, I ran across a saved pointer that drew me back to this site that was started up in August. It is called the kindle indie books site and is a place to explore for and find “unique”, “cool, creative, and different” is classified as “indie”.

The Kindle Indie Bookstore is a unique experience in the literary world, a place to discover the next great authors and their books.

There are over 950,000 publications here now. This section is curated by machine and by human and contains a selection of popular indie and self-published titles.

Kindle Indie Bookstore

The Kindle Indie Bookstore on Amazon.com is a convenient way for readers to explore and browse for top selling, popular and high quality books from independent authors and publishers who publish using KDP. Below are answers to a few commonly asked questions regarding the Kindle Indie Bookstore.
How can I become a featured author?
Our editorial team selects authors to highlight in this area based on criteria that we believe will best serve the interests of Kindle readers. At this time, we do not accept submissions for this placement.
How can I have my books featured in the Kindle Indie Bookstore?
We use a combination of automated techniques and editorial activities to select books based on criteria that we believe will best serve the interest of Kindle readers. At this time, we do not support any specific requests for placement. The likelihood of appearing within the Kindle Indie Bookstore is higher for highly rated, popular and top selling books.
How often are the top selling books updated?
The top selling independently published books are located on the right side of the Kindle Indie Bookstore page and are updated hourly. Books that are featured in the top KDP genres are updated in real-time.
How many genres are featured in the Kindle Indie Bookstore?
Currently we feature books from 7 popular categories in the Kindle Indie Bookstore.
Why do you only feature a select number of genres in the Kindle Indie Bookstore?
We chose seven categories that our Kindle readers look at frequently. Periodically we will review our top selling categories and add to the Kindle Indie Bookstore so that readers can enjoy more variety of great indie books.

Promoting indie books in a separate location is a beneficial step for independent/self-publishing authors. The Kindle Indie Books page rotates 4-5 authors, so if you’re featured, visitors may not see you. It also rotates the order in which various genres are shown.

The page also has a Kindle Indie Books Bestseller List, Top-Rated Indie Books, New Indie Releases and several other indie promo features.

If you are a supporter of self-publishing authors, you may wish to take a look at this site. Remember, there is little screening if any of the titles that are self-published so be a little careful of what you are downloading. Because the books are shown by their popularity, the more popular titles are probably the safest bets. That is of course, that a whole bunch of people didn’t get hornswoggled, Good Reading..

Amazon adds Lending Library to your Kindle Devices

Amazon has announced another new feature for Amazon Prime subscribers, the Kindle Owners’ Lending Library. If you are a member of Prime, and you own a Kindle, Amazon now offers thousands of books that you can borrow to read for free. They are including over 100 current and former New York Times Bestsellers.

Choose from over 5,000 titles, including more than 100 current and former New York Times Bestsellers, to read on your Kindle.

So how does this work:

Kindle E Ink

The following screens show how to borrow on Kindle E Ink devices.

Kindle Fire

This is only available for Kindle Device owners. So you won’t be able to get these free books on you Kindle Apps on devices like your iPad, iPhone, iTouch and Android devices. You are also limited to just one pick per month so be careful what you pick cause you only get one choice each month. It will probably be a lot easier on the touch screen Kindles but the older “Classic” versions have a few menus that you have to pop through to get where you need to, to make your choice. Have Fun!

Educational: Evernote Peek adds Virtual Smart Cover

I keep wanting to get Evernote Peek for training purposes but it doesn’t quite fit MY needs but boy, if I had kids or if I was still in school I would have this in a heartbeat! Evernote has release an update to its Evernote Peek learning application for the iPad by adding a Virtual Cover feature that allows the application to be used without a Smart Cover.

Evernote Peek is an application designed to help iPad users study material stored in Evernote notebooks and was originally designed to work with the iPad 2 Smart Cover technology, allowing users to lift the cover edge to view a question or clue and then lift it further to view the answer. Evernote Peek 2.1 now adds a Virtual Cover mode that allows the application to be used without a Smart Cover, thereby also adding compatibility with the original iPad; users can now swipe the virtual cover open and closed to get the same effect provided by the Smart Cover integration. The new version provides 10 different colour choices for the virtual cover and also adds five new study notebooks of European trivia provided by VisitEurope.com. Evernote Peek is available from the App Store as a free download.

YouTube Video Demo of Evernote Peek

How To: Setting up an iTunes Store Allowance Account

If you have an IOS device then you are probably as unhappy with your experience with it as most of us. iLounge author Jesse David Hollington has written a complete guide to using the iTunes store and here is a tutorial on setting up an allowance account for your kids…

From iLounge The Complete Guide to Using the iTunes Store:

Making Allowances

If you’re a parent who may not be particularly enthused about the idea of giving your son or daughter unlimited access to the iTunes Store, you’ll be happy to hear that Apple provides an allowance feature. Instead of setting up an account for your son or daughter with your actual credit card, you would set up your own iTunes Store account that only you access, and then set up an automatic monthly credit to your offspring’s iTunes Store account, ranging from $10 to $50 per month, in $10 increments. You can initiate this process from the Buy iTunes Gifts section by scrolling down to the “Allowances” heading and clicking Set up an allowance now.

You are prompted to enter your own name and the recipients name, choose an amount to send out on the first of each month, and whether to send the first installment now or wait until the beginning of the next month. You can also choose to either create a new Apple ID for the recipient, or use their existing Apple account if they have already set one up. You can also enter a personal message to go with the allowance. The recipient will receive an e-mail

If you opt to create a new Apple Account for the recipient, you’re taken briefly through the process of setting up the Apple ID and password for the recipient. The date of birth is used for password recovery, and the default question is set to “Who gave you your allowance?” with the allowance provider’s name as the answer.

After you’ve filled in the necessary information, you’re shown a purchase confirmation screen to confirm that everything is correct before hitting the “Buy” button.

The recipient will receive an e-mail with instructions on how to access their iTunes Store account and information on the allowance itself. They will also receive a notification each month on the first of the month when their allowance installment is deposited to their account.

You can manage allowances that you have given out from your normal iTunes Store account management screen. Click on the “Manage Allowances” button will take you to a screen where you can view the allowances that you have set up, and choose to either modify the amounts, suspend the allowance until you re-enable it, or remove it entirely. You can also create additional new allowance from here.

Allowance funds will appear as a credit balance in the recipient’s iTunes Store account in the same way as a gift card or gift certificate, and work in the same manner—purchases come from the gift balance first, and any purchases which exceed the remaining balance must be funded with a separate payment method. Basically, an allowance is just the automated equivalent of buying a gift certificate at the beginning of each month. Keep in mind also that accounts receiving an allowance still function as normal independent iTunes Store accounts, and these users are not prevented from buying additional content using their own payment method. In fact, parents can supplement the allowance on special occasions by purchasing gift certificates or gift cards.

Evernote Note Links–How to use them.

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

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

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

Creating a Note Link

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

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

Create Note Links on Your Desktop, Access them Everywhere

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

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

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

Evernote has won me over from OneNote

Sorry Microsoft but as much as I love the interoperability between OneNote and Outlook, OneNote and IE and OneNote and Print Capture, Evernote has begun to win out as my go to app for note taking. Why you may ask. Well, let me tell you!

If you are a frequent reader of this blog you may notice that when I choose a program, I do so because of its breadth of access/use. What I mean by that is that if I am collecting information, which you are naturally doing in a note taking program, you want to have those notes available to you no matter what device it is that your have at hand. Evernote does this for me. Not only is it interoperable with all of the web browsers that I use, I also have the notes that I create available on all of my computers instantly, on anyone else’s computer via the web browser/login interface, on my phone, on my tablet, in other words everywhere that I work. I cannot say that about OneNote. Even though there is a web interface for the OneNote product, it loses most of its functionality when you use it in that environment. There is an iPhone version but not an Android, and there isn’t a native iPad version (you have to use the iPhone app). Not pretty, very low function and frankly, disappointing. On a Window’s PC I love OneNote. If this was the only place I used the product I would probably be staying with it. But the real world is much broader than just PC access to applications anymore and for a mobile guy like myself the OneNote application doesn’t have a wide enough usage model. Maybe this will change down the road and if it does I will rethink my position, but for now, Evernote has my vote.

Adding PDF’s directing to your iBook Library

I use my iPad for many different purposes but having it as a portable reference device is a big benefit. Besides creating my own PDF documents and storing them in either DropBox or iBook I also collect PDF’s from other sources as well. If you are using your iPad to do research on the internet using Safari as your browser and you come upon a PDF download you can now not only display that PDF in Safari but also save it to your iBook library for future reading/reference. Once you have the PDF loaded in Safari notice in the upper top right of the screen that you have a Open in “iBooks” button choice. The PDF will be immediately transported to your iBook App and displayed on the screen for you. If you exit back to the Library you can then Edit and Move the new document into the “Collection” that you wish it to reside. While it is displayed on the screen you have the ability to print or email it or, of course, just sit back and read it.

Amazon introduces new HTML5-based eBook format

The HTML5 format got another technology boost with Amazon announcing a new HTML5-based e-book format called Kindle Format 8 (KF8). This will allow publishers to create content with rich formatting and advanced design elements tailored to the company’s tablet and e-reader products.

The current Mobi 7 standard doesn’t quite provide the rich formatting capabilities that HTML5 promises. Where will we see the benefit? Amazon is hoping that publishers will take advantage of these new features for adding products that require richer formatting such as children’s picture books, comics and graphic novels. You may also see these new features be taken advantage of in technical and engineering books, cookbooks and school books.

We’re pleased to announce a wide range of new features and enhancements – including HTML5 support – coming in Kindle Format 8 (KF8). KF8 is the next generation file format for Kindle books – replacing Mobi 7. As showcased on Kindle Fire, KF8 enables publishers to create great-looking books in categories that require rich formatting and design such as children’s picture books, comics & graphic novels, technical & engineering books and cookbooks. Kindle Format 8 replaces the Mobi format and adds over 150 new formatting capabilities, including fixed layouts, nested tables, callouts, sidebars and Scalable Vector Graphics, opening up more opportunities to create Kindle books that readers will love.

The list of new capabilities in Kindle Format 8 can be found here.

Upcoming enhancements to Kindle Publisher Tools will make it easier and faster for publishers to create high quality Kindle books. KindleGen 2 (available soon) creates Kindle content from a wide variety of sources including HTML, XHTML, and EPUB. Kindle Previewer 2 (available soon) provides an easy way for publishers to preview how titles will look on Kindle devices and apps so they can be confident that their Kindle books look great.

The next question is whether EPUB3 which also boasts HTML5 and some CSS2.1/CSS3 features added will win out over this new format. The EPUB format has been the standard bearer for the eBook industry and has a lot of momentum in this arena. But Amazon is one of the forerunners delivering electronic media to consumers. It will be interesting to see which format will win out.

Lytro Camera allows you to take your shot and focus later…

The Lytro camera has new technology that allows you to take your photo without worrying about the focus of your shot. Called the Lytro Field Camera, this device is based on the ability to allow consumers to adjust the focus on their phtos after they have already taken the shot. It works like this: Rather than focusing on a single plane or object, the camera captures the entire light field of the scene, recording the color, luminosity, and vector direction of every ray of light.

Armed with this multidimensional data, the camera can use computational algorithms to calculate what the image would look like if it had been focused at different distances. The result is what Lytro calls “living pictures” that can be refocused on the fly, after the fact. (The best way to grasp the concept is to take a look at Lytro’s Living Picture Gallery and start clicking on the images in different spots to refocus them.)

Turning Light into Living Pictures

Lytro camera capabilities will include:

• Shoot now, focus later. People will no longer be disappointed by a picture that turns out focused on the wrong subject, such as the wall instead of a child’s smile. Lytro pictures can be flawlessly focused to one’s liking – days, weeks, even years after they’re taken.
• Unparalleled speed: Since the camera doesn’t focus before a photo is taken, people will no longer miss important moments due to the conventional delay of the lens autofocusing as you press the shutter button.
• Living pictures. Lytro creates interactive, living pictures that will engage and delight those who experience them online via social media networks, mobile phones, blogs, etc. Viewers can immerse themselves in a living picture to discover and focus in on new details by simply clicking on different parts of a picture. No software download is required.
• Low-light sensitivity. By using all of the available light in a scene, light field cameras can capture better pictures in remarkably low light environments without use of a flash.
• Immersive 3D. Using the full light field, Lytro cameras provide an immersive 3D picture that goes beyond the conventional stereo 3D by, for example, controlling the perspective view of a scene.

The initial press release from back in June, though buzz-worthy, was met with plenty of skepticism (including a bit of my own), but now that there’s a real product that’s accessible to consumers (though steeply priced), they’ve got my attention. First there’s the design: Rather than modeling the device on the expectations of a traditional camera (or any existing camera, for that matter), the designers at Lytro built the light field camera with simplicity and ease of use in mind. The camera uses a bright f/2.0, 8x optical zoom lens, and at just 1.61×1.61×4.41 inches in dimension and 8 ounces in weight, it looks more like a kaleidoscope or portable slide viewer than a camera. There are no mode dials to speak of — in fact, controls consist of just two buttons (power and shutter), a touch-activated zoom slider, plus the 1.46-inch touchscreen LCD viewfinder. Second, because the camera depends on computational processing to achieve focus at different points on the image, rather than a complex set of lenses, it doesn’t have the auto-focus mechanisms that slow down most digital cameras. This means no shutter lag (or, more accurately, auto-focus lag) to speak of and of course, less weight and complexity to the construction of the camera. Third, by capturing all available light in a scene with its f/2.0 lens, the Lytro camera inherently performs well in low light without a flash. Janice Chen – Digital Cameras & Camcorders

Lytro believes that this new technology will make conventional digital cameras obsolete. Only time will tell.

The first Lytro camera will be available for purchase online later this year. For a demonstration of living pictures, visit the Lytro Picture Gallery www.lytro.com/picture_gallery. To reserve a camera, visit Lytro.com.

For additional commentary on Lytro’s innovations, visit Ben Horowitz’s blog: http://bhorowitz.com/2011/06/21/lytro-and-the-magic-camera/

Note: It'll ship in two versions: the $399 8GB flavor can hold 350 pictures, and comes in graphite or blue, followed by a $499 16GB model, which sports an electric-red finish and stores up to 750 images. You can pre-order now but don’t expect deliver until early 2012.

Intel Releases SSD Toolbox 3.0 Software

The Intel SSD Toolbox does not support firmware updates on the following Intel SSDs. To update the firmware on these SSDs, use the Intel® SATA Solid-State Drive Firmware Update Tool.The Intel® Solid-State Drive Toolbox (Intel® SSD Toolbox) is drive management software that allows you to:
  * View current drive information for Intel® Solid-State Drives (Intel® SSDs), including:
       - Model number, capacity, and firmware version
       - Drive health
       - Estimated drive life remaining
       - SMART attributes (also available for hard disk drives and non-Intel SSDs)
       - IDENTIFY DEVICE information (also available for hard disk drives and non-Intel SSDs)
  * Optimize the performance of an Intel SSD using Trim functionality
  * Update the firmware on a supported Intel SSD
  * Run quick and full diagnostic scans to test the read and write functionality of an Intel SSD
  * Check and tune your system settings for optimal Intel SSD performance, power efficiency, and endurance
  * View your system information and hardware configuration, such as central processing unit (CPU),
     chipset, controller name, and driver versions
  * Run Secure Erase on a secondary Intel SSD

Before beginning the Intel SSD Toolbox installation, review the Release Notes and follow the instructions in the

Installation Guide. A Frequently Asked Questions document is also available for your reference.

If you need assistance with the installation or experience issues, contact Intel Customer Support.

NOTE:  Installing this version of the Intel SSD Toolbox overwrites any previous version of Intel SSD Toolbox installed in your system.

The Intel SSD Toolbox supports firmware updates on the following Intel SSDs:

Intel® Solid-State Drive Latest Firmware Version
Intel® Solid-State Drive 710 Series	6PB10362
Intel® Solid-State Drive 710 Series	6PB10362
Intel® Solid-State Drive 320 Series	4PC10362
Intel® Solid-State Drive 311 Series	2CV102M5
Intel® Solid-State Drive 310 Series	2CV102M3
Intel® X18-M / X25-M SATA SSDs (34nm)	2CV102M3
Intel® X25-V SATA SSD	2CV102M3

The Intel SSD Toolbox does not support firmware updates on the following Intel SSDs. To update the firmware on these SSDs, use the Intel® SATA Solid-State Drive Firmware Update Tool.

Intel® Solid-State Drive	Latest Firmware Version
Intel® Solid-State Drive 510 Series	PPG2 or PPG4  (120GB SSD) PWG2 or PWG4 (250GB SSD)
Intel® X18-M/X25-M SATA SSDs (50nm)	045C8820
Intel® X25-E SATA SSD (50nm)	045C8850

Sharkoon Announces Hard Drive Docking Station with Gigabit Ethernet

Press Release:

Sharkoon presents the successor to their local network, insertable hard drive docking station with the SATA QuickPort Pro LAN: The Sharkoon SATA QuickPort Pro LAN Giga replaces the existing Fast Ethernet interface with a significantly faster Gigabit Ethernet interface. Through its LAN Port, associated hard drives and other medians can be integrated into a local home or office network.

In addition to the LAN Port and plug-in for SATA hard drives in 2.5 and 3.5 inch format, the Sharkoon SATA QuickPort Pro LAN Giga provides an integrated dual USB2.0 hub and a card reader for SD, SDHC, MMC and MS cards. The USB hub and card reader are connected via USB to a computer or laptop, with hard drives also being connected alternatively via the eSATA interface.

In order to ensure that all inserted SATA hard drives, memory cards and USB devices within the QuickPort are available to all users of a local network, the docking station must be connected to the network with the corresponding software installed on all computers involved. The individual user can add the device to their computer through the Software menu. If a user accesses the device then it is closed to all remaining network users. If another user needs the device, they can simply send the current user a request for release. If needed, the reset button on the backside allows the USB server to be restarted.

Like the previous QuickPort models, the Sharkoon SATA QuickPort Pro LAN Giga is equipped with a hard drive ejection button and LEDs indicating power supply and disk activity. The adapter measures 133 x 71 x 95 mm (W x H x L), weighs 545 grams and includes an instruction manual with Tool CD, power supply, patch cable, USB cable and eSATA cable.