Microsoft Surface finally

‘Surface’ the name itself suggest Microsoft’s previous strategy for developing touch based device since last couple of years. They have come up with Surface tables and when I heard the name, I could easily recollect this information. Microsoft has time and again tried promoting the idea of ‘Surface’ by its devices.

Surface 2.0 is not similar to those touch enabled tables or stands, but Microsoft’s entry into already huge Tablet Market. The market already ruled by iPad and many android devices. Will Microsoft be able to make its mark in this segment? Only time will tell.

Microsoft released a video of this amazing device, which personally ‘I like’.

There will be two versions of this device:

• Windows 8 RT version: This version will run only metro apps. It will be powered by ARM processor. RT version weighs 676 grams and is 9.3 mm thick. A little heavier than iPad. It has a 10.6 inch Clear Type HD display and supports USB 2.0, Micro HD and microSD which gives users more choice unlike iPad. Corning’s Gorilla Glass is used and offers a stand as shown in picture. RT version will come in 32/64 GB models

• Windows 8 Professional Version: In this one will be able to install legacy apps and work as one does on a normal Windows 8 PC. It will be powered by Intel i5 processor, which I think is a very good idea for high degree of detailed computing done by most of us. This will enable professional users to use technologies like Virtualization/HyperV in this device (though nothing is officially said about it, but Windows 8 supports such features). It weighs 903 grams and 13.5 mm thick. It also includes the 10.6-inch Clear Type display but Microsoft’s spec sheets say it is “Full HD.” It includes USB 3.0 along with microSD, and a Mini Display Port Video to watch Video Out on TV. Corning’s Gorilla Glass is used and offers a stand as shown in picture. Windows 8 version will have 64/128GB options to chose from.
  

With this, Microsoft will try to persuade potential buyers from Corporate who have refrained to buy iPads as it doesn’t have Microsoft Office Suite. Microsoft has kept that in mind and will be integrating everything from Skydrive to Office in its new Tablet. They have married a PC to a tablet, which is a very good idea and pushes other Tablet devices aside in this area. Performance and other aspects will only be tested and will be available later.

Keyboard:

Surface comes with a touch keyboard hidden under its cover, with a track pad and Metro user interface keys which is very useful as being an Ipad user I sometimes feel the urge to use keyboard but not separately. Integrating Keyboard in the ‘Cover’ is a very smart idea which will help users in a very big way. There is variety of colors to choose from in terms of Keyboard and all are themed in the Metro manner.

Some more images from Microsoft Surface Website:

Trolling Logmein

So much we love this tool to remotely manage our computers. Be it office or at home, we have control on all the computers at our finger tip. I have been using Logmein from past few years and the software is simply superb. We have all the necessary options to configure the software to suit our requirements.

Lately, I decided to play with this tool and came across this funny screen. When one tries to Remote Control my own computer, Logmein screen gave me a mirror effect:

 

However, the controls are not that accurate and the mouse starts running random (I blame my slow internet speed). After some tasks, the Logmein session crashes and brings you back to previous screen by closing the session.

Following is the error I encountered:

 

Logmein did prompt me earlier not to Remote control my own PC:

Immidio Flex Profiles: An in depth analysis

Organizations around the globe spend millions of dollars to manage their IT infrastructure. For years, end-users have complained about slow profiles getting loaded on their machines. A huge number of users also face problems everyday due to corrupted profile applications/information. Not any more, as Immidio has answers for all the Infrastructure Management professionals. Flex profiles is a profile management solution developed by Immidio. It delivers a very robust Windows User Profile management platform without requiring additional investments in deploying and maintaining back end infrastructure. Immidio Flex Profiles version 7.5 improves IT services quality and end-user productivity with three instant-on solutions helping solve the most common profile management challenges:

• Removal of legacy components from old application installation and uninstallation with the Profile Cleanup feature
  
• Windows Common Settings and Application Templates to reduce size of user profiles.
  
• Prepare applications to be managed through Immidio Flex Profiles 7.5 with a configuration wizard.
  
• Instantly improve logon and logoff times drastically by enabling the DirectFlex feature
  

Flex Profiles separates user-specific desktop and application settings from the Windows operating system, making them available across multiple devices, Windows versions and application instances. A separated or decoupled user profile is independent from the traditional Windows user profiles and allows for easy introduction of virtualization technologies and new application delivery mechanisms. Immidio Flex Profiles is fully compatible with Windows 7 and integrates seamlessly with Microsoft AppV.

You can find the PDF for this article over here: 

Benefits

• Shorter Windows log-on and log-off times
  
• Single user profile per user
  
• Compatible with Microsoft RDS, VMware View, Citrix XenApp / XenDesktop
  
• Unique migration and cleanup mechanism for existing roaming profiles
  
• Pre-populate custom settings in the user environment without any scripting
  

Flex Profiles Features

• DirectFlex
  
• Application Profiler
  
• Client Side Extensions
  
• Profile Cleanup
  
• Predefined User settings
  
• Advanced Process Criteria
  
• App templates and common settings
  
• App-V integration
  
• Profile archive backup
  
• Extended FlexEngine logging
  
• Existence check and max archive size
  

The tool is very simple to use and profile information can be generated by simple procedures.

Flex Profiles Components

The output file generated by each application is in INI format

It can be used as a command based utility

Corrupted Profile problem: ‘Not any more’

In many cases Users or Administrators face challenges when the User profile gets corrupted. This is one of the major bottlenecks and seriously hampers productivity and increases cost associated to Profile Management. With Immidio, if a user faces a corrupted profile, User/Administrator can ‘Reset’ the profile by using the tool itself. For example, in a user profile, Outlook 2010 got corrupted and the user specific settings don’t appear then either one can ‘Reset’ it to the base profile setting of Outlook OR ‘Restore’ it to previous date/time setting.

Application Profiler

With Immidio Application Profiler, an IT administrator can run applications on a clean desktop and check and – if so desired – optimize the settings that were captured in the Application Profiler interface. In the end, both IT and end-users will have an efficient and consistent experience with minimal effort.

You can watch Application Profiler in action on the video from Immidio’s Youtube channel

 How to create application profile with config.ini file as output

The procedure is to analyze the configuration information of an application by launching it via Application Profiler and capturing changes, user state and configuration information.

Launch Application Profiler and Click on ‘Start New Session’ under ‘Start Session’

Browse to the Application (whose configuration information needs to be analyzed). In this case we will use Notepad++ as an example:

This will lead to installation of Notepad++ application with Analyzing Application screen in background:

Install Notepad++ application. The analysis will take place in background:

On successful installation of Notepad++ application, user specific changes need to be made. These changes are later copied in config.ini.
In this example, changes have been made in View, Settings and the default file called contextMenu.xml has been deleted from Notepad++. All these changes will be captured in the config.ini file called Notepad++config.xml

Output file is called Notepad++Config.ini

If some predefined settings have been already created then these settings can be coupled with the predefines settings by clicking “Save Config File with Predefined Settings”

Profile Assistant:

Immidio Flex Profiles Assistant helps you record all relevant locations in the user profile where an application stores its settings, both in the registry and file system. To start the process of automatically generating a Flex config file, install the Flex Profiles Assistant in a reference environment.

Before you can start using the Flex Profiles Assistant it is important to realize it works in conjunction with Microsoft’s Sysinternals Process Monitor to scan all system activities of applications.

A prerequisite for building a Flex Profiles import file is a Process Monitor log file. This requires starting Process Monitor, resetting the filter options and running the application you want to analyze. If Process Monitor is in the same folder as Flex Profiles Assistant, the Start Process Monitor button is displayed; otherwise, you can start Process Monitor manually.

Logfile.flex gets created as an output:

Profile Management Console

How to Install and configure Management Console

Flex Builder has pre defined Settings for profiles. One can use the predefined settings OR create your own settings using ‘Advance Settings’

Flex Profiles Predefined User settings

• Create or customize predefined user settings
  
• Very simple scripting and easy to create
  
• Dynamically convert variables during logon or application start (DirectFlex)
  
  • File and folder names
    
  • Text files (i.e. INI Files)
    
  • Registry keys, Values and data
    

Flex Profiles Advanced Process Criteria

Additional process criteria to reduce scripting effort:

• Registry Key/Value
  
• OS and its corresponding Bitness (32/64bit)
  
• File Version
  
• Exit code of custom script
  
• Environment variable
  

Action on criteria match can be configured as following:

• Process
  
• Do not process
  
• Only export (useful for OS migration)
  
• Only import (useful for Server silos)
  

Advanced settings for OS and its corresponding bitness (32/64bit) set to ‘Do Nothing’:

Process criteria make it possible to have FlexEngine only process a Flex configuration file if certain criteria are met. By default, no criterion is applied, and the configuration file will be processed always.

Advanced settings for File Version set to 34.2.2.2 and the rule states that if the File version matches then Export:

Licensing Options Available

Local            For PC and Laptops

Hosted         VDI, RDS/TS

Other Similar software

Citrix Profile Management

Appsense Environment Manager

LinkedIn Passwords stolen: What the Hack?

LinkedIn member passwords compromised and uploaded online

6.5 Million Passwords have been reported stolen and uploaded on a Russian Hacker Forum.

From LinkedIn blog member Vicente Silveira :

“We want to provide you with an update on this morning’s reports of stolen passwords. We can confirm that some of the passwords that were compromised correspond to LinkedIn accounts. We are continuing to investigate this situation and here is what we are pursuing as far as next steps for the compromised accounts”

The users whose passwords have been compromised will be asked to change their passwords as they won’t work. The only way out is to immediately change the password.