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Celebrating the preview launch of Microsoft’s flagship products System Center 2012 R2, Windows Server 2012 R2 and SQL Server 2014, Firebrand Training decided to pay homage to the Tech giant by creating a guide for their existing enterprise technology portfolio.

Check out the graphic below, for a full size version head to Firebrand’s site.

A guide to Microsoft’s Enterprise Technology

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So as we get to grips with the latest batch of Microsoft Technology Products, why not take a look back at the soon to be 40 year History of Microsoft. From humble beginnings of the Windows 1.0 OS, Microsoft has come a long way launching a wide range of innovative enterprise products. Lync Server allows businesses to effectively communicate internally, whilst SharePoint facilitates project collaboration through shared documents.

Of course, not every product has been success, highlighted by the fact a certain Windows OS may not have made it into the timeline. Can you spot it?

Sarah Morgan writes for Firebrand Training on a number of IT related topics. Sarah has 11 years of experience in the IT industry writing on  exams, training, certification trends, and careers advice for the range of Microsoft technology courses delivered by Firebrand.

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Sleek Design

Just out of the box, Microsoft Surface boasts a very sleek look made from VaporMg. This rugged yet beautiful magnesium based material holds the Surface together and the finishing is just in a class of its own, you can spend a while just looking at it.

Kickstand

Made from the same material as the casing, the integrated Kickstand supports the Surface giving a hands free entertainment as it can comfortably rest in a table surface or even on the laps as you watch the latest movie. When not in use, just flip it back and it disappears into the casing, you won’t even know it is there.

Touch cover and Type Cover

These are full size QWERTY keyboards that also acts as protective display cover for the Surface. They are available in many vibrant colors and include a touch pad. The touch cover keyboard is pressure sensitive and thinner than Type cover which has a tactile cover with real physical keys. Both comfortably attach to the Surface via a magnetic strip. Another unique feature is the gyroscope and accelerometer that can determine whether to accept or not accept input based on the orientation.

Massive RAM and Extra Storage Capability

The Surface comes bundled with 2 gigabytes of RAM. This provides for swift work and play compared to the latest iPad which comes with just 1GB.
The default internal hard disk storage capacity is either 32 or 64 Gigabytes; this is somewhat an industry standard but what put Microsoft Surface ahead is the microSD slot for storage expansion. The competition does not offer this choice.

Choice of Two Operating Systems.

The Surface ships with either Windows RT or Windows 8 Pro. Windows RT has been designed specifically to run on the tablet and it includes Microsoft Office 2013 Home edition and Student RT. The other alternative, Windows 8 Pro will allow you to run third party programs like media players and other utility applications you are used to having in your Windows based PC.

Extra Ports and built in Speakers

The Surface is fitted with a dedicated charger port. Also it has extra device support through an integrated USB 2.0 port. A connection to an external monitor is made available through the HD video out port and the inbuilt stereo speaker just seals the deal.

This article has been written by Lester who is a contributor for Who Is Hosting This? where you can get some useful resources to help you compare hosting.

The post 6 Reasons to Get Microsoft Surface Instead of the iPad first appeared on GeekITDown Computer Services & Technology Solutions.

Dates and Releases

In the filing, Microsoft provides the tentative date for its Windows 8 release and planned launch of Surface, their tablet offering.

[blockquote align=”center” style=”style2″]The next version of our operating system, Windows 8, will be generally available on October 26, 2012. At that time, we will begin selling the Surface, a series of Microsoft-designed and manufactured hardware devices.[/blockquote]

The timing is no different than what we’ve been expecting for Windows 8 for some time now. With the addition of tablet availability just as the holiday buying season hits full stride, Microsoft is making sure they don’t miss out on their chance to firmly integrate into homes before the end of the year.

Risks

The preview releases of Windows 8 have stirred up very polarized opinions on the new operating system (OS). There seems to be a love it or hate it scenario unfolding from users who’ve sampled Windows 8. The new interface is clearly designed for touch devices and as such, those who expect to use a mouse and keyboard are less than excited about navigating the OS.

Here at GeekITDown, the consensus has been positive towards the new OS. Microsoft had to take a bit of a chance and leap into the new mobile-touch age in order to stay relevant and Windows 8 is a decent first step. The bigger question for Microsoft is whether their partners will continue to support them now that they’re creating their own line of hardware (Surface). Even Microsoft themselves acknowledge the fact in the SEC filing.

[blockquote align=”center” style=”style2″]Even if many users view these devices as complementary to a personal computer, the prevalence of these devices may make it more difficult to attract applications developers to our platforms. In addition, our Surface devices will compete with products made by our OEM partners, which may affect their commitment to our platform.[/blockquote]

Potential

There’s no question Microsoft has the bank and power to kick start a new tablet like Surface. From a purely commercial standpoint, the tablet market needs a bigger competitor to the iPad and Surface might be the answer.

Beyond the tablet itself is integration with devices and the connectivity that users expect. Microsoft has already laid the foundation for this with SmartGlass. The announcements made at E3 2012 outlined SmartGlass and its functionality. The presentation was impressive and the potential puts pressure on others to step up their game. The SEC filing also intimates their commitment to connecting all devices and data into a single, universal access experience.

[blockquote align=”center” style=”style2″]We invest significant resources in enabling and developing smart connected devices that offer a unified, seamless experience across a common platform. Whether a PC, Windows Phone, Xbox 360, or the newly announced Surface[/blockquote]

Editorial Note

While many seem to think Windows 8 is a catastrophe waiting to happen, I think otherwise. There are certainly opportunities for Microsoft to improve the OS, but in a world where touch screens are in demand and mobility for tech gadgets is the norm, Windows 8 is the right fit at the right time for Microsoft.

Surface is a welcome addition to the tablet market. Apple continues to dominate tablet sales despite Androids big push into the market. Microsoft has an established, loyal base with a certain amount of trust factor behind them to cause some disruption. The integration, if done accurately and properly, gives Microsoft an overwhelming advantage over others in the market. Smart connectivity to Xbox, Windows Server and other devices should mean only a small learning curve for new owners and could be a huge benefit for existing Windows legacy users.

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The Xbox 360 conference begain with Halo 4. The trailer started with brain waves firing as Chief awakens and comes out of, what appears to be, stasis. The trailer continues on, dropping Chief on a jungle planet which adds a bit of a different look from previous Halos.

The jungle was colorful and all aspects of the game were vibrant. The gameplay was smooth with a lot of extraneous sound activity ranging from background noise to battle sounds to accompanying voices from artificial intelligence (AI).

Some things we noticed include new weapons, the aforementioned jungle environment in vibrant colors and a possible AI construct corruption storyline. Though this is only a brief glimpse into what Halo 4 looks like, it does appear to be polished. Locking targets was accurate and with several vision modes, Chief should have no trouble detecting danger.

The tagline for Halo 4 appears to be ‘An Ancient Evil Awakens’. Although, technologically advanced ancient evil based on what was shown. Overall, the Halo 4 presentation was well met and it appears as though it could continue the franchise’s great success.

Expected release date: Holiday 2012 (early reports place the release in December)

Key Features:

• New weapons.
• Jungle environment.
• AI construct corruption unfolding.
• Excellent graphics with vibrant colors and scenery.

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In a recent blog posting Microsoft announced that Windows 8 will offered digitally as well as on DVD. The ability to upgrade Windows via an online download is the first of its kind for Windows and is something that, if successful, will make the move to a new operating system exponentially simpler for users.

The approach to the new digital upgrade came from research provided during the Windows 7 release where users performed compatibility tests along with easy transfer of files and settings. Windows 8 will combine those two tasks making the transition smoother and hopefully easier for users. Users who choose to upgrade will have the option to select their media (USB, DVD) and unlike installations in the past, digital downloads and upgrades will automatically be assigned a Windows key which will not need to be entered during install.

Microsoft intends to speed up the process considerably by using the data collected from the compatibility report to bypass the usual pre-install settings of language, geographic location and other user specific data.

While Microsoft is not the first to do digital upgrades, they are making a huge step forward to make upgrading quicker and simpler. It’s a good sign that Microsoft wants to be more current and follow the trend of online delivery. For those who can’t or still need to purchase the physical DVD media for installations, Microsoft will still be offering them in addition to the digital upgrades.

You can read other Windows 8 related articles on our Windows 8 News page.

Your Thoughts

What do you think of Microsoft’s move to offer digitial upgrades? Let us know in the comments!

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Dashboard Visuals

In the new Microsoft Metro style, the Xbox 360 follows in the footsteps of the Windows 8 and Windows Phone interfaces. The tiled squares are clearly being adopted across all Microsoft platforms and is a smart move by Microsoft to add interface uniformity across all of their products.

The first noticeable difference, besides the Metro styling, is the category listing aligned horizontally along the top. My Xbox is now home and My Friends has been changed to social. The other channels remain, but the “Marketplace” word has been removed from the labels. All in all, the new Metro interface allows for added content in the same amount of space without feeling cramped or busy.

Bing Search & Voice Control

Bing search has been integrated into the Xbox as well and is now the first channel in the category listing. The new Bing search integration is a big plus for those tired of searching the Xbox marketplace with a controller. For Kinect owners, Bing can use voice controlled search to find content. Bing searches locally across all services attached to the Xbox and returns results based on the search criteria. From there users decide how to use the content. In the case of a movie, users can choose to purchase the video from the video marketplace or stream it via Netflix.

The process is really well done and although the extensive search is available to those without a Kinect, the voice control experience makes having a Kinect that much more fulfilling.

Kinect – Voice & Motion

We’ve already covered the sound benefits of having a Kinect with the new updates, but that’s not all there is to it. Motion is an essential trait of Kinect and with the Metro styling is used to navigate around the Xbox.

Motioning is a fairly simple idea and in practice works well. Having said that, the voice control is still the preferred way to navigate. Just say ‘Netflix’ and there it is, no need to move your hands or arms around in front of you.

While neither is perfect, they both improve the Xbox experience for the user and advance the Microsoft agenda in a non-intrusive way.

TV

Apps will take some time in updating their interface to mimic the Metro style, but some have already adopted it. Live TV is still a work in progress, which is not unexpected, as the networks try to monetize their content in the most profitable way possible. Until they figure that out, expect Xbox to be in the same boat as others with regards to streaming a large variety of up to date content.

The important thing to take away from the addition of live TV is that it is actually included and available. It’s a nice start to hopefully something much better as time goes on or even for the next-gen console.

Cloud Storage

For those who want or need to switch between consoles, the Xbox Live Gold membership buys you storage for saved games. A nice little feature that adds something more to an already abundantly feature packed console. While gamers are unlikely to store all their game data in the cloud, the space should allow for the ‘flavor of the week’ game to be saved.

Final Thoughts

Overall, we’re extremely pleased with the new interface. The Metro styling is something we were pleased with on Microsoft’s other devices so it’s no surprise we find it to be a good fit on the Xbox as well. The categories and channels are better oriented and a greater amount of content is available on a single screen making for a more accessible experience.

The voice and motion controls are really good, but could still use some refining. Having voice control over the entire Xbox library and apps is so much easier than fiddling with remotes or controllers. We expect this to only improve as time goes on.

The evolution of content delivery continues and Microsoft has a decent shot at being one of the leaders in the cable alternative scenario. There isn’t anything more Microsoft can do other than throw around their money on this one. Networks and movie studios want fat pockets and there’s no quick solution to that. Look for Microsoft to expand their available content and eventually make Live TV more of a priority.

Your Thoughts

Have you received the update yet? How do you like the new interface and layout? Where does Microsoft go from here? Let us know in the comments!

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