Crescent City Networking » Software

The Complete Guide To Microsoft’s Office 2010

Ken — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 11:54:11 +0000

The web has been abuzz the past few weeks with chatter about Microsoft’s announcement today at its Worldwide Partner Conference in New Orleans about the new version of Microsoft’s Office 2010. There’s even a mini-movie about its debut. Facing potential challenges from the browser from Google’s Apps product and its new Chrome OS, Microsoft has been touting its three screens strategy, which is the ability for products to synchronize across the phone, browser, and desktop, for some time now.

With the release of Office 2010, SharePoint Server 2010 and Visio 2010, we finally see implementation Microsoft’s Chief Software Architect Ray Ozzie’s mantra. We had the opportunity to see an in-depth demo of the new suite of products from Microsoft’s Group Product Manager for Office 2010, Chris Bryant. Here’s a complete breakdown of all the functionality that has been added, including screenshots:

The Move To The Browser

Most certainly a direct challenge to Google Apps, Microsoft is rolling out lightweight, FREE, Web browser versions of Word, PowerPoint, Excel and OneNote. All based in the cloud, the web-based versions of these products have less features than their desktop cousins but still let users that users basic tools to edit and change documents.

PowerPoint 2010

PowerPoint has been upgraded not only with a new browser version, but also a slew of bells and whistles to the desktop version. Users now have the capability of editing video and images within PowerPoint with a basic video editing tool (not so different from the capabilities of iMovie) and a image editing tool, which is like a basic, simple version of Adobe Photoshop. Microsoft has also added the ability for users to launch a Web-ex-like live sharing feature with other users. So if you create a slideshow in PowerPoint, you can share it with other people in real-time (which can be run on top of Sharepoint).

Here’s what the video editing tools look like in PowerPoint:

To share a deck with other users, you send an email to individuals with a link. Once they click the link, they will see the slideshow within the browser. This feature can also be used on a mobile phone’s browser. You can also create a slideshow in the desktop version and then publish it to the web version to access it via the browser. The browser version of PowerPoint doesn’t include the video editing features, but most of the functionality of 2008 is included in the browser version.

Excel 2010

Excel spreadsheets can now run in the browser, and similar to PowerPoint, spreadsheets can be published to the browser via the desktop version. The browser version of Excel has limited features, but offers more in-depth functionality than Google Spreadsheets. Microsoft has added a particularly innovative feature called Sparklines, which gives a visual snapshot image of a data trend over time within a cell. You can also share Excel via the browser with other users and set special permissions on who can access the document.

Here’s what the web version of Excel looks like:

Word 2010

Bryant says that the number one piece of feedback from users producing documents on Microsoft Word is that they want to preserve the look and feel of a document created in the desktop version in the browser. Microsoft calls this “document fidelity” and created the browser version of MS Word accordingly. In the browser, documents retain the same look and feel as in the desktop. The browser version still has the “ribbon user interface,” where you can change fonts, size, formatting, styles etc.

An image of the web version of Word:

Microsoft has also updated the desktop version to have collaborative features so that multiple users can be editing a document at once. This collaboration is not available in the web, unfortunately. Microsoft says that users don’t want this feature but this might be a move to protect the Office revenue model.

When two people are editing at the same document (in the desktop version) at the same time, Word will notify each user when there are changes that need to be synced with their document. The copy/paste function of the desktop version has also received an upgrade, where you can see see a live preview for the paste function. The paste function also has an advanced option to create and insert screenshots. To make moving around a long document easier, Word now has a navigation visual pane and section header breakdown which makes it easy to jump from different sections of a document.

Outlook 2010

Outlook 2010 now has a ribbon user interface, like Word, PowerPoint and Excel. The UI of email conversations has been upgraded to look almost like a message tree, allowing users a more visual view of sent and incoming emails. Search functionality has been improved as well, making it much easier to find content. Also, you can preview calendars in emails and choose to ignore selective email conversations.

Sharepoint 2010

Like Outlook, Sharepoint now gets a ribbon UI, making the document hosting product more similar to Microsoft’s flagship products, like Word. You can tag authors of documents now and can share documents and files more easily.

Microsoft says that its browser versions have been tested on all major browsers aside from internet Explorer, including Firefox and Safari. Office 2010 is still being tested and reworked to function on Chrome. Microsoft also announced that it is streamlining the number of Office editions from eight to five. Office Web applications will be available in three ways: through Windows Live, where consumers will have access to Office Web applications at no cost; via on-premises versions; and via Microsoft Online Services, where customers will be able to purchase a subscription of MS Office. Microsoft says Office 2010 will be available in the first half of next year.

The key part of all of this news is the free, browser-based versions of Microsoft’s most popular Office products. Bryant says that Microsoft expects the browser products to be especially popular amongst student, but I think that the web-based applications will be hugely popular in the enterprise space as well, as long as there are security precautions taken to put documents in a secure part of the cloud.

But as more and more businesses are becoming comfortable with trusting cloud environments, Microsoft’s move to the browser could pay off in a big way, especially because it’s so easy to use both the desktop and browser versions of products interchangeably. The more successful Microsoft is in its browser strategy, the more they validate Google’s approach in the space, which will eventually put price pressure on Office.

Mozilla Pushes the Web Forward With Firefox 3.5

Ken — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 00:39:08 +0000

Mozilla Firefox 3.5 is the culmination of nearly a year-long quest to build a browser for the next version of the web. And while it’s not perfect, it comes very, very close.

The open-source browser is now available for download for Windows, Mac and Linux.

Originally envisioned as a quick follow-up to 2008’s release of Firefox 3.0, Mozilla ended up packing in quite a few extra features into its flagship browser and spent months making sure that Firefox 3.5 was the fastest, most powerful Firefox yet.

Firefox 3.5 brings with it entirely new and much faster rendering engines for both static web pages and the JavaScript code that powers today’s complex web-based applications. There are new privacy features, new capabilities for playing video and audio files and improved search tools. There are also a handful of other new features that should prove useful for both Firefox devotees and newcomers alike.

We’ve been using the latest betas and release candidates for the last few months. No matter what kind of web surfer you are, we recommend you download Firefox 3.5 as soon as you can

Microsoft Security Essentials Antivirus Software Available on June 23rd

Ken — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 12:14:22 +0000

Here are some of the main features users can expect from Morro:

•Real-time protection. Microsoft Security Essentials uses real-time protection to help address potential threats before they ever have an opportunity to become a problem.

•Dynamic Signature Service. In addition to taking advantage of daily signature downloads, Microsoft Security Essentials is able to validate suspicious files against newly identified malware in near-real time by querying the Dynamic Signature Service. Actions from unknown sources such as unexpected network connections, attempting to modify privileged parts of the system or downloading known malicious content all trigger requests for updates from the Dynamic Signature Service.

•Rootkit protection. Microsoft Security Essentials includes a number of new and improved technologies to provide additional defense against rootkits and other aggressive threats. These technologies include live kernel behavior monitoring for monitoring the integrity of kernel structures, support for direct file-system parsing to help identify and remove malicious programs and drivers hidden from the file system, and improved live rootkit removal that dynamically loads a new kernel mode driver as part of the cleaning process so that it can help successfully remove some of the more advanced rootkits.

•Lightweight design. Because Microsoft Security Essentials is core anti-malware only, it doesn’t carry the weight of the suite products and has a much smaller download size.

•CPU throttling. CPU throttling helps ensure that the user’s system remains responsive to those tasks the user is likely to be performing such as opening files or browser windows, launching programs, editing documents, saving files, etc.

•Idle-time scanning. Scans and updates are scheduled to run when the PC is idle and use a low-priority thread.

•Smart caching and active memory swapping. Signatures not in use don’t take up space in the available memory, making Microsoft Security Essentials friendlier toward older PCs as well as today’s smaller, less powerful form factors.

Essentially, Security Essentials seems a little bit like a lite version of Live OneCare (though it’s technically not related). Since this version is free, it is certainly worth a shot—and it definitely poses a threat to Symantec and McAfee. Plus, they note that there will be no registrations or renewals and the software will be updated automatically. As far as availability is concerned, Morro will can be downloaded directly from Microsoft starting on June 23rd in a limited public beta for XP, Vista and Windows 7 users.

Microsoft Security Essentials
Fact Sheet
June 2009

As threats to the safety and security of today’s PC users continue to evolve, Microsoft Corp. is actively working to help keep PC users protected so that they have a safer and enjoyable Windows experience. From building products that are more resilient to attack to delivering solutions designed to help secure the platform, Microsoft is committed to being a leader in providing consumers and enterprise customers worldwide with ongoing protection from new and existing threats.

In addition to taking advantage of the security designed and built into its products, Microsoft also encourages consumers to use real-time anti-malware protection to help protect their PCs from new and evolving threats. There are many quality security products to choose from (both free and subscription-based); however cost and performance barriers prevent many consumers from using up-to-date security software to protect their PCs.

To address consumer demand for quality anti-malware protection that’s easy to get and doesn’t slow down system performance, Microsoft is introducing Microsoft Security Essentials, a no-cost anti-malware solution that provides consumers with quality protection from threats including viruses, spyware, rootkits and trojans. And because Microsoft Security Essentials is offered directly from Microsoft, consumers can have confidence that the software they download is legitimate and not rogue security software that can actually cause a PC to become infected with malware.

Available to genuine Windows users, Microsoft Security Essentials has been designed to be hassle-free and is focused on addressing consumer demand for a security product that delivers the following:
Quality protection
An easy-to-use experience
Unobtrusive performance

Quality Anti-Malware Protection
With malware attacks increasing in both number and severity and the increasing incidence of rogue security software, quality anti-malware protection delivered from a trusted source is a must-have for today’s PC users. With Microsoft Security Essentials, consumers can feel safer knowing that their PCs are being protected against viruses, spyware and other malicious software by the same core technology that is the basis for Microsoft’s other award-winning security products and that is backed by Microsoft’s world-class Security Response Center. Security features in Microsoft Security Essentials include the following:
Real-time protection. Microsoft Security Essentials uses real-time protection to help address potential threats before they ever have an opportunity to become a problem.
Dynamic Signature Service. In addition to taking advantage of daily signature downloads, Microsoft Security Essentials is able to validate suspicious files against newly identified malware in near-real time by querying the Dynamic Signature Service. Actions from unknown sources such as unexpected network connections, attempting to modify privileged parts of the system or downloading known malicious content all trigger requests for updates from the Dynamic Signature Service.
Rootkit protection. Microsoft Security Essentials includes a number of new and improved technologies to provide additional defense against rootkits and other aggressive threats. These technologies include live kernel behavior monitoring for monitoring the integrity of kernel structures, support for direct file-system parsing to help identify and remove malicious programs and drivers hidden from the file system, and improved live rootkit removal that dynamically loads a new kernel mode driver as part of the cleaning process so that it can help successfully remove some of the more advanced rootkits.

Easy to get, easy to use
While there are many security solutions on the market today, the paid subscription model for consumer security does not meet the needs of many consumers, including those in emerging markets where cost, limited availability of payment instruments such as credit cards and hardware constraints can limit adoption of core security protection. To address the need for quality protection without the hassle of annual renewals or the cost and payment barriers associated with many suite products, Microsoft makes obtaining Microsoft Security Essentials and staying up to date with the latest technical and security protection advancements easy:
Available at no cost. Because Microsoft Security Essentials is available at no cost, there is no need to go through a lengthy registration process or provide billing information.
Direct download. Microsoft Security Essentials is easy to obtain online direct from Microsoft, meaning consumers can have confidence knowing they are downloading quality anti-malware protection from a trusted source.
No registration, trials or renewals. Consumers can be confused by trials and annual renewals, in many cases believing they have up-to-date anti-virus protection when in fact they do not. With Microsoft Security Essentials, consumers can download the software without a cumbersome registration process and stay protected without the hassle of annual renewals.
Up to date. Microsoft Security Essentials is automatically updated to help ensure that signatures, the anti-malware engine and the application are always up to date. New malware signatures are downloaded daily with new signatures accessed in near-real time through the Dynamic Signature Service when suspicious behavior is detected.
Single-click fix. There is no guesswork required to keep the PC protected. When there is an issue requiring user attention, an action button appears in a prominent location on the notification with the suggested action, making it easy for the consumer to fix the issue with just one click.

Quiet Protection
Microsoft Security Essentials is designed to run quietly and efficiently in the background so that consumers can use their Windows-based PC the way they want – without worrying about interruptions, pop-ups or poor system performance. To help keep PCs protected without overburdening system resources, Microsoft Security Essentials includes the following features:
Lightweight design. Because Microsoft Security Essentials is core anti-malware only, it doesn’t carry the weight of the suite products and has a much smaller download size.
CPU throttling. CPU throttling helps ensure that the user’s system remains responsive to those tasks the user is likely to be performing such as opening files or browser windows, launching programs, editing documents, saving files, etc.
Idle-time scanning. Scans and updates are scheduled to run when the PC is idle and use a low-priority thread.
Smart caching and active memory swapping. Signatures not in use don’t take up space in the available memory, making Microsoft Security Essentials friendlier toward older PCs as well as today’s smaller, less powerful form factors.

Microsoft Security Essentials System Requirements
Operating System: Windows XP (Service Pack 2 or Service Pack 3); Windows Vista; Windows 7 (Beta or Release Candidate)
For Windows XP, a PC with:
CPU with clock speed of 500 MHz or higher
Memory of 256 MB RAM or higher
For Windows Vista and Windows 7, a PC with:
CPU with clock speed of 1.0 GHz or higher
Memory of 1 GB RAM or higher
VGA (display): 800×600 or higher
Storage: 140 MB of available hard-disk space
An Internet connection is required for installation and to download the latest virus and spyware definitions for Microsoft Security Essentials Beta.

Pricing and Availability
Microsoft Security Essentials Beta will be available for limited public download beginning June 23, 2009, from http://www.microsoft.com/security_essentials in the following geographies and languages:
Geographies: Brazil, Israel, U.S.
Languages: Brazilian Portuguese, English
Public beta testing for Simplified Chinese in China will be available later in 2009.

IE 8 security guide

Ken — Mon, 25 May 2009 15:04:48 +0000

Microsoft has release a Internet Explorer 8 Desktop Security Guide. This guide can be downloaded from Here.

Eight iPhone apps and services for system admins

Ken — Wed, 20 May 2009 13:41:33 +0000

A collection of iPhone apps and services that no IT pro should go without

Posted on May 19, 2009 1:28 pm by John C. Welch, Macworld.com

For almost any system administrator, the idea of “off-time” is fictional. Even when I’m on vacation, there’s an unwritten expectation that if need be, I’m going to be summoned to solve a problem. (Even on my honeymoon, for example, I found myself spending a half-hour or so dealing with a work issue.)

WiFiFoFum can help tell you a lot about the status of your Wi-Fi network beyond the basics.

As a result, having just a plain cell phone isn’t an option for a sysadmin like me—smartphones become mandatory. Since its release, I’ve been on an iPhone, and since the introduction of the App Store, my iPhone has gone from merely handy to a really useful tool. So, in no particular order, here are the things I use to make my sysadmin life easier:

EDGE: When you host Web sites and other Internet-based services, the ability to check them from an outside network is critical. So, when we need to test “from the outside”, I just turn off Wi-Fi, sit at my desk and do external testing.The same rule applies for 3G iPhones, obviously. (I haven’t upgraded yet because I’m cheap.)

Safari: Fortunately, I never need Flash for my work, but I cannot function without a Web browser. With the iPhone, I never have to.

Mail: Like having a decent Web browser, I can’t live without e-mail. In addition to just being able to get email, the Exchange Active Sync (EAS) support in the iPhone lets me test different servers’ implementations of this with ease. This was important to us when we changed e-mail servers recently. Being able to fully test iPhone support was a major benefit, and helped us not have to rely on vendor promises.

LDAPeople: I’ve written about this application before, but LDAPeople from Boneware bears mentioning here as well. Since our network is based around Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP), being able to get information from our LDAP setup is invaluable and very convenient when we see indications that our LDAP servers may be getting wonky. Since LDAPeople is just an LDAP client, nothing more, it’s a more direct way to test our LDAP servers without having to fire up Mac OS X’s Address Book, or Entourage, or some other application that uses LDAP.

WinAdmin: The world isn’t single-platform, and neither is my network. I have a number of Windows Servers that I have to take care of, and because Windows command-line access is sub-optimal, the best way to remotely administer a Windows box is via Windows Terminal Services. I use WinAdmin from Carter Harrison to manage such systems. WinAdmin is a simple client for Windows Terminal Services, and makes it easy to remotely log in to and administer my Windows Servers. We also have AquaConnect Terminal Server running—Mac terminal server software. With WinAdmin installed, I can connect remotely main network monitoring server—an Intel-based Xserve running Mac OS X Server 10.5.6.

TouchTerm Pro SSH: Graphical User Interfaces (GUIs) are pretty and nice, but for low bandwidth secure remote access, nothing beats a good Secure Shell (SSH) client. That’s what TouchTermPro SSH from Aji fits the bill. For Unix administrators especially, SSH is the tool of choice for many tasks, and out of all the SSH clients I’ve played with on the iPhone, TouchTerm Pro SSH impressed me the most and is the most useful to me.

What’s Goin Down: While some people may like to see their computer running, to me, the best server is one in a room that I never go into and never have to physically see. However, I still need to know if the server is running okay, and for that, I’ve found Random Ideas’ application, What’s Goin Down, to be darned useful. It lets me check different services on servers, even multiple services on the same server. So if I have a Web server that’s hosting multiple sites, I can check each site individually. I can separately check IMAP, SMTP or POP e-mail services. What’s Goin Down allows me to verify server operational status quickly and efficiently from almost anywhere.

WiFiFoFum: Most people never have to pay too much attention to Wi-Fi other than to know it’s working. But there’s a bit more to it for IT admins. Understanding signal to noise ratio, the presence of unknown base stations, and the operational status of base stations that are part of our network are examples of factors IT needs to know. With WiFiFoFum (reviewed here), I can get a lot of information about my wireless network in seconds, which is a huge help in figuring out which base station has suddenly dropped off the map. The radar view is not only neat, but kind of handy. From Aspecto Software. [Editor's note: In another life John worked on B-1B bombers, so of course he finds the radar view neat.]

These seven apps (and one service) are great examples of how useful the iPhone can be to the IT manager. I use all of them regularly to make my professional life run a lot smoother. What are your choices? Chime in with your own comments.

Trend Micro’s browser for iPhone

Ken — Sat, 18 Apr 2009 19:08:01 +0000

Anti virus company Trend Micro recently launched their own browser app for iPhone and iPod touch called Smart Surfing. The company claims that it’s the first secure browser to provide enhanced Web threat protection for these devices.

Smart Surfing is powered by the Trend Micro™ Smart Protection Network using advanced “in the cloud” Web Reputation technology to protect you from Web pages with malicious intent. If you attempt to access a bad or malicious URL, Smart Surfing is designed to block access to the URL and a notification will appear in the browser.

Its features including:

Blocks access to Web pages with malicious content.
Helps protect against phishing and pharming attacks.
Provides color-coded search results.
Easy-to-modify protection strength level and notifications.
Supports browsing multiple Web pages at the same time.

Smart Surfing app App is free and you can download it from iTunes App Store.

X10 technology for home automation

Ken — Sat, 11 Apr 2009 15:20:47 +0000

There are many ways to go about automating your home. This one uses the existing AC wiring for the communication.

Xtenscape was developed by Scott Hather which allows you to take control of this X10 technology using a free custom built app. X10 is an international and open industry standard for communication among electronic devices used for home automation, also known as domotics. This process uses power line wiring for signaling and control, where the signals involve brief radio frequency bursts representing digital information. A wireless radio based protocol transport is also defined.

As for the software, there is a a Windows and Mac version available. The idea of the software, which is free to download for iPhones (note the X-10 hardware [modules] are not), manages control signals by creating a ‘piggy-backed’ system whereby the electrical current running through your house is used to tell a specific receiver to switch on or off. So simple your Granny could do it and all available through your iPhone.

System requirements:

Intel-based Apple Mac or Windows PC (98 and above)
Java 1.5 (included on a mac, download for PC)
Windows only: Microsoft Dot Net 2.0 framework
CM11A or CM12 X-10 Control module (any type, UK, USA, Euro etc)
At least one Appliance module or Lamp module
Spare COM port or USB port (COM to USB convertor)

Video Demo Flash on iPhone via Citrix

Ken — Sat, 11 Apr 2009 14:48:12 +0000

As posted on Citrix Blog

This is a follow up to my earlier blog.

Do you wish to use your iPhone to access Flash based applications? So far you are out of luck. According to the recent news article from CNET, “Flash 10 coming to most smartphones in 2010″. And iPhone is not on the list.

But why wait? With the upcoming Citrix receiver for iPhone, you will be able to run Flash based applications not only from iPhone but also from many other popular mobile devices. Initially the focus will be to support business applications.

The Citrix technology also adds another additional layer of security by only transmitting the display to the mobile devices. A typical flash based business intelligence report may contain sensitive data. If downloaded directly to a mobile device, the data may be vulnerable to leaks. For business users,the added security may be important.

Here is a quick preview of what is to come.

Here is the iPhone friendly version

A business intelligence application is demonstrated above. You can find the demo application at this Adobe web site.

If you know any Flash enabled web application/sites that may be useful when accessed from iPhone, could you let me know by posting comments?

Please check out our iPhone project community site for more details.

25 most wanted tips for iPhone 3G

Ken — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 23:55:12 +0000

Just discovered a site that wrote an interesting piece on iPhone 3G’s tips and tricks. These handy resources will help you to easily get the most out of your iPhone.

The Hongkiat’s post discussed about:

How to Disable iPhone 3G GPRS or Edge Connection
How to Set Content Restriction
How to Customize iPhone Wallpaper as Google Calendar and Notes
How to Train your iPhone to Learn New Words
How to Select Other Domain Name Endings
How to Take Screen Shot
How to Hide SMS Preview
How to Increase the Volume of the Ringer
How to Save Images in Safari and Mail
How to Insert Extra Punctuation Keys
How to Force Quit An App
How to Switch Punctuation Keys to Alphabet Keys Quickly
How to Fast Forward/Rewind Music & Video
How to Access iPod Controls or Phone Favorites Instantly
How to Maximize iPhone Battery Life
How to Erase iPhone Data Thoroughly
How to Backup Your iPhone Contacts
How to Design iPhone Themes
How to Access the Scientific Calculator
How to Share Your iPhone Apps with Others
How to Use iPhone as External Disk
How to Create Free iPhone Ringtones Using iTunes in Windows
How to Convert Videos for Your iPhone
How to Sync An iPhone with Multiple Computers
How to Migrate Cell Phone Data to iPhone 3G

How To Disable IPhone 3G GPRS Or Edge Connection

Tap “Setting – General – Network – Cellular Data Network”. In the “APN, Username and Password” field, simply type in some words so iPhone will not pass the correct values to service providers. Restart your iPhone if necessary.
How To Set Content Restriction

You can set restrictions for iPod content for the use of some applications on iPhone. For example, parents can restrict explicit music from being seen on playlists, or turn off YouTube access entirely.

Just go to “General – Restrictions” then tap Enable Restrictions and enter a four-digit passcode to restrict your content.
How To Customize IPhone Wallpaper As Google Calendar And Notes

gCalWall Lite enables users to add their upcoming Google Calendar appointments to their home/unlock screens.
How To Train Your IPhone To Learn New Words

You can train your phone to “remember” words if you type them repeatedly, but this tutorial will teach you a better way to train your iPhone to learn new words on the fly.
How To Select Other Domain Name Endings

When you type a website URL in the address bar, you can now hold down the “.com” button to get a selection of other domain name endings and tap on any of the endings to insert them in the address bar. [via tuaw]
How To Take Screen Shot

Hold the “home” button, then hit the “power/sleep” button, the screen will momentarily flash, and the iPhone’s current screen contents will be saved to the Camera Roll.
How To Hide SMS Preview

With Show SMS Preview disabled you will only get a generic “New Text Message”.

Go to “General > Passcode Lock” and enter a 4-digit passcode. After that disable “Show SMS Preview”.
How To Increase The Volume Of The Ringer

Your iPhone’s ringer volume issue can be resolved by using a custom ringtone rather than ringtones currently available on the iPhone.
How To Save Images In Safari And Mail

Just touch and hold an image in Safari or Mai, an action sheet will be presented to enable you to save the image. The image will get stored in the “Saved Photos” library of the Photos app.
How To Insert Extra Punctuation Keys

Touch and hold the punctuation key and you get a set of additional keys to choose from.
How To Force Quit An App

Have you ever been using an app and it’s become completely frozen? You can actually apply a force quit on it by pressing the Home button for at least six seconds.
How To Switch Punctuation Keys To Alphabet Keys Quickly

Mode changes in between the punctuation keys and alphabet keys are pretty annoying. To solve it, just press the “.?123″ key, but don’t lift your finger as the punctuation layout appears. Slide your finger a half inch onto the period or comma key, and release. The ABC layout returns automatically.
How To Fast Forward/Rewind Music & Video

Press and hold the skip forward/back arrows to fast forward or rewind rather than skip tracks. Also, press on the album art to manually FF/rewind.
How To Access IPod Controls Or Phone Favorites Instantly

Go to “Settings – General – Home Button”. You can customize by double-clicking the Home Button goes to Home, Phone Favorites or iPod Controls.
How To Maximize IPhone Battery Life

Here’s how to live with the iPhone’s battery life while using it a whole lot.
How To Erase IPhone Data Thoroughly

A method that should wipe out almost all remnants of your personal data.
How To Backup Your IPhone Contacts

A neat application dubbed IDrive Lite that allows you to backup, share and restore all your iPhone contacts completely free of charge if you’ve updated your iPhone software to 2.0.
How To Design IPhone Themes

If you’re bored with your default iPhone theme and plan to get more funky on it, you can visitiPhone Theme Generator and grab your own customized theme. It also provides a very good guide on how to install the theme into your iPhone.
How To Access The Scientific Calculator

To access the scientific calculator, just rotate your iphone sideways into landscape orientation while using the calculator.
How To Share Your IPhone Apps With Others

Melvin Rivera has a great step by step set up, so if you are a multiple iPhone family then you may want to head on over and check it out.
How To Use IPhone As External Disk

DiskAid is a tool (freeware) for PC and Mac which enables to use your iPhone or iPod Touch as external Disk. With DiskAid you can transfer files and folders via USB between your device and your Computer.
How To Create Free IPhone Ringtones Using ITunes In Windows

A few steps you can actually convert a DRM-free song into a ringtone using only iTunes in Windows.
How To Convert Videos For Your IPhone

An useful resource for converting videos online as well as off. This tutorial also teaches you on how to copy videos to your iTunes and iPhone.
How To Sync An IPhone With Multiple Computers

This tutorial allows you to add music/videos/podcasts from multiple machines.
How To Migrate Cell Phone Data To IPhone 3G

Fone2Phone can help you migrate contacts, events, tasks, notes, bookmarks, photos, music and movies to the iPhone 3G.

iPhone app lets users take learning on the go

Ken — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 23:49:25 +0000

Blackboard Inc. released a free application that lets iPhone users take learning on the go by accessing their course information. This application is available to all Blackboard clients running the Blackboard Learning System license, Release 7.1 or higher or Blackboard Learn, Release 9.0.

With the application, millions of students and learners accustomed to logging in to their institution’s Blackboard platform every day can now tap in to mobile learning opportunities by receiving updates and alerts on grades, assignments, tests and other information from courses as well as groups and organizations of which they are part on their iPhone or iPod touch.

The app’s benefit include:

A seamless learning environment
Extended to the places and devices learners prefer
Through a secure, centrally hosted service

According to Michael L. Chasen, president and CEO of Blackboard, the app is part of their effort to help students more deeply engage in the educational experience that are not bound by time or place.

Crescent City Networking » Software

The Complete Guide To Microsoft’s Office 2010

Mozilla Pushes the Web Forward With Firefox 3.5

Microsoft Security Essentials Antivirus Software Available on June 23rd

IE 8 security guide

Eight iPhone apps and services for system admins

A collection of iPhone apps and services that no IT pro should go without

Trend Micro’s browser for iPhone

X10 technology for home automation

Video Demo Flash on iPhone via Citrix

25 most wanted tips for iPhone 3G

How To Disable IPhone 3G GPRS Or Edge Connection

How To Set Content Restriction

How To Customize IPhone Wallpaper As Google Calendar And Notes

How To Train Your IPhone To Learn New Words

How To Select Other Domain Name Endings

How To Take Screen Shot

How To Hide SMS Preview

How To Increase The Volume Of The Ringer

How To Save Images In Safari And Mail

How To Insert Extra Punctuation Keys

How To Force Quit An App

How To Switch Punctuation Keys To Alphabet Keys Quickly

How To Fast Forward/Rewind Music & Video

How To Access IPod Controls Or Phone Favorites Instantly

How To Maximize IPhone Battery Life

How To Erase IPhone Data Thoroughly

How To Backup Your IPhone Contacts

How To Design IPhone Themes

How To Access The Scientific Calculator

How To Share Your IPhone Apps With Others

How To Use IPhone As External Disk

How To Create Free IPhone Ringtones Using ITunes In Windows

How To Convert Videos For Your IPhone

How To Sync An IPhone With Multiple Computers

How To Migrate Cell Phone Data To IPhone 3G

iPhone app lets users take learning on the go