Category Archives: Windows 8

Microsoft, Tech, Windows 7, Windows 8

Microsoft offers Windows Embedded Compact 7 certification exam

Microsoft announced a certification exam it says can validate the skills and experience of Windows Embedded Compact 7 developers, awarding them MCTS (Microsoft Certification Technology Specialist) status. The Microsoft Windows Embedded Compact 7 Development exam, #70-181, is available now, the company says.

 

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The exam, whose price was not stated, must be scheduled in advance, and taken on a secure workstation. Those who pass it receive MCTS (Microsoft Certification Technology Specialist) status.

According to Microsoft, the test is intended for industry professionals who are developing for embedded devices by using Windows Embedded Compact 7. Candidates should also have at least one year of experience using Windows Embedded CE and six months of experience using Windows Embedded Compact 7, the company says.

The Windows Embedded Compact 7 Development exam will measure the following skills, according to Microsoft:

Designing and Configuring Operating Systems (21 percent)

* Choose and create catalog items.
o Thisobjective may include but is not limited to: adding functionality tothe catalog, selecting catalog items for an operating system image,selecting non-catalog project settings by using the UI, managing catalogitem dependencies
* Integrate third-party binary applications.
o Thisobjective may include but is not limited to: identifying third-partyapplication dependencies, adding third-party items to the catalog
* Prepare the platform for application development.
o This objective may include but is not limited to: creating SDKs, adding a subproject to the OSDesign

Customizing Board Support Packages (BSPs) and Drivers (20 percent)

* Set up BSP configuration files.
o Thisobjective may include but is not limited to: Registry, BIB, and DAT,identifying SYSGEN dependencies and filtering them in REG and BIB files,using environment variables in REG and BIB files, using sections andflags in BIB files
* Customize the OEM Adaptation Layer (OAL) and the Kernel Independent Transport Layer (KITL).
o Thisobjective may include but is not limited to: adding I/O Control (IOCTL)to the OAL, configuring KITL parameters, extending OAL requiredfunctions
* Develop drivers.
o Thisobjective may include but is not limited to: developing a streaminterface driver, managing driver thread priorities, marshalingpointers, choosing between user mode and kernel mode, implementing aninterrupt service thread (IST), implementing power management,configuring driver flags in the registry
* Customize the bootloader.
o Thisobjective may include but is not limited to: passing arguments betweenthe bootloader and the OAL, preparing the hardware to boot an image

Building Images (20 percent)

* Build an image.
o Thisobjective may include but is not limited to: building images by usingthe Platform Builder UI, building images by using the command line,distinguishing between different build commands, choosing a buildconfiguration
* Modify build system files.
o Thisobjective may include but is not limited to: adding a DIRS file,defining common settings in SOURCES files, creating a SOURCES file for anew driver, cloning PUBLIC/PRIVATE code
* Troubleshoot build errors.
o Thisobjective may include but is not limited to: investigating build logfiles to identify errors, using targeted build steps to debug builderrors, investigating build system logic

Booting and Debugging Images (23 percent)

* Download images to devices.
o Thisobjective may include but is not limited to: adding and attachingdevices to connectivity options, selecting the correct transport in thebootloader, troubleshooting early stage (download, connectivity, bootup)errors
* Debug the platform by using the debugger.
o Thisobjective may include but is not limited to: setting breakpoints,inspecting variables by using the Watch window, inspecting memory,viewing callstacks, controlling debug zones, issuing commands to TargetControl
* Debug the platform by using remote tools.
o Thisobjective may include but is not limited to: verifying registrysettings, deploying files remotely, taking screenshots of a deviceremotely

Testing and Profiling Performance (16 percent)

* Test system functionality by using the Windows CE Test Kit (WCETK).
o Thisobjective may include but is not limited to: connecting the WCETK to adevice, running tests remotely and locally, configuring tests
* Debug performance issues by using Profiler.
o Thisobjective may include but is not limited to: enabling a profiler in theimage, selecting correct profile options, collecting profile data,interpreting profile data

Microsoft says its MCP (Microsoft Certification Program) is now over 17 years old, having certified more than four million IT professionals and developers in products that include Windows NT, Exchange, SQL Server, Windows XP, Vista, and more. Such certifications are “an excellent proof point of IT skills when competing for consulting opportunities, jobs, or advancement,” the company claims.

Previous MCP certification exams have included one for Windows CE 6.0 (subsequently supplemented by a downloadable, 358-page book for those interested in taking it), and one for Windows Embedded Standard 2009 that was again joined by a downloadable prep kit.

Background

Windows Embedded Compact 7 is an upgrade to Windows Embedded CE 6.0 R3, released in September 2009. R3 already was said to include some of Compact 7’s new capabilities, such as:

* an “out-of-browser, native code implementation” of Microsoft’s Silverlight technology, allowing developers to “dramatically improve user interface capabilities”
* New touch and gesture capabilities, including flicking and scrolling
* PDF viewing capabilities, supplementing the existing viewers for Microsoft Office documents
* Easier connection to Windows 7 desktops via Windows 7 Device Stage
* Connection Manager, making it simpler for programs to access every type of connectivity available to a device

According to Microsoft, Windows Embedded Compact 7 builds on the above by adding a “powerful update” to the bundled Internet Explorer web browser, including support for Adobe’s Flash Player 10.1. The OS also includes a “simplified media player with tons of codecs [and] easy library management,” plus the ability to share content with DLNA-compliant devices, the company says.

Last June, Microsoft cited new features including multiple browser display sizes, an updated UI for the medium-sized display, a full-screen feature for the small display, multitouch support, and a new Internet Options control panel. Now supporting ARMv6 and ARMv7 architectures, Windows Embedded Compact 7 also has updated fonts to match those in Windows 7, Microsoft added at the time.

Microsoft says Compact 7 has resources “to help bring high-performing, highly reliable and differentiated specialty devices to market quicker.” Supported tools include Platform Builder, Visual Studio, Expression Blend, and Silverlight for Windows Embedded, the company says.

According to Microsoft, Windows Embedded Compact 7 allows user interfaces to be created by designers using Expression Blend, complete with “cool-looking” features such as animations, alpha-blending, timelines, etc. Contained in .XAP files, the UIs may then be handed to developers, who can import them automatically into Platform Builder or Visual Studio, Hall adds.

The Asus Eee Pad EP101TC
(Click to enlarge)

Windows Embedded Compact 7 was being shown off last year running on the Eee Pad EP101TC (above), a 10-inch tablet from Asus. That particular device has since been reannounced and switched to Google’s Android operating system. Meanwhile, Microsoft told attendees at a Consumer Electronics Show (CES) press conference in January that a forthcoming upgrade to “big Windows” will run on SoC (system-on-chip) architectures from Intel, AMD, and ARM licensees such as Nvidia, Qualcomm, and Texas Instruments.

Observers believe, however, that it will take a year or more to develop an ARM version of Windows 8 (or whatever it winds up being called). Until that time, Windows Embedded Compact 7 will be Microsoft’s premier offering for ARM devices.

MCITP, mcitp certification, MCITP Training, MCSE, MCSE Certification, MCSE Training, MCTS, MCTS Certification, Microsoft, Tech, Windows 8

Microsoft: Buy Windows 7 today, keep same PC for Windows 8 upgrade

Microsoft may lower hardware requirements for Windows 8

Any computer running Windows 7 will be upgradable to Windows 8, Microsoft said today while pledging to keep hardware requirements level or even lower when the next version of Windows comes out.

 

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IN PICTURES: The 11 hottest Windows and Android tablets unveiled at CES

Microsoft says it has sold more than 400 million Windows 7 licenses, but Windows XP is still nearly twice as commonly used worldwide. Yet Microsoft has already shown two technical previews of Windows 8, and announced today that a further preview of Windows 8 is coming in September. Therefore, Microsoft has a balancing act to convince businesses and consumers to upgrade to Windows 7 despite the promise of a new operating system around the corner.

“Two-thirds of business PCs are still on Windows XP. Moving these users to Windows 7 is important and urgent work for us to get after together,” Tami Reller, corporate VP and CFO for Windows, said at Microsoft’s Worldwide Partner Conference at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. The conference is Microsoft’s opportunity to talk to partners about how they can make money together.

Windows 8 could be released next year, so to prevent businesses from holding on to their cash Microsoft is arguing that users should upgrade now and use the same PC to run Windows 8 later.

“Whether upgrading an existing PC or buying a new one, Windows will adapt to make the most of that hardware,” Reller said. Windows 8 is for “the hundreds of millions of modern PCs that exist today and for the devices of tomorrow.”

As we learned earlier this year, Windows 8 will be optimized for both touch-screen tablets and PCs. Microsoft announced at January’s Consumer Electronics Show that it will support the ARM architecture, a lower-powered chip for mobile devices, and last month Microsoft showed off the new tablet interface.

“Windows 8 is a true re-imagining of Windows, from the chip to the interface,” Reller said. Despite the re-imagining, Microsoft will keep system requirements flat or reduce them. To run Windows 7, PCs need at least a 1GHz processor, 1GB RAM, 16GB available disk space and DirectX 9 graphics.

Windows 7 tablets exist today, but regardless of Microsoft’s advice, consumers are better served waiting for Windows 8 tablets to hit the market because they are likely to be more advanced and it’s not yet clear whether Microsoft can create something better than Apple’s iPad. The “buy today, upgrade later” advice should be applied to PCs only.

While a Windows 8 release date hasn’t been revealed, Microsoft said today it will provide another technical preview at the BUILD Conference in Anaheim, Calif., Sept. 13-16.

The conference will “show modern hardware and software developers how to take advantage of the future of Windows,” Reller said. “It is the first place to dive deep into the future of Windows.”

Windows 8 will feature a start screen composed of applications represented in “tiles,” which Microsoft believes are more useful than Apple’s iPad icons because they are capable of providing details such as the current weather or state of an application. The traditional interface of Windows XP and Windows 7 will also be there for desktop-oriented applications.

Microsoft, Tech, Windows 7, Windows 8

7 free Windows tune-up tools and tips

You don’t need to spend money to keep a Windows computer running in top form. Here’s how to fix, clean and maintain Windows using programs you can download now for free.

The following software and tips generally apply to Windows 7, Vista and XP, and are listed in the order you should use them for the first time on a computer you suspect may be infected with malware or running slower than it should.

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1. Update Windows itself with Windows Update.

Though this should be a no-brainer, many Windows users don’t install the latest updates for the OS provided by Microsoft (which are usually issued every Tuesday). Either they ignore the update notices that Windows sends them, or their Windows setup doesn’t have automatic updating turned on. But ensuring that your installation of Windows has the latest updates and patches is one of the easiest ways to keep it functioning well.

That said, we’re partial to not having Windows set to automatically download and install updates. After all, you could be using your computer online when unexpectedly both your Internet connection and computer slow because Windows is downloading and installing updates. Instead, we prefer leaving the automatic updating feature off, and visiting Windows Update once a week to manually check for updates.

2. Scan for malware with Malwarebytes Anti-Malware.

Chances are, if you cannot visit the official Malwarebytes site (either the domain is blocked, or you’re forwarded to another domain), then your Windows system has already been infected by malicious code. That is a testament to how effective Malwarebytes Anti-Malware is — many malware writers try to block you from using this specific tool.

If you’re trying to clean out malware from an infected Windows computer that is obviously preventing you from visiting the Malwarebytes site: You’ll have to download the tool from another, un-infected computer and copy its installation file onto a USB flash memory stick or USB external drive. We suggest renaming the Malwarebytes Anti-Malware installation file to whatever you like before you run it on the infected Windows computer — there have been malware known to delete the installation file, recognizing that it’s Malwarebytes’ tool by its file name.

Furthermore, even if you can successfully install Malwarebytes Anti-Malware, the malware may immediately delete the executable (mbam.exe) before you have a chance to start it. If that’s the case, you’ll then have to copy over mbam.exe from another computer, renaming it first to another name of your choosing, and then clicking on it directly to run it on the infected computer.

Can’t use the USB ports of the infected Windows computer because the malware has blocked access to them? Try copying the installation file to a writable CD or DVD. The malware has managed to prevent you from even accessing the infected computer’s media disc drive? Then you’ll have to physically take out the hard drive from the infected computer, connect it to another Windows computer as a slave or external drive, and have this second system run Malwarebytes Anti-Malware to scan and clean the drive.

Microsoft, Tech, Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows Azure

Multi-touch wall’s powered by embedded Windows

NEC has demonstrated one of the world’s largest multi-touch computers, powered by Windows Embedded Standard 7. The “Multi-Touch Wall” measures about 15 feet diagonally, offers resolution of 5,464 x 1,536 pixels, and employs infrared sensing, according to a DigInfo.tv report.

 

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NEC’s giant Multi-Touch Wall was shown off at last week’s Digital Signage Japan 2011, according to a June 16 DigInfo.tv report (embedded at the end of this story). Company spokesperson Takeshi Wada is quoted as saying the device incorporates eight thin-bezel displays controlled by a single Windows Embedded Standard 7 computer.

NEC’s Multi-Touch Wall
According to Wada, each single display measures 46 inches diagonally and has a resolution of 1,366 x 768 pixels. Thus, the eight screens collectively offer one of the world’s-biggest Windows desktops, with 5,464 by 1,536 pixels.

NEC said the Multi-Touch Wall is 4.1 meters (about 14.45 feet) wide and 1.15 meters (about 3.77 feet) high. Therefore, it measures almost 15 feet diagonally.

In the video, Wada says the displays have an ordinary glass surface, but infrared sensing was added to the array to provide two-point multitouch. Potential uses are said to be corporate showrooms, education, and product promotion.

Wada adds, “Actually this product is being installed in Microsofts new showroom. Right now, it is in exhibit form for display, but we are already finishing custom products. We will offer it to particular customers as a solution to match their needs in the future.”

No details were provided about what processor the underlying computer employs, or how many graphics cards it had to be equipped with. As we reported June 15, NEC also used the Digital Signage Japan 2011 event to unveil two Windows-powered signage modules that comply with Intel’s Open Pluggable Specification.

Microsoft, Tech, Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows Azure

First look at Windows Azure

Microsoft’s vision of a Windows-only cloud is ambitious, but too many features are currently still in beta

There’s “the cloud” and then there’s Windows Azure.

We tested the available production-level features in Microsoft’s platform-as-a-service (PaaS) offering, and found that Azure is similar in many ways to what already exists in the cloud sky.

 

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But there are some key differences. Azure is homogeneously Windows-based. And big chunks of Azure are still in beta or “customer technology preview.”

Microsoft turns Windows Azure into cloud-based supercomputer
Three main components of Azure are currently available: Windows Azure 2008/ 2008 R2 Server Edition Compute Services, Windows SQL Azure instances, and storage facilities. These components are sewn together by Microsoft’s AppFabric, an orchestration system for messaging, access control and management portal.

However, none of the Windows Azure instances are currently capable of being controlled by Microsoft’s System Center management system. They can’t be touched by an organization’s Active Directory infrastructure today — only by beta, pre-release features. Instance availability through mirroring or clustering is currently unavailable, too.

Overall, it’s far too early to recommend Windows Azure. The architectural diagram looks very interesting, and while some pieces appeared ready in testing, big chunks of the Azure offerings aren’t ready for enterprise use. (See how we tested the product.)
What You Get — Today

Windows Azure provides production application support through Windows Azure 2008/2008 R2 Server Edition Compute services, Windows SQL Azure, and several forms of data storage. Customers can buy these services in graduated instance sizes, and deploy them into various geographies, and different Microsoft data centers within some of the geographies.

What’s available today is a subset of the grander Windows Azure future architectural road map. Buying into the Azure vision may turn out to have great value in the future, and the pieces that are running today worked well, but they don’t satisfy the wide number of use cases associated with IaaS or PaaS.

Another component of Microsoft’s PaaS push is Azure Marketplace, where developers can buy, sell and share building blocks, templates and data sets, plus finished services and apps needed to build Azure platform apps. The DataMarket section’s offerings are limited, while the apps section isn’t commercially available yet.

Microsoft intends to expand the limited Azure Marketplace offerings with both community and also marketed development tools, Azure-based SaaS third party applications, and other business offerings. Ostensibly third-parties will replicate and offer the Azure model to clientele from these and other sources.
Virtual machine roles

Windows Azure components are defined by roles, currently Web Roles and worker roles (based on IIS and .Net functionality), which can run against SQL Azure database instances. The deployed processes are managed through AppFabric, whose functionality exists inside the Azure resource pools as a management layer and messaging infrastructure.

Microsoft, Tech, Twitter, Windows 7, Windows 8

$25,000 Windows tablet cures network ills

Fluke’s new OptiView XG is one tablet we’d hate to see in the hands of a hacker. This Windows 7 device includes five wired and two wireless network interfaces, seven antennas, 128GB of storage, multiple automatic analysis capabilities — including searching for any word or phrase — and the ability to guzzle data at up to 10Gbps.

 

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Fluke Networks has a long history of providing network analyzers that gladden the hearts of engineers, but the OptiView XG is the most intriguing yet. The tablet-style, battery-operable device includes specialized hardware and software that allows it to “analyze and troubleshoot applications, wired networks (1GbE, 10GbE) and wireless networks from the perspective of either remote or local users,” according to the company.

According to Fluke, the Optiview XG runs a 64-bit edition of Windows 7 via a 1.2GHz Intel Core Duo processor. It includes 4GB of RAM and a 128GB solid state drive that, because it may be removed and replaced with a spare, allows the device to be moved to and from classified environments, the company adds.

Fluke’s OptiView XG
Other basic tablet functionality includes a 10.25-inch touchscreen that provides a resolution of 1024 x 768 pixels and two-point multitouch, plus two USB 2.0 ports, an eSATA port, and a port for an external monitor. Two hot-swappable battery packs provide a total cordless operating time of three hours, Fluke says.

To this, Fluke adds three gigabit Ethernet ports (two for network analysis, one for management), one 100Mbps/1Gbps SFP (small form factor pluggable) optical port, and one SFP+ port for 1/10Gbps. The device also packs dual 802.11a/b/g/n wireless adapters — with seven internal antennas and an external antenna input — and a spectrum analysis radio, the company adds.

The OptiView XG has five wired network interfaces and dual WLAN adapters
According to Fluke, the OptiView XG is capable of 10Gbps full-line-rate data capture, and has a dedicated 4GB capture buffer. The device can give network engineers a head start on solving problems by collecting and analyzing granular data for 24 hours, Fluke says, adding that it automatically identifies more than 40 different network problems and offers possible causes, impacts and solutions.

Claimed functionality for the OptiView XG is simply too numerous to list here, but is detailed in full on the device’s data sheet. Some of the abilities that caught our eye, however, are as follows:

* Automated problem detection — Automatically scans for errors in the network infrastructure. These errors are collected in a problem log that can be categorized and sorted. Examples of problems detected are: performance problems, duplicate IP addresses, incorrect subnet masks, default router not responding, and many more.

* Path analysis — Monitors all the interfaces that are along the path of the application. Also provides packet loss, delay and response time at each device. Enables the user to keep a close eye on interface utilization along the path and any other system resources at the server.

* Trace switchRoute — Uses a combination of layer 2 and layer 3 trace routes to identify entire network path between the application client and the application server, speeding problem isolation. During the discovery, if a switch is discovered in the path, Trace SwitchRoute starts its switch path discovery. Displayed results include the DNS name and IP address, the inter-switch connections by port number, together with link speed and VLAN information.

* Free string match — Can match any set of words or phrases when detected (regardless of the position in the packet — payload or header) in real-time. Can capture traffic around any application error message, or identify illicit use of the network via words, phrases, or file names. Can also identify and track applications that are not allowed on the network, such as streaming media that may consume valuable bandwidth, or P2P traffic that may pose a security risk.

* Advanced network discovery — Begins to discover devices on the network as soon as it is connected. Categorizes devices by type: interconnect (routers, switches), servers, hypervisors, virtual machines, printers, SNMPagents, VoIP devices, wireless devices, and other hosts. Additionally, networks are classified by IPv4 and IPv6 subnets, VLANs, NetBIOSdomains and IPX networks, and wireless networks, together with host membership within each classification.

Fluke’s AirMagnet software (above) is one of many functions included in the OptiView XG
According to Fluke, the OptiView XG can also be used to stress a network with simulated traffic up to the full 10Gbps. In addition, it can work with a second Fluke network analyzer to verify LAN and/or WAN throughput. A built-in web server allows remote retrieval of saved reports and capture files, the company adds.

Fluke says the OptiView XG may be used in temperatures ranging from 50 to 86 deg. F (up to 95% relative humidity) or 32 to 122 deg. F (75% relative humidity). In case the network you were thinking of checking is on an airplane, the device works up to 15,000 feet, adds the company.

Microsoft, Tech, Windows 7, Windows 8

TI’s new ARM chip supports Windows 8 with DirectX 9 graphics

Texas Instruments (TI) has goosed the clock speed and graphics of its ARM Cortex-A9 SoCs (systems on chip). The Windows 8-ready OMAP4470 features dual CPU cores running at up to 1.8GHz, DirectX 9-capable Powervr SGX544 graphics, and support for three displays running at up to 2048 x 1546 pixel resolution, the company says

 

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As we’ve already reported, Microsoft staged demos of a major operating system upgrade code-named Windows 8 yesterday in California, and earlier today in Taiwan. Offering both a new tile-based user interface and the ability to run old-style Windows applications such as Microsoft Office, Windows 8 was shown off both on a range of x86 devices and on ARM-based reference systems using chips from Nvidia, Qualcomm, and TI.

We haven’t seen information on specifically which TI SoC was involved in the demos. However, TI is announcing an upgrade to its OMAP 4 line that is specifically targeting “the next version of Microsoft Windows.” (If you prefer Linux or Android, the chipmaker says it will be able to help you there as well.)

TI’s new OMAP4470 (right) is similar to the OMAP4430 and OMAP4460 (reviewed later in this story), enough so that this punctilious vendor did not find it necessary to provide a refreshed block diagram. Where the OMAP4460 tops out at 1.5GHz, however, the OMAP4470 pushes its dual Cortex-A9 cores to 1.8GHz.

According to TI, the OMAP4470 also includes two ARM Cortex-M3 cores to speed I/O. And, significantly, it also gains a GPU (graphics processing unit) based on Imagination Technologies’ Powervr SGX544 IP.

First announced last June, SGX544 provides “maximum hardware acceleration,” full support for DirectX 9 Feature Level 3, plus support for desktop OpenGL 2.1 (including X11 integration with DRI2, EXA and DRM support), OpenGL ES 1.1 & 2.0, OpenVG 1.1 and OpenCL 1.1 Embedded Profile, according to Imagination Technologies.

TI says the OMAP4470 will allow “customers to deliver a new set of applications to end-users, including DirectX-driven games and videos.” Compared to the OMAP4430, overall graphics performance on the new SoC is 250 percent better, the company adds.

Hinting at future ARM-based notebook or desktop PCs, the OMAP4470 also boasts a dramatic improvement in potential screen resolutions. Where the earlier OMAP 4 SoCs were said to support resolutions up to 1920 x 1200 pixels, the OMAP4470 will support up to three displays at up to 2048 x 1546 pixels, says TI.

As we’ve indicated, TI alluded to Windows 8, Linux, and Android in its OMAP4470 announcement. The OMAP4470 is further said to be pin-to-pin hardware- and software-compatible with the earlier OMAP 4 processors, which means it will also run Windows Embedded Compact 7 (thanks to support that was announced by Adeneo early last month).

Background on the OMAP 4 processors

TI was an early adopter of ARM’s Cortex-A9 processor core, which implements the same ARMv7 used on the Cortex-A8 and adds an MPCore interconnect layer for multiple processor support. While as many as four cores are possible with MPCore (see block diagram, here), TI’s OMAP4430 and OMAP4440 were announced in February 2009 with two cores apiece, as depicted below.

OMAP44x function block diagram
(Click to enlarge)

In its 2009 Mobile World Congress (MWC) announcement, TI said it would begin sampling the OMAP4430 and OMAP4440 during the second half of 2009. That clearly didn’t come to pass, and the company’s February 2010 description of the OMAP44xx SoCs as “sampling today” was perhaps over-ambitious as well.

Last December, meanwhile, the chipmaker announced that the OMAP4430 and OMAP4440 — originally said to be clocked at 720MHz and 1GHz, respectively — would henceforward be clocked at 1GHz and 1.5GHz. (The 1GHz OMAP4430 since found a home in RIM’s BlackBerry PlayBook tablet.) And this March, TI quietly renamed the OMAP4440 as the OMAP4460.

TI says both the OMAP4430 and OMAP4460 provide both hardware accelerated 2D and 3D graphics, support for 20-megapixel imaging, and 1080p HD video playback. The OMAP4430 supports dual (stereoscopic) five megapixel video cameras, taking 3D movies at up to 720p, while the OMAP4460 supports dual 12 megapixel cameras and takes 1080p 3D videos, the chipmaker adds.

Availability

TI says the OMAP4470 will start sampling in the second half of 2011, with complete devices based on it cropping up in the first half of 2012. The chipmaker doesn’t yet have a specific OMAP4470 product page, but its website does offer overall OMAP 4 information.

Not to be forgotten in the context of Windows 8 support, TI announced OMAP 5 SoCs last February that will employ ARM’s more powerful Cortex-A15 core, along with the same Powervr SGX544 graphics promised for the OMAP4470. TI has said the OMAP 5 SOCs will also sample in the second half of this year, with complete devices becoming available during the second half of 2012.

Microsoft, Tech, Windows 7, Windows 8

Windows 7 migration: Tips and tricks

Guide covers all the bases of migrating to Windows 7, from expert tips to vendor tools to make it easier.

If you’re like most IT executives, you’re either planning a large-scale migration to Windows 7 or already on your way.

 

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Many enterprises skipped Windows Vista, hoping for something better to come along. They got it in the form of Windows 7. Early adopters have already moved to the updated operating system, with many others planning to follow in 2011 and 2012.

Windows XP is set to sunset in 2014, so large enterprises will be ramping up their implementations this year to get the new operating system in place before then.

Recently, Microsoft claimed that 350 million licenses of Windows 7 had been sold in the product’s first 18 months. But Windows XP still makes up more than half of all operating systems in use worldwide.

Any migration, particularly on a large scale, requires thoughtful planning. In this free PDF guide, Network World has collected some of the IT industry’s best practices. We list tips for migrating Windows applications. We name 11 tools you could use to get started. And we pass along information from Microsoft about desktop virtualization and how to calculate ROI.

MCTS Certification, MCTS Training, Tech, Windows 7, Windows 8

Verizon’s latest LTE expansion: 5 things you should know

With major markets covered, Verizon starts expanding LTE to midsize metropolitan areas

Now that Verizon has fired up its LTE network in the major U.S. cities, the carrier is now concentrating on midsize metropolitan areas.

 

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So if you’re in a midsize market and have been clamoring to try out Verizon’s LTE services, we’ve made a list of five key things you should know before deciding to invest:

1) Verizon is expanding its LTE network to 19 new metropolitan markets this coming Thursday. The big names here are Sacramento, Calif.; Milwaukee; Indianapolis; Salt Lake City and Hartford, Conn. The other markets are Fresno, Calif.; Boise, Idaho; Fort Wayne, Ind.; Flint, Mich.; Grand Rapids, Mich.; Lansing, Mich.; Dayton, Ohio; Erie, Pa.; Harrisburg, Pa.; State College, Pa.; Greenville-Spartanburg, S.C.; Sioux Falls, S.D.; Spokane, Wash.; and Madison, Wis.

Amazon, Cisco, Dell, Google, Microsoft, Tech, Windows 7, Windows 8

How To Hide Your Data

Want to keep your private files under wraps without making it obvious they’re important? Rather than encryption, try hiding them, so prying eyes don’t even know they exist.

We live in a world where data rules. Sharing your files, from docs to pictures to videos is as easy as breathing. But we’ve all got some stuff that we’d like to keep to ourselves. It could be data files that are so important to your company that your job hangs in the balance. Maybe you have secret plans drawn up on your home PC, and you don’t want busybody siblings, parents, spouses, or offspring peaking at them. Perhaps you travel and, on principle, you don’t want “The Man” getting into your stuff even legally—customs agents and border patrol can delay you plenty if you don’t show them what they want. Occasionally, we all need to make sure some of our important files aren’t open to all.

 

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The typical method for file protection is encryption—the process of turning your information into unreadable junk that can’t be opened without a password. However, encrypting a file is like sticking a red flag in the data that says, “Look at me! I’m ever so important and clandestine! Please, obsess over cracking my cipher! Decrypt me and you’ll know all my secrets.”

Thankfully, there is a better way—one that can work hand in hand with encryption. Camouflaging your data—and where you store it—can go a long way to providing you with peace of mind. Plus, you’ll never stir up those snoops in the first place.

Get in the Cloud
When we talk about hiding files, we typically mean they’re still stored on your computer hard drive but are invisible to digital peeping-toms. However, these days, a quick way to keep files handy but not readily visible is to store them in the cloud. The files remain hidden (the files aren’t physically with you), though you can access them anytime and anywhere on any computer. The secret of keeping the data truly hidden is to erase your browser history after accessing them and sign out of your cloud storage accounts without saving passwords. In theory, no one will ever know you have files online to access.

This isn’t the same as synchronizing data with the cloud and other computers, like you would with Dropbox or SugarSync or the like. Those services don’t hide your files; in fact, they, arguably, put them in more locations for people to find. To help hide them, you could cheat a little by deactivating synching to your computer for a limited period—say, when you’re traveling—and then turn it back on to get your files back on the drive later. But that defeats the purpose of ongoing synch. (Some of the tips below can help obscure files even when synched, however.).

There are a few ways to skin the cloud-storage cat, but right now the best services for the average computer user are:

• Amazon Cloud Drive (3 stars): You can store any kind of file, and if it’s a music file (MP3 or AAC), you can play it back easily with the Amazon Cloud Player app. The allotment is 5GB for free and then $1 per GB per year (so about $20 for 25GB a year). However, you can jump up to 20GB for “free” for a year if you purchase one MP3-based album from Amazon. Note: This service lacks sharing, backup, and online editing.

• Google Docs (3.5 stars): It was once the place where you went to edit files created with the Docs apps. Now Google lets you save any kind of file, too. You get 1GB free, but you can upgrade to 20GB for $5 per year—a better price than Amazon Cloud Drive but not as nice as Windows SkyDrive—and scale all the way up to 16TB for a measly $4,096 per year. The extra storage you buy is also shared with Gmail and Picasa for messages and pictures, respectively. Sharing is a regular component, and Docs is all about online editing, but you’d have to convert your files to its format during the file transfer to edit them later.

• Windows Live SkyDrive: Free file storage of 25GB is hard to beat. If they’re Microsoft Office files, you can edit them online easily either by opening the files instantly in the online Office app equivalent or at office.live.com (if you use Internet Explorer as your browser). Sharing files with others is a built-in feature. MCITP Training

Remember, most cloud storage is meant to be a backup of your local files. My suggestion, however, is to move files to the cloud. Leaving them on your hard drive means they’re still visible. The three services mentioned above excel at back up, as well as acting as a cloud-based hard drive (albeit not as if they’re a drive letter in Windows Explorer), which will help keep your files on the down low.