June 2009 - Posts

[MDT] MDT 2010 New Feature #11: Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2 support

From Michael Niehaus’ blog:

A few people asked why I hadn’t talked about support for these new OSes yet.  First, these were mentioned in the original announcements so you’ve probably already heard about that, and second, I said I would mention new features in no particular order.

So yes, MDT 2010 Beta 2 fully supports Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2 release candidate builds.  The deployment process for Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2 is very similar to that used with Windows Vista, so you may not immediately notice any difference.  (We use the same unattend.xml templates for Windows Vista, Windows Server 2008, Windows 7, and Windows Server 2008 R2, which tells you how similar they really are.)  There are a few differences that we’ve encountered, but our scripts hide those so you probably will never notice.

With Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2, the Windows team recommends creating two partitions, a small partition for the boot files and a large partition for the operating systems.  The minimum size for the small partition is 100MB, but MDT 2010 uses 300MB to make sure that there is enough space for a Windows Recovery Environment (Windows PE-based) WIM.  This partition will automatically be created when performing a “new computer” deployment using Lite Touch.  (There is a variable, DoNotCreateExtraPartition, that can be set to “YES” via CustomSettings.ini to skip this if you want to purposely ignore the Windows team’s recommendations.)

MDT 2010 Beta 2 also supports deploying Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2 using the ConfigMgr 2007 SP2 beta, which is available on http://connect.microsoft.com, so be sure to try that beta (in a lab, of course) too.

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[MDT] MDT 2010 New Feature #10: Detection of signed drivers

From Michael Niehaus’ blog:

When importing drivers into MDT 2010, Deployment Workbench will validate if each driver is signed; this information will be recorded and visible in the list of drivers.  Remember that Windows will always prefer signed drivers over unsigned drivers, so you can use the information gathered by Deployment Workbench to figure out what drivers are likely to be installed by Windows.

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[Events] One of THE Coolest Giveaways

Now this is a COOL offer I saw on Jeff Alexander’s blog. Apparently all paid attendees to TechEd Australia will receive a free HP 2140 Mini Notebook with Windows 7 pre-installed - certainly beats a free pen or T-shirt.Win7_Ultimate_3DR

Jeff has also asked for people’s opinions on what should be included in the base image as this is going to be some chunky deployment doinghpmini_wideweb__470x370,0 this to 2,300 machines.

If you’d like to comment/ contribute or find out more about the offer see the full post:

http://blogs.technet.com/jeffa36/archive/2009/06/30/teched-australia-free-netbook-on-offer.aspx

Fingers crossed this gets repeated at TechEd EMEA.

[Deployment] Microsoft Deployment Toolkit 2010 Beta 2 is now Available for Download!

Just seen this over on the Microsoft Deployment Toolkit Team Blog:

Get ready to deploy Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2 with Microsoft Deployment Toolkit 2010 Beta 2.

The Windows® 7 and Windows Server® 2008 R2 launches are just around the corner. As you prepare to deploy these operating systems, get a jump start with Microsoft® Deployment Toolkit (MDT) 2010 Beta 2. Leverage this Solution Accelerator to achieve efficient, cost-effective deployment of Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2.

MDT 2010 is the next version of Microsoft Deployment Toolkit, a Solution Accelerator for operating system and application deployment. New features such as flexible driver management, optimized user interface workflow, and Windows PowerShell can simplify deployment and make your job easier. MDT 2010 will support deployment of Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2 in addition to deployment of Windows Vista®, Windows Server 2008, Windows Server 2003, and Windows XP. Join the beta now!

Microsoft Deployment Toolkit is the recommended process and toolset for automating desktop and server deployment. MDT provides you with the following benefits:

  • Unified tools and processes required for desktop and server deployment in a common deployment console and collection of guidance.
  • Reduced deployment time and standardized desktop and server images, along with improved security and ongoing configuration management.
  • Fully automated zero touch installation deployments by leveraging System Center Configuration Manager 2007 Service Pack 2 beta and Windows deployment tools. For those without a System Center Configuration Manager 2007 infrastructure, MDT leverages Windows deployment tools for lite touch installation deployments. 

New Functionality

Microsoft Deployment Toolkit 2010 Beta 2 is a significant upgrade over MDT 2010 Beta 1.  MDT 2010 Beta 2 adds the following new features and functionality:

Deployment Workbench Enhancements

  • Manage multiple Deployment Shares from a single Deployment Workbench including local Deployment Shares or from a network location including standalone DFS shares
  • Replicate content between Deployment Shares through "Linked Deployment Shares" and use selection profiles to manage what content gets replicated
  • Multiple users can now interact with the same Deployment Share
  • Create folders to manage Drivers, Task Sequences, Operating Systems, and OS Packages
  • Drag-and-drop, copy-and-paste, and cut-and-paste between folders or between Deployment Shares

Powershell Capabilities

  • Anything done from within the Deployment Workbench can be scripted through Powershell
  • A drive provider has been added for enumerating folders, items, and properties
  • Cmdlets can be used for importing content such as Drivers, Operating Systems, Task Sequences, etc.

Task Sequence and Script Enhancements

  • Improved Diagnostics and Logging with more specific error messages
  • Real time logging directly to a network share
  • Enhanced log collection
  • Two new task sequence templates (Capture Only, Post OS Installation)
  • Pause and Resume a task sequence
  • Automatically detect and fix domain join problems
  • Improved user interface for client wizards
  • Deploy to a specified disk or partition (Vista or later)
  • Refresh Bitlocker encrypted systems to Windows 7 without decrypting the contents of the disk

Configuration Manager Enhancements

  • Improved wizard for creating task sequences
  • USMT 4.0 hard-link support

Next Steps

Microsoft Deployment Toolkit (MDT) 2010 Beta 2 is now available! To invite customers and partners to join the Beta program, forward them the information in this e-mail message.

[Misc.] Passing of a Legend - The King of Pop Michael Jackson

When I heard the breaking news late last night just before going to bed that Michael Jackson had been rushed to hospital little did I know that when my alarm went off this morning as it does every morning in time for me to wake up to the 7 o’clock news the headline would be of his passing.

I was about 10 years old when Elvis died and I still remember seeing the images on TV of the hearse at Graceland and the huge army of fans but at the time I didn’t really appreciate what was going on.

Fast forward a few years when Freddie Mercury passed away and I regretted not taking the opportunity of going to see Queen live at Knebworth.

So earlier this year when the Michael Jackson concerts were announced I decided I wasn’t going to make the same mistake again and would try and get tickets to probably the only opportunity I’d ever have of seeing the legend that is Michael Jackson perform. Probably like most I spent countless hours on the TicketMaster site chasing down tickets and couldn’t believe how lucky I was to eventually get four tickets to the 23rd January date in 2010.

When I told my mum Necy and I were going to see Jackson her reaction was like everyone else I’ve told - “Wow you managed to get tickets…!!!”. When I offered the spare tickets to my parents my mum didn’t even have to think – her response was an immediate “YES” – it was like I was offering her a £1,000,000 or something.

Sadly it seems that it was never meant to be. Of course we heard that some of the initial dates in July had been put back and speculation was rife over Michael’s health and people questioning whether he was going to be up to doing 50 shows. But what a lot of people don’t realise is that this wasn’t 50 back to back shows. There were only a couple of concerts a week and half way through a break of several months which I felt better about as not seeing him until January would at least give him time to recuperate.

Right now as I’m writing this I feel so numb - I can’t believe what’s happened and I don’t think it’s sunk in yet. But I do have such happy memories of Michael and of course when growing up with him everyone (me included) wanted to be like him and own that red leather jacket – he was the coolest dude around and everyone wanted to be him and be able to moonwalk (which I can – badly).

I know he had his personal problems. As to how much is real Vs media hype who knows and frankly I don’t care. I’m also saddened that what I’ve seen on the news so far they are dwelling more on “whacko Jacko” rather than what we should be remembering Michael for – his unbelievable, unrivalled, mesmerising talent. Few people can actually say they’ve done what they sung about but in his case he did “heal the world and make it a better place”.

R.I.P. Michael. Our loss is Heaven’s gain and I’m sure you’ll be moon walking across the clouds and stars entering like you were destined to.

[HP] HP Blends Functionality, Durability and Style with New HP Mini PC

HP today unveiled its top-of-the-line Mini PC for on-the-go professionals who demand a stylish, yet durable fully functional companion PC.

The HP Mini 5101 features a sturdy, lightweight anodized aluminum display enclosure with a black, brushed finish. Complementing the aluminum is the use of magnesium alloy in the lower case of the Mini frame. Soft-touch paint on the base and palm rest further advance the PC’s look and feel. This combination of materials, an industry first in the netbook category, not only delivers an eye-catching design, but also improves durability.

Furthering the stylish look of the HP Mini 5101 is a newly designed, spill-resistant keyboard that is 95 percent of a full-size QWERTY keyboard. It features a visually open and spacious keyboard design with keys raised from the surface. HP DuraKeys, a clear coating over the keys, makes the keyboard 50 times more resistant to visible wear than keyboards without it.(1) In addition, the mouse buttons are located in the traditional space below the touchpad, making for a familiar user experience.

“HP Mini PCs have no equal when it comes to industrial design, use of innovative materials and overall feature sets,” said Ted Clark, senior vice president and general manager, Notebook Global Business Unit, Personal Systems Group, HP. “The HP Mini 5101 is truly a work of art, a sophisticated companion PC crafted for the trend-savvy mobile professional who needs functionally, durability and style.”

Starting at 2.6 pounds,(2) the fully functional and durable HP Mini 5101 is an ideal companion PC for the on-the-go professional. It features a large 10.1-inch diagonal LED display available in either WSVGA or high-definition (HD)(3) resolutions. Customers can also choose either the four-cell battery for lighter weight or six-cell battery for longer battery life. When configured with the optional six-cell battery, the HP Mini 5101 delivers up to eight hours of battery runtime.(4)

Mobile professionals can stay ultra-productive with the HP Mini 5101 PC’s small, low-power Intel® Atom processor, which enables the unit to run cooler, use less power and improve battery life. A fast-performing 7,200 RPM hard drive comes standard with the unit. Alternatively, an optional Solid State Drive (SSD) is available in either 80 or 128 gigabytes.

An optional, integrated Gobi-powered HP Mobile Broadband module allows users to conveniently access the Internet, corporate intranet, email and other critical information around the world.(5) Other wireless technologies include integrated Wi-Fi Certified WLAN(6) and optional Bluetooth® 2.0. An integrated 2-megapixel webcam allows for easy still-image capture, web-conferencing or video-enhanced instant messaging(7) with no additional hardware.

HP QuickSync software, planned to be available as a web download in September, allows quick synchronization of the HP Mini with notebooks or desktops so users can avoid maintaining multiple documents, media files and email. Information also can sync to portable storage devices.

The versatility of the HP Mini 5101 can change how students learn and is the practical answer to providing each student continuous access to a PC in one-to-one computing. Its suite of wireless, (6) multimedia and security capabilities allows students to learn wherever they have Wi-Fi access – from the classroom, to the library, to their homes.

The HP Mini 5101 is built to last, featuring HP 3D DriveGuard, which offers a three-axis digital accelerometer chip that sends a signal to shut down the hard drive upon sudden movement or shock. The HP Panel Protection System includes a scratch-resistant acrylic LCD cover and magnesium hinge bracket for added durability in demanding environments.

The HP Mini 5101 has been engineered for reduced impact on the environment by eliminating or reducing substances of concern, using fewer resources and reducing energy consumption. Configurations of the HP Mini 5101 are ENERGY STAR qualified and are identified as HP Mini 5101 ENERGY STAR on HP websites and on www.energystar.gov. In addition the Mini 5101 is EPEAT Gold registered in the United States.(7)

New accessories designed for use with the HP Mini include a USB 2.0 port replicator that adds a variety of audio, networking and USB ports to allow greater productivity. A lightweight, functional messenger bag designed specifically for the HP Mini or a neoprene slip case offer added protection for professionals while on the go. Other accessories available for the HP Mini include a USB 2.0 docking station, external optical drive and USB-powered external speakers.

More information on HP Mini 5101 product specifications, images and other HP mobility solutions is available in an online press kit at www.hp.com/personal.

Pricing and availability

The HP Mini 5101 starts at $449(8) and is expected to be available in late July.

About HP

HP, the world’s largest technology company, simplifies the technology experience for consumers and businesses with a portfolio that spans printing, personal computing, software, services and IT infrastructure. More information about HP (NYSE: HPQ) is available at http://www.hp.com/.

[Deployment] MDT 2008 Update 1 does not support ConfigMgr SP2 Beta

Just a quick heads up that MDT 2008 Update 1 or earlier versions won’t work with the ConfigMgr SP2 Beta. There is a new beta of MDT 2010 on the way VERY soon (Beta 2) that resolves the issue. For more info see the following post on Michael Niehaus' blog:

http://blogs.technet.com/mniehaus/archive/2009/06/25/mdt-2008-update-1-does-not-support-configmgr-sp2-beta.aspx

[HP] HP Expands Server Offerings to Help Telecoms Reduce Costs in Telephony and IT Networks

HP today expanded its telecom hardware portfolio with powerful, carrier-grade versions of the company’s most advanced enterprise servers and storage products.

The new offerings provide telecom companies the reliability set by NEBS requirements, as well as the lower cost and flexibility of industry-standard products.

Targeted at service providers and network equipment suppliers, the products include the HP BladeSystem Carrier-Grade (CG) platform, the HP ProLiant carrier-grade rack-mount server and the HP carrier-grade storage array. The new products can be deployed in both telephony and IT networks, enabling customers to operate more efficiently as the two environments converge.

“Customers are looking for flexible, open platforms that deliver greater speed, more agility and lower costs,” said Chuck Smith, vice president, BladeSystem Business Development, HP. “With expertise in both telecom and IT, HP provides a family of servers that combines the best of both worlds: the cost-effectiveness of proven IT platforms plus the reliability, performance and ETSI/NEBS Level 3 certification of carrier-grade platforms.”

Using the most advanced Intel® processors, both the HP BladeSystem and the HP ProLiant platforms double the performance of their predecessors and provide greater energy efficiency.

The two HP carrier-grade platforms support a variety of operating environments, including Windows®, Linux, HP-UX, OpenVMS and Solaris from Sun Microsystems. By joint agreement, HP will distribute and provide full software support for Sun Solaris 10 on HP ProLiant and HP BladeSystem platforms.

In addition to blade and rack-mount servers, HP offers a large portfolio of telecom software, services and integrated solutions to the world’s 200 major service providers and network equipment suppliers.

Industry support for HP platforms
Acision, which provides communications for more than 300 network operators and service providers globally, is using HP BladeSystem platforms as it takes advantage of the ongoing convergence between telephony and IT.

“As the world’s leading messaging company, Acision is focused on providing customers with high-value solutions quickly and cost-effectively,” said Anantha Ramu, vice president and principal architect, Engineering, Acision. “With the ability to host both enterprise and carrier-grade applications on a single platform, the HP Integrity BL860c server blade helps Acision minimize engineering and testing costs and reduce our time-to-market for new messaging solutions.”

Oracle, a global leader in communications software, is enabling communications service providers to scale services profitably on the latest generation of HP BladeSystem servers.

“The performance and scalability of the Oracle Communications software running on HP BladeSystem servers is an ideal blend for helping service providers increase monetization speed while maintaining control,” said Indu Kodukula, vice president, Service Delivery Products, Oracle. “The HP BladeSystem infrastructure reduced our engineering and integration costs, enabling our customers to scale immediately with low operating costs.”

New servers and storage expand HP portfolio
The new additions to HP’s carrier-grade portfolio include the following:

  • HP ProLiant DL380 G6 server doubles performance over previous versions of the rack-mount server. It also provides significant gains in energy efficiency. Now available in a carrier-grade version, the HP ProLiant DL380 G6 includes two 2.53-GHz Intel quad-core processors.
  • HP StorageWorks MSA2000fc G2 and MSA2000sa G2 carrier-grade storage arrays deliver support for high-availability and data protection capabilities through features such as snapshots for point-in-time copies of data. They support up to twenty-four 146 gigabyte SAS disks (3.5 terabytes) in a single 2U enclosure and are available in a dual-array controller configuration. A choice of host connectivity with Fibre Channel or SAS is also available.
  • HP Integrity BL860c carrier-grade server blade provides extreme scalability and high performance for applications such as text messaging. The server blade is designed for the HP c7000-cg enclosure.
  • HP ProLiant BL460c G6 carrier-grade server blade delivers performance that is two times faster than previous versions. Energy efficiency also is enhanced significantly. The HP ProLiant BL460c G6 is upgraded with two 2.53-GHz Intel quad-core processors, which enable a single HP BladeSystem c7000-cg enclosure to accommodate up to 16 blades for a total of 32 Intel quad-core processors in a 10U enclosure.

HP also announced enablement of OpenSAF and OpenHPI on HP BladeSystem Carrier-Grade and HP ProLiant Carrier-Grade rack-mount platforms. Both OpenSAF and OpenHPI are open source implementations of Service Availability Forum (SA Forum) specifications. HP is a founding member and major contributor to OpenSAF.

HP Financial Services, the company’s leasing and lifecycle asset management services subsidiary, helps customers expand or renew their IT infrastructures through flexible leasing and financing solutions.

More information on HP platforms for service providers is available at http://www.hp.com/products1/servers/carrier_grade/index.html.

About HP
HP, the world’s largest technology company, simplifies the technology experience for consumers and businesses with a portfolio that spans printing, personal computing, software, services and IT infrastructure. More information about HP (NYSE: HPQ) is available at http://www.hp.com/.

[HP] HP Expands ProBook Family of Notebooks

Adding to its recently introduced HP ProBook s-series notebook family, HP today announced a new model that offers enhanced functionality, while keeping with the line’s stylish design and affordability for small and midsize businesses and mobile professionals.

At 4.34 pounds and 13.3-inches diagonally, the HP ProBook 4310s Notebook PC shares the same sophisticated design and business versatility as the current HP ProBook s-series. This includes a color choice of glossy noir or merlot finish and a spacious full-sized keyboard. It also features the latest professional innovations not previously available outside the HP EliteBook notebook portfolio, such as HP QuickLook 2(1) software, the HP SpareKey(2) feature and HP File Sanitizer.(3)

In addition, the HP ProBook 4310s offers an optional HP Fingerprint Sensor, which eliminates the need to remember login names and passwords as users can use fingerprint authentication to log in to their computers.

The HP ProBook 4310s offers enhanced features, such as a capacitive strip for improved usability, and additional wireless options, such as the HP Mobile Broadband powered by Gobi.(4) The dual-array microphone is an added benefit when conducting video conference calls. It also incorporates a secure digital/MultiMediaCard (SD/MMC) Memory Card Reader, a double-data rate three (DDR3) memory and a high-definition multimedia interface (HDMI) port to connect to high-definition (HD) displays.(5)

“The ProBook 4310s maintains a savvy style and refined simplicity in a small, light package that offers increased mobility,” said Carol Hess-Nickels, director, Marketing, Notebook Global Business Unit, Personal Systems Group, HP. “Its first-class business features, coupled with an array of wireless options, offer small business professionals the productivity and efficiency they require while in the office or on the go.”

With the versatile HP Essential USB 2.0 Port Replicator, users of HP ProBook s-series, HP Mini PCs and Compaq notebooks have immediate audio and network connectivity and can improve productivity with access to up to five concurrently working USB-connected devices.

Owners of the HP ProBook 4310s can travel in style with the new HP Professional Series Cases, which use quality materials and design. Both Essential and Professional series cases include a top loader, backpack, messenger, designer tote, slip case and quick case.

The HP ProBooks can easily connect to the new HP LE1901w and HP LE2201w widescreen LCD business displays, offering enhanced productivity. These displays are ENERGY STAR® qualified, contain 50 percent less mercury and consume up to 40 percent less power than previous generations.(6)

As with the entire HP ProBook s-series portfolio, configurations of the HP ProBook 4310s are ENERGY STAR qualified and are identified as HP ProBook 4310s ENERGY STAR on HP websites and on www.energystar.gov. In addition, the HP ProBook 4310s is EPEAT Gold registered in the United States.(7) Energy-saving HP Smart AC Adapters allow the notebooks to automatically make power adjustments as needed.

Pricing and availability(8)

The HP ProBook 4310s is expected to be available in the United States on July 20 at a starting price of $799. The HP Essential USB 2.0 Port Replicator is expected to be available on July 20 at a starting price of $79. HP Professional Series Cases are expected to be available in August with a starting price of $39 for the Slip Cases and $69 for the Carrying Cases.

More information about the HP ProBook s-series product specifications and other HP mobility solutions, as well as images, is available in an online press kit at http://www.hp.com/go/mobility2009.

About HP
HP, the world’s largest technology company, simplifies the technology experience for consumers and businesses with a portfolio that spans printing, personal computing, software, services and IT infrastructure. More information about HP (NYSE: HPQ) is available at http://www.hp.com/.

[HP] HP Introduces Cloud Consulting Services for Enterprise IT Organizations

HP today announced new consulting services to help enterprise customers consider incorporating the cloud as part of their broader IT strategy.

The new offerings, including the HP Cloud Discovery Workshop and HP Cloud Roadmap Service, are part of a larger portfolio of HP consulting services for enterprise customers who are looking to efficiently drive business benefits from the cloud.

With these offerings, HP is helping customers source, secure and govern cloud services as an integral part of their IT strategy.

“While many organizations understand the core benefits of the cloud model, there remains a level of uncertainty to strategically leveraging the promise of cloud,” said Frank Gens, senior vice president and chief analyst, IDC. “HP’s consulting services are aimed at helping organizations evaluate cloud as part of their overall IT service delivery strategy to drive business results more efficiently.”

New cloud-related consulting services
The HP Cloud Discovery Workshop is designed to help enterprise IT organizations learn about the cloud as a strategic service delivery option and how to leverage it as part of a broader IT service delivery strategy. Available in July, the workshop is designed to:

  • Educate customers on the cloud and multi-sourcing service delivery strategies;
  • Outline benefits, risks and implications of the cloud within the business; and
  • Provide recommendations on people, process and technology for using the cloud as part of an IT and business strategy.

The HP Cloud Roadmap Service offers customers a service for planning and adopting cloud as part of their service delivery strategy. As a follow-on to the HP Cloud Discovery Workshop, the service will:

  • Provide specific recommendations for how customers should use cloud delivery and deployment models as part of their service delivery strategy;
  • Recommend the right service strategy, governance and program model; and
  • Deliver a roadmap for cloud adoption, including a set of recommendations and benefits for what customers can achieve in practical and incremental steps.

Enabling and executing cloud service adoption

HP offers a broad set of consulting services and expertise to support customers who want to improve business outcomes with cloud services, including:

  • HP Service Management Consulting Services – Help customers design, source, manage and govern business and IT services across multiple delivery channels, including the cloud.
  • HP Business Technology Optimization (BTO) Services – Help customers meet changing capacity demand. Support the design and implementation of the secure, scalable and reliable infrastructure customers need for rapid service provisioning within cloud environments.
  • HP Testing Services – Ensure customer applications are performing as expected and meet end-user demand. HP also can help accelerate Agile, a type of software development method, for services deployed in-house and to the cloud.
  • HP Cloud Assure – Consists of HP services and software, including HP Application Security Center, HP Performance Center and HP Business Availability Center, and is delivered to customers via HP Software as a Service. HP also provides customers with a team of expert engineers that performs security scans, executes performance tests and deploys availability monitoring.
  • HP Infrastructure Design Service – Helps customers focus on extreme density, power efficiency, cost, reliability and manageability initiatives. This also addresses scale-out compute, storage, data center and Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) designs.
  • HP Infrastructure Installation and Deployment Services for Scale-out Environments – Deliver a modernized infrastructure of open platforms, latest releases and HP-recommended solutions. These services also address application data migration to or from the cloud.
  • IT Shared Service Consulting and Planning for Cloud Environments – Helps enterprise customers improve IT cost efficiencies, quality of service and responsiveness across all lines of business. Large-scale adoption of cloud requires a high-maturity, service-centric IT. With the HP IT Shared Services, customers can accelerate business and IT alignment – including staffing, structure and governance – and optimize and rationalize enterprise-wide IT resources.

“Despite the promise of cloud computing, organizations still need help in understanding how to leverage and enable the cloud as part of a service delivery strategy,” said Anand Eswaran, vice president, Software and Solutions Professional Services, HP. “HP cloud consulting services can address this knowledge gap by helping chief information officers optimize sourcing investments, develop strategies to deliver services faster while meeting service levels, and enable multichannel service delivery to align IT and the business.”

About HP
HP, the world’s largest technology company, simplifies the technology experience for consumers and businesses with a portfolio that spans printing, personal computing, software, services and IT infrastructure. More information about HP (NYSE: HPQ) is available at http://www.hp.com//.

[HP] HP Introduces World’s First Web-connected Home Printer

HP today unveiled the world’s first web-connected home printer: The HP Photosmart Premium with TouchSmart Web.

HP is bringing the power of the web directly to the printer and combining it with HP’s TouchSmart technology to give people quick, easy, touchscreen access to popular digital content.(1)

Designed for the digital generation and connected households, the HP Photosmart Premium with TouchSmart Web features an entirely new web-based printing platform with HP applications (apps). Similar to other Internet-connected devices, these apps, which are viewable on an extra-large, intuitive-to-use TouchSmart panel, allow people to connect instantly with fun, informative and personal content. (1)

In addition to receiving apps preloaded on the printer, people can download new ones as they become available at the HP Apps Studio to suit their interests and needs. With the sweep of a finger, users will be able to browse and view popular web destinations and simply touch the app of their choice to launch a web page where they can customize and print content on demand in an easy-to-read format.(1)

As pioneers of this new content-on-demand delivery platform, the world’s first HP app partners will be USA TODAY, Google, Fandango, Coupons.com, DreamWorks Animation, Nickelodeon, Web Sudoku and Weathernews Inc. Through these apps, people will have free access to customized daily news, maps, coupons, coloring pages, movie tickets, recipes, personal calendars and more – all at the touch of a finger.(1)

The new printers also will connect directly to a user’s Snapfish account to view, print and upload photos.(2) People additionally can access projects from the HP Creative Studio.

People will be able to create and share their own apps to customize their printers through the HP Apps Studio starting in late 2009.

“Twenty-five years ago HP invented consumer printing and today we are taking advantage of the digital content explosion to reinvent the category with an entirely new printing platform – powered by touch and empowered by the web,” said Vyomesh Joshi, executive vice president, Imaging and Printing Group, HP. “By giving people access to the content they want at the touch of a finger, the ability to customize their printing experience and create their own apps, and enabling easy ’one touch’ wireless setup, we are driving a significant shift in how people will be printing in the future.”

Free HP apps available at launch
Industry leaders from the worlds of news, entertainment and information are the first to offer free apps debuting on the HP Photosmart Premium with TouchSmart Web. Consumers will be able to print daily, weekly or monthly news from USA TODAY, updated in real time and customized according to their interests, such as sports, news and politics.

“Today marks another change in the way our readers can access news and information as we bring print-on-demand to consumers’ homes,” said Jeff Webber, publisher, USATODAY.com. “People can print the latest stories from USA TODAY at the touch of a finger to better fit their busy, on-the-go lives.”

From Google Maps, consumers will be able to enter their destination and print a map; from Google Calendar, they will be able to print their weekly schedule to place on their refrigerator or bulletin board.

With Coupons.com, users can save money by printing coupons for groceries, restaurants, entertainment and more. People also can browse and print recipes for quick, easy meal planning.

Consumers will be able to search movies in their local area from any one of Fandango’s 16,000 theater screens across the country. They can then buy tickets in advance and print their tickets at home or the office, helping ensure an easy and convenient movie-going experience.

To empower busy families, the printer provides one-touch access to fun coloring pages and templates from DreamWorks Animation and Nickelodeon. Through the DreamWorks Animation app users also will be able to view movie trailers to upcoming releases without having to log on to a computer. Nickelodeon printables will include color-ins, word finds, mazes and more from top properties, including “Dora the Explorer,” “The Wonder Pets!,” “SpongeBob SquarePants” and “iCarly.”

For commuters, Weathernews Inc. provides a weekly forecast to allow for informed travel planning. With Web Sudoku, people can quickly print brain teasers for light entertainment on the go.

World’s first web-connected printer
The HP Photosmart Premium with TouchSmart Web has an extra-large 4.33-inch touchscreen – the largest LCD touchscreen of any all-in-one inkjet printer on the market.

The versatile printer prints, faxes, copies and scans – producing laser-quality text documents and lab-quality photos – making it ideal for multitasking households. With a full range of wired and wireless connectivity options, the printer provides the flexibility to print directly from Wi-Fi-enabled PCs, Bluetooth®-enabled devices, the Apple iPhone and the Apple iPod touch using HP iPrint Photo.(3)

ENERGY STAR® qualified, the all-in-one printer helps users save paper with automatic two-sided printing and reduces packaging waste by shipping in an innovative, reusable bag made from recycled plastics.

Pricing and availability
Expected to be available this fall, the HP Photosmart Premium with TouchSmart Web will retail in the United States for a target street price of $399.(4)

HP Total Care
HP products are backed by HP Total Care, the company’s award-winning service, solutions and support, both in and out of warranty. The HP Photosmart Premium with TouchSmart Web comes with an exclusive toll-free telephone support number for quick access to trained experts who will help people get the most from their printers.

HP support professionals also are available 24/7 by phone, email and real-time chat. HP’s online support options include consumer support forums, online classes offered at no charge, a dedicated support video channel, the PC Tune-up Center and the newly designed HP Customer Care site, recently named one of the “Ten Best Web Support Sites of 2009” by the Association of Support Professionals.

Customers also can access printer diagnostics and software driver updates with HP Printer Check. More information is available at www.hp.com/go/totalcare.

About HP
HP, the world’s largest technology company, simplifies the technology experience for consumers and businesses with a portfolio that spans printing, personal computing, software, services and IT infrastructure. More information about HP (NYSE: HPQ) is available at http://www.hp.com/.

[WMUG] Thanks for attending our event - 18th June 2009

Just a quick thanks to all of those who attended our event last night. 35 was a great turnout for us and the sessions seemed to go down really with the general feedback you want more of the same so we’ll see what we can do.

Once again our thanks to Microsoft for allowing us to host the event at Cardinal Place and for them providing the refreshments.

Right off to start organising the next event - let us know what YOU want to hear about...

[Win7] Wot no IE in Europe?

According to Computer Weekly it looks like Microsoft are to release a version of Windows 7 WITHOUT a browser in Europe just to keep to the EU bureaucrats happy who’ve got nothing better to do than sit around making daft policies like this and others (like no curly bananas).

I’ll take my Windows 7 WITH IE please and if I don’t like it I’ll install something else (which begs the question if Windows 7 has no browser built-in how can you get on the Internet to download another browser instead? - Doh..!!)

http://www.computerweekly.com/Articles/2009/06/12/236404/microsoft-strips-windows-7-of-ie-to-appease-eu.htm

[Misc] A World Record Broken...

What would you do with £80 million?

Big house? Flash sports car? Holiday Villa?

Well personally none of that is for me.

If I had a fraction of this I’d LOVE to be able to travel the world with my camera capturing it’s beauty and man’s achievements starting with the UNESCO World Heritage sites. I still stare, open mouthed in wonder every time I enter an old church/ cathedral and wonder how on earth did they do it and marvel at the beauty and lavishness of some of the decoration (we certainly couldn’t achieve anything like it today with our bureaucracy, health and safety, red tape and all the rest of it).

So what World Record and why £80? Well that’s the figure being talked about that Real Madrid are going to pay Manchester United for Cristiano Ronaldo.

Yes he’s a good player and of course my beloved Arsenal could do with a player of his class.

Not a bad profit on a player they bought back in 2003 for £12.2 million now is it? (I think once you start talking millions money kind of loses it’s value - oh well I’ll have to make do with being a millionaire in some far off country no-one has heard about where £1 is equivalent to many times this, although with the state of the economy at the moment I think I’d be hard pressed).

A man can dream though...

[WMUG] Quick Reminder About Our Next Event - 18th June 2009

Just a quick reminder that there’s still time to register for our next event which is just over a week away:

 

WMUG EVENT - 18/06/09 - 18:30 to 21:00 - Cardinal Place, London

We are delighted to be able to announce our next meeting on Thursday 18th June at Microsoft’s office in Cardinal Place London where this time we'll be kicking off with an in-depth look at Windows 7, courtesy of Viral Tarpara and Andrew Driver from Microsoft.

After some refreshments, Johan Arwidmark (a fellow MVP) will be presenting highlights from three of his ConfigMgr / MDT sessions from this year’s MMS.

Coupled with SWAG give always, networking opportunities, etc. this promises to be a great evening and best of all everything is FREE.

To register simply use the following links so we know how many are coming so everyone gets fed and watered:

http://www.wmug.eventbrite.com/

We look forward to seeing you there.

The WMUG Team

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