Below highlights the upcoming Microsoft Webcasts:
TechNet Webcast: Deploying Mobile Device Manager 2008 is easier (and cheaper) than you think (Level 300)
System Center Mobile Device Manager (SCMDM) is a complex product with a lot of dependencies which must all be in place in order for it to work correctly. This session, which takes almost 2 years of hands-on experience of deploying implementing SCMDM in the field, steps through how to successfully (and cost effectively) implement this product in the enterprise. The objective of this session is to address the misconception that SCMDM is hard to implement while showing how MDM eliminates almost all of the overhead associated with Blackberrys while retaining and elevating both manageability and security.
Presenter: Patrick Salmon, Mobility Architect, Enterprise Mobile
4/17/2009 11:30 AM Pacific Time (US & Canada)- 4/17/2009 1:00 PM | Duration:90 Minutes
MSDN Webcast: 24 Hours of Windows Mobile Application Development: WCF Development and Mobile Devices (Level 300)
Communicating with the server-side and the rest of your corporate network infrastructure is a key aspect of any mobile smart client application that lives within a distributed enterprise architecture. However, mobile devices aren't always on the Web or docked into the corporate network. Therefore your applications have to handle a range of scenarios for transferring data to and from the home office during times when a connection is available and storing information locally when a connection is not available. Windows Communication Foundation (WCF) provides a unified programming model for building connected applications with managed code on the desktop and the server. Thanks to the WCF extensible channel architecture, mobile devices can also participate and leverage WCF, but only a subset of the full WCF model is supported. This session explores the similarities and the differences in building mobile communications infrastructures using Microsoft .NET Compact Framework 3.5 and WCF. Through live demos using Microsoft Visual Studio 2008 and other mobile tools, we’ll cover the WCF programming model and available layers, the supported channels, integrating with the desktop and server-side, see how to cover the lack of device addressability, the role of Microsoft Exchange 2007, e-mail and AirSync, extensibility points, security and more. If you think you know everything about WCF, think again…mobile devices are also part of the enterprise equation and you need to learn how to reach out to them.
Presenter: Nickolas Landry, MVP and Principal Architect, Infusion Development, New York City
4/22/2009 10:00 AM Pacific Time (US & Canada)- 4/22/2009 11:00 AM | Duration:60 Minutes
MSDN Webcast: Overview of Developing Windows Mobile Applications using Visual Studio 2008 (Level 200)
With Visual Studio 2008, Device Developers have a very powerful development environment at their hands. In this sample filled Webcast you will learn how to develop applications in managed code for Windows Mobile Devices and you will learn how to configure and make use of Device Emulator to test your applications. You will also learn how to write unit tests for your applications and how to make use of the .NET Compact Framework 3.5 Power Toys to analyze performance of your running applications. Of course you will also learn how to deal with data on your device, making use of SQL Compact CE. This webcast is your perfect preparation to get the most out of all Windows Mobile sessions during Tech-Ed 2009.
Presenter: Maarten Struys, Embedded Evangelist, PTS Netherlands
4/23/2009 11:00 AM Pacific Time (US & Canada)- 4/23/2009 12:30 PM | Duration:90 Minutes
MSDN Webcast: Hiding the Key: Practical Security for Windows Mobile Applications (Level 300)
Enterprise mobile applications usually require that sensitive data is stored on a mobile device. This session shows you how to store data securely in encrypted form and, most importantly, how to store encryption keys securely so that an attacker can't get access to them. You'll also learn how to encrypt configuration files to hide sensitive data, and how to implement a working password-based access control system for your mobile apps. We'll also look at how to use client certificates to control access to server resources.
Presenter: Andy Wigley, Mobile Application Development MVP
4/27/2009 10:00 AM Pacific Time (US & Canada)- 4/27/2009 11:00 AM | Duration:60 Minutes
MSDN Webcast: 24 Hours of Windows Mobile Application Development: The Embedded Database for Building Mobile Line of Business Applications (Level 200)
This presentation will provide a great introduction into using Microsoft .NET Compact Framework and Microsoft SQL Server CE database development to create line of business applications, with a focus on database techniques for occasionally connected scenarios. Windows Mobile computing has started to extend past the reach of the office out into the field. Developing for this environment requires a new set of tools for .NET developers. There will be a strong focus on data driven applications and data synchronization techniques.
Presenter: Chris Craft, Senior Software Architect, ACS Technologies
4/29/2009 10:00 AM Pacific Time (US & Canada)- 4/29/2009 11:00 AM | Duration:60 Minutes
MSDN Webcast: BenkoTips Live & On Demand: Building Windows Mobile Applications (Level 200)
With the rapid growth in the mobile industry see what it takes to build applications and systems that take advantage of skills and tools you already know. In this session we use Microsoft Visual Studio 2008 and the Windows Mobile 6 Refresh SDK to create a data aware application and deploy it to a real device. BenkoTips Live & On Demand brings events to you. This webcast series is dedicated to helping developers explore the possible. Join us each week as we take a look at what is new for developers, and see how to take advantage of the tools that developers use. From Microsoft Silverlight to Windows SharePoint Services, from the Microsoft .NET Framework to Microsoft Visual Studio, from Internet Information Services (IIS) 7.0 to membership, we explore it all.
Presenter: Mike Benkovich, MSDN Developer Evangelist, Microsoft Corporation
5/13/2009 9:00 AM Pacific Time (US & Canada)- 5/13/2009 10:00 AM | Duration:60 Minutes
And in case you missed them, there are now a couple more webcasts on demand:
TechNet Webcast: Windows Mobile Digital Certificate Management (Level 300)
Digital Certificates and public/private key technology is core to Windows Mobile platform security. In this session, you’ll learn how certificates are used to provide authentication, access control and encryption for the OS, applications and networking. You’ll also learn best practices and “gotchas” for managing certificates on the device. The speaker is an expert on Windows Mobile Certificate management and certificate-related features in the OS. Come ready to ask any questions you may have: enrollment, import, SSL, root certificates, email security, application security, etc.
Presenter: David Field, Software Architect and Development Manager, Enterprise Mobile
TechNet Webcast: Windows Mobile 6.1 and Mobile Device Manager 2008: The Gateway to Your Corporate Network(Level 200)
So, you are using Microsoft System Center Mobile Device Manager 2008 and Windows Mobile 6.1. Now what? You probably know that Mobile Device Manager can manage, secure, and install software on your phones. But did you know Mobile Device Manager also gives your users the potential to control the PC at their desk and access everything they need on the corporate network, including file shares, Microsoft Office SharePoint Server, instant messaging, and internal Web pages. In this webcast, we present the best practices for a Mobile Device Manager installation that provides users with access to everything they need in the corporate network through their phone and (just as important) denies access to resources mobile users don't need. We review the basics of Mobile Device Manager and IP security (IPsec) virtual private networks (VPNs), and we discuss the tools that users can take advantage of so they can work wherever they would like using their phone. Discover how Mobile Device Manager eliminates the need to expose your organization's Microsoft Exchange Server to the Internet.
Presenter: Anthony Spencer, Mobility Consultant, Enterprise Mobile
From Information Week:
Developers are more interested in porting applications to Android, iPhone, and BlackBerry, according to a survey by Skyhook Wireless.
Developers looking at making location-based applications aren't very interested in Palm's Pre or Symbian, according to a survey from Skyhook Wireless.
Skyhook developed a hybrid location system that determines where a user is located by using Wi-Fi, GPS, and cell phone towers. The technology has been integrated into multiple mobile platforms, including Android and Symbian.
The company surveyed developers and found that nearly half think integrating location will set their apps apart or add value. These developers want their apps to be able to have exact location data, and 73% said very fast location results are important to the apps' performance. As more and more handsets utilize GPS, Wi-Fi, cell towers, and Bluetooth to determine location, the market for location-based services and applications is expected to swell to $13.3 billion by 2013.
The developers surveyed worked with iPhone, Android, Windows Mobile, and other development environments, and more than half planned to port their apps to another mobile platform. Google (NSDQ: GOOG)'s Android operating system fared well, as 58% of non-Android developers were planning to port to that platform.
Further in the article
The developers didn't show much interest in Symbian or Palm's upcoming webOS, as only 9% and 8%, respectively, planned to port apps to those platforms. The news may not be that bad for Symbian, as it will be capable of running many apps that are written in J2ME. But the lack of interest in webOS might put a dent in Palm's plans, as the company will be relying on mobile apps to help it make a comeback.
While I can understand the survey and the results, I would interpret it as a wait and see attitude from developers, not that “this might put a dent in Palm’s plans. How can you interpret the results that way when most haven’t had the opportunity to even see the device or OS yet?
Full article here.
Microsoft has announced that Windows Live for Mobile will be available for free download this week for customers in 25 languages. Windows Live for Mobile is the company’s mobile suite of Internet services designed specifically to take advantage of the Windows Mobile platform. It includes mobile versions of Windows Live Hotmail, Windows Live Messenger, Windows Live Contacts, Windows Live Spaces, Microsoft Live Search and enhanced photo upload capabilities.
Customers who have Windows Mobile 6.x phones can visit http://wl.windowsmobile.com to download the suite.
Interesting post on CNNMoney.
Microsoft (MSFT) raised the stakes in its anti-Apple (AAPL) PR offensive Thursday by issuing a 10-page “white paper” that puts a price tag on what it calls the “Apple tax” — the premium paid by consumers who choose Apple computers over those that run Microsoft Windows.
It’s a theme that was first raised last month by CEO Steve Ballmer, who told a Business Week-sponsored forum last month that Mac customers were paying an extra $500 to get the Apple logo on what is essentially the same hardware. And it has been repeated with slightly more subtlety every week since in a series of 60-second TV mini-dramas in which ordinary price-conscious Americans choose PCs over Macs. (The third is pasted below the fold; for more on the first two, see here and here.)
But the white paper, written by Endpoint Technologies Associates‘ Roger L. Kay and entitled “What Price Cool,” goes a few steps further. Not only does it slap a considerably higher tax on that Apple logo — $3,367 for two computers over five years — but it turns up the rhetorical temperature to something approaching the boiling point.
Full article here, and you can download the actual whitepaper here (yes, sorry, it’s in pdf format). It’s an interesting read, and Brandon LeBlanc gives his take on the Windows Experience Blog. See if you can do the math and come up with the difference.
Follow stats, scores, fantasy leagues and more with Sporting News Baseball from Zumobi.(PRNewsFoto/Zumobi)
SEATTLE AND CHARLOTTE, WA AND NC UNITED STATES
Free App Enables Mobile Access to Scores, Stats, News and More; On-the-Go Fantasy League Players Can Track Their Rosters and News Through 'Favorite' Team Builder Feature
SEATTLE and CHARLOTTE, N.C. April 3 /PRNewswire/ -- Zumobi and SportingNews.com today announced the availability of Sporting News Baseball, a free mobile application for iPhone and iPod touch users that provides real-time updates and exclusive fantasy content on all teams and players in the MLB. With exclusive content from SportingNews.com, this new app gives fans instant access to scores, full standings, stats, MLB league and team news, player details, in-game updates, post-game recaps, and much more. Sporting News Baseball provides player rankings and projections for the upcoming season as well as access to exclusive news and Sporting News blog content.
Source via IntoMobile