The application connects via Bluetooth to a Lego Mindstorm NXT robot in a "stock" configuration:  two motors connected to the B and C ports of the robot.

Once the application is connected to the Robot (which must be named NXT) you simply tilt the phone to drive the robot.  Tilt forward, back, left and right.  Even though it is arguably not the most attractive or best performing remote control -- it is a bit addictive and fun.

Search the Android market for "Lego Mindstorm" or "SenseBot".

The application requires a minimum level of Android 2.0 as that is when the Bluetooth data functionality was made accessible to third party developers.

MSI Services provides consulting and software development for iPhone, Android, BlackBerry, Windows Mobile, and on occassion Palm WebOS.

The first step to make use of Outlook Rules is to implement an effective folder tree. The image on the right shows my Outlook folder tree.  I frequently use email to communicate with my co-workers, making it beneficial for me to create separate folders for each of my associates. Your inbox folder structure should be unique to cover your particular organizational needs.

How To: Create a folder structure

1.    Right click on Inbox

2.    Select New Folder

3.    Enter a name and select OK, the folder will appear below Inbox on your folder list

4.    Additional sub-folders can be created in the same way

After setting up an effective structure, it's time to create Outlook rules to sort your incoming mail.

How To: Create Outlook Rules

1.    Select Tools, Rules & Alerts...

2.    Select New Rule

3.    Select "Move messages from someone to a folder" & click Next

4.    Select the person or distribution list & click Next

5.    Select a folder & click Finish

Please note that this rule merely sorts based on who the message is from. It's possible, using the other rule types, to sort on a variety of the criteria including subject, sender, and message size. Rules become useful when you know a specific person, subject, or other criteria that is important to you. By creating a rule that recognizes one of these important messages and moves the message into a specific folder, you can alleviate inbox-overload.

It seems that tons of people know what Twitter is but at the same time overlook and fail to completely realize the benefit and value it could potentially add to their life, their business, or both. "How can I use Twitter?", and perhaps more importantly "how can my business use Twitter?" are important questions to ask.

Wikipedia defines twitter as a site that "enables its users to send and read other user messages called tweets", but this just scratches the surface. Twitter is a culture. It is millions of people listening to each other and communicating through random broadcasts of 140 characters or less.

Twitter could benefit your business. In the beginning, twitter users told what they were doing. Now, Twitter has evolved to encourage sharing what's on your mind. Twitter opens huge doors into what people are really thinking about when online.

In this issue of The Point, I'll explain the basics of Twitter usage. Keep your eyes open for part II, where I explain the benefits Twitter might offer to your business.

Sign up and first steps

Go straight to the Twitter homepage at twitter.com and sign up by clicking the big yellow Sign Up button on the right side of the screen. You will have to enter a few personal details, including your name and email address.

Follow someone

After signing up you will be presented with an screen that allows you to view popular Twitter users based on a variety of different interests. One of the cornerstones of Twitter is the concept of "following" someone, and no, we don't mean CIA agent style. To follow someone on Twitter is to simply monitor their posts so that you are notified when they post something. It's also possible to follow someone but shut off notifications of their posts - useful for controlling the flow of information from over-zealous tweeters - think how annoying "sitting down at my desk", or "just got to work" can get.

Your first tweet

After your account is created, you will be presented with a question - "What's happening?" The power of twitter resides in this small textbox. Type in something and click "Tweet", the rest is history, or is it?

Searching the Twittersphere

When you broadcast a tweet, even if you have no personal followers at all, the tweet will still be indexed and archived in real-time by Twitter. The tweet will be immediately available through the search feature. To search for tweets, type your query into the box on the right of your Twitter home page. As an example, a quick search for "twitter tips" returned hundreds of tweets pointing to useful blog posts and websites with great Twitter tips.

Re-tweeting (RT)

Re-tweeting is just that. Taking what someone else posted and re-posting it to your own followers. This can be useful if you know your own followers would be interested in something someone else said. However, the converse is also true - if your followers aren't interested, your re-tweeting could quickly become annoying.
To re-tweet, type "RT" followed by the originator's username and post. For example: "RT @example Great twitter tips!".

If you have any questions about Twitter, feel free to email them to me at pbeach@msiservices.com.

A "hybrid" application uses an embedded WebKit user interface control to permit sophisticated user interfaces and programmatic interactions.  You can read the article here.  The article demonstrates extending the browser's JavaScript environment with custom application code available to be run by an underlying Android application.  The popular Phonegap open source project uses a similar approach to bring cross-platform development capabilities to Android, iPhone and recently, BlackBerry.

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Steps:

1. Place the cursor where you want to insert the particular document property.
2. Select the Quick Parts drop-down button from the Insert menu of Word 2007. Here is the button circled in red:
   
3. Hover over "Document Property" and choose the appropriate document property from the list that appears.

The feature becomes especially useful to allow a change to be reflected in multiple places throughout a document. For example, in the event of having to change your company's phone number, if each instance of your company's phone number had been inserted using the Quick Parts menu, the change would only have to be made to one of the instances. All of the other instances of the phone number would automatically be updated to reflect the change.

There are more than a handful of features included within Microsoft Office that the vast majority of users simply don't know about. One of these features has the potential to be useful in several business scenarios - Object Linking & Embedding (OLE).

Object Linking

Object linking allows an Excel worksheet to be displayed within a Word document as a non-static, active object. When a change is made to the Excel file, those changes will be reflected on the linked copy within the Word document. The feature becomes useful in a variety of scenarios. As an example, a monthly status report could contain data that is maintained in a seperate Excel data file.

Object Linking Steps

First, copy the area of data from within the Excel worksheet that you want to display in the Word document. In this shot I have selected an annualized expense report for a demo company project:

After copying the data, open up the Word document and move the cursor to the place you want the Excel data to be displayed. Select the dropdown from the "Paste" button on the menubar and select "Paste Special", as shown below:

The selected portion of the Excel worksheet will then appear on the Word document as a linked object. Any future changes to that portion of the original Excel data file will be reflected by the copy inside the Word document. Just remember that if you move the location of the Excel data file, the object link will break. The final result as applied to my sample data is shown below:

Object Embedding

Object embedding, on the other hand, merely stores a static copy of the Excel sheet on the Word document. Any changes made to the original Excel file will not be reflected on the Word document.

Object Embedding Steps

To embed an object simply copy and paste the desired content as usual, but use the standard paste option - don't use "Paste Special".

Let's start with the first task - pick your topic. If you're starting a blog for your company, this might have already been predetermined in part by what your company does/what industry you're in. If your company already has one blog, determine if there's room for a new one with a different topic. For example, a financial services firm might offer a blog that talks about financial considerations and another that talks about company research. If there isn't an opportunity for a new blog, consider contributing to the current one. Contributing to an existing blog is an even more attractive option when you consider that a blog can have more than one topic. Blogs that have multiple topics which complement one another will appeal to an even larger audience.

Decide where you want to host your blog. Believe it or not, the vast majority of blogging services are offered free of charge. Certain hosts charge extra fees for more advanced features, but other sites offer everything for free, relying on the popularity of the site as a whole as their business model. If you are interested in creating a blog for your company's website, you might have to purchase relatively inexpensive CMS or blogging software that allows for the proper functionality in-house. Here at MSI, we host our website on our recommended CMS platform, which includes the capability to create blogs and add them to the site as needed.

However, it's also quite possible to host a company blog on a third-party blogging platform. These are also perfect for a personal blog. Here are a few of the best blog hosts:

• For its ease of use, simplicity, and enormous free feature set, http://www.tumblr.com/ takes the cake as the best blogging service I know of. To sign up just click the link - the home page has made it an obvious and simple task, as is Tumblr's style.
• In close second is the tired-and-true http://www.wordpress.com/, which has earned the respect of its dedicated user base. Sign up by clicking the orange "Sign up now" button on the right side of the home page.

Now that you've decided what and where you will blog, there are some basic guidelines for writing your blog posts that you should follow.

• Less is more. If you can describe something in 250 words or 500 words, go with 250 every time.
• Link as much as possible. This helps to boost your post's search engine exposure.
• Don't beat around the bush. Demonstrate your opinion strongly and clearly within the first couple sentences.
• Be consistent in the way you write your posts. If someone likes the way you write, they'll stick around for more.

Happy blogging!

MSI Services is a full service Information Technology firm, offering Managed Services, Application Hosting, Web and Mobile development services.

For more information, please contact MSI Services @ info@msiservices.com. 

MSI Services, Inc.

Northern New Jersey's trusted source for Technology leadership and services

There is also a copy of this device.xml in the c:\program files\research in motion\blackberry enterprise server\packagecache\* folder.  This gets updated periodically from the previoulsy mentioned location.

First off, a quick overview of how to include an image into your word document is in order. Simply select "Insert" from the menubar at the top of Word, and then click "Picture". The button is circled in red below:

Once the image appears on the page normally, single click it to enable the Picture Tools "Format" tab on the menubar - it button will appear to the right of the "View" tab. 99% of the tools you need to make an image work for you are included within this interface. Here is a screenshot of the open "Format" tab, click the image to view it full-size:

Text Alignment

By default, images are included in line with the text. With this option, you could think of each image as occupying its own division or paragraph on the page. There are many options for how text will behave relative to the image. For example, if you want the image to fall into place next the document content on the right, with the text wrapping around the left side of the image, select "Square" under "Text Wrapping" and "Align Right" under "Align". You can quickly send an image to a common placement by choosing an option from the "Position" menu.

Eye Candy

Word makes it easy to add simple elements of design to your image inclusions. The easiest way to utilize these options is to select one of the "Picture Styles" from the "Format" tab. As an example, I selected the "Reflection" option to stylize the screenshot I used in the beginning of this guide below:

Cropping and Resizing

Word even includes tools to allow for simple cropping and resizing of your images, even after they've been inserted into the document. On the far right-hand side of the "Format" toolbar you can find the self-explanatory tools within the "Size" grouping.

Photo from iphonesavior.com

In a previous issue of The Point, the frequently overlooked "Instant Search" feature included within Microsoft Office was introduced and explained. Instant Search includes some helpful tools to find an email quickly on a spur-of-the-moment basis. However, Outlook includes yet another search feature, Search Folders, which opens up an even larger world of search capabilities.

Search Folders has two primary benefits: 1) It allows you to save time if you frequently search for the same thing and 2) it can act as an organizational tool, sorting Outlook content based on specific criteria.

Search Folders are located on the left side of the Outlook window, below the typical mail folders. To create a Search Folder, right click the Search Folder parent (circled in red below) and select "New Search Folder..."

The following window will appear:

Depending on the rules you select on the New Search Folder window, email will be filtered from within the Inbox into the new folder. For example, if I wanted to see every message I had flagged for follow up I would select "Mail flagged for follow up" as the Search Folder rule, then click "OK". The new Search Folder would then appear in the Search Folder tree, similar to this:

The "For Follow Up" folder will automatically update from now on to show all the emails I have flagged for follow-up. It keeps a running total of the messages I need to follow up on to the right of the name in green text. In my example above, I have one message to follow-up on.

The capabilities of Search Folders do not end here. In fact, all of the filtering options included in Instant Search are available when creating a new Search Folder. Be sure to check out some of these filters including searching by who the message was sent to, what its subject was, or even the message size. One particularly handy filter is the "Create a Custom Search Folder" option, which allows you to filter messages based on a custom text string.

Frank Ableson

MSI Services, Inc

IT Leadership, Consulting, & Technical Support

Most professionals have heard of "the cloud" before. However, like many hyped technology terms, it can be both overused and misunderstood. The majority of business owners just want to know if the cloud can benefit their business. One cloud-based service in particular, Hosted Microsoft Exchange, is emerging as a solution which provides real value for businesses of all sizes.

Here are the benefits of Hosted Exchange to consider:

• Enhanced mobility: Hosted Exchange offers very reliable mobile solutions. Hosted Exchange servers are located in data centers with multiple and redundant high-capacity Internet connections - they are easily accessible through the Internet, even on an international scale. If the data center ever experiences an issue with their Internet connection or server hardware, the solution is usually as simple as off-loading the work to one of the other redundant servers or Internet lines. This feature appears to be increasingly desirable as mobile workforces become a more integral part of business.
• Flexibility and collaboration: Hosted Exchange encompasses all of the benefits of an in-house Exchange server.  If your business does not have an Exchange server, but instead uses POP accounts to receive mail, there are several potential benefits of moving to a Hosted Exchange platform. For example, with a traditional POP account, each new email is downloaded by the first device to access it. This means that if a new message is received by your Blackberry, it will not be received later on by your desktop. Exchange allows each device to store a "copy" of the message - even if one device downloads the email, it will still be downloaded to your other devices.  Other advantages include the enhanced mobility mentioned above, calendar collaboration, and contact sharing.
• Cost: Hosted Exchange is typically offered at a monthly flat-rate, charged per mail account. This may be appealing if your business is concerned over the up-front cost of purchasing a dedicated Exchange server. However, even if you already have an in-house server, the increased mobility mentioned above is often enough of an advantage to justify the switch.

It is important to consider your businesses needs and future carefully when comparing Hosted Exchange to your current office solution. Our staff is always available to discuss cloud, email, and mobile solutions. If you would like to discuss these considerations with us please dial 973-448-0070 or email sales@msiservices.com.

Frank Ableson

MSI Services, Inc

IT Leadership, Consulting, & Technical Support

Email has evolved. As the demands of the workplace have shifted to accommodate technology, business owners have realized the importance of holding onto their emails. Outlook has become a priceless database of information and communications. However, this database is only as good as the user's ability to navigate through it and find what they need, when they need it.

Microsoft refers to it as "Instant Search", and it could be one of the best features frequently overlooked by Office users. It allows you to search through various email fields simultaneously and in real time.

Here is a screenshot showing the location of the Instant Search box:

To use the feature, simply begin typing anything that you know was in the email. It could be the name of the person you sent it to, the subject line, a word a phrase you used in the body of the email, and even the name of an attachment. As you begin typing, Outlook will automatically begin filtering messages within the currently selected folder, displaying the results, and highlighting the matching text in highlighter yellow. To search within all mail, including sent items and drafts, click the dropdown arrow next to the magnifying glass and select "Search All Mail Items".

This type of generic search will typically be all that is required to find an email. However, the software also allows you to "lock-in" a specific search criteria. For example, this feature becomes useful when you know an email is from "Client X" and want to restrict results to that client. To use this feature, click the drop-down arrow next to the search box. You can then enter in "Client X" into the "From" field. I have locked in Client X as "From" and "Proposal Suggestion" as the subject in the example below:

Instant Search is just one of many helpful features included within Outlook. Keep an eye out for future advice on better utilizing Microsoft Office for your business needs.

Many users fail to fully understand what the computer is needed for and what it needs to be able to do. Instead, many individuals will simply purchase the PC that they believe offers the best value and ignore hardware specifics. The bottom line is that different applications and deployments have different horsepower requirements. Here are a few things to avoid:

• Intel Celeron processors - Often bundled with cheap PCs, Celeron processors simply don't have the power for business use. A processor that offers excellent value is the Intel Core 2 Duo.
• "Home" or "Basic" editions of software - These editions are just what they say they are, often lacking business network capabilities. For business use, we ship Windows 7 Professional with new PCs whenever possible.
• Less than 4GB of memory - As time goes on, the memory demands of software will only increase. 4GB is enough to meet requirements today and to be prepared for the demands of future applications.

The second common pitfall has the potential to add to the cost of any new PC. Software is expensive, and it's even more expensive when it is not bundled with your new PC. For example, if you know you need to use Microsoft PowerPoint for presentations, this Basic version of Microsoft Office will not suffice. Instead, you'll have to upgrade to a version that includes PowerPoint, such as Office Small Business Edition. A comparison of Office Editions can be found here. Most PC vendors will have an option to bundle software with the purchase at a significantly discounted rate. Try to take advantage of these opportunities when they are presented to you.

The final pitfall also introduces more cost to the new system down the line. Make sure your new PC is covered by an adequate warranty. The diversity of warranties is such that it would be impossible to discuss all of their ins and outs in this short correspondence. Let's take a look at what adequate protection means. We have found the typical life expectancy of a new PC to be 5 years. The cost of the warranty is not insignificant at $100-$200, but a typical repair such as a new hard drive or memory upgrade could run as high as $600 including service. As such, we sell all new PCs with a three year warranty that includes an option to extend for an additional two years. We recommend that you consider doing the same.

Frank Ableson

MSI Services, Inc.

North Jersey's Computer and Network Specialists

During my workday, many tasks involve creating documents within Microsoft Office to serve a specific purpose. This could include a service description, quote, or client welcome package. Many documents will be created with a fill-in-the-blank type format and be reused for different purposes including distribution (like this email), service, and in-house purposes. However, creating documents from scratch can be a time-consuming exercise.

To help alleviate some of this cost, I will frequently run a quick search through the Microsoft Office Template gallery before starting work. The Template gallery is an online service hosted by Microsoft that allows Office users to upload and share templates that they have created for specific purposes. There are many useful templates, with categories covering small business forms, diagrams, and presentations. Many times, I'll find that someone else has already created the document I need and I can simply download the file and insert my own company's information. Better yet, the templates are available free of charge and for a large range of Office software including Word, Excel, and Visio.

Follow this link to view the gallery - http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/templates/default.aspx - the site works best in Internet Explorer. Once you have found the template you were looking for, click the download button and it will automatically open up in the appropriate Office application.

Hi, i'm _____, from argentina, i'm just a computer sciences student, i was reading your tutorial, and i found it very intresting.
i'm developing an app for a blackberry bold 9000, this app, neds to get connected (sending and receiving querys ) to a database running in a mysql server throgh the internet (WAN),
i have the mysql server conected to the internet, and also have a website developed in php connected to the mysql server.
do you think that this (blackberry & mysqlserver) connection could be done?? could you give to me some small idea to make this possible?
thank you for your time!

My basic approach to this is to create one or more php files (considering that is your existing/preferred environment) to handle transactions from the Blackberry.  Something like this:

doquery.php?action=q&data=Look+something+up

In your php code, process each page as an indepenent query.  Examine the "action" field and process it accordingly.  For each different action, you may have one or more additional query elements.

Format your data going back to the BB in a consistent manner so you can create a routine in your BB code to wrap all of the flavors of interactions.

On the BB have a look at the HttpConnection class for conducting the communications.

One technique I employ is to send the data back in an XML format, with a specific element indicating the "response code". Then after examining the return code, I optionally parse out the results.  You can of course also leverage the HTTP return code.  200 means OK.  500 means error.  404 means unrecognized query, or however you might prefer to map it.

I would recommend avoiding SOAP, because despite its name, it just is not very "simple".

You might also consider looking up REST-ful webservices.

Last Tuesday morning began just as many others before it. I arrived at the office early, turned on my computer, checked for voicemails, etc. It seemed like just another day at the office until it happened. I had just begun editing a document I had written the day before when my monitor, the lights, and even the screen on my desktop phone went completely black.  The chorus of assorted devices that began at once to beep their complaints to the sudden loss of power was annoying to say the least, albeit a little entertaining. It was even more funny to see everyone begin wandering around the office with that what-should-I-do now look in their eyes. However, the event brought to my attention the very serious dangers power outages bring to a place of business.

Any power outage bears a certain level of danger for business networks. Software can be affected in various ways, but perhaps the most noticeable danger is the one that I experienced - the loss of a document you had not saved. Fortunately, my edits were negligible and the bulk of my document had been saved the day before, but others aren't so lucky. On a larger scale, such as an office's BPM server, a software data loss can be catastrophic. Thankfully, our office has implemented the use of UPS and battery backup systems to ensure we are never faced with such a situation.

Within a few minutes of our power loss on Tuesday, one of the guys from the tech team stepped in and informed us that even though the power had gone out, all of our important servers and workstations were running just fine on battery power supplied by our UPS systems. Because of these precious few minutes of battery power, we were able to shut down all of the important systems (including our valuable Microsoft Exchange and PSA servers) without any data loss, corrupted files, or expensive hardware damage. If you feel like your business may be in danger of data loss in the event of a power failure, or would like to discuss UPS solutions, you can contact me at 973.448.0070, Ext. 323.

You can read more about UPS systems at Barry's post - Explained: UPS/Battery Backups.

It was bound to happen eventually - in response to the recent offerings by several competitors including Google and Garmin, Microsoft has added turn-by-turn directions to its Bing software for Windows Mobile. The new software offers voice-search, full integration with on-board GPS, and access to Bing's large resource of business location information. If you're a user of a Windows Mobile phone (like me), this certainly comes as a welcome surprise. I went from a T-mobile G1 with full navigation provided by Google to AT&T with no decent option for free navigation - Bing is a perfect solution. Good move, Microsoft!

Microsoft has been making great strides in the mobile world, as demonstrated by this smaller move within Windows Mobile. However, larger plans are also in action. Of these initiatives, perhaps the most notable is Windows Phone 7. The new mobile operating system (and hardware specification) has been designed from the ground up as the ideal, next-gen replacement for the venerable Windows Mobile. Based largely upon the updated Windows Mobile kernel originally used on the Microsoft Zune HD MP3 players, the software boasts an attractive, multi-touch based user interface, high performance, and tight social integration. However, Microsoft has been slacking off on a robust developer network and SDK - it will be interesting to see how well the Phone 7 application market will develop, and perhaps more importantly, if it will be able to compete with Apple's, or even Google's offerings in that area.

For some more background, you can read my latest contribution to Linux Magazine.

Read more in this week's Upward Mobility column @ Linux Magazine.

Boy, would that stink -- buy an iPad, cozy up for a long flight to watch a movie, write a book, etc.  And then, when you land, hand it over.  It is not clear how the actual property ownership issue is being dealt with -- presumably passengers can retrieve their devices on their way back OUT of the country -- along with other Kosher duty-free items?  Learn more here.

David shared content related to brand strategy.  Jim discussed the challenges faced by Newton Hospital in the constantly changing healthcare market.  Rich shared some insights on how to become an "expert" in your field.  Frank shared some best practices of leveraging your Social Networks.

The event was covered by the New Jersey Herald.

The event was sponsored by the Young Business Leaders Committee of the Sussex County Chamber of Commerce and moderated by Steve Skorski.

Office 2010 does not include any scary interface changes – if you have used Office 2007, you’ll be right at home with Office 2010. Instead, time has been spent on other areas. Specifically, the focus of development has been on improving the overall product experience. This includes several overarching themes:

• Adding free, online versions of Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and OneNote to the Office family.
• Introduction of the low-end Office Starter 2010, which will replace the current solution, Microsoft Works.
• Improving support for various Open file formats, including both Office Open XML and the OpenDocument Format.
• Social networking features – including a “social connector” for keeping track of friends in Outlook.

A new Mac OSX edition of office will also be released sometime during 2010. However, no testing version of the software has yet been released.

• Game Center – Apparently Apple’s solution for achievements, leaderboards, and other online gaming services – all very similar to the functionality offered by Xbox Live, but for the mobile app world.
• iAd – A  new way for developers to tackle advertisements in applications. It includes a 60/40 revenue split between the developer and Apple.
• iBooks – Now you can view books purchased on your iPad across both the iPod Touch and iPhone world.

The release has set the bar high for other mobile platforms. Perhaps the single biggest question is how Microsoft’s upcoming Windows Phone 7 Series will compare to the new operating system. Phone 7 does not include application multitasking – yet.

A UPS (uninterruptible power supply) is an electrical device that provides emergency power to equipment during a power outage.  A UPS differs from a generator or other emergency power system in that it provides instantaneous or near-instantaneous protection from power interruptions by means of one or more attached batteries.  The on-battery runtime of most uninterruptible power supplies is a relatively short 5–15 minutes - sufficient to allow time to bring an auxiliary power source on line, or to properly shut down the protected equipment.  Uninterruptible Power Supplies are not intended, nor does MSI deploy them, to be a long term power source.  In the case of an extended outage (more than 5 minutes) the UPS should send control signals to software on the notifying the server to shut down.

Another feature of the UPS units that MSI installs is the autotransformer.  This circuitry allows the UPS to boost output power during a brownout, and clip output power due to power surges.  While the size/style of UPS that we typically deploy is adequate to handle most of these power fluctuations, it may have trouble handling more severe power swings, especially spikes.  Such conditions may require a UPS with additional operating range capacity, and will likely cost a considerable amount more to purchase and install.  If you suspect you have a power problem outside the scope of your UPS, or if you need a solution to keep your systems up and running in an extended power outage, you can contact Barry at (973) 448-0070 Ext 312 or bmcguire@msiservices.com.

"The Christian Chamber Of Commerce exists to provide members the opportunity to grow their business through interaction with individuals who share their values and beliefs.  This organization serves as a vehicle to bring Believers together to advance the Kingdom of God and their individual enterprise for the Lord Jesus Christ.  Our goals are accomplished through programs and events designed to showcase the products and services of our members and supporters."

When you purchase a phone with a two year attachment... you're pretty much stuck with it, unless you're willing to part with a good chunk of change by breaking the contract or purchasing a new phone outright.  The Android devices prior to Droid and now Nexus One are stuck on older versions.  G1 and ADP users are likely to never move beyond version 1.6.  All the goodies have really shown up in version 2.0 and later.

Perhaps Android should emulate Apple's model with updates for everyone, delivered through iTunes.  Here are some more thoughts on it @ Linux Magazine.

Do you want to invest in your personal education to stand out in your workplace and achieve greater success in your future? If so, read about your future education here.

Go to the ant, you sluggard; consider its ways and be wise!

In this week's Linux Magazine column, I examine building Android applications from the command line with ant.  Eclipse is the preferred (and prescribed) build environment for Android applications, however the Android SDK also supports the popular (albeit maybe aging) build tool named ant.

So, malware is now on your mobile device -- what joy.  At least it is a sign of maturity.  Before you know it we'll be buying anti-virus for our phones.  And our cars.  And our microwave ovens.

You can read more about the Android "remote control" here.

.

Popping up in blogs across the internet, in the newspaper, and on the television networks - computers are changing from hardware-focused to internet-focused. The explosion of smartphones and netbooks has signaled the beginning of a new age in computer usage - An age during which how many Ghz this has and how many teraflops that can process will matter little. By now, everyone involved in the IT community knows that the cloud is the future of computing. Google's cloud-based, minty-fresh operating system, Chromium, will start to hit low-powered netbooks and tablets all over the place. Being the first operating system designed to access only the internet, it is yet another symbol of the new age. Where does this leave developers, who consistently rely on high-powered systems and complex software setups?

As an occasional/weekend web and software developer, I know that I like my desktop a certain way. I know which programs I prefer for each task, weather it be a certain browser or text editor. With each new system or fresh install of an operating system, configuring my desktop for the needs of a specific project will frequently take me a whole day. For example, when developing in PHP, I need a http server, database server, and PHP all set up and enjoying happy communication with each other. I also need a usable FTP client, my trusty text editor, and quite possibly a configured SSH, VNC, or Remote Desktop server.

For these reasons, I imagine that in the world of the future, there will be specific solutions for developers. Just as my development workstation is very different from my teenage sister's desktop, or "SNC" (Social Networking Computer), as I like to call it, these portals will not be the same as those designed for the every-day user. There will be methods by which developers will create a desktop comprised of applications that have been developed by the cloud, for the cloud. In fact, the desktop itself would be hosted in the cloud, and accessible from any capable peripheral. Developing in the cloud will be similar to installing apps on a handheld device such as Google's Nexus One or Apple's iPhone. In the future, tasks that typically required several pieces of software will be condensed into a single, efficient, and small piece of software that will merely interface with the cloud. Instead of each developer using their own particular system, each will use the app or set of apps for the specific cloud environment.

Food for thought.

If you're interested in learning more, you can check out this week's Linux Magazine article where I chronicle some of the steps I've taken to wind up here with a MacBook with Windows 7 running in a Virtual Machine.

Have a Merry Christmas and Happy Hanukkah!

Anyway, I wrote a bit about this for this week's Linux Magazine Upwardly Mobile column.  Time to get back to work on the second edition of Unlocking Android.

Recently I visited a client to set up a Microsoft Word mail merge for Christmas card labels using contacts from Outlook. Everything proceeded smoothly and the customer was soon ready to print the labels. However, before I even began to entertain the thought of patting myself on the back, the customer had asked me a question I didn't know the answer to:

Is it possible to create a separate "group" or distribution list of contacts for a mail merge to a specific group of people?

The client had a specific group of people who would receive Christmas cards each year and didn't want to waste time selecting specific people from the contact list or labels and paper printing all of the unneeded contacts out. When I got back to the office, some quick hunting through Outlook led me to the solution. It turns out these separate groups can be created by placing contacts in a separate folder in outlook. Here are steps for Outlook 2007, although the steps are nearly identical for Outlook 2003 as well.

1. Click the main Contacts tab in the lower-left corner of the screen.
2. Click the drop-down list arrow next to the new button on the top of the screen and select folder
3. Choose a folder name (Christmas Contact, etc.) and make sure Contact Items is selected under Folder Contains
4. If you want to keep the contact in both your normal contact list and the new group you must select the contact(s), copy, and then paste (Using Ctrl+C and Ctrl+V or Edit->Copy and Edit-Paste) into the new folder. Drag and drop contacts into the new folder if you want to move them from one list to the other.

After that, when you enter the mail merge wizard from within Microsoft Word, you will be able to specifically select that group of contacts.

Luther hit some *very* low marks -- lower than many will ever see.  It appears that he is picking up the pieces and by God's grace moving forward.  It is a sad, but good read.

I have been contemplating switching back to Verizon to try out the Droid phone, however the silence around a major AT&T Android device is deafening.  Could it be the Google phone will be like the iPhone -- an AT&T exclusive?  That would work for me personally.  Looking forward to finding out.

Lots of stuff is happening in the news: we've got troops in harm's way fighting for liberty in lands far away, we're heading towards nationalized healthcare, we're facing unprecedented debt levels in our nation, some people close to us are very ill, and it seems that just when you thought you couldn't get taxed enough, business gets harder as we have more burdens to bear.  But there is hope.  God didn't place us here to merely complain and "get by" -- I believe we are meant to thrive where He has placed us, thought it doesn't always look the way we would have preferred.  We are to use the time, talents and treasures He has entrusted us with to inspire and encourage others -- in short to do His work; to be a part of His plan.

Sometimes we walk others through a hard time.  It might be a job loss, an illness, or just a broken computer (not to minimize that of course!).  Other times we walk through the hard time with others.  Either way, we each need to be diligent in our work, showing up day by day to do the work appointed to us and provided for us.

One of the things I get to do in my role at MSI is to work with students for a couple of "extra" non-academic sessions.  Sessions that can really change your life if you let them.

We had a great session today with the November QuickBooks and MS Office Certification students.  Today's afternoon session was on Communication Styles -- DISC assessments.  It was great to see the students have a few "ahha" moments as they gained new clarity on how they communicate with others and how people in their lives communicate with them.  We had a great time of laughing and sharing as we learned together.Will these skills help them gain employment?  Very likely, yes.  But even bigger than that, these skills will help them learn more about themselves and add quality to their lives - both personally and professionally.  That is our goal -- to contribute and be a person, or a team, of value to everyone we come in contact with.

Wherever you find yourself today, count your blessings and look to share what you have.

I heard a great sermon a couple of weeks ago.  The theme was stewardship and "living for the line, not the dot".

In our lives here on planet earth, we are but a breath, a gasp, a very short and momentary blip on the radar of eternity.  As we age, we move closer and closer to our eternal destiny.  Are we storing up treasures here on earth, or are we making deposits in heaven?  As we move down the "line" of our lives, are we moving away from our treasure, or towards our treasure?  In a phrase, are we living for the dot or are we living for the line?

Live for the line.

Happy Thanksgiving and God Bless you and your family.

Frank

MSI was sharing with attendees our various Web design, programming, and hosting offerings as well as our flagship product, Proventiv managed services.

BlackBerry is perhaps not the most glamourous device, but it is the choice of long-time mobile "power users".  Virtually everyone in my C12 group carries a BlackBerry, though there is at least one confirmed iPhone sighting -- but that is excusable as that fellow's company actually does some work with iPhone related hardware.

iPhone, Android, BlackBerry -- all viable and growing platforms.  Palm... that is another story.  They just launched the Pixi.  Hopefully it proves magical for them to win the right to proceed to the next product.  Time will tell -- most likely the Christmas shopping season this year.

It's official.

The news has been popping up all over the blogosphere, but wasn't confirmed until recently.

Somewhere in the hallowed halls of Google, developers are working on an Android phone that will be branded with the powerful Google name. Don't get me wrong, there have been many Android-based devices released to date, with notable examples being the HTC Dream (T-Mobile G1) and the Motorolla Droid (Verizon Wireless). However, Google has yet to release a phone/mobile computing device of its own.

It is rumored that HTC will be the principal hardware contractor, with the 1 Ghz Qualcomm Snapdragon processor at its core. All this does seem to pose the question of why Google would seemingly turn its back on its marketing strategy for Android so far. It will be interesting to see how the major mobile carriers, all of which have at least one Android device, will react to this news.

Perhaps the most pressing question in our minds is "Which carrier will actually 'get' this device?" Engadget offers an interesting take on the question:

"Our most interesting theory here is that AT&T -- which has gone totally radio-silent for all things Android in the past six months -- is responding to the probable impending loss of its iPhone exclusivity by scoring a coup on a gorgeous, aspirational device with the Google logo all over it."

There are a handful of different takes as to why Google has chosen to release its own device in such a round-about-after-the-fact way. Perhaps Google has been setting up the market all along with less-than-perfect devices. However, until the phone is actually released sometime near the beginning of 2010, we won't really know anything.

More on this.

For those that are unemployed, I want to encourage you to be optimistic despite all the negative signs. I spend part of my time providing career resources for students enrolled in training at MSI Education Services, which does office productivity software training. I emphasize two primary things in my counseling of students:

1) There are many opportunities for non-full time employment, especially on a contract or temp basis. Small businesses often cannot fund full time positions due to the high costs imposed by an oppressive government, but work still needs to get done and if you have a marketable skill set, I recommend that you search for and engage with small businesses and entrepreneurs to find ones that might need your services. Think networking, not job search.

2) How will you find them? One word: Linkedin. Linkedin is essential for both a job search for a full time position, and especially for networking purposes to find and engage business owners that need what you have. I have been giving a seminar for several months on how to use Linkedin for your Job Search that you can find here:

Supercharge your Job Search with Linkedin (on Slideshare)

If you have more questions or would like to connect to me, please find me on Linkedin and send me an invite. I would be happy to help you if I can.

http://www.linkedin.com/in/jasonmatyas

Finally, if you are in need of better software skills and are unemployed, you might be eligible for a training grant to attend classes at MSI Education.

http://www.msiservices.com/index.php/education/vocational/

Please contact us if you want to find out if you're eligible for a training grant or are interested in taking a class to fill a gap in your skill set (and resume).

[Photo from the Chumby store.  Not endorsing the product -- though it does look pretty cool.]

The first seminar is entitled "Supercharge your Search".  This program not only hits the "basics" of resumes, cover letters and interviewing, it also walks participants through some of the larger-picture questions. 

Who are you and what kind of job do you really want?

Are you an effective communicator? 

Can you explain to someone in 30 seconds or less a convincing statement of who you are and what you are looking for? 

Are you networking with friends and professional peers to make sure that everyone in your sphere of influence knows what a good opportunity looks like for you?

What is the title of the person you want to work for?

How far are you willing to drive to your new job?

Do you know how to effectively use Linked In and other social networking tools and communities to aid you in finding your next opportunity?

These and many other key questions are raised and discussed in the seminar.  Students spend time working together to practice their "30 second commercial".  It makes a difference.

We also cover the essential steps you need to do before, during and after the Interview.

Each student receives a complete Career Notebook, including class notes, worksheets and key reference materials.

Our second seminar is entitled "Your Communication Style".

In this seminar each student takes an in-class, certified communication-style assessment.  Once we have taken this assessment, we go through the different styles of communication and relate that to students' personal and professional experiences.  There are a lot of "Ah-Ha" moments as students gain a keener insight into how they communicate with their peers - both personal and professional.

Equipped with this new self-knowledge, students are better prepared to navigate a challenging interview, including all of those "hard interview questions".  We even review job postings and work together to determine what communication style would be a good fit for each.  Having a good job usually starts with picking the right job -- and how you communicate has a large impact on this decision.  Know yourself and be equipped!

Each student receives a complete Career Notebook, including class notes, worksheets and key reference materials.

Our third seminar is entilted "Bookkeeping in the real world".  This seminar is targeted towards our QuickBooks students, however all enrolled students are welcome to attend and participate.

In this seminar, our facilitiator walks students through the ins and outs of bookkeeping based on decades of experience in the financial industry.  In particular, the use of QuickBooks in a modern office setting is discussed including "key skills to have".  And yes, students can even ask their "debit vs credit" questions.  Our QuickBooks instructors are experienced, professional book keepers.

Our fourth seminar is entitled "Using LinkedIn to supercharge your Job Search".  In this seminar our facilitator walks particpants through the process of creating and/or enhancing their LinkedIn profiles.  Going well beyond the basics of setting up a LinkedIn profile, this seminar teaches students how to research LinkedIn for possible job opportunities in their target market, networking with former co-workers, and getting engaged in the numerous and active LinkedIn groups.  To navigate LinkedIn successfully, you must engage -- we show you how!

Our aim in providing these seminars to our students it to help them in any and every way we can.  We want to help our students become gainfully employed, however it goes well beyond that ambitious objective.

At MSI, we want to be an organization that provides value today, and for the future, to everyone we come into contact with -- a company of value.  If you have an interest in learning more about our seminars, or education program or about our company in general, please do not hesitate to contact us at 973.448.0070, email us at info@msiservices.com, or visit our website.

I'm presently on another network but perhaps by the time Droid matures I'll have access to one.  I recently tried out a Sprint Hero (Android 1.5) and now that the device has Exchange Active Sync it is a compelling platform.  All that said, I am afraid I will forever be an advocate of a physical keyboard.  I just dislike the on-screen keyboards.

I have been following Android  for the past couple of years and am curious to see how much market penetration it can achieve this fall as new devices hit the market.  A mixture of version 1.5, 1.6 and 2.0 devices will be on the market.  For most users, the 1.5 and 1.6 devices will be more than sufficient, though the 2.0 features round things out nicely.  This platform is really going to give iPhone a run for its app store.

As an added bonus, Google has recently announced free turn by turn navigation service availability.  It will be interesting to see how the likes of Garmin react to this.  Turn by turn navigation is a neat thing -- but only if your phone can also do other things -- and of course, the nav has to be correct!

On October 22nd, 2009 Microsoft unleashed upon the world Windows 7, the latest in a long line of operating systems for our beloved personal computers.

Even before its release, Microsoft has gone through great pains to make sure the release of Windows 7 didn't turn into a re-run of Vista's release. For several months, pre-release versions of the system have been given to thousands of system developers to ensure a smooth transition. What does all this mean to you, the everyday Windows user?

I could tell you about all the great things 7 has done with the Windows idea, but so much has already been said it would be redundant. Windows 7 simply means a better operating system.

It means "snappier and more responsive" (Dwight Silverman, Houston Chronicle). It means "improved emphasis on workflow and organization" (eWEEK). It means "Vista done right, with a smaller disk and memory footprint, faster startup, and fewer annoyances" (Michael Muchmore, PC Magazine). It means you'll "have fun using it" (Joe Wilcox, Microsoft Watch). It means an operating system designed with user feedback in mind. It means "Windows 7 could indeed be the best version of Windows yet" (Mary Branscomb, Financial Times).

Although Windows 7 is a large improvement over other versions of Windows, there is a slight learning curve. The famous (infamous?) "Start" button is gone! Now, before you jump up and start running around in circles, flailing your arms in protest, realize this: The button has not be removed, but replaced. In fact, the entire taskbar has been redesigned with usability in mind. A feature called "Aero Peek" allows a user to preview or close the window by simply dragging the mouse over the program's icon in the taskbar, it's a great time-saver. Several other features of the interface have been reworked, and it will take some getting used to.

The interface improvements, coupled with countless security and feature improvements make Windows 7 the best Windows yet. Don't believe me? Check it out at Microsoft.com.

PS. Be sure to check out Ian's post - Windows 7: The New NT?

I just came across this article about using your cell phone to disable your car in the event it gets stolen.  Very cool application of mobile technology.