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Surface vs Surface Pro

Surface RT

Surface RT was released on October 26, 2012. Running Windows RT Operating System on a Quad-Core NVIDIA Tegra 3 Processor. Storage options are 32 GB or 64 GB. According to recent news, only 16 GB available for the 32 GB hard drive and 46 GB available for 64 GB hard drive. Bundled with the Surface RT is Office Home & Student 2013 RT Preview.

Office Home & Student 2013 RT includes Word, Excel, PowerPoint and OneNote. Surface RT does not support Outlook.

The price for the Surface RT is $499.00.

Surface Pro

Surface Pro was release on February 9, 2013. Running Windows 8 Pro Operating System on Dual-Core Intel i5 Processor. Storage options are 64 GB or 128 GB. According to recent news, only 23 GB available for the 64GB hard drive and 83 GB for the 128 GB hard drive. Bundled with the Surface Pro is Full Office Suite Preview.

Surface Pro is a Business tablet that includes a pen and the pen digitizer. The stylus helps make taking notes, drawing and marking up documents easy. The price for the Surface Pen is $29.99.

The price for the Surface Pro is $899.00.

Not included with the purchase of the Surface RT or the Surface Pro is a keyboard. Microsoft offers two options, Touch cover and Type Cover. The Touch Cover is a pressure-sensitive keyboard and tablet cover; available in Red, Black, Cyan, White and Magenta. The price of the Touch Cover is $119.99. The Type Cover is thin “classic” keyboard and tablet cover; only available in Black. The price of the Type Cover is $129.99.

Type Cover and Touch Cover

Surface 2 for 2014

Technology is a fast paced industry; current technology and devices are just making way for tomorrow’s new technology. With that said, Microsoft is developing their second generation tablet, Surface 2.

Although in the Top Five Tablets for the first quarter of 2013, Microsoft has not been as successful as planned with the Surface Tablets, only selling half of the units required for their intended goal.

To conquer the growing demand for smaller tablets, Surface 2 will have a 7-9 inch display with a higher screen resolution than its competitors, iPad Mini, Nexus 7 and Kindle Fir.. The iPad Mini offers 1024×768 resolution, the Nexus 7 offers 1280×800 resolution and Kindle Fire offers 1024×600 resolution. Microsoft expects Surface 2 to offer 1400×1050 resolution.

Partners from the Surface RT and Surface Pro development are working together including Pegatron Technology, Ju Teng, Samsung, LG, Corning, Intel and NVIDIA to build the second generation.

The rumored price of the Surface 2 will be approximately $400. Microsoft’s Build Developer Conference at the end of June will announce more information regarding the Surface 2 including a possible release date, specifications and features.

Tips for Troubleshooting Outlook

Takeaway: The most significant means of communication in the office is email. Even though Outlook is the most used mail client for businesses, it can develop problems. Using these ten tips will quickly resolve issues that can impact communication.

1. Scan PST file

When Outlook becomes troubling, you can use the Inbox Repair Tool provided by Microsoft. This tool will backup, scan and repair your Personal Folder files (.pst). The entire process could take more than a few minutes to complete.

2. Archive Data

Archiving your data will prevent common problems that large PST files create. Archived data will be moved to a different PST to alleviate the size and space of you primary PST. After an archive is done, running scanpst.exe will be a safe way to check the file.

3. Rename OST

Some problems can be resolved by simply renaming the OST file and allowing Outlook to create a new one. The OST file saves your e-mails, calendar entries, contacts and other items. Outlook will open like new after renaming an OST file.

4. Delete/Rebuild Profile

When deleting or rebuilding an Outlook Profile taking precaution is a necessary step; open Control Panel, select Mail option, select Show Profiles and then select Delete. For POP accounts, you must save the user’s data by exporting a data file from Outlook. For Exchange and IMAP accounts, you can delete and re-create the account.

5. Disable Add-Ons

Another simple fix is to disable add-ons. To check the speed of Outlook, use outlook.exe /safe command will allow you to open Outlook in Safe Mode (no-add-ons running). After testing the speed, you can disable add-ons that may be slowing your system down.

6. Disable Virus Scan

Popular Anti-Virus tools have a feature that will scan all e-mails to and from your system. Temporarily disabling this feature is a work-around but not a solution. Outlook will be defenseless when this feature is disabled.

7. Run in Safe-Mode

Another temporary fix is to open Outlook in Safe Mode. Use outlook.exe /safe command will allow you to open Outlook in Safe Mode (no-add-ons running). This is a work-around but not a temporary fix.

8. Resetnav

Users can arrange their navigation bar according to their needs which sometimes causes Outlook not to work properly. A fast way to rest the navigation bar is using outlook.exe /resetnavpane command.

9. Migrate PSTs

All user PST files should be stored on the C Drive of the user. If all users are accessing a shared drive for their PST files, it will slow down Outlook and possibly your network.

10. Adjust Permissions

To adjust user’s calendar permissions – open the calendar in Outlook, right-click the shared calendar, select Properties, and in the Permissions tab you can adjust user’s calendar permissions.

10 Changes to Office 2013

Takeaway: Ten popular tools and options that are unseen or removed from Office 2013.

Office 2013 has made minor adjustments and changes to the new cloud-based suite.

Creating from Existing

In previous versions of Office it was simple to create a new document from an existing one. This would allow changes without changing the original.

Using Office 2013, the button “New From Existing” is gone; there is a section under the File Tab for Recent Documents.

Outlook – Activities

There was an option to add a Contact’s Activities in older versions of Office. For Office 2013, Activities option is replaced by Outlook Social Connection.

Word – Show Mark-Up

For Office 2013, the Show Markup drop-down, located in the Review Tab and Tracking Section for older versions, is removed but you can add it to your Quick Access Toolbar.

Backstage Exit

In previous versions, “Exit” on the File Tab would allow you to exit all open documents in one click. In Office 2013, you can right click the program on your task bar and select “Close all windows” or add “Exit” to your Quick Access Toolbar.

Picture Manager

Unlike previous versions of Office, Clip Art Organizer and Picture Manager are no longer available. Clip Art Organizer is replaced with Insert Media Dialog Box. Picture Manager is replaced with Windows Photo Gallery.

Access – PivotTables & PivotCharts

For Office 2013, PivotTable and PivotChart are no longer tools in Access; only Excel 2013 provides the PivotTable and PivotChart.

Access – Upsizing Wizard

In previous versions of Access, it was simple to add an Access database to SQL Servers.

Using The Upsizing Wizard to migrate all or some objects to SQL Servers is no longer available with Access in Office 2013.

Excel – Workspace

Workspace files save the layout you have selected. When you open a saved Workspace Files they are displayed in that layout.

Excel 2013 you can open a Workspace file but you can not save layouts as Workspace files or add it to the Quick Access Toolbar.

Outlook – Journal

Journal tool in Outlook helps you manage your productivity and time spent on projects. This tool will no longer be available for Office 2013 and will not be replaced by another tool.

Outlook – To-Do Bar

The Pinned Peek feature is replacing the traditional To-Do Bar in Outlook for Office 2013. The Pinned Peak feature is not as detailed as the To-Do Bar, for example you can only view appointments for one day .

Windows 8.1 Uncovered

Takeaway: Microsoft has created many new features that are included with Windows 8.1 expected to be release before the end of 2013.

Windows 8.1 is more than an update to Windows 8; it has new features for both businesses and home users. Another major step for Microsoft will be annual updates for operating systems; similar to Apple with OS X.

The biggest update will be the traditional Start button on the left side of the screen. Other features include:

Boot-to-desktop is available instead of booting to the Metro Start Screen.
Start screen provides additional custom options for tiles.
New snap behavior allows up to four Windows 8 Apps to be placed side-by-side without the 320-pixel limitation.
PC Settings section includes settings previously located in Control Panel.
SkyDrive Synchronization settings are built into the operating system.
& many other features.

Windows 8.1 Preview with Jensen Harris

Apple iOS 7

On Monday, June 10, 2013 Apple exposed iOS 7 at the Worldwide Developers Conference. The new OS will be available for multiple devices including iPhone 4 and up, iPad 2 and up and the iPad Mini.

New features for iOS 7 include:

Control Center: By swiping from the bottom to the top will now allow you to adjust your settings

AirDrop: For Apps that allow sharing, AirDrop will encrypt data that a user shares to friends within a close distance.

Activation Lock: To prevent smartphone crimes, when disabling “Find My iPhone” the phone will be locked and only the correct Apple credentials will unlock the phone.

Multitasking: Apps can develop patterns based on usage. These patterns will allow the iOS 7 to update apps in the background based on network connections.

Car integrated iOS: For 2014, many car manufacturers are integrating iOS with the car display.

Safari: Safari has been updated with navigation, smart search and iCloud Keychain.

Siri: Siri can now operate more of the iPhone including voicemail, Wikipedia, Twitter, Bing and many others.

Camera: Photos are well-organized as Moments. Also, the camera has new photo filter options.

App Store: The App Store can organize Apps based on age and geographical location. Also, background updating will eliminate manual updating.

Music: Music, Movies and TV Shows are now stored together in your Library.

iTunes Radio: A streaming music service that will be available with iOS 7.

Smartphone Market Share

Takeaway: Kantar Worldpanel is an international company that provides market and consumer solutions.

Android is up 13% market share since February 2012, now holding more than half of Smartphone sales. Within the Android market, Samsung continues to take control over other smartphone manufacturers. “It’s apparent that Samsung is successful at capturing users from across the competitor set and not just gaining from their own loyalists.” said Kantar Worldpanel analyst Mary-Ann Parlato.

Apple’s iOS is down 7% market share since February 2012. Taking more than half of Verizon and AT&T sales, Apple is steadily residing in second place behind Android.

The first quarter of 2013 has been very impacting for Microsoft, jumping into third place for smartphones and fifth place for tablets. Microsoft has finally made a leap from 2012, bringing their market share up 52%. Microsoft is now continuously growing in smartphone sales.

Lastly, BlackBerry has taken a “nose-dive” since 2012, dropping from 3.6 to .7 (81%) market share.

Hosted Web Server Maintenance

Our server will be coming down at 1 A.M on Friday, June 14th, 2013 as part of our planned maintenance for space efficiency. Due to the physical relocation of the servers, we cannot provide a precise time frame for this maintenance however we expect this to take between 2 to 3 hours. Our technicians have performed this maintenance several times and have established a process to minimize the outage period during the moves. We apologize for any inconveniences caused by this maintenance.

Maintenance Window: 1 A.M. – 6 A.M. (EST) on Friday, June 14, 2013.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us.

(856)745-9990 or support@sjtechies.com

Surface RT the Enterprise Tablet

Takeaway: Microsoft Surface RT is the first Tablet equipped for enterprise.

Apple and Android are dominant for consumer consumption, but Windows RT is the best candidate for enterprise use.

Surface RT Tablet

The Surface by Microsoft is a crossover between a laptop and a tablet. The Surface RT is a slim tablet with a kickstand and the option of a Touch Cover or a Type Cover.

Surface RT is running Windows RT Operating System on a Quad-Core NVIDIA Tegra 3 Processor. Storage options are 32 GB or 64 GB. According to recent news, only 16 GB available for the 32 GB hard drive and 46 GB available for 64 GB hard drive.

Surface RT for Enterprise use

Surface RT is pre-loaded with touch-enhanced versions of Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and OneNote). Unlike the iPad, the RT has the ability to increase storage with a USB port and MicroSDXC card slot.

Effortlessly join and integrate a Surface RT into a Windows environment; with the capability to retrieve and share network resources. Providing a “true desktop browser” and the basic functionality, commonly used with a desktop computer, allow the transition from desktop to tablet to be easy.

10 Missing Features from Outlook 2013

Takeaway: Ten popular features that are missing from Outlook 2013.

Right-click Lookup

Outlook 2013 does not include ‘Lookup’ when right-clicking a word. This feature is still available:

Open a new e-mail message.
Click inside the message body.
Select the Review tab.
Select ‘Research’ in the Proofing section.
Press [ALT] and select the word or phrase that you would like to look up. Also, you can type the word or phrase in the ‘Search For:’ box.

Right-click AutoCorrect

Outlook 2013 does not include ‘AutoCorrect’ when right-clicking a word. This feature is still available but will have to be entered manually. (Right-click Add to Dictionary is still available using a right-click.)

Import/Export Formats

Outlook 2013 only allows .pst (Outlook’s data file format) and comma-delimited data as import formats. Previous versions allowed many file formats to be imported and exported.

Meeting Workspace

Outlook 2013 does not include Meeting Workplace. Also, this feature cannot be added to the Quick Acces Toolbar. Meeting Workplace was a website that supplied Attendees, Date, Time and Location for meetings.

Outlook Mobile Service

Outlook 2013 does not support Outlook Mobile Service (OMS). OMS let you create and send text/multimedia messages to a mobile device from Outlook, similar to e-mail(s).

Windows Search

Windows 8 does not support using Windows Search to search Outlook e-mail. Previously, you could using Windows Search without opening Outlook to search for e-mail(s).

Calendar Publishing

Outlook 2013 does not support Calendar Publishing; the replacement is Office.com. Microsoft cut service for previous versions on April 5, 2014.

Drag-and-Drop

Office 2013 does not support “dragging-and-dropping” e-mail(s) in the To-Do bar to create a calendar entry. You can “drag-and-drop” an e-mail to a shortcut to create a calendar or task entry.

Notes and Journal

Office 2013 supports ‘Notes’ but ‘Journal’ is no longer available.

Suggested Contacts

Office 2013 does not support Suggested Contacts. Suggested contacts gathers contacts that are not in your list and suggests them.