Do you want to know get a pulse on your dog's well being while traveling? Are you content hoping that your dog sitter is doing his or her duty? Do you have a baby or young child you want to keep tabs on? Perhaps a new babysitter...? How about a potentially disgruntled employee? Do you suspect something may be going on at your office, but have no way of confirming or denying your suspicions? Do you simply want to know.... Is there a solution? In today's world filled with tablets and SmartPhones, of course. Many.....
If you have an alarm system from one of the biggest national chains, you may already have an "app for this" available to you. If you do, you should be using what you are already paying for (whether you know it or not) and you should download your company's remote monitoring app. If you aren't currently a subscriber of an alarm monitoring service, or just want to learn how to supplement the security system you already have, read on....
Buy an IP webcam (or two or four), set them up and walk away confident knowing you can determine what what is going on from a tiki bar in Barbados, a beach on Aruba's western shore, a hotel across from the square in Moscow or a restaurant down the street. If you purchase and set up your own monitoring system, you can control every element of the set up and pay for only what you need or want. The process of installing and configuring your home or office, isn't always seamless, but your effort can result in a stable, satisfying, and ultimately, cheaper, window into your world than commercial outfits provide.
If you are still interested in setting up your own monitoring system, read on after the break.....
Thursday, February 9, 2012
Friday, February 3, 2012
25,000 Views and Counting... PhotoStream and Windows Don't Play Well Together......
I believe my use of these services in a mixed environment-- combining a number of iDevices (iPhones, iPads and iTvs) with Windows machines (operating a fully patched copy of Windows 7 in my testing environment), has caused at least some of my difficulties with iCloud services. I maintain this is a very typical operating environment, especially with mainstream small businesses and households.
Even if you are able to perform all of your computing needs using Apple devices-- and software availability often make this an impossibility-- using a Windows computer is still by far the most common computing environment in the world. As the nearby graph shows, despite what Apple and its legion fans would have you believe, the desktop operating system "war" is still handily won by Microsoft! In fact, the aging XP operating system still has more users worldwide than any other OS. For all but a few niche markets such as professional video editing, Windows remains the dominant operating system in use around the world today. Creating services such as iCloud which aren't rock solid for Windows users is a recipe for user dissatisfaction.
Why is this important to this discussion? This "mixed use" environment is Apple's biggest client base and problems such as this need to be squarely in Apple's focus, not a peripheral engineering challenge. As much as I like Apple products and this company's customer relations, too often I feel like "the answer" to this issue and others is, "Just buy a Mac and your problems will vanish!" Well, that isn't an answer, nor is it a satisfying solution to real world compatibility issues for everyday, real world, consumers.
So what's today's problem point? PhotoStream. The concept is wonderful, another potential problem solver which has the promise of working with Apple devices more convenient and "friendly" than Android, Windows, or any other platform. I love photography, I have been an amateur photo buff for nearly fifty years. My grandfather gave me my first Kodak box camera when I was about five, I have been clicking and preserving moments ever since.
One of my saddest losses in life (in terms of belongings anyway) is a box stuffed with thousands of photos and negatives, mostly black and white prints I took, developed, and enlarged myself during my childhood. I still have boxes in my garage from decades ago which have been moved countless times and rarely, if ever, see the light of day. But that priceless (to me anyway) box of prints is long gone, a victim of my neglect in some move during my college years "eons" ago.
Digital photography should make sharing and archiving photos infinitely easier than the Kodak moments of past generations. Sadly, digital doesn't mean timeless in many cases. All too many photos snapped on digital cameras, especially ubiquitous camera phones, never get backed up or synced leaving them susceptible. Broken, lost, or damaged devices are commonplace. I know many very smart individuals who never back up their smartphone data! If you haven't ever lost a digital photo you are either very diligent or very lucky. Photostream has the potential of making your photos easy to share and effortlessly backed up.
Here's the theory, snap a pic on your iDevice (iPhone or iPad2). This photo will then sync "instantly" through Apple's servers to your other iDevice(s) making them visible for sharing and editing without manual syncing, wires, or third party applications. When your iDevice is on your local wi-fi network these photos will also sync to your local Mac or Windows PC. (These transferred files will be uncompressed, exact copies rather than the compressed, optimized, version transferred between your iDevices.) PhotoStream is a two way street; you can add photos from your computer library to share on your iDevice(s) by placing these pics in a folder designated for this purpose in iCloud.
That's "the theory" but there are some real limitations and caveats even when everything is working as "advertised:"
- PhotoStream is for photos, not videos! See my earlier post on the challenges of getting video off of an iPhone 4S.
- PhotoStream collects ALL of your photos over a thirty (30) day window. You can't be selective. In other words, you can't delete or erase a single photo or group of photos-- it is "all or nothing." (You can delete and reset your ENTIRE PhotoStream if you decide this is what you need to do.)
- To use PhotoStream you must be running iOS 5.X on all of your devices. If a Windows box is included on your network you must also be running the iCloud service and iCloud Application.
- PhotoStream does NOT support network drives. I save all of my photos on a dedicated hard drive which runs as part of my Windows Small Business Server. This drive is mapped on the network, allowing other computers and devices to easily read and share these files. My first inclination was to create the PhotoStream folder structure on this mapped drive (i.e. X:\PhotoStream). No joy.
- In addition to the limitation noted above, PhotoStream doesn't support custom folders (if someone has found a workaround to this issue please post it here!!!). This issue has implications for some who might otherwise want to use this service. As an example, an insurance company whose agents are armed with iPhones snapping pictures all day of client claims may want to preserve these images by client and/or date. PhotoStream would eliminate several steps and speed their claims process if this feature existed. For companies like this, "020212\rwachs\image01.png" is a whole lot more valuable than "image01.png" stuffed into a folder simply labeled "Photostream\Photostream Downloads."
- All of your devices and attached computers MUST be signed into the same iCloud Account. This may seem obvious but this can be the source of confusion and problems. If you are having PhotoStream issues, ensuring all devices are running under the same account credentials is one of the very first troubleshooting steps you should take (don't assume!).
If the above limitations aren't a deterrent, PhotoStream is free and has many obvious advantages and applications. However, PhotoStream has been more like a log jammed river for me. After installation, PhotoStream seemed to work across my iDevices and Windnows PC using "photostream\download" and "photostream\upload" folders on my local drive under the "\User Account\My Pictures" folder structure. Great.... For about ten days! Mysteriously, the sync process stopped between my iDevices and my Windows box. Nothing changed (that I was aware of); just no new photos showed up in my "PhotoStream\Downloads" folder.....
Several hours of troubleshooting later, I have resolved the problem (for the moment) and learned a few things along the way. First and foremost, I am not alone with this issue. There are many threads discussing this topic on Apple's Support forums and elsewhere. This thread alone has well over 25,000 views and counting. My experience suggests for every individual reading, much less participating, in these forums, there are at least ten times this number of frustrated, casual, users who never reach out to these forums for guidance (and yes, this is a highly subjective, unscientific, estimate).
There are many solutions included in the above mentioned thread alone. Many contributors have slogged through possible resolutions and shared their expertise. There is a notable absence of official comment from Apple Support on this problem which is disconcerting.... So what worked for me?
Ultimately, these steps have PhotoStream working once again for me:
Turn off Photostream.
Stop all Apple iCloud services from Task Manager by highlighting them and selecting end process:
AppleOutlookDAVConfig.exe
ApplePhotostreams.exe
ApplePhotostreamsDownloader.exe
APSDaemon.exe
iCloudServices.exe
(I have no idea if all of these are required to stop but I did this for safe measure)
I then went into :
C:\Users\
and deleted all the files \ folders in this directory.
I then opened back up the iCloud app (which will automatically start back up those services we stopped), and turned back on Photostream. My photos then began to download.
Your mileage may vary and likely will. If you are having problems, I suggest you be sure you are using the same iCloud Account. I would also allow PhotoStream to create its own folder structure upon installation or re-installation. This isn't required but creating unique, non-default, folders seems to be the cause of several users' woes. The above referenced thread is the source of a wealth of solutions which have resolved the syncing issue for others.
The reason this solution worked in my case is deleting the files in the above noted directory resets Apple's media stream database in essence "forcing" a re-sync between devices which is exactly what the doctor ordered. What caused the database to corrupt? Great question. A conflict with another application or service, perhaps even a Microsoft update.... I don't know. One could examine Event Logs around the time synchronization failed to perhaps glean some insight. Candidly, I haven't taken this step. Like most users, finding an answer and resolving the issue is enough to satiate my curiosity and move on to the next "opportunity." Apple Engineers might, and should!, have a desire to help the legions of customers still suffering. I hope this problem is escalated at Infinity Loop; it deserves attention.
I wish this was a more stable service and I wish I could recommend it but for many who don't have the time, inclination, or skill set, to troubleshoot the interactions between iCloud and Windows, waiting until "2.0" is my best advise! The iPhone 4S is arguably the best SmartPhone Camera on the market today. It takes stunning photos and for most users is always available (the iPad 2's photo hardware is anemic at best, but its big screen makes an excellent editing platform!). PhotoStream can make capturing that next Kodak moment all the more fun and easy. Apple just needs to get the stream flowing for all its users.
So what else would I like to see in "2.0?"
- Support for network drives.
- Support for custom folders.
- Selective photo deletion from the stream.
- Support for video transfer (over wi-fi).
I currently participate in the Amazon Associates Program and certain item links included within this post may tie to this affiliate program.
Companies: Apple, Microsoft
This commentary is not meant as an endorsement of any company or to provide financial advice. If the author has any financial interest in any company mentioned at the time of this article’s posting, it will be explicitly noted. I welcome feedback and comments.
Music Row Tech will never sell, give away or use your personal information with third parties.
All rights reserved @2012, Music Row Tech (MRT). Any reproduction without the author's consent is prohibited.
Thursday, February 2, 2012
Is Microsoft Dead?
Steve Ballmer doesn't think Microsoft's days are past, but is anyone else listening, or agreeing, with him today...?
I had a spontaneous, unplanned, meeting with another tech consultant yesterday. He and I are both middle aged technology guys whose career paths while not identical, have more similarities than differences. I happened to be sharing the same bar with this gentleman, his wife, and a couple others on an uncommonly balmy afternoon in Nashville earlier this week. Our conversation turned to technology issues and it became clear we were indeed friendly competitors each with a long history and perspective on the industry-- past and present.
One of several comments my new found friend made, caused me to reflect. He said, "Microsoft is just plain boring and a PITA (my abbreviation) to work on." He reflected that years, indeed decades, of working with Microsoft server technologies including Exchange Server, Windows Server and Small Business Server, hasn't gotten any easier for IT experts or our customers. Microsoft's products seem too complex, bloated and expensive today. He lamented that Exchange Server, especially for small offices, hasn't kept up with the times and needs of its customers. (I agree and we both encourage our current and potential clients to utilize hosted Exchange Server solutions which minimize upfront costs and ongoing maintenance and security issues. If you are interested in Hosted Exchange for two to two thousand, please contact Music Row Tech directly to discuss pricing, service, and other benefits.)
More troubling, he stated, "Microsoft is dead." This comment really got me thinking..... Here I was sitting, a thirty plus year veteran of "the technology wars," with an iPad, an iPhone 4S, running Apple's latest mobile operating systems, I had a half dozen Apps running-- none of which were authored by Microsoft or even indirectly rely upon Redmond technology-- this got me contemplating the passing of an era and a significant chapter of my own career....
The discussion continued. We agreed on several points (and disagreed on a few others).
Over the past five plus years under Ballmer's watch, Microsoft has been abysmally slow to recognize trends. Specifically, Microsoft has all but missed the tidal movement to SmartPhones and tablets. Yes, we both agreed that Microsoft's mobile platform, "Mango," has a lot going for it. We also agreed it is almost certainly too little, too late. Worse, Windows 8, which is still likely a year away from public release!, is Microsoft's first real shot at a bonafide, tablet friendly, operating system. As the lumbering elephant in Redmond continues through its series of beta releases, Apple and Google, gobble up market and mind share in the mobile marketplace. It is true, in the technology consulting world of today, mobile, web, Android and Apple, are where all the action, excitement and interest lie. Pitching Microsoft centric solutions seems dated and out of touch. I wouldn't have believed I would be writing these words when my career began in earnest in the mid-1980's.
This made me reflect on a more fundamental level. When was the last time I was excited about a Microsoft product release....? I really had to think about this. I suppose on some level it was Windows 7. Truthfully, not so much because of some whiz bang set of new features (and there elements of this operating system which I do truly like), but because it was the "answer" to the anemic Vista platform and ever so long in the tooth, Windows XP. In other words, Windows 7 was a potential answer to a series of products my customers increasingly disliked for various reasons. It wasn't exciting per se, just a solution to expensive, "self-inflicted," missteps by Ballmer and his crew. Yet even today as I make an increasingly infrequent on site visit to client offices, if I see Windows boxes, the majority are still running an amalgam of Windows XP and Vista; very few clients have even upgraded Office beyond the 2003 (and perhaps 2007) releases. Any discussion of upgrading even to what is now dated Windows 7 and Office 2010, is met with eye rolling, pained, expressions.
Contrast this with the anticipation I have felt several times over the same years when a shiny new "toy" from Apple makes its way to my front door. No comparison! Talk with a new client about the possibility of untethering from the desk and being truly productive using an iPad and a variety of "off the shelf" solutions and eyes light up with anticipation and possibility!
Candidly, Microsoft's lethargic pace of innovation is even worse on the small business front. No one, I mean no one, is happy to ask me, my new friend, or anyone in my field, to come to their office and "fix" various network and software issues which often can only be resolved by digging deep into the bowels of various Microsoft operating system settings. This process is akin to finding and working with a mechanic on a broken vehicle. Getting the car to "just work" so you can get from one destination to another is perceived as a painful expense and necessary evil, nothing more. This isn't to say people don't want a good mechanic that they truly trust, they do!, you still rarely are excited to pick up the 'phone and say, "Hello."
I have made a decent living through the years fixing various problems relating to WinTel based networks. In fact, Microsoft in many ways created the building blocks for much of my past business. What has changed is my clients are no longer content to be shackled to Microsoft's expensive, complex, software, and I am no longer excited about working in this area. This "boat" has sailed and it seems only Bill Gates, Steve Ballmer, and hoards of engineers working on the next iterations of last year's products, don't realize it....
My bar room friend mentioned that Microsoft was laying off thousands of engineers. Looking at the news today, I don't see that. However, there are credible reports of the company laying off a couple of hundred employees. This is a very, very, small percentage of the company's 92,000 or so worldwide employees. However, layoffs of any kind is certainly not a sign of growth and prosperity.
The stock market seems to agree. As the nearby graph shows, Microsoft's stock has languished over the past ten years. With a market cap of over $250 billion, plenty of cash and an operating margin hovering around 25%, no one is going to worry about this company's financial health. But the picture is clear, Microsoft is living off the fat profit margins of its cash cows-- Windows OS and Microsoft Office. It has been over a decade since the market has built any "upside surprise" into the stock's valuation.
Does Microsoft still have a place in the IT world? Sure. The majority of existing small and medium sized businesses operating in the USA today rely on Microsoft technology to operate. This fact isn't going to materially change for quite some time. Long after I retire there will still be a need for technology consultants focused on maintaining these networks.
Today's new start ups, the small businesses which our country desperately needs to innovate and create jobs, don't want to be shackled by Microsoft's technology model. They want mobility, instant, anywhere, data access. The want it to "just work" without monolithic on site hardware investments and a cost line for in-house technical staffs. They want flexibility to change, update, remix, on the fly. In other words, they see technology is a tool to be used to maximize their efficiency and connectivity. Cubicles filled with beige desktops tied to servers hidden away overheating a closet down the hall is so last century.....
There are ways of marrying the best of the old with the new, but this is a discussion for another day. What are your thoughts? Has Microsoft delivered anything which has excited you lately? Are you going to jump on board Windows 8 when it finally arrives? Is it time for Microsoft to consider breaking up not because of monopoly concerns, but to potentially unlock shareholder value and innovation? I welcome your comments!
I currently participate in the Amazon Associates Program and certain item links included within this post may tie to this affiliate program.
Companies: Apple, Microsoft
This commentary is not meant as an endorsement of any company or to provide financial advice. If the author has any financial interest in any company mentioned at the time of this article’s posting, it will be explicitly noted. I welcome feedback and comments.
Music Row Tech will never sell, give away or use your personal information with third parties.
All rights reserved @2012, Music Row Tech (MRT). Any reproduction without the author's consent is prohibited.
Wednesday, February 1, 2012
Where's My iPad!!!? Getting Your iDevice To "Call Home...."
This Apple service was once part of the fee based, MobileMe offering, is now free and bundled as part of the iCloud suite. I have found various parts of the iCloud to be unreliable (particularly for those users attempting to integrate Apple devices with one or more Windows based computers). If you are interested in reading an earlier post on this subject, please click this link. However, Find My iPhone works very well and can make your life easier in several ways!
Like many insurance policies (and Find My iPhone is actually "insurance" against the day your iDevice is stolen or misplaced), once you need the insurance it is too late to get the policy! (Ever heard of someone trying to buy fire insurance as the house burns, or obtain medical insurance after getting news of a chronic illness?) In order for Find My iPhone to perform its magic, you have to install this simple App on each iPhone and iPad you want to track. Be sure to SIGN IN to the service on each device! Downloading the App does nothing more to protect you than getting an insurance application and leaving it unsigned on your desk! Once you have completed these two quick steps, it is likely you will forget all about this App until you need it!
The service itself is elegantly simple and "just works." You can access the service from another iDevice--I have yet to lose BOTH my iPhone and iPad simultaneously!-- or any browser through the iCloud Control Panel:
Please note, you do not have to use any other Apple iCloud service to activate and take advantage of Find My iPhone. When activated, Find My iPhone determines the location of your device(s) using a combination of GPS and wi-fi (if available) and provides a graphic display of each iDevice's physical location:
If your device is in unfriendly hands, you have the option of remotely wiping the device of any and all sensitive data. This feature will help you rest easier especially when combined with the option to limit the number of attempts to open your device using the PIN # erase feature found under Settings | General | Passcode Lock on your iDevice. By also setting the Erase Data option to "On" your device will auto delete after ten unsuccessful unlock attempts. This is actually a first tier level of protection you should engage now if you have any sensitive data-- and virtually everyone carrying a smart device has something they would rather not share with unscrupulous thieves-- whatsoever:
But with Find My iPhone, you don't have to wait, worry, and "hope" the auto destruct feature set above works its magic! Log into Find My iPhone from another iDevice or web browser and select the missing smart device. You will have three simple but effective options:
- Play Sound or Message (This option will Play A Sound even if the device has been set to Vibrate!)
- Remote Lock.
- Remote Wipe.
Each of these alternatives have a place in your arsenal of remote nuclear destruction. Even combinations of choices makes sense in certain circumstances. For instance, if your iPhone is lost at a party, it may be discovered with Option 1 and then Locked using Option 2 until you can physically retrieve the device.....
What happened this morning? Well as occasionally happens in my world, I couldn't put my hands on my iPad this morning. I wasn't truly panic stricken because I knew the device was somewhere in my house, the question was where! (This series of events is all too familiar for those close to me!) After fifteen minutes of fruitless searching, I headed to my home office and fired up Find My iPhone. I selected my iPad and after confirming it and I were indeed sharing the same address at the moment, I selected "Play Sound or Message." After this, it was only a question of wandering around and listening for the wayward device. I found it well hidden, snugly secured between my mattress and headboard. Without this service, I would probably still be frantically searching (creating a heck of a mess in the process), cursing, and making my dog very nervous. This may sound like a trivial example of forgetfulness (and it is in many respects), but it also shows how a feature you think may only have value after your iDevice has been left in a cab can make life better.
So if you haven't taken the time to add this sentry to your Apple devices. Please make this your next projects after Google+ing (as that a verb!?), tweeting, or sharing this article on Facebook with your friends.
If Find Your iPhone has helped you in some way, I welcome your comments!
I currently participate in the Amazon Associates Program and certain item links included within this post may tie to this affiliate program.
Companies: Apple
This commentary is not meant as an endorsement of any company or to provide financial advice. If the author has any financial interest in any company mentioned at the time of this article’s posting, it will be explicitly noted. I welcome feedback and comments.
Music Row Tech will never sell, give away or use your personal information with third parties.
All rights reserved @2012, Music Row Tech (MRT). Any reproduction without the author's consent is prohibited.
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