الجمعة، 29 أكتوبر 2010

President Obama Signs An iPad

TechCrunch reports that the autograph hunter has evolved with the technology at their disposal. Sylvester Cann IV used Adobe’s Ideas app to produce a thoroughly modern take on the old pastime of autograph hunting.

Simply - and somewhat abruptly - Sylvester scrawled: “Mr. President, sign my iPad”. The two images below show the request, and indeed the result.

Sylvester explains: "At a rally in Seattle, WA at the University of Washington, the President used the touchscreen on my iPad to give me his autograph. Secret service was leery about the idea, but they warmed up to the idea and the President thought it was cool.

"He looked slightly surprised, but proceeded to use his finger to scribble on the iPad using the Adobe Ideas app."

Pretty impressive clarity, considering the President signed with his finger, right?

President Obama Signs An iPad

President Obama Signs An iPad

الأربعاء، 27 أكتوبر 2010

Windows Startup Screens From 1.01 to 7

Microsoft is celebrating the first birthday of Windows 7 - and the subsequent 240 million licenses that have been sold during this time.

To mark the occasion, TechRepublic has created a gallery of the startup displays that have graced our screens since the launch of Windows. Here are the ones that have a special place in our memory:

Windows Startup Screen

Windows Startup Screen

Windows Startup Screen

Windows Startup Screen

Windows Startup Screen

الاثنين، 25 أكتوبر 2010

1Gbps Broadband From Google

Google, in association with Stanford University, has announced the launch of trials on super-fast broadband. This is an attempt to make broadband speeds of 1Gigabit-per-second a reality.

More than 850 lucky Stanford University students will be testing the connection in their halls of residence. It is hoped that the scale will be increased, to an eventual 500,000 users.

The trial is expected to start in early 2011. Meanwhile,
Virgin Media is currently trialling 200Mbps connections in the UK - which suddenly becomes rather overshadowed.

I wonder who will be regulating the Stanford University students' downloads??

الجمعة، 22 أكتوبر 2010

The Best Google Doodles 09/10

It was New Year's Day 2000 when Google first altered its logo in remembrance of a holiday, anniversary, or special day. In those ten years, there have been some pretty great revamps. TechRepublic looks at the top 30 Google Doodles from 2009 and 2010.

This is our top five:

On 7 October 2009 Google commemorated the filing of the patent for a barcode. The Doodle reads "Google" in the Code 123B symbology.
Firebrand Google Doodle
Google created this complex series of graphs to celebrate PI Day on 14 March 2010.
Firebrand Google Doodle

In September 2009, Google remembered the birthday of author H.G. Wells.
Firebrand Google Doodle

June 6, 2009 was the 25th anniversary of Tetris. Unfortunately for this wasn't a working Tetris game...
Firebrand Google Doodle

...Our all-time favourite - Google created a fully-working PAC-MAN game to replace its logo on 21 May 2010, in celebration of PAC-MAN's 30th anniversary.
Firebrand Google Doodle

الخميس، 21 أكتوبر 2010

CompTIA Lifetime Certifications Ending

CompTIA has announced that its A+, Network+ and Security+ certifications will no longer remain lifetime certifications. From 1 January 2011, the three certifications will need to be refreshed every three years.

Act Now! Continuing education or re-certification will not be required for anyone who obtains one of these CompTIA certifications by 31 December 2010.

We have arranged a special seven-day A+ and Network+ combined course from Monday 6 December. Gain these two certifications with just five days out of the office - and you will have them for a lifetime.

Firebrand Training is an Authorized Partner of CompTIA. This means that we have access to the latest official curriculum, and the best instructors.

الأربعاء، 20 أكتوبر 2010

IT Budgets Set To Rise In 2011

IT budgets are set to rise in 2011 according to a new survey. ZDNet details the findings by Wedbush, who surveyed 100 IT managers. Unsurprisingly, cloud, virtualization and collaboration projects were top of the list for forcasted spend.

Highlights from the report include:


  • 77% of IT Managers expected IT budgets to rise in 2011.
  • 66% of IT executives say that implementation of new software platforms were critical, up from 47% in the second quarter survey. SaaS, collaboration, HR and ERP projects are all in demand and rated high priority projects.
  • 59% of respondents said they would purchase tablets in the next year, but only 29% of those surveyed thought they would replace notebooks. PC demand remains solid for the immediate future.
  • 47% of IT teams are upgrading to the latest Microsoft Exchange, with 23% rolling out partial deployments.
  • Network deployments such as security, routing/switching, collaboration and performance management are all rated as top priority.

الثلاثاء، 19 أكتوبر 2010

Firebrand Blog Nominated In Computer Weekly IT Blog Awards 2010

The Firebrand Training Blog has been nominated in the Computer Weekly IT Blog Awards 2010 - in the 'Company / Corporate: SMEs' category.

Our Twitter feed - BeAFirebrand - has also been nominated; for 'IT Twitter User Of The Year.'

Please vote for us at
the Computer Weekly IT Blog Awards 2010 page.

Thank you all for reading, and voting!

الاثنين، 18 أكتوبر 2010

World's Best Presentation Contest 2010

Una vez más me presento al World's Best Presentation Contest 2010 de Slideshare, un concurso que me encanta por la gran cantidad de muestras creativas que se dan, pero sobre todo por que es de los pocos concursos en los que me animo a participar. El año pasado quedé en el puesto 21 entre los votantes.

Los invito a ver mi presentación y sobre todo a votar por mi, entrando a Slideshare y registrándose :). Los primeros puestos en las votaciones de la gente son aquellos a los cuales el jurado evalúa para dar a los ganadores, crucen los dedos por mi :) y de ante mano gracias por sus votos!

Half Of Home Wi-Fi Networks Can Be Hacked In Less Than Five Seconds

Robert Chapman spoke to Computing, SC Magazine and Computer Business Review about a report that reveals that nearly half of home Wi-Fi networks can be hacked in less than five seconds.

CPP, a provider of Life Assistance products and services, released the report "UK’'s Wireless Networks Open To Attack." The report revealed that personal wireless networks are prone to hacking, with 82% not even having a password.

Robert explains: "It appears this problem is still not being taken seriously by enough companies and individuals. One day - probably soon - there is going to be a security breach that does irreversible damage. Will it be only then that people wake up to this threat?"

الخميس، 14 أكتوبر 2010

Top 10 Tips for Passing the Microsoft SharePoint 2010 Exams

Joel Jeffery of JFDI Phoenix, an instructor at Firebrand Training, gives the rundown of his top ten tips for passing the Microsoft SharePoint 2010 exams. These will prove invaluable whether you are a SharePoint Administrator (exams 70-667 and 70-668), or a SharePoint Developer (exams 70-573 and 70-576).

The exam syllabus states that three months of product experience is required before sitting the MCTS exams, and up to two years for the MCITP and MCPD exams. You can complement this experience with my top ten tips:

1. Pace yourself. You have a limited amount of time and a lot of questions to answer. Give yourself a time limit per question – and stick to it. Keep track of the time remaining, which is displayed on-screen.

2. Read the question. It sounds obvious, but read the question thoroughly. Watch out if you like taking notes: don’t use all your exam time writing them down!

3. Do you know the answer? Another one that may sound obvious. If you have checked the whole question, and you are certain that you know the answer - select the answer and move on.

4. Leave no question unanswered. There is no “negative” marking in Microsoft exams. You only accumulate points for correct answers; no additional marks are deducted for incorrect choices.

5. Don’t change your mind. If you choose to review your choices at the end (and this is generally a good idea) do not be tempted to change your answer unless you are sure you got it wrong.

6. Look out for clues in later questions. Your exam can be like a logic puzzle. Sometimes you can find two or three questions spread over the course of an exam that, when read together, can only have one logical combination of correct answers.

7. Eliminate the stupid choices. The quality of Microsoft exams has improved much over the last few years. These days, all choices you will be presented with must be viable areas of SharePoint 2010’s object model or platform. However, there are usually still one or two obviously incorrect choices that you can eliminate with ease.

8. Look out for trick questions. Sometimes Microsoft puts in choices that are more applicable to a previous version of a product or technology, but which would not work on the new platform.

9. Avoid overly complex answers. Try and ask yourself “If I were to design an API or command line interface, how should I do it?” Often the most cumbersome-looking choices are incorrect. Beware though. Sometimes things are just difficult to do.

10. Don’t forget everything you already know about IT! You walk in to the exam room with potentially many years’ experience as a developer or IT Professional. Keep calm and use your real-world skills.

الاثنين، 11 أكتوبر 2010

Equipos de Alto Desempeño


Aprovechando las exposiciones de mis alumnos donde recordè este tema, les comparto esta parte adicional a las diapositivas, que me pareció importante.

Como saber que no se está aportando en Equipo de Alto Desempeño
  • Cada vez que se esté desinformado o perdido e igual se interviene para “aportar”.
  • Cuando se discute y se está permanentemente en desacuerdo.
  • Cuando se repite lo que otro dijo.
  • Cuando se interviene para decir algo que no viene al caso.
  • Cuando se hacen “preguntas” que enredan, o una pregunta se convierte en una intervención muy larga.
  • Cuando la persona se molesta porque “no se le hace caso” a su sugerencia.
  • Cuando la persona se pliega al desorden de la reunión.
  • Cuando se realizan conversaciones en paralelo.

CISA and CISM Exam Registration Deadline Extended

The deadline for registering for CISA and CISM exams has been extended to Friday 15 October 2010. The exams take place on Saturday 11 December 2010.

Visit the ISACA website to register for the respective exams, or call us on 080 80 800 888 for more information. Use the following links -
CISA and CISM.

الأربعاء، 6 أكتوبر 2010

65% of Internet Users Fall Victim to Cybercrime

Coinciding with the release of Norton AntiVirus 2011 and Norton Internet Security 2011, Symantec has published "The Norton Cybercrime Report: The Human Impact."

It claims that 65% of the world's internet users have already fallen victim to cybercrimes (including computer viruses, online credit card fraud and identity theft). The top four countries to fall victim were: 83% in China,
76% Brazil and India and 73% in the USA.

Though it appears that this crimewave can't be attributed to complacency: only 3% of web users don’t think that it will happen to them. But a pessimistic 80% do not expect cybercriminals to be brought to justice.


It's interesting to see
web user's emotions following a cybercrime taking place. Victims’ strongest reactions are feeling angry (58%), annoyed (51%) and cheated (40%).

الاثنين، 4 أكتوبر 2010

MCPs Gain A Virtual Business Card

The Microsoft Born to Learn blog details the availability of Virtual Business Cards (VBCs) for Microsoft Certified Professionals (MCPs). In order to build your own VBC, visit the MCP site or http://mcpvirtualbusinesscard.com.

It lists the benefits as:

  • The best way to share and prove your credentials
  • It is creative and vibrant
  • You can establish yourself as a brand
Virtual Business Card

The business card is intended for use on email signatures, blogs, forums etc. You can also share the card via a URL, an embeddable javascript or in PNG format. Each card is linked to an associated profile page. This is designed to act as an MCP's online CV.

You can select which of your certifications appear on the page, and you can add whatever additional information you like.