bruceb news

Apple’s software for Windows has been causing problems on more and more of my clients’ computers. I’ve been wrestling with bluescreens caused by iTunes, file extensions hijacked by Quicktime, and now I’m suspicious that an uninvited service has been causing problems in Outlook.

An iTunes installation includes far more than a music library that syncs to your iPod. There are multiple services and kernel mode drivers and program addins, with very little of it included in any disclosure or presented with any options. Apple also installs its “software update” framework, which it has used to install additional unrelated software without adequate disclosure, notably when it used the update service to install its insecure Safari web browser a few months ago. […] continued

T-Mobile introduced the first cell phone based on Google’s Android operating system to much fanfare a few days ago. Although Android has some interesting features and much promise, I don’t expect to see anyone holding the T-Mobile G1 in Sonoma County for a while, since T-Mobile is a fringe player with limited coverage up here (and certainly no connection anywhere nearby to its high speed 3G data network).

Android is a work in progress; comparisons to the iPhone are inevitable and at the moment Android comes up a bit short, but it’s early to make any decisions. In this first iteration, Android is tied in very closely to Google’s online mail, calendar and contact services, which are fully integrated and reportedly work smoothly. […] continued

Apple reacted quickly to the reports that the latest iTunes update has caused some Windows systems to crash badly. Last night Apple posted another version of iTunes that rolls back the offending hardware driver to an older version. If your system is blue screening, all you have to do is uninstall iTunes, uninstall Apple Mobile Device Support, and then reinstall iTunes from last night’s release.

That’s absurd, of course. As one person commented:

“A kernel level device driver (like the USB driver that Apple installs rather than using the one built in to the OS) will always have the ability to take down the OS.

[…] continued

New slogan for Apple: iTunes ain’t done till Windows won’t run!

After its iPod conference this week – more of a non-event than usual for Apple – a new version of iTunes started to roll out to Windows users. For some people, it’s causing crashes and even causing blue screens after it installs broken drivers without any disclosure or warning.

The problems don’t affect everybody – like so many computer problems, these are likely to be caused by unfortunate conflicts with other programs if they’re installed on the same computer. It’s still being investigated but one writer suggests that any of these factors might cause the iTunes upgrade to crash the computer:

• Roxio disc burning software
• An HP USB printer
• Logitech software/hardware

This writer thoroughly investigated the 80Mb (!) download delivered by the iTunes installer and discovered that it was installing two hardware drivers, including one that has a long history of causing blue screens (fatal crashes) on Windows systems. […] continued

I speculated a couple of days ago about a cheap device that might run Google’s Chrome Internet browser – and here’s the reality, right in front of us. Dell just formally introduced the Dell Inspiron Mini 9, a 2.28 pound device with a 1024×600 8.9″ screen, running a reduced version of Windows XP.

The Mini is $399. In the next few weeks Dell will make them available in more colors and put out a slightly cheaper variation running Ubuntu Linux instead of Windows.

Here’s who will be buying it, from a Dell blog:

“Purpose-built to keep teens, tweens, travelers and ‘Tweeters’ connected, the Mini is optimized for that ’30-minute connection’ experience – blogging, surfing, e-mailing, chatting, viewing photos, videos and music – you get the idea.”

Yeah, I get the idea – not me, is the idea. […] continued

I have a Verizon mobile wireless adapter built into my Dell Latitude D630. I pay sixty bucks a month so I can connect to a reasonably fast EVDO broadband connection from just about anywhere. It’s becoming a standard accessory for business travellers who don’t want to hassle with conventional wireless.

A few days ago, there was a lengthy delay when I clicked the Connect button – “wait while your equipment is updated,” something like that.

It stopped working after that, although I didn’t recognize the coincidence for a while. I just knew that this error message came up when I tried to connect. […] continued

ActiveSync is the technology from Microsoft that connects a mobile device to Exchange Server. For businesses running Small Business Server, it is ActiveSync that makes a Windows Mobile-based device so compelling – over the air syncing of Outlook mail, calendar & contacts.

Apple licensed ActiveSync for the new generation of iPhone, making it more appealing for businesses.

Blackberry devices don’t run ActiveSync and cannot connect to an Exchange Server directly. That’s why I’ve written frequently about the difficulty of setting up a Blackberry in offices running Small Business Server.

This web site announces a third party plugin for Blackberry devices that uses ActiveSync to sync with Exchange Servers, claiming it will be available this month. […] continued

On the assumption that my choices are endlessly fascinating to an ever-growing number of people – really, really bored people – I’ve added a page with details about the hardware and software that I use here at the high-tech headquarters of bruceb consulting. I’ll try to keep it up to date. Heck, my computers are happy – you could do worse than follow my example in precise detail.

Click here for all the prurient details!

Two weeks ago, Microsoft announced new services that might drastically change the email technology used by small businesses. Let me give you some background, then give you some information about Microsoft Online Services – a way for a small business to have its Outlook folders stored online by Microsoft.

Companies running Exchange Server for Outlook reap tremendous benefits. For example:

• The same Outlook folders can be displayed on multiple computers at multiple locations. You can use your Outlook folders seamlessly from a desktop computer at the office, a desktop computer at home, and a notebook computer on the road, and Outlook is always up to date at all locations.

[…] continued

Few people browse Internet pages on a mobile device with a three inch screen. A few sites have pages that are optimized for a mobile device but they’re pretty hard to come by. (The iPhone does better with its ability to zoom in and out on a page but it’s still difficult to make sense of most web sites.)

If you’ve got a Windows Mobile-based phone, try going to Microsoft’s “Windows Live Search for Windows Mobile” at http://wls.live.com. You’ll install a small program and get a surprisingly useful collection of online tools for the city you entered. There are maps and driving directions, searchable lists of theaters and restaurants and other businesses, weather, and a few more things, all designed for the small screen. […] continued