Author Archives: harjit

Review – Anker Roav DashCam C2

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I recently got the chance to use and review one of Anker‘s newest products, called the Roav DashCam C2. This is a video camera to be used in a vehicle to record one’s travel from point A to point B for various reasons. In this day and age, we are surrounded by video cameras from speed traps, traffic lights, building security, merchandise stores, gas stations, office buildings, elevators, and the list goes on. Lately, video cameras aka dashcams have become more and more popular especially for documentation purposes as well as for proving wrong doings by other parties on traffic violations, and much more.

Check out some of these footage on YouTube from dashcams. There are also some plane crashes caught on dashcams such as the Taiwan plane crash, Mukilteo plane crash, and the Afghanistan plane crash to name a few. As you can see, these are unbelievable captures which would otherwise be disputed.

Now back to the Roav DashCam C2. Here’s what it offers:

  • Size: 3.4 x 2.5 x 1.4 inches
  • Weight: 3.5 ounces
  • Display: 1080P / 720P with a 3 inch LCD screen size
  • Storage: microSD card (not included)
  • Chipset: Ambarella A12
  • Sensor: Sony IMX323
  • Camera: f/2.0 wide-angle lens
  • Operating Temperature: -4*F – 158*F

Pros:

  • Easy to setup
  • Night mode for clarity
  • Parking detection mode
  • Emergency recording to lock footage
  • Easy to use menu and buttons
  • High quality video captures
  • Wide-angle coverage
  • Automatic recording
  • Small form factor

Cons:

  • No zooming for tighter or closer recording scenes
  • 32GB microSD card preferred but not necessary. More of an annoyance reminder on each startup
  • Finicky touch screen
  • No smartphone app
  • No WiFi or Bluetooth capability
  • microSD card must be removed from unit to transfer to computer

Check out my unboxing video:

The Roav DashCam C2 is quite simple to use and just works. More often than not, I forget that I have it installed since I have it positioned behind my rear view mirror with the suction cup attachment provided. This is a good thing, as each drive I do with my vehicle is automatically recorded and I have the footage when I need it. The camera activates as soon as I start my car and power is received by the dashcam.

I do have a couple of pet peeves, and the first one is the constant reminder that I should be using a 32GB microSD card when the dashcam automatically turns on, but it works just fine with a lesser capacity card, which is what I’m using. The device is smart enough to loop and delete older recordings when it needs space for newer recordings. The other is the lack of a smartphone app which is available for the C1 model but not for the C2. Using an app allows more streamlined use of the device such as to change settings and to transfer recordings for upload to various sources. Otherwise, I’m quite happy with this dashcam as it does what I need it to do which is to record my travels without any effort. Plus, it’s inexpensive too. You’ll find it on Amazon for $79.99.

    

The reminder message to use a 32GB microSD card:

The various options as seen in the menu screens:
  
  
  
  
  

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ADMX Template For Windows 10 Fall Creators Update (1709) Now Available

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On October 17, 2017, Microsoft has started to rollout Windows 10 Fall Creators Update (1709) to customers worldwide. The following tools to support this latest release has been made available, which includes Windows 10 Administrative Templates (.ADMX) and Windows Assessment and Deployment Kit (ADK) as previously mentioned in my blog post. I have also posted about the Remote Server Administration Tools (RSAT) for Windows 10 Fall Creators Update.

Windows 10 Administrative Template (.ADMX)

Remote Server Administration Tools for Windows 10 (RSAT)

Windows 10 Assessment and Deployment Kit (ADK)

Microsoft Office 2016 Administrative Templates and Office Customization Tool is also available for download.

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Remote Server Administration Tools (RSAT) For Windows 10 v1709

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The latest version of the Remote Server Administration Tools (RSAT) for Windows 10 Falls Creators Update v1709 have been released. The download is available here. You will find the following download files available for version RS1-1.2, RS3-1.0 corresponding to x86 or x64 Operating Systems:

  • WindowsTH-RSAT_WS_1709-x64.msu (94.5MB)
  • WindowsTH-RSAT_WS_1709-x86.msu (69.9MB)
  • WindowsTH-RSAT_WS2016-x64.msu (92.3MB)
  • WindowsTH-RSAT_WS2016-x86.msu (69.5MB)

See here if you would like to determine if a computer is running 32-bit or 64-bit Windows OS.

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Windows ADK 1709 For Windows 10 Now Available

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With the release of Windows 10 version 1709, the following tool to support this latest Windows 10 build, Windows Assessment and Deployment Kit (ADK) version 1709 is now available.
You can download it from: Windows 10 Assessment and Deployment Kit (ADK).

Note: You must use Windows 10 build 1709 with this version of the ADK.
The Windows ADK is also available to Windows Insiders. Join the Windows Insider Program to get the Windows ADK Insider Preview.

Update: April 6, 2017
** Known Issues for ADK 1703 **
ADK Drivers don’t install on systems with secure boot enabled:
Drivers on the ADK Deployment tools will not install on systems with Secure Boot (SB) enabled.  To work around the issue, disable SB on these systems.This only impacts systems with Secure Boot enabled. More info here!

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Windows 10 Fall Creators Update (v1709) Available in VLSC

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The ISO download for Windows 10 Fall Creators Update edition (version 1709) has been released and is now available from the Microsoft Volume Licensing Service Center (VLSC) portal. You’ll find both 32-bit and 64-bit ISO files with a download size of 3186 MB and 4347 MB respectively.

Known issues are documented here. Also, this is a good article on “How to verify if you have downloaded or installed the latest version of Windows 10”. I would recommend that you check out Michael Niehaus’ recent blog post where he shares some important information regarding the changes with the volume license media and upgrade packages with Windows 10. There is only one ISO with a single WIM (Windows Image) file that contains all the volume license images as listed below:

Here’s what’s new in Windows 10 Fall Creators Update. If you are looking for the Windows Assessment and Deployment Kit (Windows ADK) for version 1709, you’ll find it here.

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Review – Karapax iPhone Case by Anker

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It is no surprise to many especially my techie friends how much I love Anker and the awesome products this company offers. Over time, I have purchased many products from Anker such as the portable battery chargers, cables, speakers, car mounts, dash cams, and even a portable vacuum cleaner, to name a few. The reasons why I lean towards this company for my gadget requirements sums up to three things: Quality, Value, and Customer Service.

I had the pleasure of using the Karapax brand iPhone case on my iPhone 6 smartphone, and here’s my review:

  • For starters, the case comes in a nice professional looking packaging (as seen in the image above) as opposed to a cheap plastic sleeve, which is often the case with other manufacturers at the equivalent price range.
  • The case is made of carbon fiber, feels strong, is quite flexible, and feels nice when held in the hand.
  • The size of the case is slim and it doesn’t add more bulk to the footprint of the iPhone.
  • The Karapax case fits easily with an iPhone without much effort and the fit is snug and secure.
  • The case can be removed from the phone when needed with ease and without struggle.
  • The case has anti-slip strips on the side and back, and some grooves on the back to give a nice comfortable feel in the hand and to avoid slippery encounters.
  • On the front side, the case provides a lip around the screen to help protect the screen from direct contact with a surface when the phone is placed screen down. It is possible that this raised lip may protect the screen from a minor low level fall but I wouldn’t take the chance especially considering that a surface where the screen makes contact with may have an object such as a small stone. For a side or corner impact, the case may provide some protection, however I have not tested it and do not plan to do so!
  • On my iPhone 6, the cutout around the back camera appears much larger and part of the case sits on the top part of the camera, thus covering it very slightly. Initially, I was concerned, however upon testing the camera for photo and video, I found the case not to obstruct or cause any image quality issues.
  • The side buttons on the case for the power and volume controls are very responsive and work very well.
  • I found no issues using a headphone or charging the iPhone or using the built-in speaker with the openings in the bottom of the case.

I found this case to be useful, reasonably priced, and provides the peace of mind that I need for my iPhone. If you are interested in purchasing this case, you’ll find it on Amazon.

    
    

Check out my quick video walkthrough with the Karapax case:

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IT Dev Connections Community Engagement Expert

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I’m thrilled and honored to be invited by IT/Dev Connections to help manage their social and community engagements at the conference in San Francisco from October 23-26, 2017. IT/Dev conference is a deep dive highly technical conference for developers and IT Professionals and the speakers are top notch world experts. Here’s the announcement of my engagement on their blog.

Follow me on Twitter and IT/Dev Connections for updates, news, info, and announcements from the conference and more!

#ITDevConnections

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Microsoft Ignite (2017) Community Reporter

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I’m happy to announce that I’m honored to be selected as a Community Reporter for Microsoft Ignite at this year’s conference in Orlando from September 25-29, 2017. As a Community Reporter, I’ll be helping to bring the IT Pro community together in a series of interviews, recordings, live shows, social media, and much more. You will find my introduction and a Q&A on the Microsoft Tech Community site.

The Community Reporters are meticulously selected by Microsoft Ignite particularly as community influencers, Microsoft MVP, technical expertise, strong engagements with the IT Pro community, leadership, past conference planning experiences, and other unknown factors which is probably on a need to know only basis. 🙂

Here’s the announcement from Microsoft Ignite:

This year at Microsoft Ignite, we’re excited to have 10 MVPs serving as Community Reporters. Leading up to Orlando, they’ll be sharing tips and tricks for navigating Microsoft Ignite, what to pack, and a look at their session schedules. During Microsoft Ignite, the Community Reporters will be your go-to’s for live event updates. If you aren’t attending the conference this year, these reporters will be a great way to see what’s happening on-the-ground in Orlando. Check out their introductions and follow them on social to stay up-to-date on all things Microsoft Ignite!

I have the pleasure of being on the team of reporters comprised of a top notch crew (some of whom are good friends who I have known for a few years), and they are:

Check out their profiles, follow their social channels, and feel free to engage with any one of us. Thank you to the awesome folks at Microsoft Ignite and Microsoft Tech Community teams for the great opportunity. See you in Orlando!

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Speaking Gig At Microsoft Ignite 2017

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I was recently approached by the Microsoft Ignite team to submit some session topics for this year’s conference in Orlando taking place from September 25-29. As an MVP in the “Windows and Devices For IT” category, the team was interested in the Windows platform as I’m regarded as a subject matter expert in that arena, although I tend to work quite a bit with Systems Center Configuration Manager (ConfigMgr).

Well, today (August 18, 2017) I received confirmation from Microsoft Ignite that I have been accepted to speak at the conference covering two theater sessions. This couldn’t have come at a better time since I have plans to be in the area for some personal family activities, and it’s a great way to kill two birds or maybe three with one stone. My first session, “Hey Mom I’ll Fix Your Computer” (THR1073) will be on Monday, September 25 at 1:45PM at OCCC South, Expo Theater #7, and I will cover how you can solve computer issues and provide tech support remotely with a built-in tool in Windows 10.

My second session “Cool Microsoft Edge Tips and Tricks” (THR1072) will take place at 5:05PM at the same location and on Monday as well. In this session, I will show you how you can improve your browsing experience by leveraging some features in Microsoft Edge. If you are attending Microsoft Ignite in Orlando this year, feel free to sign up and check out my sessions. In case you haven’t heard of me, here’s my profile! 🙂

I am truly honored and grateful for this amazing opportunity to speak at the largest Microsoft conference in the world and I hope I meet everyone’s expectations and will do a great job. A big Thank you to Microsoft for this awesome opportunity, and to the MVP team and to my ever so appreciative IT Pro peers for your on-going support and encouragement always. Thank you Thank you Thanks you! Time to rock #MVPJit!

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Malware Isn’t Just For Windows Anymore – Fruitfly Is Hitting Macs Hard

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This year’s cyber threat epidemic started with Windows, then spread over to Linux and third-party apps, and now is here for Macs. While the latest malware Fruitfly is targeting Mac computers, its malware library is also capable of running on Linux systems. 

Though it was recently found conducting surveillance attacks, it’s possible Fruitfly has been infecting Mac systems for over two years. It appears that the base code of Fruitfly is over a decade old, which begs the question: how can decade-old malware start breaching systems now? Haven’t our systems been updated over the last ten years?

It seems the Fruitfly developers have reused old code and modified it to give this malware extra power and capabilities. This cross-platform malware uses old APIs, but if there are any changes in the API, it will break the legitimate program to maintain reverse compatibility as long as possible. Fruitfly may have escaped detection for a long time because it appears that its creators have intentionally limited how many computers it targets. And since Mac systems don’t usually face as many threats as Windows, many administrators have been more lenient with patching their Macs, leaving them vulnerable to attacks such as Fruitfly.

You can identify Fruitfly infections by detecting suspicious network traffic. A file integrity monitor or log analyzer can help you identify an attack on your network, but a breach could be avoided altogether by keeping your systems up-to-date. Since most enterprises comprise different operating systems, it isn’t advisable to employ a separate patching tool for Windows, Mac, and Linux. The smarter alternative would be for an enterprise to employ a multi-platform patch management solution that helps update every computer from a single console. However, there are only a few solutions on the market that even support third-party patching, and even less that provide complete control over all enterprise devices, including mobile devices. 

These last few months have already given security professionals a lot to cover, and since cyber attacks are evolving at rapid rate, its high time enterprises maintain endpoint security by keeping their systems up-to-date. The best way to do this is to employ a patch management solution to stay safe from future ransomware and malware. One such solution is ManageEngine’s Desktop Central.

Desktop Central is integrated desktop and mobile device management software. This multi-platform solution helps automate your overall patch management process, and also has some other enhanced features to help secure your network. Download ManageEngine Desktop Central Now and keep your Windows, Mac, Linux and all your third party applications completely safe and up-to-date. 

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