Windows 8.1 Update 1 - Metro and Desktop Fusion!

New images from Windows 8.1 Update 1 are emerging over the web and it should be launched in April.
In this new images it's possible to know that finally Microsoft it's merging the Metro and Desktop experience.

It will be possible with Update 1 (and in Windows "9" by the way) to run apps or metro apps while using the desktop. There's also a new option called "Show Store apps on the taskbar" which also make using Windows 8.1 a more fluid experience.

Windows "9" in October?

It's a new buzz today.

From some time has been said that Microsoft was aiming for April 2015 for tha launch of Windows "9" RTM, but after a tweet on WZor, it seems that the new date it's October 2014.

The new version of Microsoft's OS should bring a refined UI (Metro-Style 2.0) and other new user friendly updates.

It's also rumored that Microsoft will not launch any pre-alpha versions.

Sci-fi with Windows 8.1 + Microsoft Kinect + DVE

It's almost common sense that nowadays science fiction it's just a glance of what the future will bring to reality.

Interacting with applications in "mid air" it's one of that things that I believed was still in the future.
Digital Video Enterprises (DVE) created a technology that brings that future for today.
Using Microsoft Windows 8.1 apps, a Microsoft Kinect device and of course, DVE's software, they have created an immersion room where apps are floating in the air and it's possible to interact with them.

Although it's in an early phase, applications like Powerpoint and Lync are now functioning in a augmented reality mode.
One of the great features it's that now special glasses are needed.

Take a look at this demo:
DVE Immersion Room Demo

Deploy Windows 8 with MDT

Here's a very quick but helpful video about how to install Microsoft Windows 8 with Microsoft Deployment Toolkit 2012 Update 1 (MDT).

In this video there's all you need to understand the basic steps to create a Litetouch installation.

Microsoft Remote Server Administration Tools (RSAT) for Windows 8.1

This post it's just to remember everyone using RSAT on Windows 8 that after upgrading you'll need to install the new RSAT 8.1.

Just download it here:
http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=39296

VCE - Building the Vblock Infrastruture Platform - Part 2

Here's the part 2 of Build the Vblock Infrastruture Platform from VCE.
In this short video it's showed the customer installation on it's datacenter.

VCE - Building the Vblock Infrastruture Platform - Part 1

Here's Part 1 of a comprehensive video about how VCE builds the Vblock Infrastruture Platform.
VBlock IP it's a converged infrastruture that allows customers to select preconfigured and integrated solutions with predictable units of power, weight, cooling and geometry for datacenters.

Vblock systems consist of storage from EMC, switches and servers from Cisco and also VMware virtualization software.