Let's start with the Good.....

Action Center

People with iPhones and/or iPads will immediately recognize this feature because it is similar to the Notification Center. Android devices have the same feature as well. Just swipe down from the top to see all of your notifications and alerts in one location. You can also configure Quick Actions such as Camera, Airplane Mode, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, etc. Quick Actions are only available on Windows Phone. The Action Center is also accessible when the device is locked.

App Folders

Another familiar iPhone/iPad feature has finally arrived to the Windows Phone. Just like with the iPhone you create a folder by dropping an app – actually a live tile – onto another. It’s a great way to group similar apps and maximize real estate on the Start Screen.

Shape Writing

Android users have had Swype for over a year now. I have to say this new feature to Windows Phone is pretty slick. Just drag you finger across the keyboard to type. I’ve been playing with it for a few days and so far so good. Don’t confuse this with Word Flow which suggests words as you type and really isn’t new.

Battery Saver & Background Tasks

Microsoft has smartly combined these to one Battery Saver app. Users now have a more intuitive way to understand how apps they use affect battery life and adjust accordingly.

Apps

The number one complaint about Windows Phone is apps or the lack thereof. I have to say though that Microsoft is quickly and quietly closing the gap. Most major financial institutions have a Windows Phone app as well as the most popular social media platforms. There are still some challenges with feature richness in some apps but for the apps I use most, I’m very happy with the progress that has been made.

And now the Great….. 

Cortana

A little history because I’m a nerd – the name Cortana comes to us as a character from Halo. She was first introduced in the Halo novels and then in the video games. Cortana was just a codename for the Windows Phone digital assistant, but the positive response prompted Microsoft to keep the name. Cortana is being marketed as competition for Apple’s Siri, but it’s really an answer to Google Now. Both blow Siri away.

Some features of Cortana are not new. Voice command and visual search have been features since the launch of Windows Phone 7. Windows Phone 7.5 eliminated the need for 3^rd party apps to identify music playing in the background (you may still want those apps if you want to do more than identify a song and/or buy it). Turn by turn directions leveraging Bing Maps optimized for walking or driving were already there as well. What Cortana does is take those features and add a ton of intelligence. The voice is better too.

You can teach Cortana how to correctly pronounce your name which is important to me since people have been butchering my name since birth. You also must give Cortana information about yourself, such as your interests and access to your location when you first set it up. Cortana groups your interests into a hub and uses your location in some very smart ways. Cortana even provides weather updates.

I tested out some of the features of Cortana that I’ve seen in commercials such at setting a reminder to buy bread next time I go to Mariano’s (local supermarket chain in Chicago). It worked well. I also noticed how well traffic alerts work for appointments on your calendar. This past week I was on my way to visit a customer. I noticed that I was about 45 minutes early so I stopped for a quick lunch. Cortana noticed that I had lingered in the restaurant a little long and opened a reminder and traffic alert to make sure I wasn’t late. I’m still playing with Cortana, but I’m loving the functionality so far.

Quiet Hours

I have two Windows Phones, one for work and one for business. Some people think it’s insane to have two phones but I prefer to keep work and business separate, especially since my employer can review the websites I visit and access text messages I send. Being a former Microsoft employee, current employees don’t think twice about calling me after business hours and before 7:00 AM. I’ve received calls as early as 6:30 AM and as late as 11:30 PM. I work as a software reseller now and Microsoft makes up a significant portion of my sales and I know all too well what it’s like at the end of a quarter or the fiscal year when everyone is scrambling to close deals. That being said, I love being able to set Quiet Hours on my work phone. This feature allows Cortana to handle calls and text messages during certain times. I can also create an ‘Inner Circle’ to allow important people to break through.

Business Features

Despite its robust consumer business, Microsoft still generates the bulk of its revenue from business customers and business users will find much to love with Windows Phone 8.1. Office is still on the phone as well as SharePoint and Office 365 integration. Microsoft has now added VPN support. Remote workers using bigger phones (phablets as some people call them) will truly be able to do all of their work from one device. File folders are new as well as the ability to project your screen onto a TV, monitor or projector. Download the free Office Lens and Office Remote apps to enhance your experience.

Device Synchronization

If Microsoft doesn’t do anything else well, it makes sure that all of its software and devices are integrated and work together. When I was an employee I remember well my days of telling the “Better Together” story when new products launched. This is a no brainer for Microsoft and totally second nature. I’m loving the fact the no matter what Windows 8.1 device I use, my apps, data and settings follow me. Microsoft has gotten very smart about how Windows Live ID is leveraged to provide a seamless experience.

Advertising ID

Microsoft doesn’t talk about much about how your activity is used to deliver ads within apps on your phone. If you are like me and don’t want personalized ads based on your activities delivered to your phone, you can simply turn this feature off or reset it. It won’t stop you from receiving ads, but they will be generic and not tied to your behavior. Thumbs up to Microsoft for giving users some control over how their information is used.

And now, What We’re They Thinking?

Before Windows Phone 7 launched I refused to get a Windows Mobile phone. One, because I refused to pay more than $150 for a phone and two, no one liked Windows Mobile 6.5 and those that had one went running to Blackberry when it launched and then to iPhone. Then Android came in and took over. It’s no secret that I believe that Microsoft should have dominated the mobile market, but we all see what happens when you are and early entrant but fail to innovate. Microsoft has been playing catch up ever since.

I’ve been a loyal Windows Phone user for years now. iPhone users tease me mercilessly, but I don’t care. The feature I love the most is the People Hub. The reason I love it is because for Windows Phone 8.0 and below you can sign directly into your Facebook account from the ‘email + accounts’ settings on your phone. With this direct integration, you can view, like and comment of Facebook posts from friend and pages you have liked. You can also post your own updates, tag people and check in. You can also combine contact cards for people you connect with across multiple platforms (Outlook, Google, Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, etc.) into one and interact with them there. All of this from the People Hub. Windows Phone 8.1 has eliminated this feature. What the…..?

When you upgrade to Windows Phone 8.1 the People Hub integration with Facebook is still there, but Microsoft has rendered it useless. You are now forced to install and connect the Facebook Windows Phone app on your phone. Any time you want to interact a Facebook update in the People Hub or post your own update, you are forced to launch the Facebook app. This wouldn’t be that big of a deal, except the app is in need of a major update and doesn’t seem to be on its way anytime time soon. The app doesn’t allow users to modify how the News Feed is presented. It doesn’t present every update from friends and pages. It often leaves hours of time between statues that you’ve reviewed. In short Microsoft took something that worked really well and ruined the experience in two interfaces. If you look at the reviews for the app you’ll see that I’m not the only person who feels that way. Don’t get me wrong the app used to work and work very well. Now it doesn’t and Microsoft needs to do something soon.

In Summary.....

Windows Phone 8.1 is a great operating system, upgrading was fast and easy and the new features make it worth it. I’ve only touched the tip of the iceberg of the new features.  Please make your way over to www.windowsphone.com to see the rest. iPhone and Android users will find many familiar features that should make transitioning easier. Apps still lag the competition, but the apps I use the most frequently for entertainment, social media, travel and productivity are available and work quite well. I just need Microsoft to fix the Facebook app and fix the People Hub integration and I’ll be a totally satisfied customer.

6:00 to 8:30 PM

Chicago Office - AON Center - 200 E Randolph St, Suite 200

All attendees should register in advance.  Please send your resume and contact information to esjobs@microsoft.com and register online at http://mcschicago-eac2.eventbrite.com

We are hiring Project Managers, Engagement Managers and Technical Consultants who have a consulting and technology background in the following areas:

• Active Directory
• Windows Server
• SharePoint - Development and Infrastructure
• System Center
• Desktop Deployment
• SQL/BI
• Exchange
• Lync

Microsoft understands and appreciates the value of a diverse workforce and an inclusive culture for our employees and our customers. On May 15th, we are looking to meet experienced professional women with an innovative spirit who have excelled in their careers and who want to be a part of changing the world through technology. We invite these women to join us at Microsoft’s Chicago office for the opportunity to network and gain insight as to why Microsoft is continually ranked in the Top 5 by Crain’s Chicago Business as the Best Places to Work in Chicago. Whether you are actively searching for a career transition, or just want to build your professional network, we look forward to speaking with you.

Event Details

Tuesday, May 15, 2012

4:30pm – 7:00pm

Microsoft 200 E Randolph Dr, Suite 200, Chicago, IL 60601

Register to attend

Agenda

4:00pm Doors open for Registration/Networking

4:30pm ‘Driving Your Own Success’ presentation delivered by Pernille Spiers-Lopez a Senior Associate at Barbara Annis & Associate Inc. dedicated to advancing Gender Intelligence, Cultural Inclusiveness and empowering women to achieve their highest aspirations while remaining true to themselves.

5:30pm ‘Why Microsoft’ presentation by Janet Kennedy, Microsoft Regional Vice President

5:45pm Cocktail Reception/Networking with Microsoft Employees

7:00pm Event concludes

To register for the Meet Microsoft Women’s Networking Event click here or visit www.msevents.microsoft.com and search on Event ID: 1032510551

Please note that registration is limited and attendees must pre-register to participate.

Questions? Email mwdevent@microsoft.com

For more information about job opportunities at Microsoft, visit:  www.careers.microsoft.com

I remember when Microsoft first contacted me for an interview. I had been unemployed for about three months largely due to the aftermath of September 11. My resume was posted online just about everywhere imaginable and I was getting a ton of spam and a lot of rejection because either folks weren't hiring or my salary history was too high and companies were afraid that I'd leave once the job market improved. I don't know if any of you have ever been unemployed before, but it really does start to wear on your spirit the longer it goes on. Also, my unemployment benefits were not enough to cover my mortgage AND I couldn't afford COBRA so I had to find healthcare coverage through Blue Cross of IL. I was literally living off severance pay, commission, my last paycheck and unemployment and about to dip into my savings when I got an e-mail from a Microsoft recruiter. Thinking it was spam I almost deleted it, but something said give her a call. I called her and we set up my first phone interview. This was January 2002 and Microsoft had recently released Windows XP.

Now I'll say upfront that my background is not Microsoft technologies. I started my career as a Unix system administrator. I also used to administer an Apple server and at one time I had standardized my entire organizaiton on Mac computers - I'm really dating myself here because it's been almost 20 years since Apple made the effort to have the type of corporate presence it used to have back in the early to mid '90s. I was somewhat of an Apple and Unix bigot and never had much exposure to Microsoft products. During the interview the recruiter kept asking me how much I knew about Windows XP and Office. I kept having to tell her nothing beyond what was on the public website. It was really quite embarrassing. Thank God I interview well and had a technical background and sales skills. I made it past the phone screen but I was definitely not a fit for the first role they were recruiting me for and was passed on to another team.

The second team I interviewed with was looking to add to their growing team of presenters that would travel around the country giving four hour seminars to customers, partners, IT Pros and developers. I made it to the final interview in Dallas. Forget what you've heard about the Microsoft interview process. The whole process is standard technical and situational questions as well as a background check. Developers do get questions meant to test their logic and design skills, however, the legend is way sexier than reality. But I digress, I had to give a technical presentation on the topic of my choice. This is still a pretty common practice at Microsoft depending on the role. I wasn't silly enough to present on any Microsoft products because I knew I'd blow it so I chose the technology from my old company. It made perfect sense to me because I knew that no one would know anything about the technology. I was also allowed to stage the audience the way I wanted and I chose the least technical person in the room to be the decision maker.  My strategy worked. Before I left Dallas I had an unofficial offer and a written offer within a week. We did some negotiating over salary, but I did accept the offer. I took a $24k paycut, but it was worth it. Between commission and bonuses in the first two years, I never missed a beat in my total earnings.

So what's happened in the last 10 years?

On the Microsoft front we've seen two or more major releases of Windows Client, Windows Server, Office, Exchange Server, SQL Server and Visual Studio. We've seen the complete evolution of SharePoint, the total overhaul of System Center and Dynamics, the introduction of Hyper-V, Forefront, Intune and Azure. Zune has come and gone and Windows Phone (as well as Microsoft's overall mobile strategy) has come back from the brink of death. Lastly we cannot forget that the world has met and embraced Xbox, Kinect, and Halo - the crown jewels of our entertainment division.

On the personal front, I sold my first house in the suburbs at the top of the market and foolishly bought a condo at the top of the market in the city. I now own a very spoiled Bichon Frise named Tango. I enjoy traveling around the country and the world with my friends. I also enjoy eating out and don't be surprised to see me out at a nightclub in the city. I'm also about to buy a big girl car because I deserve it. Of course I'm using money from my stock options and stock grants to pay for it. Thank you Microsoft.

On the professional front, I have multiple MCITP certifications as well as a CISSP certification. I'm also actively evaluating my next career move within Microsoft. I'm no longer on the team I started with, but I definitely need to flex different muscles and sharpen new skills.

Wow 10 years! Microsoft is not a perfect employer. No employer is perfect. There have been days when I wanted to hand in my resignation and days when I couldn't imagine working anywhere else. I do have to say though, that the good days have definitely outweighed the bad. I'm very much looking forward to what the future has to offer, both for Microsoft and myself.

Hope you guys continue to take the ride with me, however long it lasts. I promise I'll get back to blogging more frequently.

Hasta Luego!

R.I.P Don Cornelius

Please enjoy.....

[View:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EzIjzVvoocw]

***Total Nerd Moment***

Thank you Mr. Ritchie for your pioneering spirit and innovation that helped change the world and made the lives of developers and system admins a little easier.

Because of you and people like you people like me have the right to vote.  We can live where we want.  We can eat and sit where we want.  Our schools are integrated.  The laws of this land protect our rights now.  You fought for people like me and we can never repay you enough.

Civil Rights Leader Shuttlesworth Dies

Civil Rights Icon Shuttlesworth Dies

[View:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BqSABP7OY7U]

Thank You and God Bless You!

Sjonia Harper

I was first exposed to Apple computers in middle school.  In college I was always in the Mac lab.  My first job out of college I standardized my entire department on Macintosh computers and I administered a Power Mac server.  When I first joined Microsoft friends used to tease me and say that I joined the dark side.  Both Microsoft and Apple have forever changed the world, but I do have to admit that you've definitely been giving us a run for our money lately.  It's been a long time since I've used your products, however you should know that I do admire what you've accomplished through the power of innovation, drive and marketing.

May you forever rest in eternal peace,

Sjonia Harper