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Access Online Training

When looking at good Access online training for Microsoft Access it is important to weigh up the benefits. Online as opposed to buying books or attending a college offers certain advantages. The ability to look at and work on the course from anywhere for example. In the age of Wi-Fi and portable net books all you really need is access to the internet. Also having a cell phone with the ability to surf the net enables you to experience the benefits of MS Access online.

Having an MS Access related book is always nice to read on a train or a bus, but you can do the same thing on your cell phone with an online course. In years to come there is a good chance that all training materials will be online. Supposing you started the course in your home country and were then suddenly called away abroad. The power of the internet enables you to log into your MS Access online training from any place at any time. No need to pack away heavy books into your suitcase.

Some work better from books, some from online training. It really depends on the individual. Another benefit of online training is that you can gather many people around the computer to learn and trade ideas.

In today’s fast paced information age, whether you want to use a portable device or a PC, a Microsoft Access online training course has many advantages for you or your business.

There is one disadvantage however which is worth thinking about. Imagine a year later or even a few months later that you need to go online and refresh your knowledge of what you had been learning. Can you be sure that you can still access your tutorials? When you signed up, did you sign up for lifetime access? Was that option even available?

The main disadvantage in online training is that you won’t actually own the tutorials and may only have access to them for a limited time. Do you really want to pay again in order to use them? Would you prefer to simply have a DVD or an instant download so you can watch the tutorials time and time again without any extra additional expense.

When looking at Access Online Training make sure you have lifetime access to the files, otherwise your best bet is having the tutorials on media such as download or DVD.…

Microsoft Exam 70-290 Details

Exam 70-290 which is otherwise known as Microsoft windows 2003 server will suit best to the candidates who are working for medium or larger level organizations in the networking environment fields like implementation as well as administration of network operating systems. This certification is designed for the candidates to test the candidate’s ability to maintain as well as plan Microsoft 2003 windows server. After successfully passing this exam, candidates are eligible to certify with higher Microsoft certifications like MCP, MCDBA and MCITP etc.

70-290 Exam fee and other details:

The cost of this examination is approximately 125 USD and the exam fee doesn’t include with any tax or discounts. Exam fee may vary in some places due to the exchange rate in the daily market. As on April 1, 2007, candidates are permitted to register for the examinations in their respective countries. Examination can be registered in any of the Pearson VUE centers in your locality. For finding out your nearby Pearson VUE center, visit the Pearson website and get the details. Even examination can be scheduled online in the Pearson VUE website by paying the examination fee. Exam date and sessions can be finalized by the candidates after successful payment of the exam fee.

The exam comprises of 50 questions totally with approximately 120 minutes (2 hours) time duration. The exam consists of only multiple choices, built a tree, re- order, hot area and drag- drop questions. However, it is ensured that no case study type questions will be asked. Minimum mark to be scored by the candidates is 700 marks out of 1000. Candidates who fail in the exam can retake their exam in anytime for their second attempt. Candidates who fail in their second attempt have to wait for 14 days for consecutive retakes.…

Mobile Microsoft Business Intelligence

Those leveraging the expansive power of Microsoft’s business intelligence solutions may have noticed that while other major business intelligence providers like Oracle, SAP, and IBM have launched applications to take their services into the mobile sphere, Microsoft has yet to make an official release. Oracle has released Business Intelligence Mobile for iOS devices, SAP launched Business Objects Mobile last year, and IBM has Cognos Mobile for BlackBerry and iOS devices. If you’re waiting on an official Microsoft release, there’s both good news and bad news.

The bad news is that it doesn’t appear Microsoft is planning on releasing a cross-platform mobile BI application anytime soon. The good news, though, is that this doesn’t mean you can’t experience dynamic, real-time Microsoft business intelligence solutions from your mobile device.

Microsoft has an expansive network of official partners, and the technology juggernaut is currently content to allow their multitude of partners to develop these in-demand applications. Applications like RoamBI, PushBI, and the upcoming Fetch! are just a few of the applications that will feature cross-platform integration, and there are plenty more applications available for Windows Phone 7 devices.

RoamBI’s free version integrates with Microsoft Excel, CSV, and HTML to allow users to create custom mobile dashboards, but also offers a premium version. RoamBI Pro is spendy, with a $99 yearly license fee, but for small groups within a business setting, the average monthly investment of $8.25 is a small spend for integration with Excel, CSV, HTML, Google Docs, and Salesforce. RoamBI also has an enterprise version (RoamBI ES3) that integrates with all of the previously-mentioned technologies, plus SAP Crystal Reports, SAP BusinessObjects, IBM Cognos, Microsoft Reporting Services, and Liferay Portal, though pricing on that is on a per-buyer basis and requires you to contact the creators. It’s currently supported on iOS devices as well as BlackBerry devices, but remains quiet on whether or not they will be launching an Android version. It’s just speculation here, but given the high demands and persistent requests on their forums, it’s difficult to imagine such a successful application developer completely ignoring this market share by not developing something for the Android OS.

PushBI is another example of a cross-platform application that integrates with most major BI platforms (Microsoft, SAP, Oracle), and unlike RoamBI it currently features an Android version. PushBI has led to some mixed reviews from the limited amount of users who have taken the time to write them up, but keep in mind that this is a free application, so it’s not necessarily fair to line it up against a premium paid product like RoamBI.

The upcoming release of Fetch! is another application to watch for. It’s currently in the works, and if you contact the makers you can receive a free trial. It promises compatibility with Windows Phone, Android, and iOS devices, and boasts integration with SharePoint, PerformancePoint, SQL Azure, SQL Server, Salesforce, Oracle, and more.

The lack of an official Microsoft mobile business intelligence release is an unfortunate reality for the time being, but Microsoft users shouldn’t panic or consider switching away from its top-notch BI services. Take a look at some of Microsoft’s partners and the mobile efforts they’re pursuing. There are plenty of powerful solutions out there that can fit your needs without requiring a drastic switch.…

Pro Flight Simulator Game Review

I have been a big fan of Microsoft Flight Simulator X since its release, though I have also spent a lot of time flying X-Plane, which I also enjoy a great deal. Recently I purchased Pro Flight Simulator and took it for a series of test flights. You now have the benefit of learning from my experience before you fork over your money on a flight simulator game.

Installation was quite easy, with the download of the disc image and several documents. Definitely take the time to download the additional aircraft available. You do have to download the aircraft one at a time, accompanied by a large banner offering the DVD version of the game for an additional $40.00. I found downloading the aircraft to be fairly quick on my high speed cable connection. Next, you need to download the worldwide scenery, assuming you opted for the deluxe package with the scenery. I highly recommend this option, which raises the price by $79.95, but obviously enhances the experience tremendously.

Downloading the scenery is where I seriously considered ordering the DVD’s, as it does take a lot of time and I experienced a few server hiccups along the way. The scenery comes in 10 deg x 10 deg squares which you have to download one at a time. The biggest frustration I had was that the map does not indicate which cells you have already downloaded. Once you get past this step once, you never have to do it again, and the scenery is breathtaking.

I was happy to see the PA-28-161, Piper Warrior, as one of the aircraft choices. This was the aircraft I learned to fly in 20 years ago at Wright-Patterson AFB. I loaded up the scenery for Wright-Patt and the rest of southern Ohio and took it for a spin. Aircraft performance was remarkably realistic, and matched my memory very well. Controls behaved like the real thing, and were challenging until you get used to them due to that realism. Scenery was beautiful and accurate, and included all my old stomping grounds from getting my Private Pilot’s license – Springfield, Greene County, Sporty’s, Muncie, Bowling Green, and more.

The variety of available aircraft is huge, including some you don’t see very often, such as the Rafale, as well as several historic aircraft, helicopters, and even a zeppelin. I tried several of these and though some are better than others, all were enjoyable to fly and true to their real-life counterparts.

Given the worldwide scenery, realistic controls, accurate performance, weather, multiplayer mode, and the many aircraft to choose from, in my experience Pro Flight Simulator is the most realistic flight sim experience available. The price of the deluxe package may be a little higher than others, but considering that it includes free updates for life, it is actually the best deal going. You will never have to pay another penny for this sim again! Download it today. You won’t be disappointed. For more reviews and flight sim information, go to …

Xbox Project Natal Becomes a Reality

“This is a pivotal moment that will carry with it a wave of change, the ripples of which will reach far beyond video games” – Steven Spielberg

So Nintendo introduced the world to motion based gaming with the introduction of the Wii. This revolutionised the gaming industry in a way that many believed impossible. The Wii is so successful not because of its technical hardware capabilities but rather its ability to involve the entire family. This breakaway from the stereotypical gaming target market leads the way into the future for gaming businesses.

This is where Microsoft comes in… Project Natal was announced last year and looks to be full of promises. I for one thought it seemed more like a concept car, a prototype that would need years of fine tuning. However Microsoft are almost ready to launch this revolutionary gaming breakthrough near then end of 2010.

So what is Project Natal and why is it so cool?

In Microsoft’s words “It’s a glimpse into a future where the Xbox 360 console is the centerpiece of any living room, and games, social interaction and communications are controlled with the wave of a hand.” Basically Natal allows users to play games and interact with their Xbox with hand/body movements. This is a major step forward for a console as one of the major factors that non-gamers find so intimidating is the controller. The introduction of a more natural control system immediately opens the doors to a wider target market for Microsoft.

Project Natal is a small device that you attached to your Xbox 360. It has a video camera in it that tracks where your body is and what you’re doing with it. It also has a monochrome camera (utilising infrared) that has depth perception – working out how far away your body and its component parts are – and a highly specialized microphone that can pick up voice commands. Along with all this hardware, it’s got a ton of software that tells the Xbox how to find your body’s various joints (it tracks 48 of them), how to keep track of multiple players at the same time, how to tell your tie-dye T-Shirt apart from the colorful wallpaper behind you, and so on. Microsoft even did an acoustic study of living rooms, so Project Natal can tell when you’re talking, when your mates are talking and when somebody in the game is talking, so it knows whom to take voice commands from.

The resulting awesomeness is incredible, for example as you walk up to your Xbox it recognises your facial features and automatically logs you in to your gamer profile. There is just so much potential for Microsoft’s new toy! We have scavenged a few examples showcasing how Natal can be used in the future.…

Why Nintendo Failed at E3

Let’s get the disclaimer out of the way from the start: Nintendo’s presentation blew me away. The 3DS announcement has me more excited about a console than I’ve been for a long time, and the list of games that Nintendo rolled out will keep me occupied for a long, long time.

But at the same time I am concerned that Nintendo has failed at E3 in understanding the games industry, by failing to acknowledging that the industry is changing, and failing make any move to address those changes.

That change is the slow but steady move from retail-based gaming to online. Just about every major publisher has recognised the shift: EA, acquiring social networking vendor Playfish last year, was very candid that it was reducing the number of retail games it would publish, while hoping to substantially build its online presence. Square Enix, too, has been steadily developing its iPhone capabilities, and it too has turned its eyes towards social networking games.

On the console vendor front, Sony has long invested in its online and digital download mediums. Indeed, the development to its PlayStation 3 online network was the most impressive part of its presentation. There is the feeling that Sony is keen to do away with retail entirely, and between the work-in-progress that is the PSPgo, and the capabilities of the PlayStation Plus, it has set itself up to do just that.

Microsoft, for its part, is expanding its online service into nine new territories, showing the vendor is serious about building its global online presence.

Finally, there is a potential new entrant to the industry, one that all three major vendors should be watching closely. OnLive, the subscription-based project, has a set-top box option, essentially creating a fourth console for consumers to choose.

Even if digital download games and online play doesn’t fully replace the need for retail, it will be a cornerstone for the industry in the near future. Nintendo has been slow in the past to adopt online play – ignoring it at a time where Sega and Sony were taking their first tentative steps with the Dreamcast and the PlayStation 2. In the current generation, the Wii and DSi’s online capabilities are severely inhibited by unnecessary policies and unpopular restrictions, such as friend codes and stringent restrictions on the size of games developed for both consoles.

It was important for Nintendo to announce some kind of firm online strategy going forward, but it didn’t. Other than a casual mention that the WiFi capabilities of the 3DS would be somewhat enhanced over the DSi, there was no other details laid out. Nothing about what shape the 3DS’s online services would take, no news on additional services beyond online play and a games shop, and no suggestion of a premium service.

My concern is that Nintendo is simply not investing enough R & D money on creating a great online experience for consumers. As wonderful as the 3DS looks to be, if Nintendo ends up in a position where it has missed the online boat completely, it will find itself back in the era of the Gamecube, where it was struggling to find any kind of voice at all.…

Google Buys Motorola: What Does It Mean?

Google Inc. has secured a deal to buy Motorola’s mobile business. The acquisition is worth an estimated $12.5 billion and is the biggest purchase yet for the search giant. The move will not only secure Google’s place as a mobile superpower, but also help it fight the never ending war against the likes of Apple and Microsoft for patent supremacy.

The internet company will now be able to make its own smartphones, tablets and even cable set-top boxes. Not only this, but Google’s workforce will be inflated by almost 100%. The deal will give the Big G 17,000 additional patents to play around with, after all Motorola did practically invent the mobile phone as we know it today. These will no doubt be used to defend itself in lawsuits against its Android software, which is used in about 150 million handsets worldwide.

But there is however one not so minor obstacle to pass before the deal can be completed. The Justice Department’s antitrust division must review the proposed purchase before it is allowed. The news will no doubt raise some eyebrows in the industry as Google will not only control the fastest growing operating system used in mobile devices, but will also become a major manufacturer giving it a potentially unfair advantage in some people’s eyes.

But Google co-founder Larry Page was quick to point out that Motorola Mobility Holdings Inc. would still operate separately from Google and would receive no advantages over other handset makers.

In some respects Google has come to the rescue of Motorola. Between 2007 and 2009 the 82 year old former radio maker lost an incredible $4 billion due to its ailing mobile business. Although they have made some headway since that time it is now evident they probably welcomed the buyout. In January 2011 they split the company into two. Motorola Inc. which specialises in wireless communications for governments and companies was separated from Motorola Mobility Inc. which focuses mainly on handsets and other mobile devices.

If the deal goes through Google will become a patent superpower. Patents can be used by companies to protect the use of certain technology or inventions by competitors and effectively retain market share. Android is currently apparently experiencing problems in this area as it is on the receiving end of a rash of law suits from competitors such as Apple.

One interesting consequence of the purchase of Motorola Mobility is that it will put Google in the middle of some big lawsuits against Apple and Microsoft. For example, Microsoft is currently suing Motorola which could result in the newly acquired handset maker being banned from importing phones into the U.S. Motorola has retaliated with a lawsuit of its own which could result in an import ban of Xbox gaming systems.

The news of the acquisition has certainly not done any harm to Motorola Mobility’s share price, which jumped 56% to just under $40 on the 15th of August.

This deal really does symbolise a changing of the guard on some level. The old technology giants are being over taken by newer, nimbler companies that were born during internet boom.…