An unexpected holiday surprise #MakeItHappen

When Microsoft Lumia heard Lani’s family hadn’t celebrated Christmas together in over 13 years, they devised a top-secret plan to help #MakeItHappen. Flying both Lani and her little girl Evolet home to the US, Microsoft Lumia orchestrated a surprise reunion with a twist, sothat the entire family could enjoy the Holidays together for the first time. 

This month, Microsoft Lumia are helping people around the world to #MakeItHappen, by fulfilling 31 resolutions in 31 days. 

Share your resolution now and Microsoft Lumia could hellp #MakeItHappen http://www.microsoft.com/en/mobile/make-things-happen/

About Lani
36 year-old Lani O'Brien, an American living in Lancashire, has never managed to make it home to see her family at Christmas since moving to the UK 13 years ago. 
Lani’s husband Dean is also an expat, living away from his family based in New Zealand, so the tight-knit family rely on regular Skype conversations to stay connected. 


Lani and Dean had their first child Evolet three years ago, but financial circumstances have meant Lani’s family in Chicago, Illinois, have only met Evolet twice and have never spent the Holiday season with her.  
A nutritious by trade, Lani is now a full-time mum but also works supporting her husband Dean who his building a child entertainment business after unexpectedly losing his job when Evolet was just six months old. 
With Dean travelling throughout December for work, Lani hoped she might make it home to see her family in the US so she and Evolet were not alone during the Holiday season. Unfortunately, the family were simply unable to afford the costly travel expenses. 

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Lani submitted her resolution to the #MakeItHappen campaign and Microsoft Lumia was so touched by her story they decided to #MakeItHappen. 
The film itself follows Lani and Evolet’s journey home to Chicago to surprise their unsuspecting family for the Holidays. 

About the soundtrack
“Footprints in the Snow” is a new track from singer/songwriter Scott McFarnon.

A Grammy Award and Golden Globe nominee, Scott has collaborated with some of the biggest names in the music industry including Beyoncé and Mark Ronson and in 2007 Daniel Merriweather had a global hit with his version of Scott’s song ‘Red’. Now launching a solo career, Scott’s incredible voice and unique sound will be available to the world in early 2015 with release of his debut album, Crazy Heart. 

Listen: www.soundcloud.com/scottmcfarnon

Website: www.scottmcfarnon.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/scottmcfarnonmusic

Credits

Campaign: Microsoft Lumia #MakeItHappen http://www.microsoft.com/en/mobile/make-things-happen/

Agency: Mission Media http://www.thisismission.com/

Film Production: We Are Films http://wearefilmsny.com/

Directors: Alex and Aaron Craig http://wearefilmsny.com/

Music: Scott McFarnon ‘Footprints in the Snow’ www.scottmcfarnon.com


Love, Language and Lumia #MakeItHappen

When Microsoft discovered that Ed, a 28 year-old accountant from London, wanted to learn Spanish to deliver the groom’s speech at his wedding in Mexico, they came straight to his rescue. Track Ed’s journey as he embarks on a crash course in Spanish; all to surprise his family and friends in a heart-warming video.

Every day this December we’re helping people #MakeItHappen, so share your resolution with us to get involved http://lumia.ms/makeithappen

Mobile Device Management is Making a Splash in Enterprise

Image via Shutterstock

Image via Shutterstock

Due to the rise of smartphone usage, businesses are looking into Mobile Device Management (MDM) platforms for better control of personal devices in the workplace.

MDM is the ability to closely monitor, notify, secure, and protect digital devices such as smartphones, tablets, and laptops. The need for MDM platforms has exponentially increased in the past 5 years due to cloud technology, cheaper and more reliable mobile devices, and the adoption of BYOD (Bring Your Own Device).

This article provides a closer look at MDM and how it is changing key industries worldwide. It can also help you distinguish what types of MDM features are applicable to your business.

How Does MDM Work?

MDM works by installing an app in personal mobile devices at the office. The app has two functions. First, it communicates with the main MDM platform, sending information that is used to monitor the device. From the main platform, IT personnel can deploy notifications and updates to individual MDM applications and perform data wipe protocols. 

Next, the app serves as a dashboard for the employee who is connected to the company network. MDM dashboards usually include a secure login page and a selection of secure apps or other company features that support daily tasks such as virtual organizers and calendars.

Benefits of MDM

There are several benefits that come with using MDM. For companies that are concerned about security, MDM can help reduce potential threats to the network. It also enables employees to use their own devices at work, which removes the need for costly company phones. Moreover, reoccurring expenses for the upkeep of company smartphones are virtually non-existent with a BYOD policy in place.

Relying on a MDM can put an entire organization on the same page through a single, unified app. Regardless of the type of digital device or model; all employees within the company are using the same app with the same features. Businesses that are going paperless can use the MDM platform to send short memos and create virtual lists. With cloud integration, backing up and sharing files through MDM is as simple as choosing a recipient from a list of employees.

Companies that rely on BYOD use MDM to lower the risk of security threats and access to sensitive data. Furthermore, MDM can help businesses implement a data wipe protocol in case an employee's mobile gets lost or stolen. MDM is equipped with features that restrict the download of harmful apps, which is the first line of defense for potential hacks and malware. This can help ease other security measures that are in place.

Additionally, businesses use MDM to streamline BYOD policies in the workplace. This is achieved by applying MDM features that limit or remove smartphone functionality. As a result, employees are discouraged from attempting to download malicious apps or use features that lower productivity levels.

Which MDM Platform is Right for my Business?

Choosing the right MDM platform for your company ultimately comes down to your business objectives and goals. Organizations should consider SaaS (Software as a Service) MDM vendors for faster deployment, which is ideal for small companies. In-house MDM platforms are required for large businesses that have a reliable IT team that can efficiently manage the entire process.

When it comes to a security, a case study by TrendMicro highlighted BlackBerry as a leading MDM platform due to its suitability for enterprise. BlackBerry MDM features a system that allows companies to manage the usage of apps, customize security functionality on networks, and generate reports. The BlackBerry platform is easy to use and versatile to the needs of today's leading businesses.

To conclude, a superior MDM platform is considered to be one of the best investments for companies that are serious about the use of personal devices in the workplace. In order for MDM to be effective, businesses must take the time to implement the right features that are both secure and useful for employees.

How has MDM helped you organize your business? Do you think MDM technology is here to stay? Let us know what you think. 

Nexus 5 design tweaked with bigger speaker grills and stiffer buttons

The LG-made Nexus 5 received a few subtle, but important changes in the design department. Newly manufactured units come with larger speaker grills and a stiffer power button and volume rocker. The changes were spotted by XDA-Developers user shinral.

Besides the software problems with the camera, which Google mostly fixed in Android 4.4.1, the quality of the sound emitted by the Nexus 5’s speaker was a problem that many reviewers and users have raised. The sound was muffled by the tiny orifices of the speaker grill, resulting in buzzy, hardly discernable audio...

Read the full story here... Source: Android Authority

MacRumors Roundup: What We Expect for iPhone 6

The iPhone 5s and iPhone 5c have only been out for a few months, but attention is already turning to Apple's plans for the next generation of iPhone, likely to appear in late 2014. Rumors have indicated that a larger, perhaps curved, display may be one of the key features of the next iPhone, which is generally being referred to as the "iPhone 6" by the rumor community. Rumors about the iPhone 6 and a potential successor to the iPhone 5c will undoubtedly escalate in the coming months, so MacRumors has put together a new iPhone 6 roundup to help readers stay on top of the latest reports...

Read the full story here... Source: Mac Rumours

T&T Launching New 'Mobile Share Value Plans' with Monthly Discount, 18-Month 'AT&T Next' Option

AT&T has announced that it will be introducing new “Mobile Share Value Plans“ on December 8, which includes an option for no annual contracts that brings a $15 monthly discount to shared data customers that meet one of four requirements. The requirements include getting a smartphone for no down payment with the "AT&T Next" early upgrade program, bringing a separate off-contract device, purchasing a smartphone at full retail price, or switching to a new plan after a phone is no longer under contract...

Read the full story here... Source: Mac Rumours

Moto X Cyber Monday deal on hold as MotoMaker website goes down

One of the most interesting Cyber Monday deals out there was the $349 off-contract Moto X offer announced by Motorola a few days ago, but interested customers were not able to complete their purchases as the company’s MotoMaker website caved under traffic pressure...

Read the full story here... Source: Android Authority 

Apple vs Samsung retrial: Samsung ordered to pay $290 million, for a grand total of $890 million

And just like that, the Apple vs Samsung partial retrial is over. The jury in San Jose reached a verdict today, after it began deliberations on Tuesday.

The verdict is in Apple’s favor: Samsung was ordered to pay approximately $290 million for infringing five of Apple’s patents, including one that referred to the design of the original iPhone. The jury found that Samsung infringed its rival’s intellectual property on 13 devices, most of them no longer on sale. While the $290 million award is significantly lower than the $380 million that Apple requested, it’s still a hefty sum and way more than what Samsung said it should pay, which was just $52.7 million...

Read the full story here... Source: Android Authority

T-Mobile Galaxy S3 Android 4.3 update released for T999 model

A new Galaxy S3 Android 4.3 Jelly Bean update is available for users to install, this time for the 3G T-Mobile version (model number T999), although you should remember that various Galaxy S3 owners had issues with similar updates, albeit in other markets.

As expected, the update is available either as an over-the-air (OTA) download on the phone, or via Samsung Kies. Furthermore, the update measures 486MB, so you should make sure you have a dependable Internet connection and enough battery juice to go through it...

Read the full story here... Source: Android Authority

Google rolls out KRT16S bug fix to Nexus 7 (2012 & 2013) and Nexus 10

Wednesday was a busy days for updates, with Android 4.4 KitKat rollouts to the Nexus 4 and the Verizon Moto X, and a bug squashing update for Google Nexus devices.

The update, which has already begun rolling out to some users as an OTA, brings the build number to KRT16S, from the KRT16O of the original KitKat build that rolled out last week. This update applies to the Nexus 7 (2012) WiFi, the Nexus 7 (2013) Wi-Fi, and the Nexus 10...

Read the full story here... Source: Android Authority