Terence Lim

Windows Hello is a new feature in Windows 10 that will allow users to sign into their Windows phones, tablets, laptops or personal computers with just a scan of the face, iris, or fingerprint to verify their identity, thus replacing the need for a password or PIN to gain access. Well, first thing that popped into my head: what if someone decides to impersonate me by trying to log on using my picture? Turns out that it’s not going to be that easy to fool Windows Hello! The face recognition engine uses Intel’s RealSense 3D camera and infrared technology to accurately detect and authenticate the user, even in a variety of lighting conditions. Apart from increase in convenience, Windows Hello is also a more secure way of authentication compared to using passwords. In Microsoft’s words: ...

What is Web Camp? Calling all students out there! Do join us for this 1-day Microsoft Web Camp event. Web Camps are free, fun, no-fluff events for developers, by developers. You learn to build cutting edge web sites with the new release of ASP.NET and Web Tools for Visual Studio 2013… and then deploy and scale them with Windows Azure. You will also learn how to deploy and scale your web sites with the cloud. ...

I’ve joined the Windows Insider Program and installed a free copy of Windows 10 Technical Preview (Build 9926) for a couple of weeks now. Since then, I’ve been exploring the new Operating System, and I’d like to share some of the new features which impacted me most. The Start menu is back :) The most welcomed feature for me is definitely the revival of the Start menu, which is now a hybrid between our familiar Windows 7 style containing our program list and the Live Tiles from Windows 8. It allows users to scroll up and down easily, which functions well on the desktop. The Live Tiles are re-sizable and can be easily customized, which makes it easy for users to obtain updates (such as events on calendar or emails) at a quick glance. While the return of the Start menu is great, however, I found it was a little confusing at first when I tried to search for an app, or type commands such as “cmd” for the command prompt after launching the Start menu, as Cortana tries to steal the limelight by covering the start menu in a haphazard manner. Speaking of the command prompt, I’m really glad that Windows 10 finally allows the standard way of copying and pasting into the command prompt shell using the conventional Ctrl+C and Ctrl+V respectively. On previous versions of Windows, pasting a text or command from the clipboard using Ctrl+V will insert the ^V character, which was really annoying. The way to do it properly then involves a few cumbersome method of right clicking on the title bar for the context menu before selecting the paste option. This may be trivial to many, but to the few geeky folks like myself who often likes working with the shell, it’s a huge increase in productivity. ...

While many of you had the awesome opportunity to attend the exciting //publish/Hackathon event held in Singapore, I had the chance to attend the one held in London, United Kingdom. The event here was held at Cardinal Place, Microsoft London on 17th May 2014 from 9am - 9pm. Throughout the event, developers had the opportunity to gather for the day to develop and publish their apps. It was also a great opportunity to connect with other developers around the world via live video stream and chat room, view training sessions, and get 1-on-1 personalized consulting with Microsoft Engineers on-site at the dev clinics. The engineers provided valuable feedback to make great apps into masterpieces, where some of the support rendered included store certification preparation, migration guidance, advice for app performance, stability and design, and troubleshooting assistance. Also, there was the UK AppChallenge held concurrently, where attendees had the chance to win Microsoft hardware as we competed with one another to climb the leader board. Unlike the one held in Singapore which lasted for 2 days, we only had the event for a day, so we had to make every second count! At the end of the day, developers who published an app received a limited edition goodybag consisting thumbdrives, special edition t-shirts and cool Microsoft gifts. On top of that, developers also demoed their published apps, and the best ones won pretty awesome hardware devices. Well, enough said, I guess I’ll let the photos I took do the talking! :)

This giant surface was spotted in the heart of London last Thursday. Located in Trafalgar Square, the 82-inch giant surface instantly became the centre of attraction amongst the other historic buildings in the area. Microsoft set up the 27-foot wide and 17-foot tall structure in just around 12 hours. [caption id=“dialogue” align=“alignnone” width=“570”] The Giant Surface 2[/caption] On top of that, a fully-functional replica of a purple Type Cover 2 was attached to it, which enabled people to play games on the enormous keyboard simply by jumping on the keys. To mark the launch of the event, Dizzee Rascal, an English rapper, was called up using Skype on the giant device. [caption id=“dialogue” align=“alignnone” width=“610”] Dizzee Rascal at the launch event[/caption] Microsoft workers wearing blue hoodies were also happily demo-ing the new Surface 2 device throughout the day, and the public were given the opportunity to check out the new Surface 2 and also participate in numerous activities. Some of these activities included a competition to re-create a classic National Gallery painting on the giant, which could potentially earn them a ticket to a secret Dizzee Rascal gig. [caption id=“dialogue” align=“alignnone” width=“610”] People playing a game on the Giant[/caption] This publicity stunt was designed to market Microsoft’s recent release of the Surface 2 tablet. This reminds me of a similar stunt that Microsoft pulled in New York two years ago in 2011. Be sure to also check out the behind-the-scenes, as well as the Official Microsoft Surface website. Images courtesy of Andre Fryer and The Verge

The Singapore Computer Society IT Youth Council organized a Yes! Youth Engagement Series on the 7th September 2013, where young IT Professionals like myself had the rare opportunity to get up close and personal with Ms. Jessica Tan, Managing Director of Microsoft Singapore. Youths who attended the dialogue included students from tertiary education, start-up entrepreneurs and young IT professionals. [caption id=“dialogue” align=“alignnone” width=“610”] Ms. Jesicca Tan sharing her experiences during the dialogue[/caption] The session kick started with a brief introduction of Ms. Tan and her portfolio. The audience was in awe of her impressive and extensive portfolio and could not wait for her to start the session off. Unsurprisingly, the question of commitment surfaced when the floor was opened. She generously shared how she juggled her responsibilities on top of being a successful wife and mother of three. Ms. Tan’s candid and whimsical approach kept us engaged, especially with her personal anecdotes. She also took the opportunity to attribute her success to those she had worked with, as well as those who scaled her ideas. She highlighted her family, particularly her husband, for being her pillar of support. Ms. Tan also elaborated on what motivates her, particularly when her ideas had come to fruition. Career wise, she reminded us of the importance of recognizing and acknowledging our partners and benefactors. Ms. Tan brought up some interesting points when a student inquired as to how to stay relevant and successful in the industry. Firstly, drawing on a solid 24 years of experience in the industry, she predicts that the industry in the coming years will be different and more exciting. Despite the fact that success and relevance can be influenced by many external factors, she suggested that flexibility, relevant skills and building a track record would definitely give a clear advantage. In addition, we should be prepared to run with opportunities, learn & innovate, know the interest in the industry, and to be involved with the community. At the same time, she dissuaded us from choosing our career simply based on our perception of what makes the most money, and also from changing jobs too often. [caption id=“participants” align=“alignnone” width=“610”] The engaged audience during the dialogue[/caption] When another student asked about how she overcame inevitable challenges in her career, she candidly shared about how she took them in her stride. For instance, she mentioned that one of the challenges being a leader is to help people understand the goal and why they need contribute. This could be a challenge as team members may not agree with the leader’s way of thinking. She also emphasized that although achieving the objective is important, working together as a team is an integral part as well. Ms. Tan rounded off the 2-hour dialogue by leaving some valuable advice for the youths in audience. She emphasized the need to build professional networks and stressed the need to be genuine. She also stressed on the importance to have the right attitude, to be sincere about learning as well as sharing our knowledge and experiences, and also to be clear of what we want to do and remember our values. Without a doubt, Ms. Tan has illustrated an intriguing industry for us young IT professionals to look forward to, and her tips and advice will serve us useful. We were all treated to a feast of pizzas during a post-dialogue networking session. Participants also took the opportunity to speak with Ms. Tan, as well as feedback to the organizers. They remarked that the dialogue was very engaging and informative and looked forward to attending future similar events.

Good day all! Amakuru! (Local language in Rwanda which stands for: How are you!) Just about one year ago, Dream.Build.Launch - Hackathon [ video | photos | article ] was first launched, followed by lots of enjoyable hack weekends [ hack weekend 1 | hack weekend 2 ] and also the NDP Special finale [ article ]. Many participants and even myself personally, certainly had lots of fun, stuffed ourselves with lots of delicious food, and met lots of awesome, like-minded people. As we developers in Singapore are fortunate to be given such wonderful opportunities, I always thought it would be exciting to share these amazing experiences with developers in developing countries too. This year, I finally had the opportunity of bringing a similar idea to Rwanda - a programming competition for the students here in Agahozo-Shalom Youth Village (which stands for “where tears are dried” and “peace”). As I have shared in my earlier post, I am volunteering in the village, which aims to help the kids here who are orphans and those affected by the Genocide, and help bring out the best in them to restore their rhythm of life. [caption id=“hackathon_briefing” align=“alignnone” width=“610”] Hackathon Launch and Briefing[/caption] Through this hackathon, we wanted to provide an opportunity for these vulnerable kids to share their aspirations and vision for their future, hence the theme “Our dreams, our aspirations”. Participants worked in groups of 2 - 3 where they program using Alice for the competition. Alice is an educational software that teaches the logic of programming, and is easy to learn. It is a software by Carnegie Mellon University and financially supported by Microsoft, Oracle, Sun Microsystems etc. [caption id=“consultation_2” align=“alignnone” width=“610”] Providing consultation for teams on Alice programming[/caption] [caption id=“consultation_1” align=“alignnone” width=“610”] Explaining to participants the logic of Object-oriented programming[/caption] While we developers in Singapore may have the best equipment to work on our codes (and perhaps take it for granted), the students here do not have such a privilege. For one, they do not have sufficient computers to work with, and on top of that, most of the computers available are old and slow. Nevertheless, they shared whatever resources they could find and learnt to deal with the problems, and they eventually came up with very interesting projects. Despite only being given a tight schedule of 4 days, participants managed to explore & learn the software on their own, plan their story boards, and eventually program a 3D video to tell their stories. On the last day, participants presented their ideas and stories to a panel of judges, where they were judged on creativity & uniqueness, theme adherence, technical aspects and their final presentation. [caption id=“presentation_1” align=“alignnone” width=“610”] Team member presenting their completed project[/caption] [caption id=“presentation_2” align=“alignnone” width=“610”] Teams presenting their demos[/caption] Participants were given no restrictions in their methods of presentations - they could perform a skit, sing songs or even narrate alongside their 3D videos. They shared their aspirations that include healing the world, making children happy, being a pilot and even an astronaut that goes to the moon! Finally, the winners were presented a medal during village time, a weekly evening get-together for all the staff and students, which includes performances and sharing by the students. [caption id=“medals” align=“alignnone” width=“610”] Medals in the spotlight, before they were presented to the winners[/caption] [caption id=“winners” align=“alignnone” width=“610”] All participants during prize presentation[/caption] Through a post-event feedback, many of the participants have indicated interest in similar competitions. In fact, many have shown enthusiasm in organizing the competition themselves. Most of them are also keen to share their knowledge with their peers on how to program using Alice, so as to get more people interested in joining subsequent competitions. Indeed, programming competitions are becoming increasingly popular all over the world, and they come in different styles. If you’re currently in Singapore and interested to take part in one, do give the Race to 100 hackathon a shot; you may be the one walking away with a brand new Windows 8 tablet! :) Also, if you’re interested in my journey here in Rwanda, be sure to check out my tumblr posts!

Hello World! It’s a different world out here. :) I’m currently in Rwanda, Africa, where I have a unique and meaningful opportunity to serve as a volunteer here. I work in Agahozo-Shalom Youth Village, a healing place that house orphans and vulnerable youths (mostly affected by the Genocide in 1994 where 800,000 people lost their lives and 95,000 children left as orphans) and help them realize their maximum potential. These children have witnessed unspeakable violence as they saw the lost of their parents, and their country destroyed. I have been here for a couple of weeks now serving as an IT consultant. Unknown to many (even myself before I came), despite being one of the world’s poorest countries, Rwanda is actually very safe, and very similar to Singapore in many ways. Despite the lack of natural resources, both countries have its own strategic entrepot location. That said, Rwanda has a vision to be the “Singapore of Africa” in terms of being a high-tech hub. Part of my goal here is to help raise the IT knowledge of the locals. While in our world where we are exposed to and taught how to use computers at a very young age, many of the locals here have not used a computer until university or the start of their working life. Here, I was teaching a class of “Mamas”, who take care of “Family houses” in the village, how to use Microsoft Word and Excel to write their daily reports. Some of my other work scope involves helping the village obtain and sustain a Wifi & Internet connection using satellite dishes and Wireless Distribution Systems from towns some 20 km away, simply because it is too expensive to lay cables underground. I also plan to help them build an integrated Student Information System to track the youths before they come into the village, all their activities in the village & school, and ultimately how the students have changed or have been impacted after they graduate from here. Information Technology is an extremely important tool to empower Rwandans with, in order for them to recreate their nation. It enables the country to leap-frog the key stages of industrialization, and to remain competitive in the fast-paced world. Technology is slowly integrated into the people’s lives, in terms of how they communicate, pay for goods and services etc. Like Singapore, Rwanda’s most valuable resource is it’s people, and fortunately, the people and youths here are extremely friendly, inquisitive, and eager to learn. While Rwanda still has a long way to go, let’s not forget to help them along the way, and also to be appreciative of what we Singaporeans have today, in terms of our economic developments - due to our advances and use of Information Technology. Click here to see more photos and posts on my experiences in Rwanda.

The Northern Europe Microsoft Student Partner (MSP) Summit 2012 was a 3-day event held in Microsoft Ireland. It was simply amazing. [caption id="" align=“alignnone” width=“610” caption=“Our welcome posters!”][/caption] This submit has given us MSPs an opportunity to meet students from all over Northern Europe. Through my stay, I have met people from Belgium, Estonia, Finland, Iceland, Ireland, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, Sweden, Russia, and of course other parts of UK. I suppose I was the unique one, coming from an Asian background, studying in both US and UK, and people remember me as the Singapore guy, even though I represented University College London (UCL) and UK in this summit. [caption id="" align=“alignnone” width=“610” caption=“Phil Cross giving an introduction about himself”][/caption] We started off the session with a country sharing session, and I felt like I was taking a trip around the Northern Europe then. At first, it was difficult to understand one another as everyone had different level of English proficiency. However, we slowly got used to it, and learnt to speak slower to accommodate one another. Then, we started to learn about everyone’s languages and facts about their country. For instance, the Belgium people spoke 3 languages - Dutch, French and German, as they are ‘forced’ to learn them all in school. The country is also extremely complicated in many aspects, which was actually pretty hilarious if you find out more via this video. [caption id="" align=“alignnone” width=“458” caption=“Local food for tasting!”][/caption] Also, it was funny how the Northern Lights are such a common thing for those living in Norway, Finland and Iceland, and it was also quite funny how they tried to rival and claim the aurora borealis belonging to their countries. It’s also interesting to hear that in summer, the sun never sets in some parts of these countries, while in winter, the sun practically does not come out throughout the day. In fact, the sun is so precious, that people are given offs to enjoy it while it lasts. Many of our friends also brought lots of their local delights for us to try (for some reason, alcohol seemed to present in almost everything). Simply an eye-opener. [caption id="" align=“alignnone” width=“610” caption=“Learning the Estonian language”][/caption] The highlight was when a lucky 45 of us were chosen to visit the Microsoft Data Center. Well, let’s just say it BLEW our minds away. And since we signed a non-disclosure agreement (and no photos allowed), I shall not talk about it here. But it was quite incredible to know that whatever we saw in that facility supported Microsoft’s cloud and online services for the whole of Europe - and even Singapore! Just imagine the finesse, on top of the amount of power and hard disk space needed to keep everything running, and to protect the data from being stolen. Previously, I was touring people around the mini server rooms in Microsoft Singapore; and that was nothing compared to the one I saw here. In case you’re feeling jelly, maybe this might help you get over it :) [caption id="" align=“alignnone” width=“610” caption=“A team working hard on the team project”][/caption] After a long day of workshops, coding and working on our game project, Microsoft treated us to the Guinness Storehouse, where we had unlimited flow of alcohol and food at the Infinity bar. This was the 2nd time I visited the Storehouse (yes I visited it on my own just 2 nights before), but the experience was different with the MSPs this time. I also had the chance to make my own Guinness again, but this time round I made one with the Shamrock logo on it! Free alcohol must drink - and being an Asian who can’t take too much, I ended up KO-ed right at the bar, leaving me unable to code for the night, while the rest of the group continued coding back at Microsoft with even more beer (in cartons mind you), in preparation for the final presentation the next morning. Crazy stuff; how can anyone take so much alcohol! [caption id="" align=“alignnone” width=“610” caption=“UK MSPs at the Guinness Infinity Bar”][/caption] We also had the opportunity to tour around the office, to see how live development of Windows 8, Xbox and Azure took place in the site. Many fresh hires also shared with us their experiences on how to get hired by the awesome company, and Michelle Fleming, the overall coordinator of the MSP programme also took the opportunity to interact with the MSP on the ground, and to hear what we really want from the programme. [caption id="" align=“alignnone” width=“610” caption=“Our Microsoft nametags!”][/caption] This event was a huge blast, and everyone certainly took away with them a fair bit about coding on Windows 8 and the Microsoft technology, and most importantly the camaraderie forged. I’m really thankful for Microsoft for providing such a wonderful opportunity, sponsoring all our expenses, for all the great hospitality, the great food and the planning of this event! :)

As the Senior Director of the Microsoft UK Developer and Platform Group has highlighted during the Windows 8 Elite launch 2 weeks ago, we Windows 8 app developers in the UK Windows Elite programme had the rarest opportunity to attend a special event today with a very distinguished guest - Steve Ballmer, Microsoft CEO. When I first arrived at Modern Jago, I was extremely thrilled to see so many Microsoft Surfaces on display! I’m so glad I finally got to play with one, as I have been anticipating this for months since its announcement! This event celebrated the talents behind a marvelous display of existing Windows 8 apps in store today, as many of the developers present had their apps featured. Ballmer also took the opportunity to highlight the vast opportunities for developers with Windows’ unprecedented market. [caption id=“attachment_12534” align=“alignnone” width=“610”] Developers awed as they listened attentively to Ballmer[/caption] There were also the latest Nokia Lumia 820 which runs on the Windows Phone 8 Operating System. These devices are amazing stuff, and I certainly wish I could have one of these for Christmas. Any Santa wannabes? :) [caption id=“attachment_12533” align=“alignnone” width=“610”]Lumia 820 on display[/caption] Hearing from Mr. Ballmer himself was totally inspiring. A pity I didn’t manage to speak to him nor catch him for a picture, as he was rushing off (from what I heard) to meet the Prime Minister. [caption id=“attachment_12532” align=“alignnone” width=“610”]Ballmer presenting about the vast opportunities for developers[/caption] It’s really cool, and certainly pays off to be a Windows 8 developer. Why not join in the fun? More photos from this event can be found on Modern Jago’s event coverage or my personal Facebook album.