[updated] 01/01/1970 was a great day.. Unless you’re an iPhone

A bug in iOS has meant many people have ended up with a ‘bricked’ phone after falling for an online prank, offering a retro iOS Easter egg. 

Setting an iOS device clock to midnight on 01/01/1970 ends up in a divide by zero error – resulting in an un bootable device. 

It’s believe to be caused by the fact the time is stored on the device in GMT, then an offset applied of seconds since 1970, depending on your location. As the above essentially sets the devices clock to zero thus causing the error. 

There’s no “Easter egg” of a retro apple symbol in the OS. So don’t risk trying to find it, unless you’re short of paper weights. 

EDIT: A video has since been published on YouTube explaining how to fix your phone should you have fallen for this “trick” 

Read More

LCS 2.0.0.3 Released

Lync Custom Status ToolLast night saw the long-awaited release of version 2.0.0.3 of my Lync power user add-on LCS. This has been a long time in the pipelines as I have worked with a number of users from around the world to squash the bugs in version 2.0.0.1.

The bugs resolved focus around issues with activation. In the past activation requests had a habit of timing out or failing all together. This has now been resolved, and a safeguard put in place to offer a grace period should my servers be unavailable.

Although this is a minor release in the LCS stream, the major 2.0.1.0 is not too far behind. 2.0.1.0 will be packed with new features based around the latest release of the Microsoft Lync client.

If you have yet to download LCS, or would like to sign up for the BETA test scheme of 2.0.1.0 then click this link. BETA testers receive discount vouchers to spend on any application on my site.

Volume licensing is available so if you would like to discuss this, or anything else to do with LCS please get in touch: support@mikesel.info

Read More

Lync Custom Status App

Description

Lync Custom Status (LCS) is a ‘power user’ add-on to Microsoft Lync, built on the back of the need of expanding Lync’s already powerful tool set. LCS uses built-in Microsoft API’s to make judgement calls on Lync event as and when they happen.

Unlike other applications, which simply provide an easy to use interface to modify your client status, LCS uses powerful logic to redirect calls or to allow calls and IM’s from your chosen contacts. Using LCS you can take complete control over your DND settings, allowing calls from project managers or families through – whilst preventing general call traffic.

LCS also gives you the ability to send ‘canned responses’ to IM’s you receive whilst in your custom states.

(more…)

Read More

LCS 2014 v0.0.4.0 Released

It’s all about the bug fixes… Due to many a late evening coding, and some switches in my development environment – this release fixes some of the major show stopping bugs that had made its way into v0.0.3.0

So here’s a breakdown of whats new:

  • Resolved handler issues for all check boxes and radio buttons
  • Many more improvements in serial number handling/storage

LCS 2014

All of the other features still stand:

Features

  • Custom Status – This application eases the pain of creating 4 custom status options for the Microsoft Lync Client. Rather then just telling your contacts you are away or busy, you can now give them more insight into what you are on with.
  • Linked Personal Notes – Now when you switch to a status, a predefined personal note will also apply
  • Linked Locations – Now when you switch to a status, a predefined location will also apply
  • Automated(Canned) Responses – Upon selecting a custom status, the application is capable of intercepting conversation requests and replying (automatically) with your predefined response.
    • Exception Lists – Sometimes you don’t want your automated responses going to every contact in your list, the application works with a list of predefined addresses which it won’t respond to.
    • Frequency of response – Much like Microsoft Outlook, you can prevent (if you want) the recipient receiving multiple copies of your ‘canned’ response in a 24 hour period. Alternatively, you can set the app to reply every time.
  • Call handling – Upon selecting a custom status, the application is capable of intercepting voice call requests and handling them  (automatically) with your predefined response.
    • Reject Call – The app is now capable of automatically rejecting calls, sending them to voice mail if set up.
    • Call Forward – The app is now capable of automatically forwarding incoming calls to your defined recipient.
      • On both counts it’s still possible to honour the exception list, allowing calls from your predefined contacts from bypassing the rules and passing through.
  • Tools – The application also contains a tool set for some often required ‘tweaks’/file manipulations to resolve some of the niggles we come across in our Lync environment.
    • Lync Cache Cleaning – Lync caches information locally to aid with performance, this can often cause delays when information is updated on other clients or centrally.
      • Photo Cache Cleaning – The application enables the end-user to ‘point and click’ clear down the Lync Client photo cache. Very useful when diagnosing photo synchronisation issues.
      • Contact Cache Cleaning – The application enables the end-user to ‘point and click’ clear down the Lync Client Contact cache cleaning. This saves having to remove all the users login information, but often helps clear spurious contact list issues. Such as people’s status’ being listed incorrectly.
    • Appear Offline – The application gives the end-user the ability to enable a hidden Lync feature, the ability to appear offline.. This is especially useful if you are out of the office and need to make calls, but do not want to receive calls/IM’s
    • Force GAL Download – The application enables the end-user to override the delay of download for the GAL, very handy during a rebuild of an end users machine.
    • Backup GAL – The application makes backing up the local copy of the GAL a point and click process. This comes in handy when migrating a user from one machine to another.

As always, please let me know if you discover any bugs – or have suggestions for features. If you already have a key for the app you can download the MSI here, use the built in ‘Check for updates’ functionality or If you don’t yet have a key please use this link:

Read More

LCS 2014 v0.0.0.6 Released

Hello

I have just uploaded the latest revision of the LCS 2014 software. In this release I have been focusing on call handling features. The app is now capable of rejecting or forwarding calls. I have also switched the form design to be tab based.. This makes things a lot less complicated and ‘busy’.

LCS 2014

Features

  • Custom Status – This application eases the pain of creating 4 custom status options for the Microsoft Lync Client. Rather then just telling your contacts you are away or busy, you can now give them more insight into what you are on with.
  • Linked Personal Notes – Now when you switch to a status, a predefined personal note will also apply
  • Linked Locations – Now when you switch to a status, a predefined location will also apply
  • Automated(Canned) Responses – Upon selecting a custom status, the application is capable of intercepting conversation requests and replying (automatically) with your predefined response.
    • Exception Lists – Sometimes you don’t want your automated responses going to every contact in your list, the application works with a list of predefined addresses which it won’t respond to.
    • Frequency of response – Much like Microsoft Outlook, you can prevent (if you want) the recipient receiving multiple copies of your ‘canned’ response in a 24 hour period. Alternatively, you can set the app to reply every time.
  • Call handling – Upon selecting a custom status, the application is capable of intercepting voice call requests and handling them  (automatically) with your predefined response.
    • Reject Call – The app is now capable of automatically rejecting calls, sending them to voice mail if set up.
    • Call Forward – The app is now capable of automatically forwarding incoming calls to your defined recipient.
      • On both counts it’s still possible to honour the exception list, allowing calls from your predefined contacts from bypassing the rules and passing through.
  • Tools – The application also contains a tool set for some often required ‘tweaks’/file manipulations to resolve some of the niggles we come across in our Lync environment.
    • Lync Cache Cleaning – Lync caches information locally to aid with performance, this can often cause delays when information is updated on other clients or centrally.
      • Photo Cache Cleaning – The application enables the end-user to ‘point and click’ clear down the Lync Client photo cache. Very useful when diagnosing photo synchronisation issues.
      • Contact Cache Cleaning – The application enables the end-user to ‘point and click’ clear down the Lync Client Contact cache cleaning. This saves having to remove all the users login information, but often helps clear spurious contact list issues. Such as people’s status’ being listed incorrectly.
    • Appear Offline – The application gives the end-user the ability to enable a hidden Lync feature, the ability to appear offline.. This is especially useful if you are out of the office and need to make calls, but do not want to receive calls/IM’s
    • Force GAL Download – The application enables the end-user to override the delay of download for the GAL, very handy during a rebuild of an end users machine.
    • Backup GAL – The application makes backing up the local copy of the GAL a point and click process. This comes in handy when migrating a user from one machine to another.

As always, please let me know if you discover any bugs – or have suggestions for features. If you already have a key for the app you can download the MSI here .. If you don’t yet have a key please use this link:

Read More