Ruben's EUC Industry Bento Box - June 2024

Microsoft Recall: An analysis of the issues & prediction of the evolution of the AI workplace

There's growing concern about Microsoft Windows “Recall” feature. Currently, it's limited to local use on individual computers, and the security fears surrounding it are exaggerated. However, as companies recognize the potential of AI to monitor and collaborate across their entire workforce, features like Recall will likely become centralized and mandatory. Welcome to the (near) future, where free market capitalism drives AI policy.

In his analysis of this upcoming Windows feature, Brian Madden discusses its implications for the AI-powered workplace. Recall continuously captures and analyzes screenshots via AI, enabling users to retrieve past activities easily. While security concerns may be overstated due to local storage and encryption, privacy issues are genuine. Madden predicts Recall will evolve into a centralized tool, transforming employee monitoring and task management, and ultimately reshaping the employer-employee dynamic. This future, driven by AI integration, will demand careful consideration of ethical, privacy, and compliance challenges.

The key is to embrace smart, simple DaaS solutions and leave the complexities of on-premises VDI behind. Harry Labana (SVP and GM at Proofpoint and well known in the End User Computing space) wrote an excellent article about the trouble with VDI and a clear solution direction with DaaS including Dizzion Frame. “Thankfully, the industry is innovating with simplicity and multi-cloud/hybrid solutions in mind. Innovators like Sonet.io, Workspot, Dizzion (Frame) offer multi-cloud and hybrid solutions engineered for simplicity” Read Harry's insightful blog by clicking the link above.

Microsoft CoPilot cheat sheet

Microsoft Copilot is a brand representing a suite of AI services and tools designed to enhance various Microsoft products. Copilot assists users, both novice and expert, in performing routine and advanced tasks more efficiently. From guiding data analysis to writing code and summarizing meetings, each Copilot is tailored to its respective Microsoft product, offering unique interfaces, training data, and licensing. With over a dozen different Copilots available, productivity can be improved significantly across multiple applications.

For those struggling to try to keep up with all the different Copilots Microsoft is demonstrating and showing at Microsoft Build, Mary Jo Foley from Directions on Microsoft has a regularly updated Copilot cheat-sheet. Get your free copy by clicking the link above.

Microsoft has unveiled Copilot+ PCs, a new category of AI-enhanced Windows devices featuring advanced silicon capable of 40+ trillion operations per second. These PCs offer innovative features such as Recall for instant information retrieval, Cocreator for real-time AI image generation, and Live Captions for translating audio into English. With all-day battery life and powerful performance, Copilot+ PCs integrate seamlessly with creative and productivity apps like Adobe Photoshop and DaVinci Resolve, read more here.

Furthermore, Gartner Forecasts Worldwide Public Cloud End-User Spending to Surpass $675 Billion in 2024, This growth is being driven by generative AI (GenAI) and application modernization.

Citrix & VMware owned by PE make room for new companies & approaches

Brian Madden recently worked on a project at ILKI for a client who wanted to create a holistic VDI strategy for the future. Their current environment consisted of multiple locations and a mix of Citrix & VMware Horizon environments. This project was not "take us off of Citrix/VMware", but rather, "look at every vendor, product, and approach in the market and help us narrow down the landscape and create a future strategy for our VDI estate."

For decades, Citrix & VMware were the safe choice for the enterprise VDI, in a "no one ever got fired for buying IBM" kind of way. This project gave me the opportunity to really dig into the "next generation" of VDI/DaaS products, such as Apporto, Dizzion, Cameyo, Workspot, Sonet.io, etc. He was pleasantly surprised by both the quantity and quality of the next generation platforms. After extensively exploring and learning about these new products, it's evident to me that in the realm of VDI/DaaS, Citrix and VMware represent the past, while these newer vendors are shaping the future.

I personally love the season analogy Brian used. It applies to businesses, product portfolios, EUC industry developments, personal developments, relationships both business and personal, parent(s) in a family, and relationship with my wife. Slowly, I am learning to stand still (once in a while) and not only look ahead but also to look back and count the blessings, small and big; maybe that is part of the seasons as well. Also, a challenge for one is a massive opportunity for others... "Thank you" is all I can say; extra wind in the Frame sails—big time.

Lastly, another great article Brian wrote is "Why the enterprise desktop still matters in 2024". (Hint: it's not about apps or AI PCs.)

Expanding Customer Choice: Dizzion Adds Support for IBM Cloud VPC

Dizzion and IBM are pushing the boundaries of cloud technology by adding IBM Cloud VPC to Dizzion's Frame Desktop as a Service (DaaS) platform. This new infrastructure option aims to provide a dynamic, scalable, and cloud-native experience, enhancing the flexibility and diversity of choices for customers. The longstanding partnership between Dizzion and IBM continues to drive innovation and adaptability.

Key Benefits of Dizzion DaaS on IBM Cloud VPC

• Usage-based consumption: Clients are now able to consume IBM Cloud resources in a true usage-based model for their end-user computing workloads.

• Browser-first: Access desktops and applications from any device with a web browser, eliminating the need for local downloads or complex installations.

• Native Windows 10 and 11 support: Deliver a familiar and productive experience with native Windows 10 and 11 support in a true pay-as-you-go model.

• Self-service simplicity: Powerful and intuitive admin experience driven by a single pane-of-glass and full-stack development.

• Full-service options: Tailored managed, hosting, and compliance services to meet customers where they are and where they will be.

This blog explores the technical improvements and collaborative efforts behind this integration, highlighting its benefits for users.

This excellent video I created showcases Dizzion Frame on IBM Cloud from both a user and administrator perspective:

Lastly, you can watch an insightful video interview with Rob Green, CEO of Dizzion, discussing this new offering here: https://www.dizzion.com/blog/2024/05/22/dizzion-announces-ibm-cloud-vpc

When AI feels like a human: the impact on human connection

With the announcement of GPT-4 Omni, OpenAI has advanced artificial intelligence to unprecedented levels, creating an AI assistant that sounds incredibly human. This development prompts a critical question: are we prepared for the impact of these hyper-realistic digital companions on our human relationships and social cohesion? This great article from Jarno Duursma is certainly worth a read!

Bonus: Simon Sinek shares the 5 rules everyone must follow in life in this awesome speech

Scott and Mark learn AI

In this lively session from Microsoft Build 2024, Scott Hanselman and Mark Russinovich explore innovative ways to enhance productivity using AI. The duo humorously demonstrates how Semantic Kernel and ChatGPT can be utilized to create intelligent desktop organization tools. They showcase the integration of AI with traditional programming to build applications that manage desktop files, offering insights into the development process, the importance of ethical AI usage, and practical examples of AI's capabilities in organizing and automating tasks. You will learn how to use AI in your app, consume models both local and in the cloud, and how to use LLMs to make your apps even more awesome for users. They may even clean up Scott's messy desktop that has been bothering Mark for some time now. This session is a must-watch for IT professionals eager to learn about cutting-edge AI applications in a fun and engaging way.

What runs GPT-4o and Microsoft Copilot? | Inside the 2024 AI supercomputer with Mark Russinovich

Microsoft has developed the world's largest cloud-based AI supercomputer, significantly expanding its capabilities in just six months. This AI infrastructure enables the training and inferencing of sophisticated large language models on Azure while also developing compact models like Phi-3 for offline use on mobile phones. In a hands-on demonstration, Azure CTO and Microsoft Technical Fellow Mark Russinovich explores how Microsoft optimizes and delivers high-performance AI workloads globally. He covers the modular and scalable design of AI systems, interoperability for GPUs and AI accelerators, and state-of-the-art hardware and software architecture for services like Microsoft Copilot.

Another intriguing read is the article "Copilot in Azure Technical Deep Dive." Copilot in Azure is an intelligent assistant designed to enhance the efficiency of IT administrators, developers, data professionals, and financial operations. It aids in designing, operating, optimizing, and troubleshooting Azure environments. This article provides a comprehensive exploration of Copilot in Azure's architecture and data flows.

Finally, if you missed the Microsoft Build keynote, you can find it here. All jokes aside, here is the catalog of sessions presented.

VMware Desktop Hypervisor Pro Apps Now Available for Personal Use

Michael Roy is the Product Line Manager for Desktop Hypervisor products such as VMware Fusion and Workstation and announced that VMware Workstation and Fusion are available for free for personal use.

Talking about home PCs and servers to run labs and evaluate new solutions, this video from Brandon Lee's "Top 5 Mini PCs for Home Server in early 2024" is a great watch!

Publish Teams using MSIX Application Packages with Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops

Dizzion and IBM are pushing the boundaries of cloud technology by adding IBM Cloud VPC to Dizzion's Frame Desktop as a Service (DaaS) platform. This new infrastructure option aims to provide a dynamic, scalable, and cloud-native experience, enhancing the flexibility and diversity of choices for customers. The longstanding partnership between Dizzion and IBM continues to drive innovation and adaptability.

You might have heard about a lesser-known application packaging format called MSIX. This is the latest format for application delivery that supports isolation and virtualization, succeeding App-V, which was used for many years. Organizations are facing several challenges in adopting MSIX as the primary method for delivering applications, including:

• Understanding MSIX and its implications.

• Time required to repackage applications.

• Lack of vendor support for MSIX.

If you are beginning with MSIX application deployment, it is essential to review this great article from Leee Jeffries thoroughly. The link below provides a comprehensive introduction to all related topics and includes troubleshooting tips for when MSIX packages encounter issues. Even if you aren't using Citrix Virtual apps and Desktops, this article is still a great read!

The Future of End User Computing with Shawn Bass & Steve Greenberg

Two great community friends talk about events, thoughts about the EUC market, thin clients, massive transformations, sentiment, great opportunities, community, and many other great topics!