http://thebeginningfarmer.com/alfa.php  

http://garrygolden.com/?wordfence_lh=1 As you may have heard already, Apple has released the predecessor app to the Apple iPhone Utility (used  to create managed profiles for iPads and iPhones) – called the Apple Configurator.

This is fantastic new tool for deploying and managing iOS Devices, and the Apple Configurator is a free App from the Mac App Store.  It requires Mac OS X Lion to run and there is no Windows version. It includes the profile editing and deployment functions of iPhone Configuration Utility and the deployment capabilities of iTunes for deploying iOS and paid and free apps to iOS Devices. It also includes three new ways to manage devices: 1. Prepare: set up any number of new devices by installing iOS, apps and profiles, even restoring from a dedicated backup image. 2. Supervise: control and configure devices on an ongoing basis. Each time you reconnect a supervised device to Apple Configurator you can restore it to its original configuration. 3. Assign: check out devices to specific users, putting their data and documents on the device. When you check a device back in, the user’s new data is saved in Apple Configurator so that it can be restored to the next device they check out– even if it’s a different device.

One thing to point out is the way it installs paid apps.  Installing paid apps REQUIRES the Volume Purchase Program. In addition, unlike iTunes, it requires you to feed it the redemption codes you get from the VPP.  For example, if you want to deploy a paid app to 30 devices, you need to feed the Configurator 30 Volume Purchase Program Redemption Codes (similar to some MDM solutions).   During the installation of the apps, it will actually redeem all 30 codes.  This is very different behavior than the past.

I urge you to read the help files carefully as well as look at this kbase article: http://support.apple.com/kb/HT5188?viewlocale=en_US&locale=en_US

Feel free to contact us whether you have any questions about the Apple Configurator or deploying it as an iOS solution.

(special thanks to Jeremy Egger from Apple for sharing the update)