The user experience has been improved so that it is easier to locate everything in one place. The company stated that these enhancements also work to build the foundation for Microsoft’s AI-powered experiences, such as Copilot for Microsoft Teams.

In an effort to bring users heightened speed, Microsoft has made a ground-up investment to overhaul the platform to provide speed and performance improvements for data, network, chat, and video architecture.

Enhancements have also been made to the core experience of Teams that are geared at simplifying the way customers stay on top of notifications, search for information, manage messages, and organize channels. 

Furthermore, Microsoft has improved the Teams authentication model, synchronization, and notification system to offer users a more consistent experience. 

According to the company, it will also use AI to improve collaboration by providing users with the information needed so they can be up to speed on everything that happened prior to joining a meeting or chat. Additionally, the next-gen AI experiences provide users with answers to questions in the flow of discussion.

To learn more about the new Teams, read the blog post. 

The post Microsoft Teams has been redesigned to offer increased speed appeared first on SD Times.

The Windows Terminal preview is now at version 1.17 and Windows Terminal has been updated to version 1.16. 

As a reminder, new features in 1.16 included the introduction of themes to customize the look of the terminal, new default colors, and a new text rendering engine.

One of the new features being introduced in version 1.17 is the ability to customize the dropdown menu. Folders, separators, and profiles can now be added, and they can be arranged in any way. 

There is now a keyboard shortcut to restart a process or close its window after termination. To close the window, use Ctrl+D, and to relaunch it, use Enter. 

Users can also now utilize Mica as a background material for Windows 11 users. Mica incorporates your desktop wallpaper and theme to add another level of personalization to your terminal. 

The team also updated the Color Schemes page so that when you click on a color scheme it brings you to the edit scheme page. 

A number of updates have also been made to Virtual Terminal as well as usability and accessibility improvements. 

More information about this release can be found in Microsoft’s blog post about the release.

The post Windows Terminal preview 1.17 adds ability to customize dropdown menu appeared first on SD Times.

With this, Flutter has been tailored specifically for Windows applications, combining a Dart framework and C++ engine. Additionally, the Flutter engine is hosted on an embedded layer that allows for communication between Windows and Flutter. 

Flutter coordinates with Windows to deal with things such as window resizing and DPI changes, as well as working with inputs such as keyboard and mouse, in addition to touch screen capabilities already built in.

For more details, read more.

Python in VS Code February 2022 release 

Microsoft revealed that the Python Extension for Visual Studio Code includes several new features, including: 

• Smart selection
• Folding support
• Improvements to the Python interpreters list
• Improvements when using Anaconda

With Smart selection via Pylance, selecting Python Code using the keyboard requires fewer key presses. This comes as a highly requested update, defining the users’ selection range by considering their own code structure and heuristics. 

Developers are also enabled to expand their code selection with Shift+Alt+Right Arrow and shrink it with Shift+Alt+Left Arrow. See here for more information. 

Apache weekly update

For the week ending on February 4, 2022, 303 Apache Committers altered 9,625,849 lines of code over 3,255 commits. The top five contributors of the week are Jean-Baptiste Onofré, Claus Ibsen, Sebastian Bazley, Guillaume Nodet, and Eric Milles.

There have also been several project updates, including the retirement of Apache Ambari and Apache Usergrid. This decision came from Apache committers and was due to general inactivity. 

In addition, users of Apache Superset up to and including 1.3.2 should upgrade to version 1.4.0 or higher as a password leak has been detected for authenticated users. This leak was found and reported by Cesar Santos. 

The post SD Times news digest: Support for Flutter on Windows now available; Python in VS Code February 2022 release; Apache weekly update appeared first on SD Times.

With this release, the minimum supported version of Windows 10 for Windows Terminal 1.13+ is now 19041 (20H1). The new features coming to Windows Terminal Preview 1.13 are:

• Updated settings UI design 
• Auto-elevate profiles
• New rendering engine
• Customizable bell sound

The release also brings several other miscellaneous improvements and bug fixes. To learn more, visit here. 

Google Workspace Essentials now available as a no-cost solution

The team at Google recently rolled out a new version of Google Workspace that is aimed at helping users bring the apps commonly used in their personal lives, into their work lives. Google Workspace Essentials Starter Edition provides a no-cost solution for organizations looking to bring more collaboration and enhance teamwork into their business.

In order to use Google Workspace Essential Starter, sign up using your work email and invite teammates to collaborate using Google Docs, Slides, Sheets, Chat, Drive, and Meet. Users then gain access to new ways of working collaboratively.

For more information, see here. 

Skuid acquires InFlight

The team at Skuid, a toolkit creating human-centered digital experiences, announced that it will be acquiring InFlight Corporation. This combination aims to offer users a complete solution for enterprises seeking to optimize their people operations such as talent acquisition and talent management.

“This is a game-changer for the future of people operations applications. The combined capabilities of Skuid and InFlight present a much-needed solution for enterprises that want to design, create, and deliver impactful apps,” says Ryan Niemann, CEO of Skuid.

The post SD Times news digest: Windows Terminal Preview 1.13 available; Google Workspace Essentials now available as a no-cost solution; Skuid acquires InFlight appeared first on SD Times.

That project has since been rebranded as Windows App SDK, but the core vision remains the same. 

Developers can use Windows App SDK to create apps that have a modern UI, access modern platform features like localization and power status, and are backwards compatible down to the Windows 10 October 2018 update (version 1809). All of this can be achieved without the need to rewrite your application from scratch.

To make use of the SDK, developers can use their current installer and add only what is needed on top while leaving the rest of the app as-is. It works with Win32, WinForms, and other Microsoft apps. 

Although it was initially intended to unify applications across different Windows 10 versions, the open source project has expanded with the introduction of Windows 11. Developers can use Windows App SDK to build apps for Windows 11 that are backwards compatible with the Windows 10 October 2018 update. 

“Developers who want to create desktop Windows apps must choose between several app platforms and frameworks. Although each platform provides many features and APIs that can be used by apps that are built using other platforms, some features and APIs can only be used by specific platforms. The Windows App SDK unifies access to Windows APIs for desktop Windows 11 and Windows 10 apps. No matter which app model you choose, you will have access to the same set of Windows APIs that are available in the Windows App SDK,” according to the project’s documentation page. 

More information can be found on the project’s GitHub page. 

The post SD Times Open-Source Project of the Week: Windows App SDK appeared first on SD Times.

AWS Panorama works as a machine learning appliance and software development kit (SDK) that enables developers to bring computer vision to on-premises cameras to make predictions locally with high accuracy and low latency. With this appliance, users can automate tasks that have traditionally required human inspection to improve visibility into potential issues.

With the AWS Panorama Appliance, users can evaluate manufacturing quality, identify bottlenecks in industrial processes, and monitor workplace security even in environments with little or no internet connectivity. 

Windows Terminal Preview 1.12

Microsoft announced the release of Windows Terminal Preview, bringing several new features with it. These features include a default terminal, profile matching, window restoration, full transparency, and more.

The release also brings several bug fixes such as 

• Using the touch keyboard now invokes properly when tapping inside the console window
• The mouse coordinates are now fixed for when the viewport is scrolled for all events 
• When running multiple actions, selecting a new tab should now focus that tab immediately 
• And you can now navigate pane focus without having to zoom out

To learn more about these new features and the Windows Terminal Preview 1.12 release, visit here.

IBM commits to upskilling 30 million people for technical roles by 2030

IBM announced a commitment and global plan to provide 30 million people of all ages with new skills needed for technical roles by 2030. In pursuit of this goal, IBM is unveiling a roadmap with more than 170 new academic and industry partnerships. 

This effort will leverage IBM’s existing programs focused on career building to expand access to education and in-demand technical roles. The plan is designed to be diverse and adaptable in order to work with different types of people as a one-size-fits-all approach does not typically work when it comes to education.

To learn more, visit here. 

Anaconda and Microsoft announce partnership

Anaconda today announced a collaboration with Microsoft in order to enable users to access Anaconda’s library of open-source packages within Microsoft Cloud-hosted products and services such as Azure and GitHub services.

With this collaboration, the availability of key open-source data science tools across different platforms is expanded. In addition, enterprises will be set up for greater success by simplifying the process for users to focus on end results. 

To learn more about this collaboration, visit here.  

The post SD Times news digest: AWS Panorama generally available; Windows Terminal Preview 1.12; IBM commits to upskilling 30 million people for technical roles by 2030 appeared first on SD Times.

This release shifts security testing into developer workflows, spanning the API testing strategy from development through test and to AppSec. In addition, the testing platform combines Parasoft SOAtests’s dynamic application security testing and smart generation with OWASP ZAP in order to identify security vulnerabilities in APIs. 

According to Kevin Greene, director of security solutions at Parasoft, “API security testing is gaining increased visibility in many enterprise applications, as organizations strive to protect their users and ensure that their software is secure.” 

Windows Package Manager 1.1

Microsoft announced the release of Windows Package Manager 1.1, eliminating bugs and adding some highly anticipated new features. Windows Package Manager is being released as an automatic update to Windows 10 and Windows 11 users via the Microsoft Store.

Among the highlighted features is an update to the client, which now ships with two sources configured: Windows Package Manager app repository and the Microsoft Store, giving users access to apps within the store. 

Windows Package Manager is distributed directly from the App installer from the Microsoft Store. It can also be downloaded and installed from the GitHub release. To learn more visit here.

Python 3.10 now available 

Recently, Python released Python 3.10, the next major release of the Python programming language. The release brings many new features and optimizations to users including parameter specific variables, precise line numbers for debugging, and several structural pattern matching features.

In addition, the release also brings features such as the ability to deprecate and prepare for the removal of the wstr member in PyUnicodeObject, writing union types as X|Y, Optional Length-Checking to zip, parenthesized context managers now allowed, deprecate distutils module, and Explicit Type Aliases.

To learn more about the release, visit here.

The post SD Times news digest: Parasoft releases SOAtest 2021.2, Windows Package Manager 1.1, Python 3.10 now available appeared first on SD Times.

JuliaHub makes it easy to develop, deploy and scale Julia programs and is a platform for other applications such as JuliaSim for multi-physics simulation, JuliaSPICE for circuit simulation, and Pumas for pharmaceutical simulation product from Julia Computing’s partner company, Pumas-AI.

“Technical computing is stuck in a rut today,” said Viral Shah, the co-founder and CEO of Julia Computing and co-creator of Julia. “Data scientists and engineers are using products that were designed many decades ago. JuliaHub makes it possible to design new drugs and therapies, develop new batteries, simulate a space mission, and map out the universe, all while using fewer computing resources and reducing data center emissions.

Windows Terminal Preview 1.10 released 

This release introduces Windows Terminal Preview to version 1.10 and Windows Terminal will be updated to version 1.9 soon. 

The Feedback button is now a command palette button, which makes the command palette more discoverable, and when the quake mode window is dismissed, it will now remain in the system tray. 

Windows Terminal now displays bold text in the text renderer and the new version also contains many UI updates. Additional details are available here. 

Kdan Mobile raises $16 million in Series B funding

The SaaS solutions provider Kdan mobile software raised $16 million in a Series B funding round that it will use to drive further development of Kdan’s enterprise offerings including Document AI, DottedSign, Document 365 and Creativity 365.

“We are focused on creating solutions for the hybrid workforce of the future with products that streamline workflow across multiple computing platforms. We enable people to produce creative content on a mobile device and pick it up on a PC or laptop,” said Kenny Su, the CEO and founder of Kdan Mobile Software Ltd.

For larger enterprises that want more control over their data and workflow, Kdan offers a set of APIs and SDKs for its e-signature service, document management solutions, and creativity platform, enabling large organizations to quickly and securely build out these capabilities in-house.

Apache weekly update

Last week at the Apache Software Foundation saw the release of Apache Beam 2.31.0 which fixes a bug in ReadFromBigQuery when a RuntimeValueProvider is used as value of table argument along with more improvements and new functionality. 

Other new releases included Apache XMLBeans 5.0.1, Ant 1.9.16 and 1.10.11, Jackrabbit 2.21.7, Fortress 2.0.6, Camel 3.7.5 and Commons Compress 1.21.

Many of the bugs have been patched in Commons Compress versions that resulted in a denial of service. Apache Ant received patches for archive denial of service bugs as well. 

Additional details on all of the new releases from Apache are available here. 

The post SD Times news digest: Julia Computing Series A, Windows Terminal preview 1.10 released, Kdan Mobile raises $16 million in Series B funding appeared first on SD Times.

With Windows 11, Microsoft set out to create a more personal user experience, with new ways to be productive and connect with people. The upgrade will start being available for eligible Windows 10 PCs late this year. 

“These last 18 months have shown us quite a bit and the PC has played a role to help each one of us, whether it’s work or learning or connecting with each other,” Panos Panay, chief product officer for Windows + Devices at Microsoft, said during the event. “You might be doing emails, you might be having meetings, you might be having classes on your PC. For some it’s become the office banter place, for others it’s become where you do your happy hours. For me it’s where I’ve done pizza parties with my team, it’s where my daughter graduated, and for many it’s where they celebrated their holidays. During that time we learned something, not just how functional and practical the PC needs to be — and believe me we understand that and we know the responsibility of that more than we have before — but it also must be personal, and maybe most importantly, it must feel emotional.”

Start menu and Widgets

Visually, it has redesigned the Start menu, added updated transitions, updated the design of Settings, and added new themes.  The Start menu now appears in the center of the screen and is now more personalized, making suggestions on what to open, based on a user’s commonly used apps or recent files. 

Windows 11 will also add Widgets, which is a personalized, AI-powered feed. “Today, we often pick up our phones to check the news, weather or notifications. Now, you can open a similarly curated view directly from your desktop. When you open your personalized feed it slides across your screen like a sheet of glass so it doesn’t disrupt what you’re doing,” Panay wrote in a blog post. 

Deeper integration with Microsoft Teams

Windows 11 will also come with Microsoft Teams preinstalled and pinned to the taskbar. Users will be able to treat it more like Apple’s Facetime and start video calls right from their desktop. 

“Now you can instantly connect through text, chat, voice or video with all of your personal contacts, anywhere, no matter the platform or device they’re on, across Windows, Android or iOS. If the person you’re connecting to on the other end hasn’t downloaded the Teams app, you can still connect with them via two-way SMS,” Panay wrote.  

Microsoft Store changes for app developers

It also redesigned the Microsoft Store and will be adding support for Android apps through an upcoming partnership with the Amazon Appstore and Intel Bridge.  

It is also making it easier for developers to bring their apps to the Microsoft Store. Developers will now be able to bring apps, whether they’re built as a Win32, Progressive Web App (PWA), Universal Windows App (UWP), or other app framework. 

Microsoft has also changed its revenue share policy so that developers can bring their own commerce system into their apps and keep 100% of the revenue, where previously they only kept 85%.

Productivity enhancements

Windows 11 introduces a number of productivity enhancements, such as new ways to group windows. Currently dragging, or “snapping,” a window to either edge of the screen makes it take up half of the screen, and the other half opens a menu to pick what window to fill the other half of the screen with. In Windows 11 there will be more layout options for this, with new variations for having either three or four windows displayed. 

Snap Groups will remember which apps are grouped together and pins them to the taskbar. 

Also, when a user disconnects their laptop from their monitor, it will automatically minimize the windows that were open, and when they reconnect, it remembers the layout that they had when they were connected to the monitor before. “With Snap Groups and the new docking experience, it’s easier than to get back to being your most productive,” said Carmen Zlateff, partner director of Windows User Experience, during the event. 

Users will also be able to create separate desktops that display a different set of windows and applications. For example, a user could put all their work windows in one desktop and personal windows in another. Each desktop can also have its own wallpaper. “Desktops are an easy way to help you stay organized and focused. They’re different expressions of you designed for the different parts of your life,” said Zlateff.  

The post Windows 11 makes PC experience more personal appeared first on SD Times.

OctoML said it will use the funding to double its team and launch Octomizer, its self-serve SaaS product.

The company is also building a Machine Learning Acceleration Platform that automatically maximizes model performance while still enabling seamless deployment on any hardware, cloud provider or edge service. 

Additional details are available here.

Windows Community Toolkit 7.0
The updated version contains a new .NET Standard MVVM library, easier to use Toast Notification helpers for both .NET and UWP, a completely revamped composition Animation system for C# & XAML as well as new controls. 

The Microsoft.Toolkit.Mvvm package makes it easier to abstract the base Model and ViewModel logic from an application later in the process, especially for projects that target multiple UI frameworks, according to Michael A. Hawker, a senior software engineer for Windows & Devices in a blog post.

Microsoft added that there are some new package structures and breaking changes that have primarily affected the Animations and Controls packages. 

SQLAlchemy 1.4 released
SQLAlchemy features a major rethink of some of the most prominent APIs in Core and ORM as well as new internals and a wide range of significant new features and capabilities. 

The highlights include a unified approach around a revised and more-capable select() construct, a revised declarative mapping system, universally transparent caching of  SQL compilation for both Core and ORM and more. 

SQLAlchemy 1.4 is the starting point for the SQLAlchemy 2.0 project, which will fully move to Python 3. 

Additional details on the new release are available here.

Auth0 Next.js SDK released
The new offering makes it easier for developers to add authentication to their Next.js apps.

Nextjs-auth0 does this by adding server-side login, logout and session management and also offers a suite of tools to help developers access the user’s session from the server and client-side.

There are multiple data-fetching strategies with the two predominant ones being fetching user data client-side and fetching user data server-sides, which determines how developers should set up nextjs-auth0.

A detailed setup on how to get started for choosing the right type of authentication with nextjs-auth0 is available here.

The post SD Times news digest: OctoML to accelerate ML deployment, Windows Community Toolkit 7.0, and SQLAlchemy 1.4 released appeared first on SD Times.