Opera was the first major web browser to enable built-in access to local AI models and LLMs. The browser is collaborating with Google to expand on that capability, adding Gemini to the list of available models.

“Our companies have been cooperating for more than 20 years. We are excited to be announcing the deepening of this collaboration into the field of generative AI to further power our suite of browser AI services,” said Per Wetterdal, EVP Partnerships at Opera.

“We’re happy to elevate our long standing cooperation with Opera by powering its AI innovation within the browser space,” said Eva Fors, Managing Director, Google Cloud Nordic Region.

The inclusion of Gemini will give users access to advanced image generation, as well as conversational voice output.

Like many smaller browsers, Opera has benefited greatly from the EU forcing Apple to make it easier for users to set a default browser. Going all-in could help the smaller browser grab even more market share.

ICQ was first launched in 1996 by Israeli company Mirabilis. It was eventually sold to AOL before making its way to Russian company VK. ICQ was unique at the time, because it did not require users to sign up with a unique user name. Instead, each user was given a unique numerical account number, giving them the freedom to choose whatever user name they wanted.

Despite topping out at more than 100 million accounts in 2001, the platform was eventually surpassed by other options, such as Google Talk, Apple iMessage, as well as secure encrypted options like Signal and WhatsApp.

The company behind ICQ has announced the service will shut down next month. VK encourages users to use VK Messenger and VK Workspace instead.

Of course, most users are advised not to use VK products. The company’s controlling interest is owned by a state-owned bank, and the company has a long history of cooperating with Russian authorities, leading to major questions about the privacy and security of VK users.

Users looking for an option to replace ICQ would do better to choose Signal or WhatsApp.

Screenshots can pose a major security risk, as they can be used to capture all types of information, including in mediums that are designed to be self-destructing, such as disappearing messages. Microsoft is giving businesses the ability to combat the issue with screenshot prevention.

Screenshot prevention: Data exfiltration in the browser is a major concern for organizations due to financial, reputational and operational impact. Edge for Business will support screenshot prevention policies set across Microsoft 365, Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps, Microsoft Intune Mobile Application Management and Microsoft Purview. Screenshot prevention policies will secure against data exfiltration in the browser by blocking the ability to take screenshots on pages labeled as sensitive or protected. Screenshot prevention will be generally available in the coming months.

The new feature will be a welcome one for many businesses and help make Edge an appealing option in a corporate environment.

Winamp is one of the most well-known music players for Windows, and has been around for nearly three decades. The developers are ready to take the app to the next level, leveraging the community of users to help develop it moving forward.

The devs made the announcement in a post on their site:

Winamp has announced that on 24 September 2024, the application’s source code will be open to developers worldwide.

Winamp will open up its code for the player used on Windows, enabling the entire community to participate in its development. This is an invitation to global collaboration, where developers worldwide can contribute their expertise, ideas, and passion to help this iconic software evolve.

“This is a decision that will delight millions of users around the world. Our focus will be on new mobile players and other platforms. We will be releasing a new mobile player at the beginning of July. Still, we don’t want to forget the tens of millions of users who use the software on Windows and will benefit from thousands of developers’ experience and creativity. Winamp will remain the owner of the software and will decide on the innovations made in the official version,” explains Alexandre Saboundjian, CEO of Winamp.

Developers interested in contributing can sign up here: about.winamp.com/free-llama.

Other messaging platform, such as Signal and WhatsApp, already provide the ability edit sent messages. Google has been expanding Messages’ feature set, with the latest addition being message editing. The news was spotted by Jhow_kira in a post on X.

As Jhow_kira points out, Messages will only allow users to edit a text up to 15 minutes after it was sent. Nonetheless, the feature brings Messages one step closer to full parity with other messaging platforms.

Key Features of Amazon Q Business

1. Seamless Integration with Enterprise Data Sources:
Amazon Q Business offers connectivity to over 40 popular enterprise data sources, including Amazon Simple Storage Service (Amazon S3), Microsoft 365, and Salesforce. It maintains stringent security measures, ensuring that access to content is governed by existing credentials and single sign-on permissions bolstered by enterprise-level access controls.

2. Advanced Query and Data Summarization Capabilities:
Users can leverage the web-based chat assistant of Amazon Q Business to pose questions across various topics, such as company policies, products, and business results. The system is adept at searching vast enterprise data repositories, summarizing information logically, analyzing trends, and engaging in detailed dialogues with users.

3. Customizable User Experience and Content Creation:
The newly introduced content creation mode allows users to generate creative outputs like personalized emails and summarized responses using generative AI models built into Amazon Q Business without tapping into enterprise content.

Enhancements and Administrative Features

1. Pre-built Data Connectors and Custom Plugins:
Amazon Q Business supports integration through pre-built data connectors or an Amazon Kendra retriever. It also offers custom plugins, allowing interactions with enterprise systems such as Jira, Salesforce, and ServiceNow directly through the chat assistant. These plugins are adaptable, enabling users to create Jira issues or send meeting invites through natural language prompts.

2. Administrative Controls and Guardrails:
Administrators can set global controls to dictate the source of chat responses, whether from connected data sources or the underlying large language model (LLM). Topic-level controls further allow for the specification of restricted topics and appropriate responsive actions.

Amazon Q Apps: Empowering Custom Application Development

A notable addition is Amazon Q Apps, which empowers users to create AI-powered applications using simple natural language descriptions. This feature enables the rapid generation of apps tailored to specific business needs, facilitating tasks such as data visualization, report generation, or even complex analytical functions, all without requiring prior coding expertise.

Security and Compliance

Amazon Q Business is integrated with various AWS services to ensure secure data connectivity and storage, and it is compliant with stringent standards, including Federal Information Processing Standards (FIPS). AWS IAM Identity Center for user identity management and AWS PrivateLink ensure secure and private connectivity within an Amazon Virtual Private Cloud (Amazon VPC) environment.

Looking Ahead: The Future of Amazon Q Business

With its general availability now announced, Amazon Q Business is poised to redefine how enterprises interact with their data. The system’s ability to enhance decision-making and boost productivity through AI-driven insights and automation presents a significant value proposition for businesses looking to leverage their internal data more effectively.

Amazon Q Business and its innovative Amazon Q Apps represent a leap forward in making AI technology accessible and beneficial across various corporate functions. As organizations seek efficiency and enhanced data utilization, tools like Amazon Q Business will undoubtedly become integral components of their operational strategies.

Users took to Reddit to complain about issue sending videos. User ‘EnderVamp’ posted a screenshot displaying a WhatsApp error message when trying to send a video:

Can’t send this video. Choose a different video and try again.

Another user, aston_vanilla, said the issue was impacting his personal WhatsApp account, but not his business account.

Same. Works fine through my WhatsApp for business app (on same phone) but standard version won’t send. Followed all the workarounds I found online (shy of downloading the beta version), cleared cache, forced stop, uninstalled and reinstalled and no joy.

For now, I’m sending from WhatsApp business to my personal number and then resending the new version of the video from the “WhatsApp Video” folder.

As of the time of writing, there is no indication what is causing the problem or when it will be fixed.

Murray explained that Gemini represents a significant evolution in Google’s approach to cloud services. “Gemini in Google Cloud is really about taking that AI power and applying it to the types of use cases that our customers encounter every day,” he stated. This initiative aims to simplify the complexities of deploying, operating, and securing software through automated and intelligent tools.

During his talk, Murray outlined three core areas where Gemini enhances the Google Cloud experience: workload optimization, observability of infrastructure and applications, and operating more securely. Each of these areas addresses fundamental challenges faced by developers and organizations in the cloud.

Optimizing Workloads with AI

Murray highlighted how Gemini aids developers in deploying applications more efficiently. “It’s not always easy for someone new to Cloud to know how to use all available tools effectively,” he noted. Gemini’s interface allows users to engage with the system using natural language queries, which the system can translate into actionable data, significantly simplifying complex operations.

Advancing Observability

On observability, Gemini pushes the boundaries beyond basic metrics. Murray emphasized the system’s ability to offer deeper insights through advanced data analytics. “Gemini can take a natural language statement, turn that into a query, run it, and return graphed results within seconds,” he explained. This rapid functionality transforms how developers interact with observability tools, enabling them to extract valuable insights from vast data quickly.

Enhancing Security Measures

Security is another critical focus of Gemini. Murray described how Gemini is equipped with comprehensive knowledge and tools to safeguard cloud operations effectively. “We teach Gemini all about the security concerns our customers have and integrate that knowledge directly to their resources,” he said. This approach ensures that Gemini’s AI-driven recommendations are precisely tailored to enhance the security posture of each deployment.

Moreover, Gemini’s collaboration with external partners like Stack Overflow enriches its library of security knowledge, allowing it to offer real-time solutions to common and complex security issues.

Seamless Integration for Developers

Murray also touched on how developers could integrate Gemini into their workflows. The tool is designed to be unobtrusive yet integral, providing code suggestions and security tips directly within the development environment, whether that’s in an IDE or another platform.

“As you go through the lifecycle of developing your applications, Gemini is there, integrated directly into the interfaces you use every day,” Murray added. This seamless integration ensures that developers have continuous access to AI-powered assistance throughout the software development lifecycle.

In conclusion, Gemini by Google Cloud signifies a major step forward in utilizing AI to enhance cloud technology platforms. By automating critical aspects of software deployment and management, Gemini not only increases efficiency but also improves security and operational observability, ushering in a new era of cloud computing tailored to the needs of modern developers and enterprises.

Google launched its VPN service in late 2020, expanded it to macOS and Windows in late 2022, giving all Google One users free access to the service in March 2023. Barely a year later, the company says it is killing off the service.

Google told 9to5Google that it is ““discontinuing the VPN feature as [they] found people simply weren’t using it.” The company said the decision will allow it to “refocus” and “support more in-demand features with Google One.” Google told the outlet it will discontinue the service in a few months, but gave no definitive date. The company also said the decision did not impact the free Pixel VPN service for Pixel 7 phones and later.

The news comes on the heels of Google’s discontinuation of its Podcast service, a move that has not gone over well with users.

Google’s decision also speaks to a greater issue with with the company, in which is has a well-established reputation for killing off products and leaving its users with little to no good option. In fact, the Killed by Google website lists 294 services (not including Google One VPN), that have been killed by the company.

At its core, Google is an advertising and cloud company. Virtually everything else it does is designed to support and monetize those businesses. Anything outside of those core markets—and especially services that don’t contribute to its bottom in those areas—is fair game to be killed off.

Snaps are Canonical’s containerized application format for Linux and directly competes with Flatpak. Both formats solve the issue of having up-to-date applications on stable, long-term-support (LTS). With traditional LTS distros, package versions are frozen for the lifespan of that release, only receiving security and bug fixes, but not new features. Snaps and Flatpaks solve this issue by including all the necessary dependencies within the package, giving users the ability to have the latest and greatest software, regardless of how old the underlying distro is.

Ubuntu already packages Firefox as a Snap package and plans to do the same with Thunderbird in Ubuntu 24.04. The Thunderbird developers are directly supporting the Thunderbird Snap to help improve the experience.

We love our Linux users across all Linux distributions. That is why we’ve stepped up to help maintain the Thunderbird Snap available in the Snap Store.

Last year we took ownership of the Thunderbird Flatpak, and it has been our officially recommended package for Linux users. However, we are expanding our horizons to make sure the Thunderbird Snap experience is officially supported too. We at Thunderbird are team “free software”, independent of the packaging technology. This will mostly affect our Ubuntu users but there are plenty of other Snap users out there as well.

As the Thunderbird devs point out, Ubuntu users will see immediate benefits.

If you are an Ubuntu user, then you may already be using the Thunderbird Snap. The next release of Ubuntu is 24.04 (available April 25) and will be the first Ubuntu release that seeds the Thunderbird Snap on the ISO. So if you do a fresh full install of Ubuntu, you will be using the Thunderbird Snap that you know is directly supported by the Thunderbird team.

If you are not an Ubuntu user but Snaps are still a part of your life, then you will still benefit from the same rolling updates provided by the Snap experience.

Proton is the leading private and secure email service, and has been expanding its portfolio of apps to provide a secure ecosystem of tools for the privacy-conscious. Standard Notes is the latest addition to the suite, with Proton acquiring the app.

Standard Notes is an open-source, end-to-end encrypted notes app that relies on paying subscribers rather than ads, data mining, tracking, or analytics. The company goes through regular audits to ensure its service is secure.

We believe the Internet should do a simple thing: Keep your private information private. No one should be able to touch what you think or write and do, but you. And we are out to prove that far too many companies mismanage your information for no other reason than laziness and greed.

We will never ask you to take our word for protecting your privacy by burying lax standards in user agreements carefully crafted so nobody understands them. Instead, we will proudly present peer-reviewed and auditable policies that the entire world can see, touch and debate.

The company says joining Proton was a natural choice, given the similar goals of the two companies.

Our goal with Standard Notes has always been to build a principled service that can endure. Which is why we’re excited to announce we’re joining forces with Proton, the Swiss organization behind the end-to-end encrypted email service Proton Mail (as well as Proton VPN, Proton Drive, and Proton Pass).

Proton is one of the few organizations that understands the challenges we face at Standard Notes. It’s also a self-sustaining, mission-driven organization that has rejected venture capital so it can focus on serving its community and protecting the privacy of people around the world. By combining forces, both the Proton and Standard Notes communities can ensure the internet of tomorrow has a place where you can be free to think and act without the worry that someone is looking over your shoulders.

A big part of the deal is that Standard Notes will continue to operate in the same way its users have come to expect, including remaining open-source, continuing to undergo independent audits, existing plans and prices will stay the same, and new features will continue to be developed and added.

Standard Notes says joining Proton will help it evolve faster and continue to serve its customers better.

In Proton, we’ve found a partner who shares our focus on protecting privacy. Its teams of engineers are world-class in delivering powerful, user-first technologies that incorporate end-to-end and zero-access encryption. This should help us deliver new features even faster (even though we’ll never lose our love for simple and straightforward product design). Proton also has a fully staffed support team that can provide dependable guidance to any Standard Notes user who gets lost or needs help.

In this comprehensive guide, Arjan unravels the mysteries of cloud systems, shedding light on the key components and offerings of three major cloud providers: Amazon Web Services (AWS), Microsoft Azure, and Google Cloud Platform.

The Cloud Landscape: A Primer on Leading Providers

“Understanding the cloud landscape is crucial for app developers seeking to harness its power.” – Arjan

At the forefront of cloud computing are three major providers: Amazon Web Services (AWS), Microsoft Azure, and Google Cloud Platform (GCP). These industry giants offer myriad services and tools designed to meet the diverse needs of app developers, from infrastructure as a service (IaaS) to platform as a service (PaaS) and beyond. By familiarizing themselves with the offerings of these leading providers, developers can gain a solid foundation for building and deploying applications in the cloud.

Designing for the Cloud: A Strategic Approach

“Designing applications for the cloud requires a holistic approach that considers scalability, resilience, and security from the outset.” – Arjan

Before embarking on their cloud journey, app developers must adopt a cloud-native mindset, designing applications optimized for cloud environments’ distributed and elastic nature. Arjan’s design guide serves as a roadmap for developers, offering practical tips and best practices for architecting cloud-native applications that leverage the full potential of cloud computing. From microservices architecture to containerization and serverless computing, Arjan provides actionable insights to help developers design agile, scalable, and resilient applications.

Exploring Cloud Components: Compute, Storage, and Databases

“Understanding the core components of cloud computing is essential for building robust and scalable applications.” – Arjan

At the heart of cloud computing lie three fundamental components: compute, storage, and databases. Each plays a critical role in the architecture and operation of cloud-based applications, offering developers a wealth of options for building and deploying their applications. Arjan delves into the nuances of compute services, exploring virtual machines, containers, and serverless architectures and providing insights into their respective strengths and use cases.

Regarding storage, Arjan examines the offerings of AWS, Azure, and GCP, highlighting the benefits of object storage solutions such as Amazon S3, Azure Blob Storage, and Google Cloud Storage. He discusses strategies for managing data effectively, including lifecycle management, versioning, and access control.

In the realm of databases, Arjan explores the diverse landscape of cloud databases, including relational databases, NoSQL databases, and data warehouses. He discusses popular offerings such as AWS RDS, Azure SQL Database, and Google Cloud Bigtable, offering insights into their features, performance, and scalability.

Navigating the Cloud: Tips and Recommendations

“Success in the cloud requires a strategic approach and a commitment to continuous learning and optimization.” – Arjan

As app developers embark on their cloud journey, Arjan offers practical advice and recommendations to help them navigate the complexities of cloud computing. From selecting the right cloud provider to optimizing costs and performance, Arjan provides actionable insights to empower developers to make informed decisions and build applications that thrive in the cloud.

Embracing the Power of Cloud Computing

“In today’s digital landscape, cloud computing holds immense potential for app developers seeking to innovate and scale their applications.” – Arjan

In conclusion, cloud computing represents a paradigm shift in how applications are built, deployed, and managed. By understanding the core components of cloud infrastructure and leveraging the capabilities of leading cloud providers, app developers can unlock new opportunities for growth and success. Arjan’s comprehensive guide serves as a roadmap for developers looking to harness the full potential of cloud computing and elevate their applications to new heights of excellence.

Empowering Non-Coders with Data Accessibility

Developed by Google’s Gemini AI technology, SQL Talk offers a game-changing approach to data exploration. Traditional business data access methods typically involve writing complex SQL queries or making API calls, processes that require coding expertise and consume considerable time. However, SQL Talk flips the script by enabling users to engage in natural language conversations to extract database insights.

From Query to Conversation: Demystifying Data Access

Imagine a scenario where non-technical users can effortlessly pose questions about business data and receive instant, comprehensible responses. SQL Talk makes this a reality through its intuitive chat interface, where users can ask questions in plain language. Behind the scenes, Google’s Gemini AI translates these queries into executable commands, interacts with the database through API calls, retrieves relevant data, and presents it in a user-friendly format.

A Peek Under the Hood: How SQL Talk Works

At its core, SQL Talk relies on a carefully crafted blend of AI and programming logic. The project’s architecture involves defining function calls within the Gemini AI model, mapping these functions to specific API calls or SQL queries, and orchestrating the seamless data flow between the user interface and the database. By leveraging existing AI models and APIs, SQL Talk eliminates the need for extensive model training, making it a practical and scalable solution for data exploration.

Extending the Possibilities: Customizing SQL Talk for Your Needs

One of the most compelling aspects of SQL Talk is its extensibility. Developers can easily tailor the project to suit the unique requirements of their organizations by adding new function definitions and integrating additional API calls. Whether querying different databases, accessing diverse data sources, or expanding functionality to cover various business systems, SQL Talk offers limitless potential for customization.

Collaborative Innovation: Building a Community around SQL Talk

As SQL Talk continues to evolve, its success hinges on the collaboration and ingenuity of developers worldwide. Google’s commitment to open-source development ensures that SQL Talk remains accessible to all, fostering a vibrant community of contributors dedicated to pushing the boundaries of AI-driven data exploration. With each new feature and enhancement, SQL Talk moves closer to its vision of democratizing access to business intelligence.

Unlocking the Value of Data: The Future of AI-Powered Insights

In the ever-expanding realm of AI-driven innovation, projects like SQL Talk represent a paradigm shift in how we interact with data. By bridging the gap between technical and non-technical users, SQL Talk empowers organizations to extract actionable insights from their data assets with unprecedented ease and efficiency. As businesses embrace the transformative potential of AI-powered data exploration, the possibilities for driving growth and innovation are boundless.

Microsoft came under fire in the EU over its practice of bundling Teams as part of Office. Slack filed a complaint with the EU alleging that Microsoft’s bundling gave Teams an unfair advantage and disincentivized customers from using competing alternatives.

After increased regulatory scrutiny, Microsoft agreed to uncouple Teams from Office in the EU, effectively heading off further antitrust action. Microsoft has now decided to make that policy global, according to a post on the company’s site:

Last year Microsoft updated the way Microsoft 365, Office 365, and Teams were licensed in the European Economic Area (EEA) and Switzerland. Now we are announcing our plan to extend that approach worldwide.

Globally consistent licensing helps ensure clarity for customers and streamline decision making and negotiations. To that end, we are now updating the way Microsoft 365, Office 365, and Teams are licensed outside of Europe in keeping with the recent changes in the EEA. Starting today, we are introducing 1) a new lineup of commercial Microsoft 365 and Office 365 suites that do not include Teams in regions outside the EEA and Switzerland, and 2) a new standalone Teams offering for Enterprise customers in those regions.

As in the EEA and Switzerland, customers with existing subscriptions that include Microsoft Teams will be able to continue using plans they have already chosen.

Microsoft has worked hard to shed the image it once had as a company that abused its monopoly and crushed rivals. While still perfect, the company has responded much faster than Apple or Google to regulators’ concerns and, in at least some cases, made sweeping changes to how it conducts business or licenses its products.

One can’t help but wonder if Apple would be facing the massive DOJ lawsuit about its alleged monopolistic behavior if it had taken a page from Microsoft’s book and been more proactive about addressing regulatory concerns.

Incognito Mode falsely gave users the impression that Google would not collect their data, even though the company did exactly that. In fact, internal company emails showed that Google knew Incognito Mode wasn’t truly private.

“Make Incognito Mode truly private,” marketing chief Lorraine Twohill wrote in an email to CEO Sundar Pichai, highlighting ways the company could gain user trust. “We are limited in how strongly we can market Incognito because it’s not truly private, thus requiring really fuzzy, hedging language that is almost more damaging.”

After failing to have the lawsuit dismissed, and failing to get a summary judgment, it appears Google doesn’t want to fight it anymore, with court documents showing both sides are willing to settle the case.

Through mediation facilitated by the Honorable Layn R. Phillips, Plaintiffs and Google LLC have agreed to a binding term sheet that would resolve the claims in this litigation, pending the Court’s approval. The Parties are presently preparing a final and definitive settlement agreement, which they anticipate executing within 30 days of this filing and then presenting for this Court’s approval within 30 days thereafter.

Although the initial document does not list the terms, it’s a safe bet they include Google destroying whatever data it collected and limiting such collection in the future.

Hopefully, the action results in a more private Chrome browser for all users, and serves as a warning to companies to avoid false advertising in their privacy claims.

Announced amidst growing concerns over toxicity and exclusionary behavior on gaming platforms, Microsoft’s new framework aims to incorporate stories and themes from marginalized communities and emerging markets into game development. Yet, what some hail as a step towards more excellent representation, others deride as an overreach of political correctness.

At the heart of the debate lies balancing inclusivity with artistic freedom. Microsoft’s framework outlines various considerations for developers, including portraying characters, representing diverse perspectives, and avoiding reinforcing negative stereotypes. Yet critics argue that such guidelines stifle creativity and impose a rigid orthodoxy on game design.

One particularly contentious aspect of the framework is its focus on gender representation. Developers are encouraged to create playable female characters equal in skill and ability to their male counterparts and to eschew gender stereotypes in character design. While proponents applaud these efforts to promote gender equality, detractors argue that they inhibit artistic expression and ignore gamers’ diverse preferences.

Furthermore, Microsoft’s enforcement strike system, designed to combat toxicity on its Xbox platform, has raised eyebrows among gamers. With accounts facing suspension after accumulating eight strikes for alleged misconduct, some fear that the system could inadvertently punish innocent players or suppress free expression.

The broader context of Microsoft’s initiatives within the gaming industry is also scrutinized. As the company doubles down on efforts to foster inclusivity, concerns arise over the potential homogenization of gaming content and the imposition of ideological agendas on developers.

While Microsoft insists that its framework is merely a set of guidelines, not requirements, for game development, critics remain skeptical of its implications. As the debate rages on, the future of gaming hangs in the balance, torn between the competing imperatives of inclusivity and artistic freedom.

For now, the gaming community remains divided over Microsoft’s Gaming for Everyone initiative, with passions running high on both sides of the argument. As the industry grapples with these complex issues, one thing is sure: the quest for inclusivity in gaming is far from over, and the battle lines are drawn for a contentious cultural showdown in the digital realm.

The DMA targets “gatekeeper” companies, forcing them to play fair and not favor their own applications and services over those of rivals. As part of the DMA, iOS and Android must present a ballot screen to users, giving them the choice of default web browser.

It appears the option is paying off, with Opera reporting a 164% rise in new users on iOS between March 5 and March 7, the period when users first started seeing the ballot screen. In some markets that number was even higher, with France seeing a 402% increase.

“The day the ballot screen started to appear, we saw a spike in the growth of our daily active users, especially for Opera for iOS. We see this as indicative of two things: for one, the importance of regulation to provide a more level playing field, and for another, that users are hungry for new and innovative products that can deliver a superior online experience,” said Jørgen Arnesen, EVP Mobile at Opera.

In addition to giving users a prominent choice, the DMA also forced Apple to allow third-party browsers to use their own engines. Previously, Apple had forced all web browsers to use Safari’s WebKit engine. As a result, third-party browsers were little more than Safari skins—same engine, different interface.

The DMA appears to be paying off, giving users real choice and helping smaller developers better compete with their larger rivals.

Java 22, also known as Oracle JDK 22, is a testament to Oracle’s unwavering commitment to empowering developers and organizations worldwide. Georges Saab, Senior Vice President of Oracle Java Platform and Chair of the OpenJDK Governing Board, expressed enthusiasm for the advancements introduced in Java 22, stating, “The new enhancements in Java 22 enable more developers to quickly and easily build and deliver feature-rich, scalable, and secure applications to help organizations across the globe grow their businesses.”

At the heart of Java 22 lie 12 JDK Enhancement Proposals (JEPs), meticulously crafted to enhance various facets of the Java language, APIs, and tools encompassed within the Java Development Kit (JDK). These enhancements span diverse functionalities, catering to the evolving needs of developers and organizations alike.

One of the cornerstones of Java 22 is integrating features from Project Amber, Project Loom, and Project Panama. Project Amber introduces several language enhancements, including Statements before super(…), Unnamed Variables and Patterns, String Templates, Implicitly Declared Classes, and Instance Main Methods. These additions simplify development workflows and enhance code readability and maintainability.

With its Structured Concurrency and Scoped Values features, Project Loom revolutionizes concurrent programming paradigms, offering developers enhanced error handling and observability capabilities. Similarly, Project Panama introduces the Foreign Function & Memory API and the Vector API, facilitating seamless interoperability with native code and delivering superior performance for vector computations.

Furthermore, Java 22 introduces significant updates to core libraries and tools, such as the Class-File API, Launch Multi-File Source-Code Programs, and Stream Gatherers. These enhancements empower developers with enhanced flexibility and productivity, simplifying complex tasks and boosting overall development efficiency.

Performance remains a focal point in Java 22, with the introduction of Region Pinning for G1. This feature reduces latency during garbage collection, enhancing system responsiveness and overall performance.

The release of Java 22 underscores Oracle’s steadfast commitment to driving innovation and fostering collaboration within the global Java community. By actively engaging with stakeholders through initiatives such as OpenJDK and the Java Community Process (JCP), Oracle continues to shape the future of Java, ensuring its relevance and longevity in an ever-evolving technological landscape.

“Java’s versatility and comprehensive toolset enable it to support the development of production-grade, mission-critical applications at scale, which positions it as a key enabling technology for innovative use cases such as generative AI,” remarked Arnal Dayaratna, Research Vice President of Software Development at IDC, highlighting the significance of Java’s continued evolution.

Mala Gupta, Java developer advocate at JetBrains, expressed her excitement about Java 22’s features designed to cater to developers of all skill levels. “Java is embracing a minimalist approach by continuing to reduce ceremonies around writing initial steps of code,” she said. “With constructor makeover (statements before super[…]), Java has proven again that it supports responsible innovation, and relaxing language constraints that existed from Java’s version 1.0 without breaking any existing code is very exciting.”

Tom Snyder, Oracle’s Vice President of Engineering for enterprise cloud-native Java, emphasized the tangible benefits of Java 22 for users of the Helidon web server. “The Helidon team recognized the value of virtual threads as soon as they were announced,” Snyder explained. “With Helidon 4, the team rewrote the Helidon web server to natively use virtual threads, which resulted in much better performance and increased developer productivity.”

As organizations navigate the complexities of digital transformation, Java remains a cornerstone of innovation. It enables businesses to harness the power of technology and drive growth. With Java 22, developers are empowered to unlock new possibilities, paving the way for a future of creativity, efficiency, and technological excellence.

The crux of the integration revolves around the seamless ingestion of data from diverse source systems facilitated by a suite of out-of-the-box connectors catering to Salesforce CRM, Marketing Cloud, and Commerce Cloud. Larregui emphasized the significance of this interoperability, highlighting its role in enabling organizations to harness their disparate data assets for actionable insights and informed decision-making.

Williams delved into the technical intricacies of the integration architecture, spotlighting the transformative potential of Google Vertex AI as an end-to-end machine learning platform. From data ingestion to model training, deployment, and monitoring, Vertex AI offers a comprehensive suite of tools designed to streamline the AI lifecycle and drive business value.

A standout feature of the collaboration is the “Bring Your Own Model” functionality, which empowers users to leverage pre-existing models from leading AI providers such as Amazon SageMaker and Google Vertex AI. Williams demonstrated how this capability accelerates innovation by enabling organizations to tap into a rich ecosystem of AI models tailored to their specific needs.

Larregui and Williams showcased the integrated platform’s capabilities and highlighted its versatility in supporting a range of AI use cases, from traditional machine learning pipelines to advanced generative AI models. Attendees were provided with insights into the collaboration’s technical underpinnings, including data ingestion mechanisms, model training workflows, and deployment strategies.

The collaborative spirit between Salesforce and Google Cloud was palpable throughout the session, with Larregui and Williams emphasizing their shared commitment to democratizing data and AI. Attendees were encouraged to explore further sessions diving deeper into the capabilities of Data Cloud and Vertex AI, underscoring the breadth and depth of the collaboration’s offerings.

In conclusion, the collaboration between Salesforce and Google Cloud represents a paradigm shift in data management and AI, offering organizations unprecedented opportunities to unlock the full potential of their data assets. Larregui and Williams left attendees inspired by the transformative power of partnership and poised to embrace a new era of data-driven innovation.

The tech giant’s latest updates include provisions enabling developers to distribute apps directly from webpages, tailor in-app promotions to suit their preferences, and access a slew of new APIs to facilitate seamless app distribution and integration with system functionality.

One of the most significant changes is the expansion of third-party app store capabilities within iOS 17.4. Previously, Apple allowed alternative app stores to offer a catalog of their own and other developers’ apps. Now, developers can create app stores exclusively featuring their own products, paving the way for greater autonomy and customization within the app ecosystem.

Moreover, developers now have the freedom to design in-app promotions, discounts, and deals according to their own specifications. Apple’s predefined templates for such promotions are now optional, empowering developers to craft unique user experiences tailored to their brand identity and objectives.

In a move poised to revolutionize app distribution, developers will soon be able to distribute apps directly from their websites, subject to specific criteria set by Apple. This groundbreaking initiative will allow developers to bypass traditional app store channels and offer their apps directly to users via their own web domains. However, stringent requirements must be met, including membership in the Apple Developer Program and adherence to transparent data collection policies to qualify for web distribution.

To support these initiatives, Apple has introduced a suite of APIs designed to streamline app distribution and integration with system functionality. These APIs will empower developers to deploy apps from the web seamlessly, integrate with core system features, and enhance user experiences across platforms.

These transformative changes are part of Apple’s compliance plan with the Digital Markets Act (DMA) and are exclusively applicable within the European Union. By embracing alternative app distribution methods and payment processing options, Apple aims to foster innovation, competition, and consumer choice within the app ecosystem.

Developers eager to leverage these new capabilities can begin implementing them using Xcode 15.3 and iOS 17.4. These changes are set to roll out gradually across the 27 EU member states, offering developers a wealth of new opportunities to engage with users and drive growth.

As the tech industry continues to evolve, Apple’s latest initiatives signal a paradigm shift in app distribution and payment processing, empowering developers to chart new paths to success in the dynamic digital landscape.