Android O is one step closer to being released into the market. As Google puts its final touches on the upcoming operating system, the company is rolling out the Developer Preview 4 of Android O to help developers ensure their apps are ready for the launch. This will be the final preview before Android O officially released later this summer.
The preview includes: final system behaviors, bug fixes, optimizations, final APIs, device system images, the Android 26 Support Library, and updates to the SDK, tools and Android Emulator. In addition, the company announced the latest version of the Android Testing Support Library with the Android Test Orchestrator and Multiprocess Espresso.
Android O brings along new features to the operating system such as notification channels, new integrations, adaptive icons, autosizing, and picture in picture.
More information is available here.
Microsoft’s next generation blockchain solution
As part of its next step for Blockchain as a Service, Microsoft is introducing Enterprise Smart Contracts. Blockchain technology has been gaining a lot of interest lately as companies have been trying to transition it from the cryptocurrency landscape to the business world. It is commonly used to maintain records. Microsoft’s Blockchain as a Service initiative is designed to make it easier for developers to use it as a core data layer.
“Enterprise Smart Contracts decompose the ‘Public Smart Contract; approach, reflecting on both ‘contract’ and technology evolution to provide a model for delivering on the promise of blockchain in the enterprise. A critical first step was to introduce separation of concerns in implementation, which modularizes data, logic, contract participants, and external dependencies. What Enterprise Smart Contracts deliver are a set of components that can be combined to create contract templates that when executed, provide the privacy, scale, performance and management capabilities expected in the enterprise,” Marley Gray, principal program manager for Azure blockchain engineering, wrote in a post.
A Mainframe Center of Excellence
Compuware and Wipro are joining together to launch a Mainframe Center of Excellence. According to the companies, mainframes are outdated today and the industry needs modern processes and tools to provide reliability, scalability, performance and security.
The Mainframe CoE will dedicate resources and best practices to help enterprises modernize their mainframe systems and compete in a fast-moving digital market. It aims to improve digital agility, provide greater business value, and transform mainframes.
“Compuware’s focus on mainframe agility and DevOps enablement aligns with our own approach to mainframe applications. We believe this CoE will accelerate the digital journeys for our global clients especially those of large enterprises,” said Jatin Mehta, head of mainframe application services for Wipro Limited. “By leveraging Compuware’s technology in the context of a broader enterprise strategy for digital excellence, Wipro can substantially enhance our enterprise customers’ ability to innovate in a marketplace where rapid parity is a must,” he added.
