New Opera 12 hooks web apps to 3D graphics acceleration
A new version of Opera's desktop browser rolls out today, six weeks after the public beta.
The list of new features hasn't changed much - and the new version also deprecates older features such as Opera Unite and widgets. HTML apps can now take advantage of experimental hardware acceleration and also access to the computer's webcam.
The hardware acceleration drills into the machine's 3D graphics processor to render pages, WebGL JavaScript code and the browser's user interface. It is enabled on an opt-in basis and remains labelled "experimental". Read more...
Leap-day Visual Studio beta provokes ‘passionate’ response
The early details of Microsoft's latest Visual Studio beta build, notably its changes to the layout and working environment, has provoked a storm of responses just days before its February 29 release.
"There's a lot of excitement about this release and a lot of passion about colors, designs, styles and icons. Know that we are listening to all your comments here, across social media. Keep the comments coming, both good and bad. We are reading them all," reads an update to developer user-experience director Monty Hammontree's introductory posting on the Visual Studio blog. Read more...
Microsoft to launch Windows 8 beta Feb. 29
Microsoft on Wednesday said it will host a launch event for the Windows 8 beta on Feb. 29 in Barcelona, the site of the Mobile World Congress.
Previously, Microsoft had promised that it would distribute a public beta -- the company used the label "Consumer Preview" instead -- in "late February." Wednesday, Feb. 29 is the last day of the month.
Microsoft did not offer any additional details on the Consumer Preview, including whether it planned to also introduce it at a similar U.S. event. A spokeswoman said that Microsoft would provide more information at a later date.
The company will not present the Windows 8 preview at the Mobile World Congress (MWC), but instead at a Barcelona hotel between 3 p.m. and 5 p.m. local time. The MWC runs from Feb. 27 through March 1. Read more...
Chrome beta promises super-fast URL loads
Chrome 17 has hit beta with the promise Google's browser will start loading web pages before you've completed the URL.
The Chrome team blogged here that Chrome 17 loads some pages in the background and if the URL auto-completes then Chrome will begin pre-rendering the page.
Google software engineer Dominic Hamon wrote: "Pre-rendering reduces the time between when you hit Enter and when you see your fully loaded web page - in some cases the web page appears instantly." Read more...
Microsoft de-cloaks Windows 8 push-button lifesaver
Microsoft has revealed how the Windows 8 push-button reset feature should save dying PCs when it hits beta in the coming weeks and is delivered this year.
Windows 8 will offer two options to recover a crashed machine: reset your PC or refresh your PC, Microsoft said on the Windows 8 blog here.
Reset will remove all personal data, apps and settings, and re-install Windows 8; refresh will keep personal data, Metro-style apps, "important" settings and re-install Windows.
Only Metro apps will be preserved and you'll have to re-install desktop apps yourself. Windows 8 will feature two interfaces and application development and input models: the classic desktop and the new, Windows-Phone inspired Metro that's geared for touchy tablets.
The reason for not saving the desktop apps, Microsoft said, is that it is often a single rogue app that has caused your machine to slow down or crash. Read more...