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Microsoft’s 2022 Build conference brings new collaborative features to Teams

Microsoft also introduced its new 'Dev Box,' a new cloud-based service for developers to take their workstation with them

Microsoft kicked off Day one of its annual Build conference today by introducing a range of new tools and platforms for developers.

The keynote kicked off with Microsoft CEO Satya Nadela talking about ten new technologies that are “coming together as a powerful platform” to help developers build what’s next:

  1. Developer flow
  2. cloud ubiquity
  3. App ubiquity
  4. Cloud data
  5. unified data
  6. Models as platforms
  7. Hybrid AI
  8. Low code/No-code
  9. Collaborative apps
  10. Metaverse

For starters, Microsoft introduced ‘Dev Box,’ its new cloud service for developers with ready-to-code workstations that allow coders to focus on work instead of workstation configurations and maintenance. Since Dev Boxes are hosted in the Microsoft Cloud, they work on all Windows, MacOS, Android and iOS devices, and also on all major web browsers, giving developers an option to not be bound to a physical PC, and rather, “spin up a virtual machine (VM) and provision it automatically in the cloud, reducing limitations and delays.”

Developers using Dev Box can create a developer portal to access specific Dex Boxes for different projects. Microsoft is offerings Dev Box in a private preview today, with the cloud service going public in the “next few months.” You can sign-up for the feature here.

Moving on, the Redmond, Washington-based company unveiled its Project Volterra, a developer kit powered by an unnamed Snapdragon compute platform that will let developers explore several AI scenarios using Qualcomm’s Neural Processing SDK for Windows toolkit. The dev kit comes alongside a mini-desktop PC, though it won’t be available as a retail product. From what we know so far, the mini-PC will sport three USB ports, a DisplayPort and an Ethernet port. Microsoft didn’t reveal much else about Project Volterra, though it did say that it will share more information about it at a later date.

Microsoft is also revamping Teams by introducing a new Live Share feature that will allow users to work on a shared document together in real-time, making group meetings more collaborative. Developers, on the other hand, will be able to develop new collaborative software and applications inside Microsoft Teams.

Live Share is built on Fluid Framework, Microsoft’s web-based platform for interactive experiences that it debuted at 2019’s Build conference. Some of Microsoft’s partners, including Accenture, Hexagon and Frame.io have already started building with Live Share.

Check out all the other announcements made on Microsoft Build’s Day one here.

Image credit: Microsoft

Source: Microsoft

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