Software

IObit has released IObit Uninstaller 10, major new update of its uninstall tool for Windows. IObit Uninstaller aims to clean programs (including Microsoft Store apps) more thoroughly from your PC than the apps' own uninstallers by detecting leftover files and Registry entries.

Version 10 promises vastly improved uninstall speeds and better leftover detection, plus improvements to its Install Monitor component. In addition, Pro users gain better bundleware detection, and newly added support for removing over 40 stubborn programs.

Acronis has launched a major new version of its flagship backup product with the release of Acronis TrueImage 2021. The new release has one major highlight: integrated protection against anti-malware.

There are also several minor improvements to the tool's backup engine, but the focus is very much on the new anti-malware protection, which is based on the company’s existing VB100-cerified antimalware solution, Acronis Cyber Protect Cloud.

Corel-subsidiary Parallels International GmbH has launched Parallels Desktop 16.0, the simplest and fastest way of running Windows in a virtual environment on a Mac.

The virtualization software, which can emulate a wide range of operating systems, including Linux and earlier versions of macOS, comes with the promise of over 30 new features, including ever-faster performance and new features, plus has been updated "to take full advantage of the new macOS Big Sur architecture and revamped kernel extensions”, a nod to the upcoming release of macOS 11.0, the biggest macOS update in over a decade.

Lockdowns have presented a challenge for all businesses and it's clear that some have handled the situation better than others.

We sat down with Neil Everatt, CEO of Selenity to discuss how the business has been coping during lockdown and what changes to productivity and innovation he’s seen.

The pandemic hasn't caused too much disruption for quality assurance teams according to a survey from software testing company Kobiton.

There have been issues though ranging from team collaboration and communication to alignment with other DevOps teams. 40 percent of respondents report minor disruptions to their QA processes, and 33 percent say they’ve experienced minor delays in their product release cycles.

Parallels International GmbH has released two major updates to its roster on the same day. Parallels Access 6.0 is designed to allow users to remotely access PCs and Macs from Apple and Android mobile devices, while Parallels Toolbox 4.0 is an eclectic suite offering over 30 different tools for Windows and Mac users from a single application menu.

Parallels Access 6.0 adds a new Remote Help feature alongside Bluetooth input device support on the latest iPads, as well as adding OneDrive and Google Drive support to the Android app.

Parallels Toolbox 4.0, meanwhile, gains several new tools, including one to help schedule break times, a unit converter and enhanced search tool.

A new study from cloud solutions provider AHEAD shows that most enterprises are committed to modernizing their application software portfolios, but there are still challenges to overcome and improvements to be made.

Based on a survey conducted by Hanover Research the report shows only 37 percent of respondents are very satisfied with how fast they are currently delivering new software or new features.

Businesses experience problems in leveraging information to make data-driven decisions, communicating between teams and management layers, dealing with 'software sprawl', and accurately quantifying the cost of feature delivery delays a new report shows.

The survey by Accelerated Strategies Group (ASG), commissioned by CloudBees, also shows that many organizations have been able to tackle some of the facets of modern software delivery management, but that there’s still much room for improvement.

PHP 8.0 is due for release in November, but when this major new version appears Windows will not support it.

The company says that bug fixes and security patches will continue to be released for the lifecycles of PHP versions 7.2, 7.3 and 7.4. But when the latest version is released later this year, Microsoft will "not [...] be supporting PHP for Windows in any capacity for version 8.0 and beyond".

KeePass has long made life easier when it comes to managing an ever-growing list of passwords for websites, online accounts and so on. Now with the release of KeePassXC 2.6.0, users are being treated not only to a redesign -- including a dark mode option -- but also new features including offline database password health checks.

The program now features comprehensive reports about passwords stored in its database, including checking with security service Have I Been Pwned to see if any have been involved in password breaches. But there's more.

German software developer Ashampoo has unveiled Photo Optimizer 8.0, a major new release of its Windows photo-editing tool. The first major update since June 2018, version 8 builds further on the 1-click optimization tool introduced in version 7, plus offers additional manual fine-tuning tools alongside a new perspective correction feature.

Photo Optimizer 8 opens with what Ashampoo admits is a 'significantly improved' 1-click correction tool, designed to detect potential weaknesses in the original photo and provide improvements with no user involvement required. The improved algorithm has undergone two years of development and trial runs, with many thousands of setting combinations tested to help lift photos suffering from dull colors, poor lighting and a lack of contrast.

With the release of eM Client 8, the desktop email client for macOS and Windows gets a visual overhaul in addition to a batch of new features. But em Client is about more than just email; there's also a calendar component, chat and notes.

Just about every aspect of the user interface has been redesigned to improve not only aesthetics, but also ease of use. A key enhancement to the software that will be welcomed by many is the ability to run multiple instances of the program simultaneously. This means it is now easier than ever to move between different sections of the app, as you're able to have, for instance, your emails open in one window, and your calendar in another.

Swiss developer iterate GmbH has released Mountain Duck 4.0 for Windows and Mac.

Highlights in the new release -- a paid upgrade for all users, including those with licenses for previous versions -- include the ability to view the sync progress for current transfers, and an option to view a list of recently changed files on both computer and server.

In a new survey, 55 percent of respondents say test automation would improve software quality, and 51 percent say they're releasing software updates daily or weekly.

But the study of over 350 software testers from mobile testing platform Kobiton also shows automation initiatives are still in their infancy, with 58 percent of survey respondents saying their automation programs are relatively new or at least six months from starting.

We may only be halfway through 2020, but SoftMaker Office 2021 is already here. After a period of beta testing, the office suite is ready for a full release on Windows, macOS and Linux.

Available either as a one-off purchase or on a subscription, SoftMaker Office 2021 is pitched squarely as an alternative to Microsoft Office. The office suite makes bold claims about competing with Microsoft's famous suite of tools, but the claims that more than stand up to scrutiny. This is an impressive selection of programs that has much to offer.