Agile seems to be the most popular set software development methodologies today.  But how do you actually implement agile? How do you ensure your software development team is running lean? Is your software being developed iteratively?

TeamPulse is an awesome product that is being released later this month that combines agile and lean best practices enabling your development team to plan software development projects in full detail. To take it a step further, the tool even lets to measure specific results so you can make improvements and enhancements to the project and your team. I personally love the project dashboards that’s give you a really quick snapshot view of your projects at a high level.

I could talk about this tool forever, but Joel Semeniuk, VP Telerik Team Productivity Division will actually be demonstrating the tool on July 27^th, 2010 via live webinar.  With over 15 years of experience, Joel specializes in helping organizations around the world realize their potential through maturing their software development and information technology practices. This is going to be an awesome webinar.  Make sure your register and send the link to your friends.

Register for TeamPulse Demo here

Frankly the title is wrong.  It’s much bigger than that.

Do you remember watching Minority Report and getting completely excited about what could be possible in future user interfaces?  Microsoft has invested heavily in different ways to interact with the pc, Project Natal which was recently renamed to Kinect is set to be released in October and cost only a  mind-blowing $150 USF.  It’s going to allow you to control your entire home media center experience, not just play video games.

Recently I ran into a presentation by John Underkoffler at TED.  It was an amazing demonstration of the real Minority Report Interface that he created for the movie all of us loved.  Watch the TED presentation below, but before you do try and put the video into its true context.  It’s not about the gloves or being able to wave your hands in the air to make things happen.  To me what makes this type of research and technology so incredible and “beautiful” is how the pc is now able to learn about its environment, where it is, where objects are, and help us in the real world.

Traditionally when you interact with a personal computer, you have to sit in front of a screen in order to use it.  Even new advancements like the iPad or iPhone are really just new form factors to a personal computer.  They are truly revolutionary devices for sure, and I love my iPad, but they all are not truly leaps forward in shifting a key concept. 

I interact with my computer by using its user interface.

What is about to happen in our lifetime, in fact, in the next few years…

The computer interacts with me, my real world objects, and my space.

To be sure there will always be the need for both types of experiences, but I am making a bet that this substantial shift in the way the technology interacts with us is about to usher in a whole new era of innovations that will make the videos on this article seem boring within the next 5 years.

At the end of the video Bill Gates asks a great question “When is this coming?”.  And that has always been the hardest part for technology, software, and innovation.  Great ideas are great, but only if you can make them reality. Bill Gates understands this better than anyone, and is one of the best minds on our planet at making things that are “cool”, actually mainstream.

Microsoft Kinect is coming in October.  A revolutionary game changing device priced at $150 USF.  Anybody will be able to go to their favorite electronics store and get one.  Get ready for your world to change.  Get ready for Microsoft to learn an incredible amount about how humans work and move and want to their computers to interact with them.  It really has very little to do with games when you take the blinders off.

Also get ready to never again get a phone call asking you how to use the remote.

Microsoft has completed the development of their fourth application for the iPhone.  It is now available on the App Store, so go check it out!  It is definitely a beautiful application that takes advantages of the form factor very well.  The new app includes support for the new Windows Live Messenger Wave 4 features.  This means you will have complete integration with Facebook, Flickr, and Skydrive files.

Windows Live Messenger is the most popular IM client in the world, so its move to the iPhone should be welcomed by many!  With the application, you can chat with all your Live Messenger contacts, as well as Yahoo! Contacts.

For those have been looking for an easy way to read your Hotmail on your iPhone, the wait is over.  You can now read your Hotmail right in the Windows Live Messenger application.

So there you have it.  You can now stay connected with nearly everyone via your iPhone!

I’ve been looking around for a way to get my son interested in Software Development.  My wife asks me what I would do if he isn’t interested in programming, and I tell her I would be ok with it.  It doesn’t mean I can’t try and influence his interests!  I stumbled onto this really neat project by Microsoft FUSE Labs, Kodu.  Kodu gives children the ability to learn programming and basic Object Oriented Software Development principles, without even knowing they are learning how to develop games.  Kids are able to create games by visually designing worlds, interactive objects, and characters.  The best part is your children will be able to play their games on their XBOX 360 after they are done creating the game!

I thought maybe I wouldn’t let my son play video games for a while, but maybe I might modify the rule and tell him he can play games, as long as he made the game.

Check Out Kodu and the Microsoft FUSE Labs team.

 
Visual Studio 2010 from Microsoft is definitely a game changer for software developers. On May 11th, 2010, Anvil Digital, Microsoft, ImagiNET, and Protegra are happy to bring you the Winnipeg Visual Studio 2010 Launch event at The Imax Theatre!

I’m really excited about this event because it features some of the best presenters in Winnipeg presenting on some really awesome topics! Make sure you register today as spaces are limited. There should be some pretty good prizes, food, presentations, and just a phenomenal opportunity to network with other people in the field. There are a few pretty good surprise draws as well, so bring your co-workers and friends.

Check out the agenda for the Visual Studio 2010 Launch Even below, or download the PDF File and post the invite at your office. We look forward to seeing you at the event!

Agenda

8:00 – 9:00     Registration and Continental Breakfast
9:00 – 9:15     Welcome
9:15 – 10:30   VS.NET 2010 Team Foundation Testing Tools – Aaron Kowall
10:45 – 12:00  Architecting Apps with VS.NET 2010  – Miguel Carrasco & Dylan Smith
1:30 – 2:45     What’s New for Teams in Visual Studio 2010 – Steve Porter
3:00 – 4:15     Developing Web Applications Using ASP.NET
                     with VS.NET 2010 – D’Arcy Lussier & Jason Klassen
4:15 – 4:30     Prize Giveaways

Sponsors

Register for Visual Studio 2010 Launch Event – Tuesday May 11th, 2010

Download Official Invitation and Agenda