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Microsoft simplifies its Windows Insider testing program
Windows Insiders can now choose between Channels instead of rings.
Apple's latest acquisition will bolster its tools for app developers
Apple is no stranger to acquisitions. Back in 2014, it bought the company behind TestFlight, a system that lets iOS developers get their app out to tens of thousands of beta testers ahead of launch. Now the company has purchased Buddybuild, a company that helps app developers test and manage their apps on the iOS platform.
Devs can now publish Windows apps straight to Xbox One
Microsoft is getting its proverbial development ducks in a row, with the addition of new capabilities to its Dev Center that should make multi-platform publishing a whole lot more straightforward, as well as provide more feedback to developers.
Google I/O 2016 set for May 18-20 in Mountain View
Mark your calendars, folks. Google, Inc. CEO Sundar Pichai took to Google+ today to announce the company's annual developer conference, I/O, would take place at the Shoreline Amphitheatre in Mountain View on May 18-20. This will be the 10th year Google has held an event for Android developers to attend or stream on the web. There's sure to be a (lengthy) keynote, during which we'll likely get the latest on Android Wear, VR and all of the other things the company has in the works. If past years are any indication, we'll get the first look at the next major version of Android. Last year, Google showed off Android M at I/O, the release that would eventually become version 6.0 or Marshmallow. [Image credit: David Paul Morris/Bloomberg via Getty Images]
Chinese devs can now sell their Android apps on the Play Store
Chinese developers can finally sell their Android apps through the Google Play Store, possibly foreshadowing a local launch of the marketplace. The move gives devs the ability to sell their apps to Android users in over 130 countries around the world, with one major exception: China, where the Play Store is not available -- for now.
The Daily Grind: What advice would you give as a gamer to a developer?
Communication between developers and gamers isn't always as simple as a one-on-one chat. The devs have an enormous microphone that gamers can't help but hear, but they also have everything they say scrutinized and analyzed past the point of helpfulness. Gamers, on the other hand, can only shout into the wind and hope that their voice rises above the rest of the mob to be heard by a studio team. But let's pretend that today, all of the MMO devs in the world are in an audience and you are up on stage with the mic. What advice would you give them? What would you want devs to know if they were really listening to you? Every morning, the Massively bloggers probe the minds of their readers with deep, thought-provoking questions about that most serious of topics: massively online gaming. We crave your opinions, so grab your caffeinated beverage of choice and chime in on today's Daily Grind!
You can now relive the Google I/O 2014 opening keynote
Did you nod off a few times during the last half-hour of Google's opening keynote of I/O 2014 earlier today? No worries! The full video has been archived for your post-event viewing pleasure on YouTube. Hop down past the break to take a good, long look at the nearly three-hour event spanning Android "L," Auto, Wear and more.
Appmethod lets you code native Android, iOS and desktop apps simultaneously (hands-on)
With different requirements and countless other incompatibilities, building applications for multiple platforms can be a tremendous chore. Embarcadero Technologies is setting out to simplify that process a bit with Appmethod, a multi-device development platform that lets you create apps for Android, iOS, Mac and Windows simultaneously. The WYSIWYG tool lets you drag and drop buttons, connectors, databases and other design elements into one emulated platform, then easily duplicate the app onto another.
Google Drive dev tools promise better and more powerful apps (video)
If you're an Android user, there's little doubt that you're familiar with Google Drive, Mountain View's preferred cloud storage service that competes with the Dropboxes, SkyDrives and iClouds of the world. Of course, Drive can also be used by developers to build better apps, and today Google has rolled out a new Drive Android API to make devs' jobs even easier -- and provide us all with better app experiences. The main attraction is a feature called transparent offline syncing, which, for users, means that cloud storage is treated the same way as local storage.
New LG developer program lends you a G2 for free
Perhaps LG thinks life could be better than good for the company if more developers create apps for its smartphones and tablets. That's why the Korean corporation has launched a program that loans devices to devs free of charge. The catch (there's always a catch), is that LG wants devs to design proprietary apps for its phones -- but it doesn't forbid folks from seeing if their non-exclusive apps play nice with the handsets, too. If you're interested and technically adept, you can register at the official LG Device Loaner Program website and choose from one of the gadgets available, including the G2. You only have 30 days with whichever you choose, and return shipping's on your dime, but it's still a pretty good deal if you've been looking to test your code on LG's hardware.
Apple's developer center back online, again
"Here's where it all happens for Apple developers" reads the tagline, but that's not been the case for much of the last few weeks. This morning, Apple's advising that its developer centre is now fully restored, after being taken offline due to intruder attempts. Hopefully for real this time. In any case, Cupertino's offering up a month's extended membership in return for the inconvenience, as outlined in the official statement past the break. Now, back to it...
Apple's developer center comes back online after weeklong overhaul
While most of you are fixing to shut things down for the weekend, Apple's developer portal is waking up after a weeklong hiatus. If you'll recall, Apple affirmed that its dev center was hacked last week while simultaneously announcing a system overhaul. Now, however, things seem to be back in action, with little to no consumer-facing changes to the site itself. If we had to guess, we'd say the bulk of the tweaks have happened behind the scenes. With that, we invite you to return to your regularly scheduled coding.
The Daily Grind: How transparent should developers be?
Sometimes I feel for developers, as they must walk a line between being too chatty and not chatty enough with fans. On one hand, players tend to take what developers say as sacred gospel that can and should be thrown back in the devs' faces if the game takes a different path, so some measure of restraint in sharing future goals is probably necessary. On the other hand, developers who are too secretive and distant from the community end up creating an atmosphere of distrust and aloofness. So where's that balance? How transparent and open should developers be? Maybe you love devs to talk about every little aspect of the game's inner workings, lofty plans, and tricky choices. Maybe you're more willing to cut those devs some slack if things don't pan out. Or maybe you think a dev shouldn't say anything until he or she is 100% confident that what is said will pan out. You make the call today. If you were in charge of a studio, where would you set the line? Every morning, the Massively bloggers probe the minds of their readers with deep, thought-provoking questions about that most serious of topics: massively online gaming. We crave your opinions, so grab your caffeinated beverage of choice and chime in on today's Daily Grind!
iOS 7 beta 3 released, brings a bundle of bug fixes and improvements
iOS 7 was revealed less than a month ago, and already Apple has pushed out its third beta release for the operating system. Yes, mobile devs, that means you've got a new download coming to you from Cupertino that'll fix a plethora of problems found in beta 2, and add a few improvements as well. The full list of additions is too lengthy to include here, but registered devs can find the full release notes at the source, and other folks can peruse them over at 9to5Mac.
Sony waives its publishing fee; Would Apple ever do the same?
Video-game maker Sony has been making a big push for independent developers lately, both on its handheld PS Vita system and on its upcoming PlayStation 4 console, and yesterday, the company took another big step. Sony has decided to waive its usual US$99 fee for PlayStation Mobile developers, meaning that anyone can join the developer network and publish games on its platforms for free. That's a big move, and while it might not mean a boost in PlayStation Mobile publishing (there are other hiccups, such as the difficulty of game creation and the limited size of the market), it does show just how open Sony is to independent software developers. So here's a question: Would Apple ever do the same thing? Ever since the App Store opened, Apple has charged $99 a year for a developer account to publish apps on its platforms. Anyone can download and use Xcode to make apps, but to publish them, you've had to pay that fee, and the price has never changed. If Apple did lower the price or remove it, there would be some benefits: There'd be more apps on the App Store, and thus more potential profit for Apple and its developers. The developer community would be more open, which would lead to better documentation and communication in general. And while, yes, there would probably be even more low-quality apps, there would also be more potential for great or terrific apps that focus on a relatively niche market. However, Apple would lose all the money it makes from the developer fee, money that probably goes into maintaining the developer network and its services. And Apple likely doesn't want the dev network to be a complete free for all. It still uses that network to beta test new software and operating systems, and there is still (technically) a non-disclosure agreement that binds anyone who signs up for the program. Plus, it's not like Apple needs more developers. Those numbers are growing every day, even with the fee in place. So it seems unlikely that Apple will drop or even change that fee anytime soon: It's a very low barrier to development, but for Apple, it's better than no barrier at all.
Google Maps SDK lets iOS devs use Google's maps in apps
With the well-hyped release of the new Google Maps app came the quieter announcement that the company is also releasing a Google Maps SDK for iOS. The SDK allows app developers to prefer in-app Google Maps instead of Apple's iOS 6 maps. The SDK will also allow developers to specify in their apps if an address or directions should be opened in Apple's Maps, or the Google Maps app. A statement on Google's Geo Developers blog explains: With the Google Maps SDK for iOS, developers can feature Google maps in their applications on the iPod touch, iPhone and iPad. Also, the SDK makes it simple to link to Google Maps for iPhone from inside your app, enabling your users to easily search and get directions. The SDK features vector-based maps that load quickly, allowing users to easily navigate 2D and 3D views, rotating and tilting the map with simple gestures inside your app. Developers can also change the Google maps view to include information such as traffic conditions, and control camera positions in 3D. Interested developers are asked to register their interest as access to the API keys are being selectively rolled out. Also users need not worry about an app developer forcing an address or directions link in an app to be opened in Google Maps. If a user doesn't have the Google Maps app installed, the link falls back to Apple's mapping API.
Smash Vote for iOS makes it out just in time
Back at 360iDev in Denver earlier this year, I met a guy named Tate Jennings, an indie developer behind a company called Mighty Bits. Jennings was working on a game called Smash Vote, which he described to me as a political fighting game. It was literally a game featuring versions of famous politicians like Obama and Romney fighting it out Mortal Kombat-style with each other. I joked to Jennings that he'd better hurry, because he'd have to get it done by November 6, and he replied with a sort of exasperated shrug. That, it turned out, was exactly his goal. I'm happy to announce that he made it: Smash Vote arrived on the App Store yesterday, sliding through Apple's approval cycle just in the nick of time. Of course, I'm not telling you about it until today, which is technically a day after the election. But it's still a good bit of cheesy political fun. You can choose to fight as either of yesterday's opponents or other famous faces like Hillary Clinton or Sarah Palin, and "debate" it out with punches and kicks. There's not a lot to it, but it's a completely free app, and if you want to take out some aggression on a politician (perhaps either because you lost or won), it's worth the download. Jennings says there's updates coming soon, to add voiceovers, special moves, more characters and all of the other features he wasn't able to sneak in before the Election Day deadline. Congrats to Jennings on his hard work. All indie developers on the App Store are of course working hard, but he gave himself a hard deadline on a pretty ambitious game, and while not everything made it in to the current release, Smash Vote showed up right on time.
Firefox introduces preliminary support for Social API, brings your networks into the browser
While you might use Firefox to access your social media of choice already, preliminary support for a new API has been introduced that could integrate key features into the browser itself. The aptly named Social API, will allow developers to embed services into the browser directly, letting you interact with friends and stay updated without having to open new windows, or keep hopping into different tabs. There's no solid info just yet on how this will manifest itself, or how issues such as security and privacy might be addressed, but with testing beginning soon, we're expecting the curtain to lift on the finer details soon. Interested developers can head to the source, for the other billion, you'll just have to wait.
Adafruit releases WebIDE alpha for Raspberry Pi, eases beginners into coding
If you've been intrigued by the Raspberry Pi but were hesitant to get one because you're new to Linux, Adafruit has a solution for you. The team that brought us the Raspberry Pi Education Linux Distro has come up with a special WebIDE (Web Integrated Development Environment) designed to run on the affordable barebones computer. It's entirely web-based so there's no need to install any software -- just launch a browser, hook up your Pi, and you're ready to go. To make life easier for coders, the platform has a terminal built in, plus there's an automatic updater included to keep folks running only the freshest version of WebIDE. It's currently at the alpha stage, so only experienced users should install it for now, but Adafruit's hoping to roll out a stable release suitable for programmers of all levels sometime soon.
Google Play services arrives for Android 2.2 and above, the eager can download directly
Google recently announced to developers the availability of a new "Services" platform, to allow better integration of its core products in 3rd party apps. The update comes in the form of an APK that will automatically find its way to handsets with Android 2.2 and above. But, for the impatient amongst you, it's available for download directly from the Play store now. This first release centers around better integration for Google+ (for account sign-in / Plus buttons etc) and providing OAuth 2.0 functionality, but it's expected that deeper functionality with the Google universe will take root soon. Most handily, as Mountain View decided to deliver this in the form of an app / APK, there's no pesky waiting around for networks to get it to you. Read up on the benefits via the more coverage links, or head to the source to make sure you're on-board.
