Dev
Latest
CyanogenMod 9 may feature a 4G LTE toggle switch for the Verizon Galaxy Nexus
We were slightly disappointed when we discovered the Verizon-branded Samsung Galaxy Nexus didn't come with an easily-accessible LTE toggle switch, but we had a feeling it wouldn't be long before the development community came in with an acceptable solution. Thanks to Gregory Sarrica, we may be seeing a fast toggle button for the next-gen internet connectivity included in a future build of CyanogenMod 9. According to Gregory, it's getting tested right now and still needs to be reviewed before it gets accepted into the build, but he hopes it'll show up in builds as early as next week. There's no guarantees yet, of course, but he's provided us with video evidence of the new functionality to whet our appetites for now.[Thanks, @gsarrica]
WindowBreak Project seeks universal developer unlock tool for Windows Phone (video)
The developer known as Jaxbot is becoming quite familiar around these parts, who's known for bringing instant app resuming and multitasking to Windows Phone -- long before these features had gone mainstream. Now, he's back at it with WindowBreak, a project that seeks to deliver an interop unlock tool that can be used on any Windows Phone. As you can see in the video after the break, his tool already works on Samsung phones, and now, Jaxbot needs the help of like-minded hackers to perform similar feats with HTC and Nokia handsets. If you're willing to give 'er a go during the holiday weekend, just check the source links below.
Android team takes developers to school with Android Training program
Dust off your Trapper Keeper and strap on those brand new sneakers, because Android school is now in session. Yesterday, the Android Developers team announced the launch of Android Training -- a set of online classes designed to help users create better apps. The tutorials, available for free, provide aspiring devs with step-by-step instructions and tips on how to implement effective navigation tools, optimize battery life and solve other "common Android development problems." At the moment, the program is divided into 11 sections with a total of 34 individual lessons, though the team plans to expand its offerings "over the coming months." Try it out for yourself at the source link below.
Ice Cream Sandwich alpha released for Xperia trio, is Sony Ericsson's '143' to the dev community (video)
Sony Ericsson has a clear stance on the Android dev community: one love. In what is, apparently, a first for the company, an alpha ROM of its in-development Ice Cream Sandwich port is available for install across a trio of unlocked Xperia devices -- the arc S, neo V and ray. But hold your horses on that download trigger finger, this early build is only for "advanced developers" and quite a few features, like Google apps, WiFi, Bluetooth, voice, FM radio and ANT+, simply aren't functional. In other words, don't depend on this as your daily driver, but do dive deep if you know what you're doing and want a peek at Google's soon-to-be ubiquitous OS upgrade. Head on over to the source below for the cautionary how-to and remember to flash at your own risk.
Qualcomm loads Ice Cream Sandwich on Snapdragon S4 tablet, fills our hearts with Liquid
Qualcomm's souped-up Snapdragon S4 Liquid mobile development platform (MDP) tablet just got a major Android boost, in the form of a 4.0.1 Ice Cream Sandwich upgrade. The maxed-out MDP tablet, which boasts such specs as an on-die LTE modem, dual 1080p cameras and more sensors than you can shake an accelerometer-powered wand at, is now running Google's latest mobile OS. During an Engadget Show visit last month, Qualcomm reps told us that the device will support Android 4.0, but we weren't expecting a port quite so soon, considering Liquid won't ship until next spring. The company says it's working "rigorously" to get ICS optimized not only for the S4, but for other Snapdragon processors as well. Click through the gallery below for an early look.%Gallery-141645%
The Daily Grind: What's the worst thing an MMO dev's ever said?
The fall season has seen two massive PR fiascos in two MMOs that just couldn't be more different: World of Warcraft and EVE Online. At BlizzCon, Blizzard cluelessly cheered on a video featuring individuals making crass anti-gay comments. And CCP managed to alienate its loyalists with an arrogant, greed-oriented internal memo. For my part, one of the most awful dev quotes surfaced during the bygone days of EverQuest, when a dev named Milo Cooper famously posted to a player, "Shut up and give me my ten bucks per month, little man. My Porsche needs some performance upgrades." (Hey, remember back when games were $10 a month?) Comments like that one just fueled anger among the playerbase, whose members already felt they were paying too much for too little in return from a studio that took them entirely for granted. So what's the worst thing you've ever seen an MMO dev say or do? 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!
RIFT Ember Isle developer diary talks art and lore
"1.4 was a big patch, 1.5 was an bigger patch... 1.6 is going to blow them away," declares Trion Worlds' Hal Hanlin in this most recent dev diary for RIFT's upcoming From the Embers patch. RIFT's Design Producer is joined by developers Morgan Lockhart, Michael Daugherty, Mike Chang, Jason Colombo, and Berenger Fish to discuss the newest endgame zone, Ember Isle, the largest the team's undertaken to date. But it wouldn't be a proper dev diary without some gushing about the lore, art, locations, and mechanics of the zone, and that's all included too. Sweeping musical score included free of charge! Hit the break to review the video in all its green glory.
HP gives webOS developers a chance to get a $150 TouchPad
The future of webOS may still be up in the air, but it looks like HP is at least still making a small effort to woo developers and keep its current ones in the fold. It's now giving registered devs in the US, Canada and Europe a chance to get a 32GB HP TouchPad for the blowout price of $150 (or €150 in Europe), for a limited time and while supplies last. Unfortunately, it's not clear how many TouchPads will be available, but HP is allowing applicants to request up to two TouchPads each at the discounted price, so we'd assume it's more than just a handful. Those interested will have to file their request before November 18th, and if they're accepted they'll receive a coupon that must be redeemed before November 27th. All the pertinent details are at the source link below.
Apple now requiring Mac App Store applications to be sandboxed by March 2012
Apple's already made OS X more like iOS in more ways than one, and it looks like it will soon be taking another step in that direction. As of March 1st, 2012, Apple will require all apps available in the Mac App Store to be "sandboxed," which Apple says is "a great way to protect systems and users by limiting the resources apps can access and making it more difficult for malicious software to compromise users' systems." The other side of that coin is that by limiting access to said system resources, applications are also more limited in what they can do, which has left some developers facing a tough decision: either comply and get in the App Store, or go it alone. They will be able to request access to some resources, but they'll have to provide a justification for it to Apple as part of the submission process. As TUAW notes, however, this isn't a completely new development -- Apple had actually intended to implement the requirement this month, but it's apparently decided to give devs a bit more time to get used to it.
Captain's Log: Every day I'm tribbleing
Captain's Log, Stardate 65322.9... Hello, computer (and players)! For the past several weeks, Star Trek Online players have been checking out the latest F2P beta builds on the Tribble test server. While there have been a few patches on other days, more for stability fixes and minor tweaking, Thursdays seem to be the designated day for us to receive the largest pushes of new content. The latest round of updates has brought further economy changes, new events and ships, and even more heated debates. Since we seem to be a ways out from the seeing the updates ported to the Holodeck live server, there is still plenty of time to check it all out and provide your feedback to the devs. I would like to dedicate this entry to those who are helping test the changes. This week's Captain's Log serves as a checklist of sorts on what new content you can test and where you can provide feedback about it. As you read through, I suggest that you read a particular section, jump into game to check out the particular change, formulate an opinion, and head to the linked forum where you can leave your feedback. No matter what you think, it's important to let the devs know -- they will make changes based upon a collective opinion. Ensign, warp 10! It's time to create our own party rock anthem...
Samsung offers up the Galaxy Note's goodies, makes kernel source code available
Samsung's been pretty good at spreading the kernel source love. With the final Galaxy S II variant code released just a few short days ago, the time has come for the company's IFA-unveiled inbetweener to share its special sauce. That's right, the part tablet / part phone Galaxy Note's headed for developer customization as its particular 1s and 0s are now up on Sammy's site. While no official plans to port the 5.3-inch device stateside have been announced, eager devs familiar with the ways of GSM can sink their hacking hooks into the tab when it's purported to launch overseas next month. So, what are you waiting for? Click on the source below to get a headstart on the... source.
Samsung delivers kernel source for T-Mobile Galaxy S II, developers can now collect all three
Developers, start your engines. T-Mobile's version of the Samsung Galaxy S II was the slowest in the family to get the official kernel source. It's here now, though, arriving on Sammy's site a whole four days after the phone's release; this isn't an eternity by any means, but its counterparts had the source available no later than the actual launch date. No matter the reason, make your way to Samsung's official site to dive in and make some magic happen. [Thanks, Aubrey]
Developer does the math: only 3.4 million Honeycomb tablets in the wild?
Google's rolling in the dough in no small part due to Android's success in the smartphone market. When it comes to tablets? Eh, not so much. Intrepid developer Al Sutton figures that only 3.4 million Honeycomb devices are currently in use, which pales in comparison to the number of slates sold by the competition in Cupertino. He arrived at the figure using Google's data -- Larry Page said that there are 190 million Android devices out there on yesterday's earnings call, and the Android Developers website shows that only 1.8 percent of 'droids accessing the Android Market during a recent two week period were running Google's tablet OS. Do the math, and that's just 3.42 million tablets running Android 3.x. It's hardly an official figure, but it does indicate that Android's got its work cut out for it the tablet space. That Ice Cream Sandwich better be mighty tasty if the bots from Mountain View are going to grab a bigger chunk of the market.
Amazon adds Kindle Fire-specific details to Developer Portal, A's your FAQ
The Kindle Fire may not be hitting the market until November, but Amazon has already updated its Developer Portal FAQ page with an entire section devoted to its forthcoming Android tablet. On the new page, you'll find largely standard information on things like the application process and how to set up an Android SDK emulator, though there are a few more salient tidbits, as well. For instance, Amazon says it will review every app in its Appstore for Fire compatibility, as part of an automated process. Rejected apps, Amazon informs us, will include those that rely on a gyroscope, camera, WAN module, Bluetooth, microphone, GPS, or micro SD. Apps are also forbidden from using Google's Mobile Services (and in-app billing), which, if included, will have to be "gracefully" removed. In terms of actual content, Amazon has outlawed all apps that change the tablet's UI in any way (including theme- or wallpaper-based tools), as well as any that demand root access (it remains to be seen how the company will treat the root-dependent apps already in its store). Interested devs can find more information at the source link, below.
Nuance adds WP7 support, gives devs better service with NDEV Mobile developer program
You know Nuance right? They're the folks who make Dragon speech recognition software for Macs, iThings, Blackberrys, Androids and cars. Earlier this year, the company released its Dragon Mobile SDK to provide the tools needed to get folks talking to their phones, instead of with them. Now, Nuance has added support for Windows Phone 7 (no Mango support... yet) and upgraded its developer program to provide devs with more support so it's easier to make voice-enabled applications. Additionally, it's added eight new languages to its repertoire -- Canadian French, Americas Spanish, Dutch, Norwegian, Swedish, Korean, Taiwanese Mandarin, and Cantonese -- with more to come. We got to speak with Nuance about its new program, now called NDEV Mobile, and were told it's broken into three tiers: Silver, Gold, and Emerald. NDEV Silver is the base level that gives devs free access to Nuance's text-to-speech and voice recognition technology. Gold service provides SSL data encryption and access to cloud-based speech recognition and TTS servers over the web (rather than using a client-side API) through per-user or per-transaction pricing models. At the top end, the Emerald level rolls out the red carpet with integrated custom vocabulary and grammar -- for creating apps that recognize industry jargon -- and dedicated account management. The company sees the Emerald tier appealing most to enterprise customers, but it's available to any dev willing to pony up for the extra Nuance TLC. So, intrepid app-makers, now that you've got the tools to make our phones understand us better than ever, how will you use them?
Windows 8 ain't fussy: runs on Macs, Surface, 128MB RAM, banana peel (videos)
Downloaders of the Windows 8 Developer Preview have been proving their mettle the best way they know how: by getting it to run on systems it was never really intended for. Brent and the folks at Codesnack win the Real Utility trophy for their successful Boot Camp installs. Josh Blake gets the Damn I Look Good By Candlelight trophy for making the OS run on the MS Surface in his living room. Meanwhile, Marcin Grygiel has awarded himself the I'm HARDCORE!!! title for somehow getting it to run on a PC with just 128MB. Treat yourself to some intimate video evidence after the break. [Thanks, Prashanth]
360iDev Denver: Matt Drance on the past and future of iOS development
This week's 360iDev conference in Denver, CO kicked off today with a keynote from former Apple employee Matt Drance, who offered a summary of what's changed (and what hasn't) since the last time he spoke to this conference two years ago. He also discussed the attitudes developers need to take this platform on successfully. Drance started out by saying that, quite obviously, "it's been a hell of a couple years" for both Apple and the iOS platform. Back in the early days of the iPhone, Steve Jobs said Apple hoped to sell 10 million devices, and to date, Apple has actually put 220 million devices out there (as of July of this past year). Drance was very enthusiastic about the platform -- he says that back when John Doerr said that the iOS platform was "bigger than the personal computer," even he, as an Apple employee thought, "I don't know, John. I'm paid to pump this stuff, and even I think that's a bit much." But Doerr was right, said Drance. The portability and power of iOS and the devices Apple has made transcends even what the personal computer was able to achieve, and it's only going to get even more influential from here on out. Drance also made the point, however, that some things haven't changed in the past few years. While the app landscape and individual app quality are both very different, the general system of making and releasing apps hasn't changed that much. And that's pretty amazing, said Drance, because not only is Apple supporting developers, it's still putting them front and center in commercials for iOS devices. This is one of the richest and most powerful companies in the world, said Drance, and Apple is using developers' work (by showing third-party apps its TV commercials) to sell their extremely popular devices. "Apple never puts its reputation in other people's hands," said Drance. "But they're still doing it" by showing off developers' apps, a tablet, and a pair of hands in the official commercials. Finally, Drance walked through a series of entreaties for the developers in attendance, which he said were designed to help them get in the right mindset of the conference. He walked through the general needs of an app (appearance, interaction, stability, performance), and then said while designers tend to work on an app's appearance and interaction, and developers tend to deal with stability and performance, in actuality, everyone working on an app or any piece of software should be concerned with quality across the board. Drance encouraged teams to share concerns with each other whenever questions of quality came up. "It's not about winning the argument," he said, "it's about having one." Drance also suggested developers start out with a plan and stick to it, and remain organized to do so. He shared a quick story of a sprinkler system issue in his yard, and showed pictures he took after digging up the pipes and finding a mess of criss-crossing and tangled PVC. "There are no comments here," he joked, nabbing a big laugh from a roomful of developers. But Drance said the lesson was to go for quality in everything, on every level of development. Finally, Drance asked the devs in attendance to keep moving forward, both in terms of the apps they're working on ("Ship" was one of his directives) and in their own skillsets. "Learn the language," he said, pointing out that being well-versed in Objective-C was the same as having a solid grasp on French or even English. Apple's own code doesn't use methods like "ApplicationLaunched" -- iOS uses a method called "ApplicationDidFinishLaunching," which Drance said reflected how even Apple approaches its own language. Drance's talk was an excellent start to the week. TUAW will be here in Denver all week long covering the conference and the developers attending it -- stay tuned for more.
Dev Watercooler: Rate of change
Lead Systems Designer Greg "Ghostcrawler" Street's newest Dev Watercooler just went live today, discussing all manner of timing and the design process behind updating the game. This Dev Watercooler is perhaps my favorite Ghostcrawler has ever written because it eschews the wrappings of a news post and instead focuses on the actual mechanics and thought processes behind the trials and tribulations of updating and changing such a massive game. The post starts off with some general technical information about how WoW works based on its client-server relationships and why the game works the way it does. From there, Ghostcrawler begins to discuss different time frames that Blizzard looks to when deciding when and how to update the game. Time frames run the gamut from patches to exploits, which get little to no attention in terms of announcements, and class balance, which mixes parts of expansion announcements and brand new changes that fundamentally alter a class. If you've ever had an inkling of interest in how game design works and the thought processes that go into keeping a game like WoW running as smoothly as it does, this is the post to read.
Dev Watercooler: Bloody mitigation
In Ghostcrawler's last Dev Watercooler blog entry, tanking and threat were given a new focus when it came to World of Warcraft encounter design and gameplay experience. Threat for tanks was greatly increased, and the focus for tanks in the future seemed to hinge on active mitigation versus a combination of threat generation and damage mitigation. Today, Ghostcrawler (lead systems designer Greg Street) posted more thoughts about overhauling tanking. He delves into what active mitigation means for the WoW team, some potential models that the future of tanking can hold for many tanking classes, and a deep, introspective look into what it means to hit buttons as a tank. Plus, he goes in-depth on how these major changes ahead will affect death knights first.
iTunes Match goes live for iOS developers (updated)
Enrolled in the iOS developer program and interested in iTunes Match? Better point that browser towards Apple's dev portal, as Cupertino's just flipped the switch for its upcoming music laundering service. There you'll find iTunes 10.5 beta 6.1 with iTunes Match which'll let you sign up for a yearly $24.99 fee. Hopping on the bandwagon early has extra rewards too -- early birds get three months (on top of their yearly sub) for free. A tipster also provided us with a screencap (after the break) of his iPod touch running the current iOS beta, which now magically has a toggle for the service under the Music section of the Settings app. Taking the plunge? Let us know how you fare in the comments. [Thanks, Matt] Update: Looks like the initial signups have stopped, but Apple plans to expand the number of testers "over the next days." So, keep compulsively checking iTunes if you want in on the next round.
