developer
Latest
Microsoft bought a company that makes porting apps easier
Microsoft is taking its relatively new role as a mobile app maker pretty seriously. So much so that it's bought Xamarin, a company that specializes in cross-platform application development. The platform uses a shared C# codebase to "write the full set of native APIs and mobile capabilities provided by each platform," according to Microsoft's Scott Guthrie. In English, that basically boils down to "apps that run really well across Android, iOS and Windows." Satya Nadella and Co. have utilized Xamarin before, of course, on the likes of the Azure cloud platform and Office 365.
Particle's Electron board lets anyone make 3G internet devices
As sweet as it might be to dream of making your own Internet of Things device, there's one big problem: keeping it online at all times. How do you connect that smart sensor in your backyard when it's nowhere near WiFi? Particle (aka Spark) thinks it can help. It just started shipping the Electron, its cellular-equipped tinkerer's board, to its Kickstarter backers. The tiny device not only has the basic components you need to make IoT gadgets, but a modem (a 2G Electron is $39, 3G is $59) and a simplified, if slightly costly, data plan. If you're willing to spend $3 per month for 1MB and 99 cents for every megabyte afterwards, your project gets online in 100 countries around the world -- not trivial, but just fine if you're building a meter or anything else that transmits only a tiny amount of data.
Visa wakes up to the sound of the internet
If you had to name the pre-eminent internet payments platform, you'd probably say PayPal -- a fact that sends Visa executives into a frenzy. That's why the big V has announced that it's embracing this new-fangled interweb thing that it's just now heard about. The firm has announced the launch of Visa Developer, a way to open up the financial giant's infrastructure to anyone who wants to use it. If you're a company that wants to sell stuff, you can hook your products up to Visa's back end and get all of its skills with very little effort.
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]
Uber wants to keep you entertained while you ride
Uber pretty much has the whole getting us from A to B thing down pat, but having recently dropped off its billionth customer, the company has cause to reflect on all the downtime its users spend in transit. Our always-on lifestyles don't stop when we step into the back of Prius, after all, and Uber wants to help us make more efficient use of our travel time -- or rather, it wants app partners to. Since launching its API a couple years back, Uber has made it progressively easier for developers to bake ride-hailing features into their apps, with popular services like Facebook Messenger and StubHub doing just that. The new "Uber Trip Experiences" dev tools, however, let third-party apps access the finer details of your trips (with your permission, of course) so they can entertain, inform and generally make life a little easier for you while you're on the road.
Google app contest winners show what Project Tango can do
Sure, Google and crew can put together some nice tech demos for Project Tango's advanced depth sensing and motion tracking, but what happens when everyday developers take a crack at it? You're about to find out. Google has announced the winners of its Project Tango App Contest, and most of them aren't what you'd expect given the technology. The overall winner is HeroicArcade's WeR Cubed Tango, a 3D puzzler that relies more on motion than the usual screen taps.
If you code Android or iOS apps, Engadget wants YOU!
While the web is where most of Engadget's over 20 million monthly readers get their fix, we also bring the goods through our Android and iOS apps. That's why we're looking to hire two talented engineers in San Francisco who can help reinvent our apps and make them better than ever! You can get the full details of the position here, but know that experience in media is a huge plus, as you'll be collaborating extensively with Engadget's editorial team. These are full-time positions with generous benefits. If you think you'd be a good fit, drop us a note with your resumé and/or LinkedIn profile, a few work samples you're proud of, and a quick summary of why you think you'd be a great addition to our team. We look forward to hearing from you.
Microsoft HoloLens reaches developers in early 2016 for $3,000
Microsoft has been answering a lot of questions about HoloLens as of late, but a few questions have remained: When can you get it? And will you need to mortgage your home to get one? Well, those mysteries have been solved... if you're a programmer. The crew in Redmond has revealed that a Development Edition of its holographic computing headset will launch in the first quarter of 2016 for $3,000. That's not a completely outlandish price tag, but it's safe to say that you won't be getting this early HoloLens purely for kicks -- this is to help prepare apps for the eventual mainstream version of the device. Still, it's good to hear that this exotic wearable tech won't be limited to Microsoft's campus for much longer. Get all the news from today's Microsoft event right here.
Google gives your Android apps more room to breathe
Google just introduced a low-key change that could make a big, big impact on the Android apps you use. The search giant has doubled the maximum initial download size for apps from 50MB to 100MB, giving developers more headroom before they have to rely on post-install downloads like the ones you often see for large games. That will not only spare you from rude surprises when you're launching apps for the first time, but allow for more complex apps than were possible before.
Amazon lets anyone put Alexa voice control in their devices
Amazon released the Alexa Appkit last month in hopes that developers will create cool new features for the voice technology that powers the Echo. This time, the e-commerce giant is offering the Alexa Voice Service (AVS) itself as a developer preview, which both hobbyists and legit hardware manufacturers can integrate into their own connected devices. The best part is the company's allowing the use of its technology for free. "By adding Alexa to your device, your users can request and receive information in the same way they would from an Amazon Echo," the company's Getting Started Guide reads. That means devices loaded with Alexa will also be able to answer questions about the weather and look up stuff or the traffic conditions online.
Twitter's Flight developer conference returns on October 21
Twitter just announced its second annual Twitter Flight developer conference set for October 21st in San Francisco. Like every other conference of this nature, the event is meant to reach out to devs and get them up to speed on the company's developer-focused products. Unlike other tech firms, this year's shindig will be Twitter's first big event with a yet-to-be-named CEO and/or Twitter cofounder Jack Dorsey taking the stage to share the social network's news. The event will focus on the company's mobile platform Fabric, its APIs for third parties and Gnip its enterprise platform. Of course with new(ish) leadership there's also the chance that the company will use the opportunity to announce more consumer-facing products and changes to Twitter itself. [Image Credit: Bloomberg via Getty Images]
Twitter rethinks its war against developers
For the past three years, Twitter has sent third-party developers not-so-subtle clues that they're unwanted -- its programming rules arbitrarily limit the success of unofficial apps, such as their audience sizes or features. That low ceiling might not last for much longer, though. Co-founder Ev Williams tells tech conference guests that the restrictive API was one of Twitter's "strategic errors." Twitter should be a platform that developers genuinely want to build on, he says, and the earlier decision "wasn't a win/win" for developers, users or even Twitter itself.
DJI's experimental drone will help prevent collisions
DJI has just made its UAV platform a lot more developer-friendly with a new test drone and collision avoidance system, along with an SDK for its current DJI Inspire 1 and Phantom 3 models. The Matrice 100 (M100) is a new quadcopter made specifically for developers to help them test new sensors, processors and other tech. The bare-bones looking craft will fly for 20 minutes with a 2.2 pound payload or longer using an extra battery. The company said it "includes everything needed to fly with minimal assembly and no need for tuning or programming."
Valve starts handing out HTC's VR headset to developers
If you're one of the fortunate few software developers to have scored HTC's Vive virtual reality headset, you'll want to keep an eye out for a delivery truck in the near future. Valve has confirmed that it's shipping the Vive Developer Edition to a "wide range" of teams, ranging from indie game studios to big-name movie producers. It's not clear how many got their VR headgear, although Owlchemy Labs' Devin Reimer has revealed that he's on the short list. You'll still have to wait until the end of the year to snag a Vive if you're a regular gamer, unfortunately. Still, the developer release at least suggests that the public launch is on track.
Android app makers can experiment with Play Store listings
Those rumors of Google letting Android app developers experiment with what you see in the Play Store? Yes, they're true. Creators can now conduct tests to see what pricing works best, or whether one icon color is more alluring than others -- you'll only view one of each while the test is ongoing. Also, app makers are getting Developer Pages (shown above) that showcase all of their apps, so you'll have a one-stop shop for everything from your preferred brand. If all goes well, you'll find more Android apps with prices you're willing to pay, and you won't have to scrounge quite so much to get every app you need. Don't miss out on all the latest news and updates from Google I/O 2015. Follow along at our events page.
Android developers will get to experiment with app prices
When you make a mobile app, you usually have to find out the hard way what will sell. You can't fiddle with pricing for just a few people, for instance. All that could change very shortly in the Android world, however. Sources for The Information claim that Google is introducing a feature that lets Android developers try different versions of the same Google Play Store page. You could not only see different previews of the app, but different pricing -- the creator could charge you $2 for that hot new game, but ask $3 from others to see if they'll accept higher pricing.
Gaming legend Sid Meier auctions his SNES kit for charity (update: not him)
Want a rare piece of video gaming history? We hope you're a quick-draw bidder. Legendary game developer Sid Meier is holding a charity auction for a Super NES developer kit (which is hard to find by itself) used during his MicroProse days. Yes, there's a real chance that you could be using a system that helped build an early console version of Civilization. Don't think that you can just take on some credit card debt to get that nostalgia kick, though. Meier is only selling the kit to trustworthy eBay users with verified PayPal accounts, and bidding starts at $5,999 -- it's worthwhile if you want to help St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, but you're paying for a lot more than someone's second-hand console. Update 5/7: 2K tells us that it's not Meier selling this system. That doesn't mean this is bogus gear, but it certainly loses some of its luster.
Pinterest wants to turn your pinned dreams into app realities
You may have carefully crafted a Pinterest board to plan your dream vacation, but how are you going to make that trip a reality? Pinterest thinks it can help. The social site has launched an app developer platform that lets you take action based on your boards and individual pins. You could book an itinerary in a travel app based on your pinned destinations, for instance, or create a dinner board based on recipes in a cooking app. The platform is in a US-only beta phase at the moment, so it could be a while before you're using Pinterest-savvy apps. However, it could be worth the wait if you've spent more time yearning for pinned goods than getting them.
You can build Microsoft's Kinect-powered holodeck at home
Got a Kinect, a projector and a knack for code? If so, you can create a Star Trek-like holodeck in your living room. Microsoft has released the RoomAlive Toolkit, a software framework that lets you string together Kinect motion trackers to create interactive projection maps. You can use it to build anything from extra-immersive games through to art displays. This isn't exactly a trivial undertaking (Microsoft is promising lots of tutorials), but it means that you won't have to wait for someone else to bring your augmented reality dreams to life.
Steam hands developers the power to ban cheaters
Cheating in multiplayer games isn't big or clever, but people still think they can successfully get away with it. That's a problem for the folks at Valve, who are constantly trying to ensure that Steam is a nice place to play. It's one of the reasons that the company has now revealed that it'll hand the power to police users straight to the developers behind each game on the service. Now, rather than Valve staff racing to deal with each incident, the teams that made the title can rule on what they consider to be fair and unfair practices.
