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LG opens its QSlide mini-app platform to developers
LG's QSlide mini-apps are handy for quickly checking your calendar or playing a video, but they've been limited to just a handful of first-party offerings so far. You may get a healthier selection of bite-sized software in the near future, though, as LG has just published a QSlide developer kit. The framework lets third-party Android apps pull off the same QSlide tricks as official programs, including floating windows and transparency. While it will take some time before any of these augmented apps reach a device near you, coders who want to try the SDK can get started at the source link.
Designer says Valve is 'days away' from launching VR software dev kit
Valve is reportedly "days away" from launching a virtual reality software development kit. The news comes from Valve designer Brian Coomer, who told BBC that the dev kit would give software developers a standard means of providing an interface for virtual reality headsets, like the Oculus Rift. The report says the kit will launch during Valve's Steam Developer Days conference, which begins on January 15 in Seattle. Coomer added that "there's also technology in development at Valve based around head-tracking and headset manufacture and design," and that Valve is "working with other companies right now but we have not made any specific announcements." Valve has some internal experience with virtual and augmented reality headsets in the past, as former Valve engineers Jeri Ellsworth and Rick Johnson were granted permission to take the Cast AR glasses project with them when they left the company in February 2013. The now-independent Cast AR augmented reality headset went to Kickstarter in October, and earned $1,052,110 from backers in a month. Additionally, Valve added a virtual reality support category to Steam for the Oculus Rift in December. Oculus VR has received more support from Valve these days, as seen in the headset manufacturer's latest model, which we took for a test drive at CES 2014 this week.
OnTheGo Platforms is bringing gesture recognition to Google Glass apps (video)
Google Glass can hold its own when it comes to voice recognition and touch, but its current software doesn't account for gesture controls. OnTheGo Platforms, however, is looking to fix that. The folks at the Portland, Ore.-based company are baking up an SDK for developers to integrate gesture recognition in apps made for Glass and other Android-based smart glasses, such as the Vuzix M100. We went hands-on with a demo photo-snapping and gallery app to put the software through its paces. In its current form, the solution recognizes swipes from the left and right, a closed fist and an open hand. A fist aimed at Glass' camera will fire off a countdown for a snapshot or take you to the app's home, depending on the current screen. Waving a hand in either direction cycles through pictures in the gallery. This editor was tempted to swipe his hand across the camera's view quickly, but the software is tuned to pick up slower, more deliberate motions about a foot or so away. The detection was often hit or miss, but the developers say they're in the process of refining the recognition and that they've recently eliminated many false positives.
Broadcom's audio SDK for the internet of things makes AirPlay easy
While many are content with the phrase "internet of things," Broadcom prefers the equally vague slogan "Wireless Internet Connectivity for Embedded Devices" (WICED) to describe its platform for helping hardware speak the same language. The company's revealed its latest efforts in this area today in the form of an SDK for implementing audio streaming over WiFi, which includes baked-in support for Apple's AirPlay standard, as well as good, old DLNA. It also promises serious streaming range and tight synchronization for multi-room dance parties. Broadcom hopes OEMs will leverage the SDK to connect all manner of home entertainment gear to one another, and the internet. You know, for streaming stuff to things that are networked with other things, and stuff.
Samsung's latest developer kit lets you control appliances from your TV
Ever wish you could turn on the air conditioning without leaving the couch? Samsung's new Smart TV SDK 5.0 will give you the luxury of being that lazy. The programming kit gives the TV control over home appliances, including network-savvy lighting and refrigerators. Developers should also have an easier time building apps thanks to a new web framework that both supports HTML5 and uses Native Client to run software across a wide range of TVs. Apps can run on mobile devices, too. Samsung has already posted a beta SDK, but aspiring big-screen app builders will have to wait until January 6th to get the finished tool.
Aviary pauses Windows 8 and WP8 development, focuses on iOS and Android for now
We hope folks on WP and Windows 8 are A-OK with Aviary's apps and SDKs as they are, because the company is not currently developing its products for the platforms. An Aviary representative has revealed the news in the firm's forums, citing the "lack of general platform traction" as the reason. We reached out to CEO Tobias Peggs who confirmed that his team isn't working on Aviary's Windows tools this quarter. Apparently, the startup has chosen to focus on its iOS and Android products, following a tremendous growth in userbase on those operating systems. Not all hope is lost, however: according to Peggs, Aviary's currently gathering feedback from Windows developers who've incorporated its image editing SDK into their own apps. Their input will be taken into account when the company makes its 2014 roadmap, which means, the CEO says, "[Aviary] may well jump back in."
As Google slowly preps the Chromecast ecosystem, waves of new apps are on the way
HBO Go, Songza and Pandora are about to get more company on Chromecast, according to a Gigaom interview with Google's VP of product management Mario Queiroz where he stated additional waves of apps are coming soon. A public release for the Chromecast SDK -- which should allow developers to build and release their own apps at will -- won't happen until next year, but this week the team gave over 40 developers access to a preview version just to get their feedback. To ensure its elegantly simple user experience remains intact across all applications, the company also recently released a 14-page design guide that details the basic expectations for the development community. An impending international release next year is also encouraging publishers to make compatible apps -- moves that should benefit everyone, regardless of where they call home. Quieroz's "broader" goal is to establish Cast tech as a standard embedded into other hardware, but until that happens there's still time to gift-wrap a few of Google's HDMI dongles and look like a hero all year as their capabilities continue to expand.
Pebble smartwatch update brings 'do not disturb' mode and snooze alarm
The Pebble smartwatch is all about getting mobile notifications more efficiently, but what about when you don't want to see those notifications at all? The new PebbleOS v1.14 update rolling out can help there with enhanced notification management that adds a "Do Not Disturb" mode that blocks updates for a set period of time. The Alarms app has received considerable attention as well, with the ability to create multiple alarms, toggle specific ones on/off, or edit alarms, and a new "Snooze Alarm" feature. Users can manage all notifications more quickly and in a few new ways too, with the ability to swap between Notifications On / Phone Only / Notifications Off, which are located under a dedicated menu in settings. Finally, among other miscellaneous tweaks, users with iOS devices will see notifications faster, and developers can check out beta 3 of the Pebble SDK 2.0. To get the latest update, all you'll need to do is open up the app on your Android or iOS device to begin the process.
Google invites devs over for a Chromecast hackathon plus SDK show-and-tell, updates official app
Google has slowly trickled out more authorized commercial apps that can stream to its Chromecast dongle since launch (Hulu, Pandora, and most recently HBO Go) but what about homebrew? So far developers have been able to work with a preview Cast SDK (creating a few impressive demonstrations) but restrictions have prevented these apps from being released for widespread use. That will probably change next month, as Google has invited several developers including CyanogenMod / AirCast dev Koushik Dutta and Thomas Kjeldsen to a hackathon on December 7th and 8th in Mountain View. An opportunity to test drive the "upcoming release" of the Cast SDK is promised, plus an opportunity to talk with Google engineers about what it can do. While we wait to find out what devs will be officially allowed to create for the $35 dongle, the official Android Chromecast control app got an update tonight. The new version brings a lightly refreshed design with the side-tray style seen in many Google apps lately, and adjusted the display of time zone settings and the Chromecast MAC address to ease troubleshooting.
Leaderboard: Do you play around with game development tools?
For some reason that I can't quite fathom, I now have the Unreal Development Kit installed on my computer. I'm certainly no developer, nor would I make much of a designer I'm afraid, but something nonetheless compelled me to download the toolset and muck about with its documentation and various tutorials. Call it curiosity, or boredom, or whatever you like, really, but there it is. What about you, Massively readers? Do you play around with game development tools (assuming that you're not really a developer), or does your obsession only extend to finished games? Let us know after the cut. Ever wish that you could put to rest a long-standing MMO debate once and for all? Then welcome to the battle royal of Massively's Leaderboard, where two sides enter the pit o' judgment -- and only one leaves. Vote to make your opinion known, and see whether your choice tops the Leaderboard!
Google offers 'sneak peek' of Glass development kit, shows Glassware can actually be useful
So far, development on Glass has been extremely limited by the tools put in the hands of app creators. Namely the Mirror API with its constant need for an internet connection and limited functionality. The newly released Glass Development Kit (or at least an extremely early version of it) puts many more arrows in the quiver of coders. For one, apps can be built completely for offline use and can now directly access to Glass' hardware. This will allow Glassware to be made with the same capabilities as Google's own creations. It also introduces a few new features, including "live cards" which, like Windows Live Tiles, feature constantly updating information. Where as the static timeline cards live to the right of the home screen on Glass, live cards are found with a swipe to the left. Exercise app Strava has a demo version of an app that keeps details about your jog or bike ride constantly updating on a live card, including distance and speed.
Google's homegrown Dart web programming language emerges from beta
While Google giveth and taketh away end-user apps, it's generally been good to developers -- all the better to get new tools into the wild. One of those pet projects, Dart, is now out of beta and into a "production ready" version 1.0 SDK, according to Mountain View. In a nutshell, it's a programming language that aims to simplify, speed up and (it hopes) one day replace Javascript as the app of choice for web developers. Though no browser actually supports Dart natively (except its own Dartium browser), the SDK comes with a Javascript translator that Google claims produces faster and tighter code. It's also added code completion, debugging and more, and said that Adobe and others have started supporting it. Though the idea of learning another programming language makes us tear up, if you're game, hit the source.
Google Glass developers will get their first crack at its SDK later this month
Developers seeking to create apps for Google's Glass headset have had limited options so far, but the company will break things wide open during a two-day hackathon -- like the ones held earlier this year to show off its Mirror API -- starting on the 19th. An invite sent out today describes a San Francisco event where a group of developers can test out the Glassware Development Kit. Until now, devs have been able to practice on the regular Android SDK, but after the GDK arrives they'll be properly equipped to build apps that work offline and have direct access to the hardware. All this comes just as the Glass program opens up to wider audiences, but we'll have to wait couple of more weeks to find out what else is in store. Can't make it to SF? No worries -- the invite promises "the announcement" will be recorded after the event, while office hours will also be available in NYC and LA next month.
Pebble smartwatch to offer more iOS notifications, enable gesture-based controls
Just a couple weeks ago, Pebble CEO Eric Migicovsky told us that his company is solely focused on cranking out new software to improve the watch's user experience. Today he's making good on the promise by announcing two enhancements to the product's ecosystem: an iOS 7-compatible app and a new developer kit that will give third parties a lot more access to the watch's internal components and sensors. As an added bonus, the company also announced that it's working with partners like Foursquare, Yelp and GoPro to produce new apps for each. Starting with iOS, the new and improved iOS 7 app expands the watch's current notification capabilities. Previously, users have only been able to receive alerts for calls, texts and emails, but iOS 7 integration will broaden the Pebble's capacity to include any notifications enabled in your Notification Center, which fortunately includes Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Google+, Instagram, and the list goes on. Pebble's also updating its SDK to version 2.0, which will give developers more access to the hardware and software within the watch itself. An accelerometer API will open doors for gesture-based controls and fitness-related apps. A data logging API enables apps to store sensor data and other info (motion trackers and game scores are examples) when you're away from your phone, and a Javascript API will make Pebble apps compatible on both Android and iOS by only inserting a few lines of code (there are currently a lot of apps that are only compatible with one or the other, so this will help trim down unwanted fragmentation). Migicovsky tells us that the new developer kit is going to start rolling out as a beta over the coming weeks, which will give third parties the chance to get their feet wet before it's time to push their apps live.
Daily Roundup: Xbox One dashboard, fresh Samsung SDKs, Rogers' Moto X and more!
You might say the day is never really done in consumer technology news. Your workday, however, hopefully draws to a close at some point. This is the Daily Roundup on Engadget, a quick peek back at the top headlines for the past 24 hours -- all handpicked by the editors here at the site. Click on through the break, and enjoy.
Google Glassware Review Process opens, gives devs a path to MyGlass listing
Developers eagerly working on services for the Google Glass headset finally have a clear avenue for release, now that the Glassware Review Process is ready. By completing the steps listed, they can receive additional Mirror API quota and get listed on MyGlass, while we wait for the SDK to arrive and enable development of offline apps with direct hardware access. Several services have already been through the ringer and are newly available, including SportsYapper, Fancy, Mashable, KitchMe (shown above) and Thuuz. The list of requirements is publicly available and covers elements like icons, design, menus and more. We've seen a few interesting developments appear for Google Glass already, if you're in the developer program and see anything new pop up, let us know.
Elliptic Labs releases ultrasound gesturing SDK for Android, will soon integrate into smartphones
Elliptic Labs has already spruced up a number of tablets by adding the ability to gesture instead of make contact with a touchpanel, and starting this week, it'll bring a similar source of wizardry to Android. The 20-member team is demoing a prototype here at CEATEC in Japan, showcasing the benefits of its ultrasound gesturing technology over the conventional camera-based magic that already ships in smartphones far and wide. In a nutshell, you need one or two inexpensive (under $1 a pop) chips from Murata baked into the phone; from there, Elliptic Labs' software handles the rest. It allows users to gesture in various directions with multiple hands without having to keep their hands in front of the camera... or atop the phone at all, actually. (To be clear, that box around the phone is only there for the demo; consumer-friendly versions will have the hardware bolted right onto the PCB within.) The goal here is to make it easy for consumers to flip through slideshows and craft a new high score in Fruit Ninja without having to grease up their display. Company representatives told us that existing prototypes were already operating at sub-100ms latency, and for a bit of perspective, most touchscreens can only claim ~120ms response times. It's hoping to get its tech integrated into future phones from the major Android players (you can bet that Samsung, LG, HTC and the whole lot have at least heard the pitch), and while it won't ever be added to existing phones, devs with games that could benefit from a newfangled kind of gesturing can look for an Android SDK to land in the very near future. Mat Smith contributed to this report.
Dish Hopper DVRs open up to home automation control, we wonder what's next
Back in July Dish Network announced plans to open its Hopper DVR platform to mobile app developers, and today at CEDIA we saw the results of that initiative. Thanks to SDK access that can mirror the functionality of Dish's own Explorer iPad app, home automation systems like Control4 can now directly access the DVRs. That means users with those systems (or others, we saw demos of integration with a few other systems although they haven't been officially announced yet) can control their DVR with the same controls used to adjust their lighting, security and other services. So far, access is limited to simple remote control commands over IP while everything gets certified and secured, but eventually it will include full two-way communication, including guide data and more. While that's enough to make anyone who orders or builds custom systems drool, what could it mean for the rest of us? We'll have to wait and see, but if Control4 can build in access, we can certainly imagine what the Xbox One, Google TV, Samsung's Smart TV or any other rumored devices (*cough*) might be able to offer. We'll probably have to wait until CES to hear more on that front, but we did get a quick preview of a feature in testing that's coming to all Hopper DVRs: HDMI-CEC control. The ability to send and receive commands is something we've wanted on cable / satellite set-top boxes for some time, and Dish Network may well be the first to make it happen.
Sixense's Stem motion tracker may get Android and iOS support through stretch goal (video)
Sixense has so far promised only PC compatibility for its Stem motion tracker, but the company just teased us with the prospect of a wider ecosystem. It now says that Stem's developer kit will support Android and iOS if the crowdfunded project reaches a new $700,000 stretch goal. Mobile devices linked to a Stem tracker could serve as motion controllers, virtual cameras and even head-mounted displays. As an incentive to make a pledge, Sixense is adding a pair of programmer-friendly pledge rewards: $149 gets a one-tracker bundle with no controllers, while an early five-tracker bundle has returned at a lower $299 price. Whether or not you chip in, you can watch a conceptual demo after the break.
Kinect for Windows SDK update lets developers add green screen effects
Kinect for Windows developers can now get a little more creative: Microsoft has released version 1.8 of the camera's SDK, which lets app creators produce a green screen effect by removing the background. The update also brings a new Kinect Fusion API that scans the color of an object in addition to its shape, saving some 3D modelers the trouble of creating a separate texture map. There's better scene tracking and more code samples, too. Programmers who crave the new software tricks can grab the refreshed SDK and its companion tools at the source links.
