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Smart TV Alliance now lets developers submit apps once for use on all supported TVs
The Smart TV Alliance wants apps that work across multiple platforms, but developers have so far had to submit those apps to each TV maker -- a process that can take ages. Things should speed up now that the Alliance has launched a Developer Support Program. From now on, software teams can send apps through a single approval system that qualifies a given release for use with every Alliance-compatible set. Developers can do more with those apps, too. The Alliance has posted a version 2.5 SDK that allows multi-screen integration with mobile apps, and it's promising a future 3.0 spec that includes support for both Ultra HD TVs and home automation. While there's no launch date for 3.0 at this stage, TV app creators will find both the Developer Support Program and SDK 2.5 at the source link. Follow all of our IFA 2013 coverage by heading to our event hub!
New Facebook SDK issued for Unity games
Facebook has issued a new SDK aimed at expediting the integration of the site's identity and social features into games made by Unity developers. "Whether you're building on iOS, Android, web, or all three, the SDK lets you continue to write in C# and provide social game experiences to all your players, regardless of the platform they play on," the announcement blog post on Facebook's developer section reads. Over 90 million monthly active Facebook users have Unity installed – more than triple the number of users in the first half of 2013. 260 million people are playing games on Facebook each month and is increasingly becoming more popular. In July, Facebook announced a pilot program for publishing mobile games.
Facebook releases cross-platform SDK for Unity titles, looks to boost 3D and mobile gaming
If the folks from Facebook and Unity have their way, you -- and everyone you know -- will be playing mobile 3D titles directly on the social network. The two companies have been working together since March to boost user engagement with games on Facebook, and a cross-platform SDK released today should go a long way toward reaching a broader audience. Available for download via Unity's developer site, the new kit lets devs port their mobile games to Facebook.com and integrate social experiences -- such as posting achievements to your Timeline -- into core titles, regardless of whether gamers are on Android, iOS or the web. And the companies are making this process quite easy for devs; bringing titles to several platforms only requires a line of code. A handful of games, including Cmune's UberStirke, Madfinger's Shadowgun: Deadzone and Nival's King's Bounty: Legions, have already incorporated the new SDK, and Unity is no doubt hoping that other devs will follow suit. This isn't the first time the gaming engine has extended a helping hand to developers -- it's been known to drop licensing fees, for instance. Here's hoping this means a wider selection of Facebook titles is just around the corner.
Chromecast update breaks local media streaming in third-party apps (updated)
We hope you aren't depending on your Chromecast for local media playback. If you are, the device has just become a paperweight -- temporarily, at least. Google's most recent Chromecast update disables playback from external video sources, breaking third-party apps like AllCast and Fling that use the code for local-only streaming. Developer Leon Nicholls is hopeful that functionality will return when the official Cast SDK is ready for public apps, although we wouldn't count on it. As Android Central notes, Google isn't promising local media support on the Chromecast; for now, it's focused on the cloud. Update: In a statement mentioned by dnengel84 in the comments and posted by The Verge, Google says that it's willing to support local content; these are "early days" for the SDK, and the feature set is likely to change. Read the full statement after the break.
Facebook updates Android SDK with native sharing and improved Open Graph support
You might remember that Facebook delivered a major update to its iOS SDK in April that packed a ton of new features, including much stronger Open Graph integration. Now Android is finally being blessed with the same capabilities. The brand new Facebook for Android SDK brings not only simplified Open Graph integration, but native sharing tools, streamlined native logins and improved in-app event tools. The latter even enables devs to collect data about when events are triggered and how often, then use that information to help them better understand how their apps are being used. Facebook is also promising that new features will be added to its abilities to provide insight and targeting data to developers. If you're not creating apps, but just using them, you won't notice much change initially, except, perhaps, for the shiny new "Log In with Facebook" button.
Oculus Rift's John Carmack working on mobile SDK support first, coming soon
Ever since Oculus Rift hired Doom co-creator and legendary game designer John Carmack as Chief Technology Officer a few weeks back, he's been hard at work on the Rift's SDK. "John likes to do what he likes to do," VP of product Nate Michell told attendees of an Oculus panel at GDC Europe this evening. "He's got a ridiculous amount of good ideas that he's working into the SDK. Especially around mobile, frankly," he added, coyly teasing an update to the Oculus SDK that's apparently coming sooner than later. Mitchell's speaking to the SDK's promised Android support, which company CEO Brendan Iribe revealed as a forthcoming goal in an interview earlier this year. When asked by a panel attendee when iOS support is coming, headset creator Palmer Luckey smilingly admitted, "It's Apple's fault!" Mitchell quickly jumped in, explaining that the Android platform is simply more open to peripherals like the Rift. We'll have more from Oculus as the week goes on, so keep an eye out for even more.
Google's still working on a Glass development kit, suggests devs use Android SDK for now
Google announced at its I/O event in May that a Glass Developer Kit is on the way so devs can build more advanced apps for its headset than the Mirror API supports, but it's still not quite ready. In a post on Google+, team member Alain Vongsouvanh encouraged developers to use the current Android SDK (API level 15) to try out ideas. The team has also posted code samples with examples like a stopwatch, compass and level, and says devs can access the device's accelerometer and play media. If you're ready to get to work all the necessary info is linked in the post, we hope to see the fruits of such labor in the Play store very soon.
Google letting developers in on the Chromecast action with Google Cast SDK
Now that Google has let its $35 Chromecast HDMI dongle out of the bag at its breakfast press event, it's gonna need developers to chip in some apps for it. To help boost that effort, the company is releasing the Google Cast SDK to help those folks bring content from mobile and the web to TVs. By using the kit, developers won't need to build new applications for the big screen from scratch; they'll just need to make a few tweaks to their existing mobile apps. Mountain View expects Google Cast tech to be embedded in future hardware from its partners, with Chromecast being "the first instantiation" of such an ecosystem. You can now grab a preview (at the source) for iOS, Android and Chrome -- which is good news, since the wee dongle already appears to be sold out on Play.
Google Maps SDK v1.4 for iOS brings Street View, indoor maps to your app
While the Google Maps update for iOS is barely out of the cellophane, Mountain View's keeping up the momentum with a matching SDK revision. Version 1.4 of the developer kit for iOS maps allows app makers to hook into some of the new features, and bring them right into their own creations. Now, you'll be able to add Street View imagery -- with optional markers -- from over 50 countries (including recently added landmarks), introduce floor plans, and benefit from the more neutral maps design. There's a slew of bug fixes too, which can be found at the source. Want the info from developer relations at Google Maps directly? Then, head past the break for the video walkthrough.
Nokia announces Lumia 1020 Imaging SDK, enlists CNN, Yelp and others for custom enhancements
Nokia's Lumia 1020 has finally gone official today and, no surprise here, it's all about imaging. To complement the handset's 41-megapixel BSI sensor and accompanying ProCamera software, Nokia's released an imaging SDK to devs that want to impose their own camera customizations. As of now, the Finnish company's seeded the SDK out to the likes of CNN, Vyclone, Panagraph, Snapcam, Foursquare, Hipstamatic's Oggl Pro, Yelp, Flipboard and Path -- all of which have already been working on custom applications for the 1020. So what does that mean for the end user? Most likely, these third-party tweaks will entail high-res photo sharing and custom filters, as in the case of Path's Lumia app. Nokia's posted the SDK on its site for all developers today, so if you're interested in seeing what the Lumia 1020's beastly sensor can do for your app or what its SDK can do for WP8 apps in general, you know where to look. Check out all the news from today's Nokia event at our hub!
Xbox One Kinect for Windows SDK applications live now, cost $400
Windows Developers anxious to get their code onto Microsoft's next-gen Kinect can apply for a software development kit before its official public release in 2014. Microsoft is accepting applications now through July 31 at 9AM PT, and early kits cost $400. The program begins in November. Early kits include an alpha sensor and the final sensor at launch, private support from the Kinect for Windows engineering team, access to the early SDK and any future updates, and private access to all API. Microsoft will alert successful applicants in August.
Next-gen Kinect for Windows opens dev kit applications, costs $400
Microsoft's new version of Kinect for Xbox One is also headed to the world of PCs, like its previous incarnation. The new Kinect for Windows sensor won't be available publicly until some point in 2014, but developers can apply for an early, $400 development kit starting right now (due before July 31st at 9AM PT), Microsoft announced today. In that $400, developers (if accepted) will get early SDK access, a pre-release "alpha" version of the device, a final retail version (at launch), and private access to both APIs and the Kinect for Windows engineering team (in private forums and webcasts). Should you get in, you'll find out more come this August.
StickNFind launches SDK, lets coders harness its Bluetooth stickers
When StickNFind burst onto the scene at the start of the year, the company promised that an SDK wouldn't be too far behind. True to the company's word, the toolbox has arrived, enabling developers to turn the Bluetooth location stickers into museum triggers, track conference attendees, or even turn the small discs into rudimentary pagers. The software's now available on the StickNFind website, while interested parties can dip their head below the break to learn a little more.
Agent smartwatch SDK released, developers can start tinkering
Four days after hitting its Kickstarter goal, Agent Watches has released the SDK for its smartwatch. The watches won't ship until December, but all developers need to start working is the emulator and a Bluetooth-compatible device. Windows Phone 8 Developer Mike Hole posted a link to the tools on his blog, plus detailed notes with sample code and a how-to for the emulator. With all this info, maybe you'll write a few of the apps for the hip and sexy people from that Kickstarter video.
Flipside controller tries again, thanks to iOS 7
The Flipside iPhone game controller was a Kickstarter project that began last year with an ambitious goal of US$135,000, raising only about $10k of that before getting canceled due to lack of interest. Things have changed since the project was shut down in January, however. Apple has announced iOS 7, and with it, a set of official SDK hooks for game controller support, which means we're going to see a resurgence in third-party controllers like this one. Now the Flipside is back, restarting its campaign on Indiegogo for a more reasonable $40,000. For $60, you can pick up an early founder's deal on the controller, which is set to be ready for use sometime next year. So far, the Flipside isn't exactly raking in the dough (it's earned about $300 as of this writing), but maybe the second time will be the charm. This definitely won't be the last we see of third-party controllers getting a big boost out of Apple's iOS 7 game controller hooks. Once the operating system is ready and out in the public's hands, we'll see many more of these units become available. Who knows -- maybe if Apple sees a market for controllers like this, we'll eventually see an official controller designed in Cupertino. It would certainly be a great way to kick off the market for apps on the Apple TV.
Google's Dart SDK and Editor arrive as beta with focus on performance
Dart isn't conquering the world wide web just yet, but that doesn't mean Google is giving up on its darling programming language. The internet giant has just released the first beta of the SDK and Editor, and the update's focus is obvious: speed. The analysis engine, which is responsible for altering you to errors in your code, has been revamped and is now 20 percent faster, according to Google. There are a whole bunch of new features designed to simplify development too, such as the ability to import or rename libraries. And the Editor's autocomplete engine is now "camelcase aware," meaning when you type "iE" the editor tracks down "isEmpty." Dart code compiled to JavaScript now results in significantly smaller file sizes and Dart VM performance has supposedly been boosted by between 33 and 40 percent. Oh, and there's much, much more... this is just the SparkNotes, folks. For the full change log hit up the source.
gTar opens up iOS and Javascript SDK, adds Ableton Live compatibility
It's been a while since we've heard anything out of the gTar camp -- nearly half a year in fact, when the company announced pre-orders the week of CES. This morning the Kickstarted instrument manufacturer broke the silence by announcing that it'll be opening up its SDK for both iOS and Javascript, letting developers create apps for browsers and Apple's mobile operating system. The learning-friendly instrument already has a bit of a head start, as it's presently compatible with more than 150 apps, according to the company. Compatibility also extends to Ableton Live, via an "unofficial custom script" that makes it possible to use the gTar's fretboard as a control panel for the popular DJ software.
Box launches revenue-sharing scheme for app devs, iOS and Android SDKs
As great as free server space is for us regular folk, businesses use cloud storage too (and they actually pay for it). In an effort to attract the attention of mobile app developers, and ultimately keep enterprise clients happy, Box has launched a revenue-sharing program called $rev for those who create business-focused software integrated with its cloud storage platform. It's pretty simple, really. Step one: get your app to play nice with Box; step two: people use the app; step three: make it rain. By getting an app into Box's OneCloud club and enrolling in the $rev program, devs can net up to 15 percent of the "per seat price" in rewards. Although its API is already available, Box has launched iOS and Android SDKs in tandem with $rev to make the integration step a bit easier; more SDKs are expected in the "coming weeks." The $rev scheme is currently in a closed beta phase, but it'll open up in the near future. Interested app crafters can learn more about getting paid by Box, download the SDKs and sign up to $rev at the source links below.
Tango launches social platform SDK, brings its chat layer to other apps
Tango has wanted to expand beyond the basics of multi-platform messaging for awhile, going so far as to add games within its own app. It now wants to become the social glue for just about everyone: it's launching a platform for other apps. The new SDK both integrates Tango chat into titles and make its easy to send app invitations to anyone using Tango, with leaderboards when games are involved. The company has garnered some early support from developers like Bubble Gum Interactive and Gameloft, which plan to release Tango-aware iOS versions of Jetpack Jinx and Candy Block Breaker in the near future. Android users will have to wait until July to get their shot at these two games, but developers who want more sociable apps can apply to use the SDK today.
Microsoft: next-gen Kinect sensor for Windows to launch in 2014
Microsoft already gave us a look at its next-gen Kinect alongside the Xbox One, but today the company circled back to announce an update to the Windows version of its sensor. Don't get too excited yet, though: the update won't debut until 2014. Still, Redmond has shared details about some of the enhancements it says will "revolutionize computing experiences," such as a higher-definition camera, expanded field of view and improved motion tracking -- essentially the same improvements we'll see on the new Kinect for the Xbox One. Microsoft says developers will learn more about the updated hardware and SDK at the Build 2013 conference in June, so stay tuned.
