GoPro made a name for itself with action cameras, and now it's launching the GoPro Developer Program to give third-party partners a piece of action. Announced today, the scheme sees GoPro throw open access to its hardware, software, and accessories, with companies as varied as BMW, Fisher-Price, and Telefónica onboard.
Facebook wants to be the key to logging in to all your online services, and it's so keen it'll even let you do so without a Facebook profile. Announced today at F8, the social network's annual developer event, Facebook Account Kit is essentially an identity management system for third-party developers to use, saving them from having to deal with user-accounts and passwords themselves.
While the rumors about an updated PlayStation 4 console — tentatively referred to as PlayStation 4.5 or PlayStation 4K — have been quiet for the last week, or completely dispelled when it comes to a new Xbox One model, retired BioWare co-founder Greg Zeschuk has spoken out against the idea, stating that it would make life very hard for game developers.
Inside the code for Android N preview it's become apparent that the Android Beta Program will be expanding. Expanding beyond the bounds of the original device collection Android Beta was set for, other manufacturers will be getting in on the fun. Which manufacturers, you might ask? Why, the ones that you demand become a part of this program, of course! You'll have to be especially vocal about this one.
This morning Google released* Android Studio 2.0 for developers, and with it, a litany of upgrades and feature changes. This version of the place where developers make the most of their Android apps works with a new Instant Run feature, an Android Emulator that they suggest runs 3x as fast as the previous release, and a brand new GPU Debugger Preview. Users will be able to work with Cloud Test Lab Integration - right out the gate, and they'll have both App Indexing Code Generation and Test abilities immediately - install and go!
It would appear that Google isn't about to lose potential digital customers to the MicroG experiment on Android devices. A user by the name of Majinferno - reporting in from Reddit - shows one way in which Google may be targeting users who had at one point used Google Play services, but decided to leave the Google universe for one slightly more AOSP-friendly. As it were, Google seems to have offered this user two whole dollars American for a return to their fold.
This week at Microsoft BUILD 2016, BMW presented their vision for the future of smart, connected cars. Their vision has been built on Azure. This is the future of BMW Connected, and it's made to create a smart car experience that integrates seamlessly with your smartphone, your contacts, your calendar, and every other part of your cloud-connected life. "The car will become the ultimate device, perfectly integrated into your digital lifestyle."
Both Microsoft's Phil Spencer and Terry Myerson have taken to the stage this week at BUILT 2016 to assure the public: they're open. Not just open for more developers - not just open for development - but an open ecosystem. Their comments ring particularly important after a recent comment by Epic Games' Tim Sweeney about how the Universal Windows Platform must die. Obviously Microsoft does not want that to happen. At BUILD 2016 this week, Microsoft representatives on stage have made that clear.
This week the folks at Google have sent out an invite to Android developers, asking them to contribute to their Android Experiments gallery. They're calling it a competition, suggesting that the best of the best will not only have their creations shown off at Google I/O 2016, they'll be invited to the event themselves to present what they've made. Developers will begin to be able to submit Android Experiments to the official gallery starting today.
This week Google updated their spec guidance for bottom navigation for developers making Android apps - for the apps you use. What does this mean for you? It means that the apps you're working with tomorrow should look a whole lot more pleasing than they do today. ...If they're following Google's rules, that is. Google's Material Design library makes all apps look like they belong in the Google Android universe, and with this update, they'll be ready to tap through with extreme ease.
In the immediate future Microsoft will be opening the doors to cross-network cross-device multiplayer gaming action to for the masses. "In addition to natively supporting cross-platform play between Xbox One and Windows 10 games that use Xbox Live," said Chris Charla, Director ID@Xbox, "we’re enabling developers to support cross-network play as well." The first title to make use of this update will be Rocket League - you'll be able to play on your Windows 10 PC while your buddies play on their Xbox One. Super fair for all parties involved, indeed!
Forget Alexa, when it comes to digital companionship Jibo is aiming to make a faint Echo of Amazon's connected speaker. Handiwork of a team of roboticists, animators, and speech recognition specialists, Jibo raised millions with its promise of social robotics: now, the "family robot" is ready to embrace whatever new abilities third-party coders can come up with. I caught up with Jonathan Ross, Head of SDK Development at Jibo, for an exclusive preview of the new developer toolkit ahead of its public demonstration at SXSW this weekend.
