developer - 5/11 - Android Police - Android News, Apps, Games, Phones, Tablets

Jun

Google Previews New Android Developer Console - Beta Coming Soon

Posted by Artem Russakovskii in Development, News

Last Updated: July 2nd, 2012

Google just announced a new, completely revamped developer console that should replace the current app publishing system in the near future. The private beta sign-up link will show up in developers' consoles soon, followed by a global rollout sometime after that.

The new console is very clean and addresses numerous issues with the current generation interface. Some highlights include:

A separated interface for updating various pieces of metadata and uploading APKs - rather than having to do them all at once, you will be able to update them one by one.
When you upload updated APKs, you will now be able to see how they compare to the versions that are being updated, and how the new version will affect device compatibility (see slides below).

Jun

Amazon: Appstore Going Live In UK, France, Germany, Spain And Italy "This Summer"

Posted by David Ruddock in Applications, Apps/Games, Development, News

According to a press release just sent out by Amazon, the company's Appstore will be headed to Europe this summer as rumored, though only to five countries to start. The United Kingdom, France, Germany, Spain, and Italy will all be getting access to Amazon's Appstore in the coming months, and developers can head over to the App Distribution Portal to get started on certifying their apps for distribution in those countries right now. Building on that, developers will now be able to control where and when their apps will be available to customers.

Additionally, Amazon has made some changes to the terms of its developer distribution agreement.

Jun

Crafty Apps Launches Tasker App Factory (Beta), Allowing Users To Export (And Distribute) Tasks As Standalone Apps

Posted by Liam Spradlin in Applications, News

Tasker is a versatile app to say the least. In allowing users to create and schedule sophisticated automated tasks, it has made a name for itself as one of the most useful apps available for Android. The developer behind Tasker, Crafty Apps, is now expanding on that functionality, working on Tasker App Factory, an extension of the original app which allows users to export certain actions as individual apps.

The app (which will only work for Tasker beta users) has the capability to create standalone apps which have no reliance on the main Tasker app to run. According to App Factory's instructional document, app creation takes mere seconds, meaning users can capture Tasker's awesome functionality in a zippy, (relatively) easy process.

Jun

Sony And HTC Are Partnering To Bring PlayStation Certification To HTC Devices

Posted by Eric Ravenscraft in HTC, News, Sony

Back in February, we heard that HTC might be getting PlayStation Certification on some of its phones. Today at E3, Sony announced that it will be opening up the PlayStation Mobile program, which was previously known as PlayStation Suite, to HTC. This means, among other things, that HTC phones that receive PS Certification will be able to play the host of classic PlayStation games available. Additionally, HTC devices will also have access to the third-party apps and games developed using the SDK.

It's hard to say whether this is bigger news for HTC or Sony. On the one hand, having not-quite-but-kind-of exclusive access to PlayStation games gives HTC a competitive edge over Samsung and Motorola and the other Android manufacturers.

May

GameFly To Start Publishing Android Games, Setting Up Investment Funds For Independent Game Developers

Posted by Eric Ravenscraft in Games, News

Well, this might be one of the most (potentially) awesome stories we cover this week. GameFly, the company best known for setting up a Netflix-style gaming rental service, has announced that it plans to open up a third-party gaming store on iOS and Android (think TegraZone, but with less hardware tie-ins). This would, presumably, be in addition to the already-existing GameFly app. Additionally, the company has "set aside a game development fund" that it will use to fund game developers with great ideas, but less cash flow. This is fantastic news.

For starters, the transition from game rental service to distributor is a huge move for GameFly.

May

HTC Releases One X Kernel Source Code – AT&T Variant Conspicuously Absent

Posted by Liam Spradlin in Android OS, Development, News, One X (Endeavor)

Keeping up with its trend of timely code release, HTC dropped kernel source code for the HTC One X today, the same day the device became available through AT&T. The code release includes kernel source for the One X across a range of carriers and regions, including Optus, T-Mobile, Orange, Vodafone, and more, though the list notably excludes AT&T.

While HTC's release of One X kernel source is certainly a step in the right direction, the AT&T variant's absence is unsettling, and many are no doubt still wondering when (or if) the device may be allowed into HTC's bootloader unlock program after a controversial statement from the manufacturer Friday.

May

[Updated: Here Are The Winners!] Giveaway: Prototyper Lets You Pre-Visualize Working Models Of Your App, We're Giving Away 2 Pro Licenses ($495 Each)

Posted by Eric Ravenscraft in Contests / Giveaways

Last Updated: May 19th, 2012

Building apps can be a tough task. It can be difficult visualizing how the functionality of an app and its UI work together before you have a working model. Prototyper aims to alleviate some of that stress by letting you build what appears to be a functional app, without that messy business of it having to work.

This contest is now over. Here are our winners, selected at random:

MJ
Deepu Mukundan

Congratulations, guys - all of you will be contacted for your information in the near future!

Everyone else - keep participating and stay tuned to Android Police so that you don't miss our upcoming giveaway announcements.

Apr

[Updated: Here Are The Winners!] Book Giveaway #19: Learn Professional Android 4 Application Development From Google Android Developer Reto Meier Himself

Posted by Aaron Gingrich in Contests / Giveaways, Development

Last Updated: April 22nd, 2012

Look, I'm going to cut right to the chase here: we've done a lot of book giveaways, and in every single case they were quality books written by undisputed experts on the topics. But the book we're giving away here... well, it's on a whole new level, because it's written by an insider: Reto Meier, Google's Android Developer Relations Tech Lead. Having been involved in Android development (from the inside, mind you) since the initial release in 2007, it's safe to say there are few people who know more about how best to develop for the OS than him.

This contest is now over.

Mar

For Developers: Android Developer Console Can Now Be Shared Between Multiple Team Members

Posted by Artem Russakovskii in Development, News

Android developer console, which Android devs use to publish and manage applications, now supports multiple users without having to share a single account (and, more importantly, its password).

This may not be a big deal to one-person teams, but for larger companies it's pure gold. The addition of these user accounts also carries the benefit of fine-grained controls over permissions. Currently the only togglable permission is access to financial reports, but the Android team promised to roll out more in the future.

This is what the interface looks like before you invite anyone:

And here's what happens after you do:

Developers can check out the new feature under the Manage user accounts link in the console.

Mar

[Updated: Here Are The Winners!] Book Giveaway #17: Learn How To Develop With One Of Ten Copies Of Android Wireless Application Development

Posted by Aaron Gingrich in Contests / Giveaways, Development

Last Updated: April 1st, 2012

Learning to develop isn't always easy - and learning how to do it well is even harder. While it's true there are a plethora of resources available on the subject, sometimes they dive in too deep or skip over some of the prerequisites. Thanks to our friends over at informIT, though, we have just the book: Android Wireless Application Development Volume I: Android Essentials.

This contest is now over. Here are our winners, selected at random: