developers

Sep

Verizon Decides To Make More Bad Decisions - VCAST App Market Is The Latest

Posted by Brad Ganley in News, Verizon Wireless

Well, Verizon is up to their old tricks again. Last time they did something worthy of a head-scratch was just a short time ago, when they forced Bing onto the Fascinate and abandoned the built-in Google bits and pieces for search.

Now they've decided that, in addition to Google Maps, Google Search, and Google Voice Search not being necessary, the Android MARKET is insufficient. Introducing the Vcast App Store!

Verizon seems to think that they are somehow more likely to persuade users to buy apps. While there may be some advantages (carrier billing being the only one i can think of), it is really starting to look like Verizon hates Google.

Sep

Scoreloop Adds PayPal Payment Solution - Hello Google? You Home?

Posted by Andrew Huff in Apps/Games, Games, News

While we all wait for Google to officially institute PayPal as a payment option in the Android Market, Scoreloop has decided to beat Google to it by including it in their latest update. Developers who use Scoreloop with their games can now use PayPal to offer in-game purchases to gamers.

Freemium

In-game purchasing is the key to many games success, and its implementation is essential if Google would like to lure developers to their platform. This business model, known as Freemium, allows gamers to get the full version of a game that would otherwise be a paid application and in exchange, the developer can offer premium in-game content for a fee.

Aug

The Nexus One Is Dead — Long Live The Nexus One: Google Crowns Nexus One Android Developer Phone 3

Posted by David Ruddock in News, Nexus One (Passion)

While the Nexus One has officially been discontinued stateside on Google’s website, it seems Google’s first (and probably only) phone will be headed to the cluttered desks of more Android developers as Android’s newest official developer phone.

The Nexus One has clearly enjoyed preferential treatment from the Android team since its release, but the decision to dethrone the Google Ion (aka ADP 2, HTC Magic, MyTouch 3G) is more than anything a statement to third-party developers: Get away from previous generation phones. And with Éclair now running on nearly 60% of Android devices, it’s no wonder Google wants to move the Android development platform forward.

Jul

More Developers Have Experience Developing For Android Than Any Other Mobile Platform

Posted by David Ruddock in News

Last Updated: July 15th, 2010

An interesting chart published today by BusinessInsider reveals that mobile developers, or at least the 401 surveyed, more often have experience developing for Android than any other mobile operating system, including iOS. Given Android’s growing market share, it seems only natural that developers are flocking to the increasingly attractive (and large) customer base Android devices provide.

While Android’s lead over iOS in this regard isn’t massive, it certainly isn’t insignificant either. Nearly 60% of developers have experience developing on Android, while the number for iOS hovers around 50%. Meanwhile, Blackberry and Windows Mobile sit even lower at about 40%. While Apple’s App Store certainly offers developers greater upfront financial incentive in selling their applications, apps supported by Google Ads are clearly just as, if not even more, lucrative.

Jun

Developers: Pre-Order Unity3D Pro Game Engine For Android – Get A Free Nexus One

Posted by Andrew Huff in Apps/Games, Dev, Games, News

Unity3D recently announced that pre-sales are going on for their Android version of their great 3D engine. Game developers who are still on the border as to whether or not they want to make the jump to Android or, if you already are developing for Android making the jump to Unity 3D, have a little more incentive now. Unity3D will give the first 500 Unity Pro for Android pre-sale orders a free Nexus One.

Free Nexus One

Yes you heard that correctly. The first 500 pre-sale orders for Unity Pro for Android will receive a free Nexus One phone.

SAN FRANCISCO, CA – June 24, 2010 – Unity Technologies, provider of the Unity development platform for highly interactive 3D content on the web, iPhone, iPad, PC, Mac, Android™, Wii™, Xbox 360 and PlayStation®3, today announced that Unity Pro for Android is available for pre-order now at https://store.unity3d.com/shop/.

Jun

Carrier Billing For Android Applications Without Google

Posted by Andrew Huff in Apps/Games, News

As a developer myself, one issue with the Android market has always been the payment methods…or rather, the lack thereof. Aside from Google Checkout and carrier billing for some companies within the US, there really aren’t a whole lot of options to consider, especially when dealing with the Android Market Developer Distribution Agreement.

Well, as with all things in the world of technology, a company seems to have found a bit of a loophole in regards to carrier billing for developers, or more specifically, integrating it into their applications and games. This has a lot of implications, including a big one: countries without access to paid apps and games on the Android market could still purchase them through free demos released by the developer.

Apr

Google's New Ploy To Recruit iPhone App Developers For Android

Posted by John Thompson in Apps/Games, News

Last Updated: April 2nd, 2011

With the number of applications in the Android Market continuing to rise, Google is apparently adopting new tactics in their bid to outnumber applications in the iPhone’s App Store. David Pogue, a New York Times blogger, reported yesterday that he was contacted by an iPhone app developer who made him aware of Google’s latest attempt to get developers writing their apps for Android.

The developer, who is behind the Texts From Last Night app for the iPhone, told David Pogue how he received an email from a developer advocate at Google. He was asked if he wanted to port the TFLN application over to Android, and was offered a free Nexus One in the process.