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Google will make using alternative app stores easier in Android 12
Android will get even more open in 2021
Epic Games opened a can of worms last month when it added its own payment solution to Fortnite in a violation of Google Play's guidelines for developers. The move has brought discussions on app store policies to the forefront, and now Google is taking the opportunity to highlight Android's open nature — and announce a big change for alternative app stores coming in Android 12.
The latest iteration for OnePlus' line of phones is a polarizing piece of hardware. You might like or hate the industrial design, which includes one of those "notches," but the specs and pricing for the OnePlus 6 aren't to be ignored—it even has a headphone jack, which is one up over the Pixel 2. And now you can actually buy one, as sales for the phone have opened starting today.
During CES this year, Google and NVIDIA announced partnership with GM, Honda, Audi, and Hyundai in forming the Open Automotive Alliance. The initial announcement was predictably sparse on details, noting only the initiative's core principles, and the goal of bringing Android to cars. After hearing approximately nothing about the effort since then, we now have information that gives us a first look at Google's vision for Android in the Car, referred to internally as Gearhead.
As Google Glass continues toward an inevitable public release, users (and developers) are still trying to puzzle out exactly what the device is best suited for. There are games, cooking apps, news alert apps, and of course a tidy bundle of Google services in the slowly expanding list of official Glassware. Of course, there's more to Glass than official Glassware. Developers are making some fairly compelling tools for Google's eyeball computer, and Brivo Labs, in an effort to "explore the future of wearable technology," recently published a demonstration of one such tool.
If you buy a Fitbit, Jawbone Up, or one of the other fitness sensors out there, you're committing to a single software ecosystem. That can be a problem if you want to use your hardware with third-party apps. Plenty of Android users know the pain of being unable to wirelessly sync a Fitbit with most Android devices. The Angel fitness and health sensor is an attempt to build a completely open device that app developers can plug into and create new experiences for users. After launching and Indiegogo campaign on September 16th, Angel has now passed the $100,000 fixed funding goal with almost 2 weeks to spare.
Just like last year, the Google I/O app's source code has been released in an effort to get developers acquainted with Android best practices.
If you're reading this from Australia or New Zealand, get excited – Google's Play Music All Access service is now live in both countries, granting both (pardon the term) access to the burgeoning music streaming service.
Samsung Posts Kernel Open Source Code For Galaxy Tab 3 8.0 (SM-T310)
Having been announced just a handful of days ago (on the third), the Galaxy Tab 3 8.0's 7.4mm chassis has just barely rolled out of the factory, but –
Having been announced just a handful of days ago (on the third), the Galaxy Tab 3 8.0's 7.4mm chassis has just barely rolled out of the factory, but – in keeping with old habits – Samsung has already posted up the open source code for the eight-inch tab's kernel. This, by the way, comes just over two weeks after kernel source code for the Tab 3 7.0 dropped.
Last summer, we saw the launch of Tweet Lanes – a beautiful, functional Twitter app that – due to Twitter's reformed API – ceased active development just a few months ago. Today, Chris Lacy has issued a "further update" on the status of development, writing in a post to Google+ "just because I am no longer actively developing Tweet Lanes doesn't mean that development of the app has to stop."
Samsung, continuing its habit of timely code releases, today let fly open source kernel files for a handful of devices including Verizon's newly announced Galaxy Camera (EK-GC120), AT&T's Galaxy SIII Jelly Bean update (SGH-I747), and last but not least, AT&T's Galaxy Tab 8.9 Ice Cream Sandwich release (SGH-I957).
I know. You thought Flash was long gone. You mourned the relationship and moved on. Having made peace with the past and exploring a bright future, you were ready to start a new life with HTML5. Now, thanks to Mozilla, your ex has come calling, bringing back all those old memories. But enough with the metaphors. The organization behind Firefox announced Shumway, an open SWF runtime project, today. With this, the company hopes to bring compatibility for Flash content back to the web, particularly on mobile. A lofty goal, given that Adobe, creator of the Flash format, isn't keen on that last part.
Amazon, "in accordance with certain free and open source software licenses," released today the open source code files for their 8.9" Kindle Fire HD, one of the latest tablets to join their wildly successful e-reader lineup.
Now that we've seen Samsung's Galaxy Note II go up for grabs at T-Mo, Sprint, and US Cellular, it's time we began expecting to see Samsung drop kernel source code for the carriers' respective variants. That's just what Sammy has done, recently releasing the open source kernel files for SGH-T889, SCH-R950_USC, SPH-L900_SPR, and a bonus device – AT&T's Galaxy Rugby Pro, lovingly called SGH-I547_ATT.
Amazon, in an effort to continue expanding its services globally, announced today that its Android app distribution service, the Amazon Appstore, is heading for Japan.
Samsung's Developer Version Of The Galaxy S III Shows Up On Its Site In Pebble Blue, 32GB Flavor, "Coming Soon"
Verizon has taken some flack lately for being the only US carrier to lock the bootloader. Workarounds have been implemented, but Samsung's taken it a step
Verizon has taken some flack lately for being the only US carrier to lock the bootloader. Workarounds have been implemented, but Samsung's taken it a step further by announcing a developer version of the device. Today they...well, they haven't quite made good on that promise, but they have created a landing page for the device on their site that announces the 32GB Pebble Blue version will be "coming soon".
Just over two weeks after the official Galaxy SIII announcement, and days before its target launch date, Samsung has released the ICS open source files for AT&T's own Galaxy SIII (otherwise known as SGH-I747M), as well as T-Mobiles variant - the SGH-T999V. These releases are in keeping with Samsung's recent pattern of timely source code drops, which has certainly been encouraging for developers looking to tinker with one of the hottest Android devices available.
Just under a week after starting the Sensation's Ice Cream Sandwich Rollout, HTC has dropped the ICS kernel source for the Sensation, Sensation XE, and Vivid, much to the delight of their respective development communities. This news follows hot on the heels of Samsung's Galaxy SII kernel source drop, and seems to suggest a promising pattern among the two manufacturers of maintaining punctuality in releasing source.
Looks like we missed it, but back in December of 2011, Google officially stopped developing App Inventor (it was a result of the company’s shutdown of Google Labs), allowing MIT to take the reins of a very similar project. Today, that project went open source, and though there’s very little in the way of documentation or guides, you can download the code now and begin modifying the Inventor.
Remember SoulCraft THD, the awesome action RPG game we mentioned last month? Well, the open beta finally hit the Android Market today, bringing angels, demons, apocalypse, and rich, realistic environments to your Tegra device. Check out the video below for a taste of the action:
Let's get the preliminary question off the plate first: who is Matias Duarte? Well for one thing, he oversaw the designing of a few small projects such as webOS, Sidekick OS, and Helio (the little carrier that could... be bought out). And, oh yeah, he also played a large part in Honeycomb's development.