Google wants to help developers build better apps with the introduction of new runtime permissions. The new permissions will be replacing the existing install-time permissions model in the company’s upcoming operating system, Android 6.0 Marshmallow. “Runtime permissions give your app the ability to control when and with what context you’ll ask for permissions,” wrote Ian … continue reading
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) wants to make it easier for those who are deaf or hard of hearing to communicate. The organization recently announced it will develop an open-source video platform for users to communicate with businesses and government agencies using American Sign Language. The platform will be available for mobile and desktop operating … continue reading
Google has announced improved beta testing of Android apps in the Google Play Developer Console with a new open beta service. According to the Android Developers blog, developers can use an open beta to invite users with one-click invitations and scale to a large number of testers while also limiting the maximum number. The new … continue reading
Nokia is entering the virtual reality world. The company officially confirmed it has a VR product in the work: OZO, a VR camera designed for professional content creators. “OZO aims to advance the next wave of innovation in VR by putting powerful tools in the hands of professionals who will create amazing experiences for people … continue reading
For most of the 1990s, databases were the most boring tool in the shed. The rise of the Web over the aughts changed the demands placed on databases, but did not meaningfully change the form of the data stores we so know and love in our day-to-day application work. The constraints placed on applications to … continue reading
Honda has unveiled its 2016 Accord featuring both Android Auto and Apple CarPlay interface functionality. Honda becomes the first auto manufacturer to roll out a connected vehicle supporting both Apple and Google’s automotive operating systems synced with an Android or iOS device. Android Auto offers 2016 Accord drivers features such as Google Maps, Google Now, … continue reading
At the Amazon Web Services Summit in New York, this morning, Amazon announced a number of new services for developers within its cloud. The announcements included new services such as the AWS Device Farm and the AWS API Gateway. Amazon also announced general availability for a number of services that were still in beta form. … continue reading
Amazon has introduced s2n, a new open-source implementation of the TLS encryption protocol. The s2n implementation, short for “signal to noise,” is a library designed to be small, fast and simple. s2n avoids implementing rarely used TLS options and extensions, and it contains little more than 6,000 lines of code. Amazon plans to integrate s2n … continue reading
Amazon has announced it will, along with other investing companies, invest up to US$100 million to fund voice-based technology innovation. The Alexa Fund, named after the digital assistant service in the Amazon Echo device, will invest in people and companies developing hardware products that would benefit from Alexa’s voice interface; new features and functionality for … continue reading
Microsoft has announced that its Windows 10 insider preview build 10122 for PCs is now available. According to Gabe Aul, engineering manager at Microsoft, the build is more stable and polished, and future builds will become less feature-centric and more focused on fine-tuning. The build includes Start and Continuum improvements, the new tab page for … continue reading
A PayPal executive wants to change the way we think about and use passwords. In a presentation by Jonathan LeBlanc, head of global developer advocacy at PayPal, he detailed a variety of ways to replace the password, from biometrics to wearables. “As long as passwords remain the standard methods for identifying your users on the … continue reading
Amazon debuted a new Amazon Machine Learning service at the AWS Summit in San Francisco this week, allowing users to employ predictive modeling on large-scale data batches. Amazon Machine Learning supports binary classification, multiclass classification, and regression predictions on a customer’s data. Developers can also add code based on the service’s predictions to influence its … continue reading
