Hasta La Gadget!

Naturally, there’s a good amount of anticipation surrounding the release of Windows Phone 8 handsets, but before that day arrives, developers will need proper software to code apps. Microsoft stopped short of releasing the requisite tools, but today, the company announced the Windows Phone 8 SDK preview program — essentially a way for developers to get in line for when the software becomes available. As is, all developers must submit an application to the Microsoft Connect website by Monday, September 17th, at which point, they’ll be provided instructions “the following week” of how and where to download the SDK. As for why the company has stopped short of an immediate release, Microsoft blames it on the fact that not all Windows Phone 8 features have been announced — which gives us reason to hope we’ll see a full disclosure in the near term.

In related news, the Redmond giant has also revealed that the Marketplace will be renamed the Windows Phone Store, which is intended to harmonize the naming scheme with the Windows Store. It’ll first rear its head in both Australia and New Zealand, but the company promises to roll out the new storefront to other countries in the weeks ahead. As for what you can expect, a cleaner design and new menu options are said to be in the mix, along with news and reviews from various technology blogs and journalists. Other improvements will include new search functionality to account for typos, along with suggestions for similar apps, regardless of what’s in the title. Finally, Microsoft will also introduce new categories such as Best Rated, Top Free and Top Paid. We’ll initially see these designations in the online store only, but the company promises to mirror the functionality on its phones later this year.

Filed under: Cellphones, Software, Mobile

Microsoft announces Windows Phone 8 SDK preview program, Windows Phone Store replaces Marketplace originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 12 Sep 2012 15:44:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Motorola just released three new consumer phones today, but the company didn’t want to leave developers out in the cold, so it also quietly rolled out a pair of developer handsets. A mere $550 gets you on the list right now for a RAZR M Developer Edition set to be shipped next week direct from Moto, and you can sign up for updates on the availability of a forthcoming RAZR HD dev-friendly handset, too. Each phone will bring an unlockable bootloader and the promise of immediate software gratification, though Motorola hasn’t set an availability date or price for the HD version just yet. You can get on the list for either device at the source links below.

Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile

Droid RAZR M and HD dev editions bring unlockable bootloaders to the Android party originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 05 Sep 2012 15:35:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The software running HP’s now cult-classic TouchPad tablet as well as a range of smartphones has been released as Open webOS beta today. This beta release of the software will have developers able to access it using an Apache 2.0 license, and the development will commence immediately for 3rd party users looking to bring the system back to life after an ill-fated run over the past few years ended with HP cutting off their mobile hardware lineup.

This code is bringing (in beta) a set of 54 components making 450,000 lines of code, and all the elements you’ve seen of the desktop build released to Ubuntu are included of course as well. Developers will be glad to find a collection of 3rd party Enyo apps supported here on the packages System Manager as well as the ones you’d expect from the basic set of apps included on the mobile device build.

HP’s servers will be bursting at the seams with this lovely offering starting today – if you don’t see it, wait a bit longer. You’ll be grabbing such lovely bits as “build-desktop” and “core-apps” never before legally distributed to the public. Grab em all and report back to tell everyone how much awesome developing fun you’re having!

Also check the timeline below for more information on webOS as it’s made its path towards the open environment it’s about to be in now. HP is working with the community to keep webOS an operating system worth working with, and we’re excited to see it continue to expand. Also see our webOS tag portal and HP tag to keep up to date with both groups in the very near future too – exciting things are bubbling up!

Open webOS beta released today for developers is written by Chris Burns & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

Firefox 15 is barely fresh off the vine, and we’re already looking at a beta version 16 for both desktop platforms and Android. Mozilla’s test release builds in the first support for web apps that play nicely with the Mozilla Marketplace; as long as titles have a slight amount of extra formatting, they can slot into Firefox without hiccups. More treats exist if you’re running certain platforms: the Android crowd receives a Safari-style Reader Mode that strips out the fluff from pages, while Mac users see the once test-only VoiceOver support flipped on by default to improve accessibility. Even developers get a little something special through a quick-access toolbar and more readily accessible CSS4 scripting. If any of this sounds tempting, there’s a pair of source links waiting for your attention.

Filed under: Cellphones, Internet, Software

Firefox 16 beta arrives with web app hooks, Reader Mode for Android and VoiceOver for Macs originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 30 Aug 2012 17:36:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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A slightly less than simple to install version of Android 4.1 Jelly Bean is now available from Google for you Verizon Galaxy Nexus users – straight from the source. If you’ve never heard of “AOSP” before, you may want to avoid this situation – but if you’re perfectly willing to break your warrantee and unlock your bootloader, you’re welcome to make it work. Here with Android 4.1 Jelly Bean for the Verizon Galaxy Nexus you’ll finally be able to do all that awesome Google Now and voice command and search action you’ve heard so much about – and the notifications pull-down menu is updated to the max as well!

This version of the software goes by the name of JRO03O and is what’s known as an incremental update. You’ll find that this version has not yet been approved by Verizon – if it were, this would be easier – and that you’ll be flashing zip files straight from Google to make it all happen. This build isn’t a whole lot different from what we’ve seen thus far from developers in the wild making AOKP work for this device, and it’s certainly nothing like CyanogenMod 10, that’s for certain.

If you’ve hacked your device before, released it from its software bonds in so many ways, you’ll have a relatively simple time changing over to this new version of Android. ClockworkMod Recovery will make the process so simple your ears will be burning. Custom build users already working with odd software should of course wipe out all data and install the IMM76Q package you should be more than familiar about before doing anything else. Flashing this new JRO03O build on top of that will hopefully do the trick.

And if it’s not been clear enough up until now, the process you’ll be going through here includes “safety not guaranteed” as all software modifications do. You can access both the IMM76Q package and the JRO03O update from Google now – and be cautious! SlashGear assumes no responsibility for your actions with the software linked here! You can also get a rooted version of this software over at Droid Life with instructions on how to use it.

Have a peek at the Jelly Bean timeline below to get more information on how Android 4.1 will be working with your Galaxy Nexus – and enjoy!

[via Android Community]

Verizon Galaxy Nexus Jelly Bean available from Google now is written by Chris Burns & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.