developers

Obey the law, or else. California cracks down on app developers for privacy

Making good on her promise, California Attorney General Kamala Harris has continued her crackdown on mobile-app developers and companies for not doing more to ensure users' privacy. She announced today that she'll be sending letters to 100 app developers and companies to formally notify them that they're violating California's privacy laws.

"Protecting the privacy of online consumers is a serious law enforcement matter," Harris said in a statement today. "We have worked hard to ensure that app developers are aware of their legal obligations to respect the privacy of Californians, but it is critical … Read more

PayPal delivers for Windows 8 developers

Hot on the heels of Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer's revelation that Microsoft has sold more than 4 million copies of Windows 8, PayPal has unveiled today a Windows 8 developer API

The PayPal API lets developers tie in-app purchases to PayPal, which claims more than 100 million active accounts. Microsoft pointed to the free Crowdstar game Fish With Attitude as an example of a Windows Store app that uses PayPal for in-app purchases of game characters.

The API lets people pay from a more familiar, better-established system than Microsoft's neophyte in-house one. This isn't Microsoft's first … Read more

Microsoft has sold 4 million copies of Windows 8 since launch

REDMOND, Wash. -- Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer said the company has sold 4 million copies of Windows 8 to consumers since the operating system debuted on Friday.

Ballmer made the announcement today at the start of the Build conference, a show Microsoft is hosting on its campus for more than 2,000 developers. Microsoft is hoping to convince developers to create applications for its new operating system and the Windows Phone 8 operating system that debuted yesterday.

"In a sense, what these launches really do is the kick off the golden age of opportunity for you as developers," … Read more

Microsoft opens the Windows Store. Will app makers walk in?

Within a year, the newly launched Windows 8 will likely be powering almost 400 million PCs and tablet computers.

Microsoft has built an application marketplace, the Windows Store, right into its new operating system. It's a place for consumers to find software programs to make their new machines more productive, more useful, and more fun.

But even though Microsoft announced the Windows Store more than a year ago to developers, the marketplace has about 5,000 applications for users in the United States, a few thousand more globally. If the opportunity is so big, why are the offerings so … Read more

Street Fighter II developer jailed for withholding staff pay

The head of gaming company Sensory Sweep Studio has landed in jail after not paying his workers a combined sum of $1.2 million.

According to the Associated Press, David Rushton, 57, who operated out of Salt Lake City, Utah, withheld pay from his staff of 211 people.

"We had occasional paychecks that trickled in. Some people were favored more than others," former Sensory Sweep Studio game designer Adam Hunter told the Associated Press. He quit working for Rushton in 2009 and is still owed $12,000.

Sensory Sweep Studio created several games for Nintendo, PlayStation, and Xbox, … Read more

Facebook releases major update to Android developer tools

Facebook released an app developer kit update today that gives Android developers access to pre-built app functions and a mobile ad tool similar to what iOS developers already use.

The update, the biggest for the Android toolkit so far, comes weeks after the social network gave iOS developers a similar boost. It allows developers to create apps that functions more as a built-in part of the operating system rather than as an afterthought.

These features include a friend picker, places picker, profile pictures, and login controls. Developers build apps faster by dropping these elements into their apps. The new … Read more

Facebook hackathon yields apps for your likes and connections

Facebook developers from Taipei, Taiwan; Buenos Aires, Argentina; and Moscow have won Facebook's worldwide hackathon, with apps that let users bookmark "Likes," tell stories, and analyze connections.

The social network announced its winners today after holding the competition in 12 cities, including Moscow, where Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg made an appearance. Facebook works hard to keep up its hacker culture even as it continues to grow and to face pressure to make money.

As part of that culture, the social network holds hackathons -- all-night programming competitions -- to surface the outside talents and encourage the development … Read more

Samsung official cites serious chip rift with Apple -- report

Samsung's multibillion dollar component supplier partnership with Apple is beginning to unravel, according to a South Korea-based report, which quotes a Samsung official.

Though Samsung makes Apple's newest A6 chip used in the iPhone 5, the relationship between the two companies has changed substantially, according to a report in Korea Times.

"Apple...has made it clear it will no longer use its rival's technology, according to a senior Samsung official," the report said.

The report continues, quoting an anonymous Samsung official speaking about the A6 chip. "Apple did all the design and we are … Read more

Facebook unfriended us, company claims in contract suit

A Facebook developer is suing the social network, claiming the company damaged its business when it abruptly abruptly terminated a multi-year deal that gave the company access to Facebook data.

Profile Technology, a New Zealand-based company that says it created the first ever independent Facebook search engine, said the social networking giant suddenly cut off its access in late 2010, then embarked "on a campaign of destruction" to damage its reputation.

The company is asking for damages with an unspecified dollar amount, but that include compensation for lost profits following when Facebook allegedly cut off its access without … Read more