developers

In years past, the go-to tools for researchers were specific to their field, whether it was a telescope or a microscope. Increasingly, it's computers and big data sets.

The White House today announced a $200 million big-data initiative to create tools to improve scientific research by making sense of the huge amounts of data now available. The programs are needed to improve the technologies for getting insight from complex and large sets of digital data, according to the White House.

"The initiative we are launching today promises to transform our ability to use Big Data for scientific discovery, … Read more

The unique string of numbers that individually identifies each iOS device has typically been used by developers as a way to track their app installations across Apple's user base.

About six months ago, Apple warned developers that their ability to access and use UDIDs would be severely limited and they should begin the process of getting away from UDID usage. Most developers would expect about a year to comply with a major change such as this, but Apple seems to be feeling a bit antsy right now.

Many developers are reporting that apps that continue to use UDIDs are … Read more

Developers can't stand used video game sales. Just ask Silicon Knights chief Denis Dyack.

"I would argue, and I've said this before, that used games are cannibalizing the industry," Dyack told GamesIndustry International in an interview published yesterday. "If developers and publishers don't see revenue from that, it's not a matter of hey 'we're trying to increase the price of games to consumers, and we want more,' we're just trying to survive as an industry. If used games continue the way that they are, it's going to cannibalize, there's … Read more

Microsoft and Nokia are looking to create a new generation of developers for their mobile platforms by pouring money into education.

The two mobile partners will each contribute 9 million euros ($12 million) to fund a new program on mobile app development at Finland's Aalto University. The training, dubbed AppCampus, will focus on Windows Phone but will also cover Nokia's Symbian and Series 40 platforms.

Set to launch this May, AppCampus will be geared toward students and entrepreneurs from around the world looking for an education in mobile technology, design, and funding with an eye toward building their … Read more

Health care can be difficult to access for rural residents in the developing world. San Francisco startup Medic Mobile is working to change that, by providing communications tools to doctors, patients, and community health workers.

SmartPlanet correspondent Sumi Das speaks with Josh Nesbit, the company's CEO, to find out more about how simple text messaging is being used to provide better health care.

This video originally appeared on SmartPlanet with the headline "Doctors use simple texts to deliver better health care in developing world."

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Registration for Google's 2012 developer fest, Google I/O, doesn't open until March 27. But geeks, wonks, developers, and designers might want to head over to the reg site straightaway to goof around with the addictive online "Machine" builder that Google has put up on the site.

The fun little Web app lets you create a machine that flips, spins, elevates, and guides a virtual marble from the left side of the screen to the right. The site says that the best Machines will get featured at Google I/O. This is may be part of … Read more

Google has released the registration details for its annual Google I/O developer conference in San Francisco on June 27 to 29.

Not only is the company charging attendees a higher registration fee for the three-day event ($900), but also developers will be required to make payments online using Google Wallet. For many this is a small price to pay for the wealth of knowledge and hands-on experience that comes with Google I/O, but for others looking for an easy way to snatch up a free tablet or Chromebook, it may be too high a price tag.

Registration for … Read more

Telecom geeks (like me) may know Ericsson as the mammoth company that supplies phone network equipment to carriers. But did you know it has a burgeoning app following as well?

That was news to me as I sat down with a few executives from Ericsson while at Mobile World Congress. But the company has long fostered a small, but healthy, community of developers, and actually offers application programming interface tools that allow better access to network capabilities.

While Ericsson's bread and butter remains telecom gear, the company has worked to spread its wings into different areas. It's all … Read more

Editor's note: This a guest post by Igor Faletski, whose bio is below.

Since the Apple App store opened on July 10, 2008, it has paid out more than $4 billion to iOS developers--70 percent of the $5.71 billion it has booked in revenue.

Pretty big numbers, right?

Well, yes and no. Yes, those are big numbers that make my head spin and dwarf my personal tax return. At the same time, the real answer has to be no.

In the mobile commerce world, $4 billion is significant, but it's not a headline. It's more … Read more