News

Raspberry Pi Gets Processing   Wednesday 18 November

If you haven't discovered Processing - it's a programming language - then you have missed out on some fun. Now you can have even more fun with the newly announced Raspberry Pi version of Processing.

Microsoft Open Sources AI Toolkit   Wednesday 18 November

After waiting for a big open source toolkit, two come along at the same time. Microsoft follows Google in providing the world with a way to do advanced distributed AI. 

Julia Gets $600K   Tuesday 17 November

Julia has been given $600K by the Moore Foundation to get the dynamic language to a production version.

Microsoft's Astoria Android Emulation Might Not Happen   Tuesday 17 November

It has to be admitted that this isn't hard news, but there are a number of sources indicating that Microsoft might be having trouble with its project Astoria. 

Firefox OS 2.5 Now Easy To Try On Android   Tuesday 17 November

Lots of programmers, including me, had high hopes of Firefox OS. It promised to be the only truly free mobile OS and it is web based. Mozilla has just released version 2.5 and an easy way for users to try it out. 

Windows 10 Store For Business   Monday 16 November

Together with first major update to Windows 10, Microsoft has released the Windows 10 Store for Business, a portal that provides a way to manage and distribute apps to Windows 10 devices in an organization.

Fear And Loathing In the App Store 13 - Apple Rejects F.lux And It Isn't Even In The App Store!   Monday 16 November

I thought we had seen all the possibilities for troubles in the App Store, but this one reaches a new level of silliness. The app concerned wasn't even in the App Store, but Apple still managed to get it removed from "public" consumption. 

Star Wars For Hour Of Code   Monday 16 November

Code.org has again teamed up with Disney to create its new tutorial for the 2015 hour of Code. This time the theme, characters and soundtrack come from Star Wars - which should give it a wide appeal.

LineFORM A New Use For A Robot Snake   Sunday 15 November

It is one of the traditional luxuries of university-based research that you really don't have to justify its practical value. LineFORM is a new way of using what is essential a robot snake mechanism. See what you think.

Emotion Detection Using Project Oxford   Saturday 14 November

The Project Oxford team has released a new demo that uses its machine learning Face detection API. This one recognizes emotional states in photographs of people and seems to be impressively sensitive.

GPS Always Overestimates Distances   Friday 13 November

Have you had a suspicion that your GPS app is overestimating the distance traveled? If so you are probably correct but the reason isn't an algorithmic glitch. The answer lies in the statistics and it is a strange story. 

Computer Pioneer Gene Amdahl Dies   Thursday 12 November

Gene Amdahl, the computer architect who designed the IBM System/360 and the first LSI-based mainframe, has died at the age of 92.

Visual Studio V Android Studio   Thursday 12 November

If you think that Microsoft's involvement with open source and even Linux is a remarkable reversal, what about Visual Studio supporting Java - and Android native development? Visual Studio is now an alternative to Android Studio!

New Google Maps API   Thursday 12 November

Google is adding predictive travel times to the Google Maps APIs enabling users to forecast how long a journey will take at some future date and time allowing for likely traffic conditions.

Contribute To The Developer Landscape   Thursday 12 November

The latest in Vision Mobile's IOT Report series covers Wearables and reveals interesting facts about the developers who are pioneers in this area. This month Vision Mobile is conducting its 2015 National Tends survey and offering incentives to mobile developers for participating.

The Core

Animated iOS User Interfaces   Monday 16 November

A walkthrough of building and animating schematic designs for iOS user interfaces using a framework that allows a simple yet powerful way of drawing and changing shapes.

eBooks

Cashflow Continued - Annuities   Thursday 12 November

We move on to annuities in the second of three chapters devoted to exploring the way in which interest rate affects cashflow.