By Cynthia Herbert :: 7:47 AM
IBM Corp. and AT&T Inc. today announced an expanded relationship that will provide software developers with a suite of powerful new tools to create and deploy the next generation of mobile apps. Customers will benefit from access to secure, high quality apps, including those featuring advanced speech recognition and mobile payment capabilities, which can transform how they handle day-to-day tasks.
AT&T has been expanding its network capabilities and increasing access to research from AT&T Labs across a range of mobile development platforms, including IBM’s Worklight platform. Part of the IBM MobileFirst Application and Data Platform, IBM Worklight is an open, comprehensive and advanced mobile app platform for mobile devices.
Now, AT&T’s API Platform, featuring IBM Worklight Adapters, will enable the members of AT&T’s Developer Program to quickly create and securely deploy enterprise apps that improve subscriber engagement and customer loyalty. With these adapters that support AT&T’s ecosystem of APIs including those for speech, SMS, device capabilities, notary management and payment, developers can quickly and securely create rich, business-ready apps across a variety of platforms including iOS, Android and Windows.
“AT&T is committed to the success of our rapidly growing developer community. By expanding our platform’s reach and making our API toolkit available on an expanding number of platforms, including IBM Worklight, our developers have the information, tools and resources to continue to build great things and contribute to the mobile ecosystem in meaningful new ways,” explained Carlton Hill , VP of Developer Services at AT&T.
The AT&T APIs provide the mobile development community with easy-to-use paths to accelerate app development. The IBM developerWorks community will benefit from a single, easily accessible source of trusted mobile and telecommunications content via the AT&T Developer Program to streamline development processes. Additionally, members of AT&T’s developer community using the pre-built IBM Worklight Adapters can further reduce time to market, cost and complexity of development and enable a better user experience across a range of mobile devices.
By Paul Thomson :: 7:14 AM
Researchers at NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) are reporting that they have witnessed a giant sunspot form on the sun in under 48 hours.
The sunspot appears to have grown to a size just over six Earth diameters across, and it has formed in a type of unstable configuration that scientists say could lead to eruptions of radiation on the sun known as solar flares.
The large picture below shows the black spots on the sun that appeared over the course of Feb. 19-20, 2013. This image combines images from two instruments on NASA’s SDO: the Helioseismic and Magnetic Imager (HMI), which takes pictures in visible light that show sunspots, and the Advanced Imaging Assembly (AIA), which took an image in the 304 Angstrom wavelength showing the lower atmosphere of the sun, which is colorized in red. Picture courtesy of the Goddard Space Flight Center.
By Gilbert Falso :: 6:56 AM
The CEO of Tesla Motors, Elon Musk, said yesterday that the electric car maker should become profitable sometime during the current quarter.
Musk alluded to the profitability while at the same time reporting a $396 million loss for last year, more than 2011’s $254 million loss. Tesla spent most of 2012 in heavy money-spend mode as it refurbished an automobile factory and opened showrooms across the country to sell its new Model S sedan.
On a conference call with industry analysts, Musk claimed, “I think that’s a pretty big deal.” Production for the Model S now averages roughy 400 cars per week, and Musk says the company’s expenses are falling.
Tesla’s stock dropped 6 percent to $36.20 in after-hours trading yesterday evening, the results had been released at the close of the market.
This past weekend, Tesla’s Model S sedan was in the limelight as a group of owners tried to refute the negative reviews of the car made by a New York Times automobile critic.
Seven Model S owners gathered at the Tesla showroom in Washington D.C. on Saturday morning and attempted to recreate, as much as possible, New York Times journalist John Broder’s trip that he used to evaluate the Model S’s use on long-range roadtrips.
The group of seven had much better luck than Broder, and Musk and other Tesla aficionados called out the New York Times for shoddy journalism. The Times stands by its writer and his review.
By Gilbert Falso :: 1:58 AM
Google is said to be working out a deal with fashion eyeglass retailer Warby Parker to make frames for its new Google Glass product.
Stories on TechCrunch and in the New York Times note sources who claim that Google is negotiating with the frames-peddling startup to help it come up with a line fashionable frames for Google’s decidedly non-fashionable Glass product.
Google Glass is nearly a reality for consumers, as the company has announced it would be accepting applications for the first trial run of users who will be allowed access to purchase an early version of Google Glass.
If Google and Warby Parker do come together to design a fashionable frame for the glasses, it will certainly increase the likelihood of fast adoption in the marketplace. Up until now, the current iteration of Google Glass looked more like something out of a science-fiction magazine than a stylish accessory that anyone would want to wear.
Both Google and Warby Parker have denied that they are collaborating on any venture together.
By Paul Thomson :: 8:19 PM
After a long wait for gamers everywhere, Sony has finally lifted the curtain on its next generation game console, the PlayStation 4 (PS4).
The press event is still marching on, so these updates will be a bit fragmented, but we can tell you that much of the recent rumors around the new console are, for the most part, right on the mark. One of the biggest, the fact that the PS4 will have absolutely zero boot-up time. When you hit the switch, it’s on, and you’re at the home screen. Any game downloads will occur in the background, and gamers will be allowed to play while downloads are happening.
The logic behind game downloads is extensive – the PS4 will actually be able to hedge a guess at the types of games that you like to play, and suggest downloading sequels or next versions for you.
Sharing and social networking capability is a big push for Sony and the PS4 at this announcement. Gamers will be able to instantly capture, edit and upload footage of their gameplay from within the game itself. When you have a friend purchase a game that you are interested in, or that the systems thinks you would enjoy, you’ll be notified, and invited to play along with them.
“PlayStation 4 will unleash imaginations to create next-gen experiences that surpass gamers’ wildest expectations, while also allowing developers to explore other business models,” said Andrew House, CEO of Sony Computer Entertainment at the NYC launch event.
Rumored specs are pretty much on target -Â The PS4 will have an x86 processor under the hood, with an enhanced PC GPU. It will also be outfitted with 8GB of high-speed unified memory, as well as system memory backed with local storage.
The revamped controller, called the DualShock 4, will have an enhanced feel for the joystick as well as the trigger button, which should offer better control over in-game actions. Rumble capabilities have been upgraded, and controller latency has also been addressed.
Some new features are on the DualShock4, namely a touchpad, share button, headphone jack, and lightbar. The share feature on the controller will allow players to broadcast their games to Facebook in real time – your friends will basically be able to look over your shoulders and interact as you go through the game, and friends can post comments that show up on the screen. Here’s the kicker with social sharing – if  you’re stuck at a level or need help during gameplay, a friend can actually take over the controller from you, remotely, and guide you through. Sony is building this sharing functionality into the PS Network, so your circle of PS friends will become integral to your gaming experience.
As of posting time, price hasn’t been announced, and the actual physical console hasn’t yet been shown to the audience at the launch event – stay tuned for another post from us when that happens.
Update:Â Sony will not have the price or the console to display today. That will come in June at E3, the Electronic Entertainment Expo in Los Angeles.