Complete the new Developer Economics Survey: Voice your opinion and win a Galaxy S9!

Developers – Now is the time to share your opinions and enter to win amazing prizes like a Galaxy S9!

Is JavaScript giving you headaches? Do you wish other developers knew how important Swift and Rust will be in the coming years? It’s your chance to turn your opinions into a tool of change! The new Developer Economics survey is open NOW, calling out all software developers to take part. Start right away!

Don’t miss a chance to join over 40,000 developers from 160+ countries who take part in the Developer Economics surveys every year to tell the world where software development is going next.

Who can take the survey?

Pretty much everyone writing code and getting their hands on software development in Mobile, Desktop, IoT, AR/VR, Machine Learning & Data Science, Web, Backend and Games. It doesn’t matter if you’re a hobbyist, a startupper or an enterprise dev — the survey is open for all real developers out there!

What sort of questions are they asking?

The survey is designed to dive into real-life developer issues, from coding skills and favorite tools to satisfaction with learning resources and communities.

Expect questions like:

• Which are your favorite tools and platforms and why?
• Are you getting value from the available dev resources?
• What are your goals for coding?

Ready to take the survey?

Why should you take the survey?

It’s fun, for starters! The survey is designed to reveal your sci-fi profile, so the more you engage, the closer you get to finding out your place in the galaxy far, far away.

Then there are the PRIZES. This time, devs who complete the survey can win stuff like a Samsung S9+, an HTC Vive Pro, an iPhone X, GitHub Developer Plans, Amazon vouchers and other useful things to help you test your work or just play around. You can also take part in the referral program, which allows you to with up to $700 in cash by referring other developer friends to take the survey.

This year we’re introducing a novelty – SlashData will donate funds to a coding charity to support their mission. We want to give back to the community, and we hope this encourages developers to take our survey and be a part of something larger and truly meaningful.

And last but not least, everyone who takes the survey will get insights with key findings from the survey, as well as a free report with the highlights and up-and-coming trends.

If you have a few minutes to spare and want to have a quality time, then this survey is for perfect for you! You can start right here. Extra tip: if you need to take a break, just click to save your responses and then you can come back and continue where you left off.

Good luck!

Take the survey now!

Apple Replaces 29W USB-C Power Adapter With New 30W Version

Apple today quietly discontinued and replaced its 29W USB-C Power adapter with a new revised USB-C Power Adapter that offers 30W.

The 30W USB-C Power Adapter that’s replacing the 29W version is designed for the 12-inch MacBook. It’s also commonly used as an option for those who want faster charging for compatible iPhones and iPads that support fast USB-C charging speeds.

It is not clear why Apple replaced the 29W Power Adapter with the new 30W Power Adapter, but the pricing remains the same at $49. The new accessory is not yet in Apple Stores, but can be ordered today for Wednesday delivery.

Apple has not tweaked its other USB-C Power Adapters designed for the MacBook Pro lineup, with those accessories continuing to be available in 61W and 85W options for 13 and 15-inch MacBook Pro models, respectively.
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There’s Still No Sign of Apple’s AirPower Charging Mat

Where is the AirPower? That’s the question on the minds of many Apple Watch and iPhone owners as yet another event passes by without a launch date for the accessory.

Apple executives made no mention of the AirPower on stage at this year’s keynote, dashing hopes that a launch date for the device might come alongside the unveiling of iOS 12, macOS Mojave, tvOS 12, and watchOS 5. It’s not a huge surprise, though, as WWDC is a developer focused conference that puts software first.

In past years, Apple has unveiled hardware, but this year’s event was focused on software with the sole hardware product being a new Pride Apple Watch band.

It’s now been almost nine months since the AirPower was first introduced in September alongside the iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus, and iPhone X. Apple at the time said the device would be released in 2018, and while that launch date hasn’t expired, many figured it would be coming earlier in 2018 rather than later.

The AirPower is a unique Qi-based wireless charging accessory that’s able to charge an iPhone (X, 8 or 8 Plus), an Apple Watch, and the AirPods (with a new Wireless Charging Case) all at once.

It’s not clear why Apple’s work on the AirPower is taking so long, but it could be due to the combination of different charging technologies in the device. The Apple Watch Series 3, for example, does not charge over Qi, so Apple needs to merge several wireless charging formats.

We don’t know when Apple plans on releasing the AirPower, but at this point, it could be held back until September, launching alongside the new 2018 iPhones. It’s also possible, though, that we’ll get a surprise press release sometime this summer.

As was predicted, WWDC 2018 was entirely devoid of hardware with the exception of a single new Apple Watch band. Apple announced no new Macs or iPads, despite the fact that most of its Mac and iPad lineup is due for an update. All of these updates could come in September with the new iPhones, or Apple could elect to do another Mac and iPad-focused summer or fall event.

Related Roundup: WWDC 2018Tag: AirPower
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Apple’s iOS App Store Will Top $100B Paid Out to Developers This Week, Ahead of 10th Anniversary in July

During its WWDC keynote earlier today, Apple took a moment to celebrate the upcoming tenth anniversary of the iOS App Store, which opened to the world in July 2008. Apple CEO Tim Cook said that this week the App Store will hit its next major milestone: the money that developers have earned through the App Store will exceed $100 billion.

In total, Cook mentioned that there are more than 20 million registered third-party developers, and more than 500 million customers visiting the storefront on iPhone and iPad every week. Cook went on to say that over the past ten years, the App Store has enabled “countless new companies” and created “tens of millions of new jobs.”

“This is beyond remarkable. The App Store is clearly the best place for you to be rewarded for your hard work and creativity.”

In iOS 11, Apple overhauled the App Store with an all-new look that introduced editorialized content that points readers towards new apps and games each day. Next, Apple is bringing a similar visual update to the Mac App Store in macOS Mojave later in 2018.

There were plenty of other announcements that came out of Apple’s WWDC keynote today, so be sure to head over to our recap post to catch up with the latest stories.

Tags: App Store, WWDC 2018
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Apple to Open Patient Health Records to Third-Party Apps

Apple will make health record data available to third-party apps on iOS devices, beginning this fall. The data, which will require user permission to access, will be kept private and entirely off of Apple’s servers. But it could dramatically expand usefulness of health-focused apps on the platform.

Earlier this year, Apple launched a Health Records service to increase the portability of health records and make them available across participating hospitals and clinics. The idea was to allow patients to download their health records to iOS devices and then easily share them with other practitioners.

The new Health Records API would allow certain parts of user health records to be accessed by apps, with data flowing directly from iPhones and iPads to the apps, with no user health data ever flowing to Apple’s servers.

Apple listed a number of examples for this service, showcasing the potential for the iPhone to literally save lives — something that Apple CEO Tim Cook has repeatedly referred to in the past.

• Medisafe, which helps users remember when to take their medication, will connect with Health Records so user’s prescription drugs can be transferred to the app without manual entry. This will make creating medication reminders easier, and could warn patients of drug interactions because the entire medication roster will (theoretically) be listed in-app.
• Diabetes-management apps could access lab results and combine them with eating and exercise data to help users better manage their disease.
• A healthy eating app could custom-design meal plans based on cholesterol or blood pressure data.
• “With the new Health Records API, doctors can integrate patient medical data into their ResearchKit study apps for a more complete view of their participants’ health background.

Apple has been working for years to better organize health data and to assist users in being healthier. Tim Cook, a fitness and health enthusiast himself, has discussed the potential of Apple’s devices to help users get healthier on numerous occasions — and Apple’s own health-focused aspirations have been documented for more than a half-decade.
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iOS 12 Includes Setting to Disable USB Access When an iPhone Hasn’t Been Unlocked for More Than an Hour

In iOS 12, there’s a new setting that will effectively put an end to law enforcement access to iPhones and iPads using USB devices like the GrayKey box, preventing USB accessories from connecting when it’s been more than an hour since the iPhone was last unlocked.

Located under Touch ID & Passcode, the new setting, which requires a passcode to be entered to allow a USB accessory to connect after an hour, is enabled by default.

You can toggle off the setting to allow USB accessories to connect at any time, but most users are likely going to leave this set to the default setting as there’s not a whole lot of benefit to turning it off. With this turned on, you’ll need to enter your passcode for a data connection to the iPhone using a USB device, such as when you connect it to iTunes on a computer, but charging via the Lightning port will continue to work fine.

The new setting is of interest because it’s an expansion of USB Restricted Mode, a feature Apple toyed with during the iOS 11.4 beta. USB Restricted Mode was designed to disable USB access to the Lightning Connector after 7 days, but iOS 12 cuts that time period way, way down.

Law enforcement officials use USB access to an iPhone or an iPad to connect accessories like the GrayKey box, a tool that plugs into the Lightning port of an iPhone and uses the data connection in an attempt to brute force a passcode.

With the new setting, an iPhone’s Lightning port data connection will not work with the GrayKey box if it’s been more than an hour since a passcode was entered, rendering it effectively useless unless used immediately after an iPhone is obtained from a suspect.

Law enforcement officials are likely going to be unhappy with the changes Apple is making in iOS 12 because it’s going to make iOS 12 devices a lot harder to get into, but from a customer point of view, this setting offers protection from hackers and other bad actors who may be able to get ahold of this kind of technology.

Note: Due to the political nature of the discussion regarding this topic, the discussion thread is located in our Politics, Religion, Social Issues forum. All forum members and site visitors are welcome to read and follow the thread, but posting is limited to forum members with at least 100 posts.

Related Roundup: iOS 12
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Low on storage? Check out these ten best games under 25MB for Android

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There are many reasons for wanting to install a lightweight Android game on your device. Maybe you’re in a Wi-Fi-less area and you want to use up too much of your mobile data. Or maybe you want to try out a new game, but your phone’s internal memory is filled up.

Whatever your reason, the good news is that there are enough great lightweight games under 25MB games waiting for you in the Google Play Store. For the purpose of this article, we’ve selected ten such games that are guaranteed to entertain you.

Tap Tap Dash

What it is:

Developed by Cheetah Games, Tap Tap Dash is an immensely addictive game where you go for a never-ending walk and tap or change direction. Think it’s easy? Think again.

Why we like it:

• It’s based on a simple concept, yet it gets super challenging to master as you advance through the levels.
• It’s colorful and cute.
• You unlock loads of new characters as you play.
• There are over 1,000 levels to beat.

Download Tap Tap Dash

Dr Driving

What it is:

The game created by SUD Inc. is basically a car driving simulator in which you complete missions and earn money to upgrade your wheels.

Why we like it:

• The game does a good job a simulating busy city scenes in which you have to avoid obstacles and abide by traffic laws. It’s a fun way for users to learn the rules of the road.
• Controlling the car is quite challenging, but the pedals and steering wheel can be customized to the player’s preference.
• Players can also make repairs or fully upgrade their vehicle.

Download Dr Driving

slither.io

What it is:

A game created by Lowtech Studios in which you control an avatar resembling a worm that grows by consuming multicolored pellets.

Why we like it:

• The game’s goal: grow from a tiny little worm to a gigantic monster.
• It’s quite challenging. Be careful not to touch heads with another player or you will explode and have to start the game all over again. But if a player runs into you, then it will explode and you will have the chance to nourish yourself by eating your remains.
• You can play online against real players or versus an AI.

Download slither.io

Pou

What it is:

A game developed by Zakeh in which you have to take care of your pet Pou and keep him/her entertained too by letting him/her play a variety of games.

Why we like it:

• Pou reminds us playing with a Tamagotchi. You have to feed, bathe and nurse Pou, but also keep him/her from getting bored.
• Play many games with Pou including Water Hop, Food Drop or Match Tap.
• The game includes many other activities like going outside or playing with friends.
• You also get to personalize your Pou.

Download Pou

Flow Free

What it is:

Created by Big Duck Games, Flow Free is a simple yet addictive puzzle game in which you connect matching colors with pipe to create the Flow.

Why we like it:

• The twist is not to allow the pipes to cross or overlap.
• The game features hundreds of levels ranging from simple to difficult.
• Players have to strive to use as little moves as possible for a better score.

Download Flow Free

Sweet Candy Fever

What it is:

Sweet Candy Fever by Gamoper is a classic 3-match game set in a fantastically amazing candy world.

Why we like it:

• It’s super easy to play: just swap, swipe and match candy pieces to complete a goal.
• You’re given a target and you have a number of moves to achieve the goal.
• Fun arsenal or power-ups and obstacles.
• You can unlock several candy maps including Sweet Valley and Sugarshell Bakery.

Download Sweet Candy Fever

Stairway

What it is:

Developed by the Mascoteers, the Stairway asks a very simple question: Can you get the ball to roll down the stairs without letting it fall down?

Why we like it:

• You need to guide a ball down a staircase, navigation all kinds of crazy twists, turns and obstacles.
• Train yourself to tap at the right moment and avoid losing the ball.
• Play with different kinds of balls.
• Great minimalist graphics, with ever-shifting colors.

Download Stairway

Mind Games

What it is:

Challenges your mind with a series of fun brain-training games. Train specific skills such as attention or reaction speed.

Why we like it:

• Games are served up to you based on your age category.
• Flex your brain muscles in the Training Center which chooses games to maximize your progress and enjoyment.
• App has a Learning Center section where it teaches you concepts like Mindfulness and invites you to perform several exercises like Mindful Awareness.

Download Mind Games

Make More!

What it is:

Developed by Fingersoft, Make More! is a clicker game in which you have to get your workers to work as fast as possible and maximize profit.

Why we like it:

• Simply tap to make goods. The faster you tap, the more items you’ll be able to make.
• Hire and train new staff to boost your profits.
• Expand and upgrade your factory and make new products.

Download Make More!

Up Hill Racing: Car Climb

What it is:

Created by Topappgame, Up Hill Racing is a car & bike racing game that challenges you to control your car in unique uphill & downhill environments.

Why we like it:

• You have two pedals, break and gas and you need to use them to control your car.
• The game has lots of different vehicles with unique upgrades for you to race with.
• Up Hill Racing has a multiplayer function, so you can challenge Facebook friends or random users.

Download Up Hill Racing: Car Climb

So, which of these lightweight games has caught your attention?

Smart wearables see big spike as ‘basic’ devices drag down overall market growth

Wearables’ market growth is slowing down, according to the International Data Corporation (IDC). Worldwide shipments of wearable devices grew 1.2 percent overall during the first quarter of 2018, with shipments reaching 25.1 million units. Even with slow growth,  the report shows consumers are leaning more toward smarter wearables while leaving the basic devices behind.

But what’s the difference between “basic” and “smart” wearables? IDC defines smart wearables as devices that are capable of running third-party apps. Devices that can’t run those apps are known as basic wearables. Basic wearables, specifically, saw a decline of 9.2 percent in shipments while higher-priced smart wearables — such as those from Apple and Fitbit — grew by 28.4 percent.

Aside from watches and wristbands — which accounted for 95 percent of shipments during the first quarter — clothing that includes sensors grew 58.6 percent year-over-year. While this mainly includes step-counting shoes, brands that offer “smart” shirts, shorts, and other clothing with fitness trackers also continues to grow.

Of the top five wearable companies in the first quarter, Apple took the top spot. The company’s shipments grew 13.5 percent over the previous year, following the release of its Apple Watch Series 3, which features a built-in eSIM for a cellular connection. In comparison to this time last year, Apple managed to increase its share from 14.3 percent to 16.1 percent.

In second place is smartphone brand Xiaomi with a 14.8 percent share of unit shipments. The brand has the lowest average selling price of the five companies and is far more popular in the Chinese market.

Even though Fitbit saw a decline of 28.1 percent, the company still managed to rank third for the quarter. Since the launch of the Fitbit Versa in April, the company has shipped more than 1 million devices. In addition to being a wearable that’s more stylish and affordable than competitors, the Versa also offers more female health tracking, which has already attracted more than 2 million users following its release in May.

Huawei took the fourth spot, posting an increase in market share since last year — the brand went from 2.1 percent during the first quarter of 2017 to 5.2 percent for the same period this year. Even though the company is primarily popular in Asia, its wide variety of products — ranging from smartwatches to fitness trackers, kids’ watches and more — have allowed the company to more than double its share.

To round out the list is Garmin, which didn’t see a huge increase since last year, coming in at 5 percent, compared to a 4.6 percent share a year ago. While the company hasn’t been quick to add new features to its wearables, its latest Garmin Forerunner 645  includes contactless payments (Garmin Pay) and its first-ever native music compatibility.

Editors’ Recommendations

• Latest IDC report shows decrease in global tablet shipments in 2018
• Fitbit Versa vs. Fitbit Blaze: Is the new watch worth the upgrade?
• Garmin Forerunner 645 Music review
• Fitbit Versa vs. Apple Watch Series 3: Which should you wear?
• The best fitness smartwatches you can buy

It’s not Terminator time yet, but robots with living tissue muscles are on the way

We’re more than two decades removed from August 29, 1997,  the date that Terminator 2: Judgment Day predicted the fictional Skynet artificial intelligence system would become self-aware. Now, thanks to researchers at the University of Tokyo, the dream (or nightmare?) of robots with living tissue covering a robotic skeleton is no longer exclusively the stuff of science fiction.

While their work is still at a relatively early stage, they have discovered a method for growing living muscles over a robotic frame. Specifically, they have found a way to turn individual muscle precursor cells, called myoblasts, into muscle cell-filled hydrogel sheets that can be used to give robots functioning muscles with an impressive amount of flexibility. In a demo, electric currents are used to contact the lab-grown muscles on one side of a robotic finger, thereby allowing it to pick up and move a ring. Stimulating the muscle on the other side of the finger then prompts the biohybrid robot to put the ring down again.

“Many researchers have proposed biohybrid robots composed of a skeletal muscle tissue cultured on a flexible substrate, and succeeded in deformation of the substrate by contractions of the skeletal muscle tissues,” Shoji Takeuchi, a researcher on the project, told Digital Trends. “However, the contractions of the skeletal muscle tissues do not last for [the] long term due to spontaneous shrinkage of the tissues caused by their tension. The spontaneous shrinkage increases with the course of culture, inducing bending of the flexible substrate without the contractions. The skeletal muscle tissues [also] becomes much shorter than their initial length and impossible to contract.”

In contrast, the antagonistic pair of skeletal muscles the team has created can balance the shrinkage and contraction required very effectively. As a result, they can achieve not only longevity but also a full 90-degree range of movement — similar to what you would find in a real muscle.

Despite the obvious pop culture reference point, we’re still a ways off from real-life Terminator robots. Instead, the likely immediate application of these robots will be more accurate “pick-and-place” robots. This refers to the ultra-precise robots arms used for tasks like assembly, inspection, bin-picking and packaging. In other words, if real Terminator-style cyborgs really do get off the ground, expect them to find a job in locations like Amazon’s fulfillment centers. But that may not be their only potential application.

“Although this is just a preliminary result, our approach might be a great step toward the construction of more complex systems,” Takeuchi said. “If we can combine more of these muscles into a single device, we should be able to reproduce the complex muscular interplay that allow hands, arms, and other parts of the body to function.”

Editors’ Recommendations

• Drug testing could get a boost from MIT’s ‘body on a chip’
• In new breakthrough, CRISPR tools target RNA to tackle dementia
• Stanford’s rice-sized implant treats diseases by zapping individual nerves
• From drones to bionic arms, here are 8 examples of amazing mind-reading tech
• Scientists mimic odd leaf structure for potential use in cleaning up oil spills

WatchOS 5 brings Walkie-Talkie, Podcast features, and much more

Apple officially announced its newest version of WatchOS at its annual World Wide Developer’s Conference. The newest version of WatchOS brings some huge changes and additions to the Apple Watch including more watch faces as well as improved health tracking features. Here are all the new features you’ll see when WatchOS 5 hits your Apple Watch later this year.

New watch band and faces for Pride month

Apple introduced a Pride edition watch band. Both the band and faces are currently available. You can purchase the band online and add the watch face is available in WatchOS 4.

Health and fitness tracking improvements

Apple is putting a huge emphasis on ensuring fitness tracking data is accurate in WatchOS 5. The company studied more than seven terabytes of fitness data from more than 12,000 participants to make sure its tracking measurements are on point.

You’ll also find a new competition mode on WatchOS 5. The mode allows you to enter a seven-day competition with a friend. You can track both you and your friends’ progress during the competition and the winner will win an Apple Watch award.

WatchOS 5 also features new fitness modes. The Yoga mode will track your activity via the heart rate monitor while the Hiking mode will use your pace and elevation to better determine the number of calories burned.

Runners will see improvements as well. The Running mode now offers a custom pace alert, tracks your cadence and will even provide time data on the previous mile run.

Finally, you’ll see new start and end workout alerts. WatchOS 5 will use your heart rate data to determine when you’ve begun a workout. When you reach a heart rate or time goal, it will offer an end alert on the home screen.

Communication

WatchOS 5 also brings several awesome communications improvements. First off is the new Walkie-Talkie mode. With Walkie-Talkie, you can add friends to your Apple Watch and communicate with them directly by tapping the Talk button within the Walkie-Talkie app.

Your Siri watch face will also get a huge update as well. The new Siri watch face will provide more information on your favorite sports teams, offer commute and traffic information, as well as heart rate.

Siri Shortcuts have also been added in WatchOS 5. With Siri Shortcuts, you can do things like check into your flight, extend a restaurant reservation, or even order coffee.

WatchOS 5 is finally adding a Podcast app. This app will automatically download your favorite podcasts directly to your Apple Watch, meaning you no longer need your phone to listen to your favorite podcast.

Another addition that has been long awaited is WebKit. With WebKit, you willbe able to view webpages from Messages or emails.

Finally, there is no need to say “Hey Siri” anymore in WatchOS 5. Now you can simply raise your wrist to your mouth and Siri will automatically be listening.

While Apple has official unveiled WatchOS 5, it’s only available via developer beta. If you’re not a developer, hold tight. We expect to see the final version of WatchOS 5 released when Apple announces its newest hardware later in the year.

Editors’ Recommendations

• Live updates: How to watch Apple’s WWDC 2018 keynote
• The best Apple Watch faces
• Wear OS vs. Apple Watch: Which one will ‘wow’ your wrist?
• The time is right to take advantage of these Apple Watch deals for June 2018
• The best Apple Watch apps