Just in case anyone forgets how far ahead the gaming industry is on graphics and basic physics, take a look at the latest Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 trailer.

Cursive is pleased to announce that the next phase of the EDA Helicopter Tactics Training Project will be starting imminently, this is a follow-up to the proof of concept course conducted a couple of years ago. Cursive will be Continue reading →

Google’s Android operating system (OS) has exhibited remarkable growth over the last couple of years, particularly in the smart phone market although it can also be found in many other places. Android’s free, open source nature has undoubtedly played a key role in luring customers, somewhat inevitably this has also been the source of one of its main detractions: fragmentation. Fragmentation is used to describe a variety of issues faced by Android, ranging from inconsistent user interfaces (UIs) and OS versions across different handsets, to challenges introduced by the presence of numerous distinct marketplaces/appstores.

All of these issues potentially degrade the user experience and make it increasingly difficult for Android app developers to generate sufficient revenue to justify their efforts. Google is trying to address some of these concerns, in respect of the wide range of different handsets in service a special Fragments API has been released which is designed to help developers write applications which will work across a range of different screen sizes (this potentially only addresses part of the problem). For the most part this still leaves the overall UI design to the handset manufacturer and app developers, which whilst allowing for innovation will inevitably mean a less consistently intuitive experience for users. Obviously this is a start in the right direction, but Google is already facing opposition from a number of parties as it represents a shift in their strategy.

Another aspect of Android’s performance with which Google has been disappointed is revenue generation from third party apps. Many people simply attribute this to the notion that Android is popular because it’s free, therefore fewer of its users will be keen to spend money on third party apps. Google and others have taken a slightly less simplistic view and identified two particular areas which are ripe for improvement: (1) making it easier to find apps of interest amongst the many available (currently quoted as high as 300,000), and (2) introducing a wider range of mechanisms for third party apps to take payment. It seems (1) will be addressed by providing more intelligent ways of searching the marketplace(s) and encouraging more ways to ‘socially refer/advertise’ apps. To help with (2) Google have launched in-app payments, and started implementing agreements with cellphone companies so that app payments can be part of the user’s monthly bill (carrier billing).

Whilst there are still many challenges facing Android these new measures seem to provide a promising basis for tackling them; Google’s main hurdle will be to establish a balance with remaining open and flexible on one side (their key market differentiation), and reducing fragmentation on the other. To date Android’s success has been nothing short of astounding, but maintaining that success as the smartphone and tablet markets mature will likely hinge on how well they deal with the issues of fragmentation and paid app sales.

Following an annual ‘TechForum’ meeting, headed by Craig Mundie (Microsoft’s Chief Research and Strategy Officer), Microsoft have confirmed that they have been working on a Windows SDK for their Kinect motion sensing device. The first release will be for non-commercial use (i.e. hobbyists, researchers, and academics) and is due in Spring 2011. They also stated the Continue reading →

Microsoft posted an interesting ‘Technology Preview’ video the other day, it is based on technology they already have working, and it shows a mobile phone running WP7 working in a live multiplayer Continue reading →