October 2010 Summaries

OpenID's growth is exemplified by Yahoo!'s announcement allowing Google users to sign up for Flickr using their Google Account, eliminating the need for a new username and password. This development is part of a broader trend where websites like Plaxo and Facebook are simplifying user registration for Google users by supporting OpenID. Both Google and Yahoo! are active participants in the OpenID community, aiming to streamline the login and signup processes for online services. Although Google has not yet implemented OpenID as a password replacement on its own sites, it is actively researching best practices for such integration. Yahoo!’s initiative is seen as a significant move in establishing these best practices, which will be further discussed at the upcoming Internet Identity Workshop, a gathering focused on accelerating the adoption of standards like OpenID.

Google is distributing 10,000 Google TV devices to developers in an effort to enhance the Google TV ecosystem by encouraging the creation of TV-optimized websites. The initiative aims to inspire developers to leverage the built-in internet browser of Google TV to create innovative experiences for users, thus improving the overall TV experience. This effort includes giving away devices to attendees at the Adobe MAX conference and reaching out to the Google Code community, with an additional opportunity for professional developers to submit project ideas for a chance to receive a free device. The promotion highlights successful applications already available on Google TV, such as Net-A-Porter, Meegenius, TuneIn, and The Onion, and offers resources like documentation and a web forum to support developers in their creative endeavors. The giveaway is currently limited to U.S.-based developers, with plans to expand Google TV's reach to other markets in the future.

Google Developer Day in Japan on September 28, 2010, attracted 1,700 attendees across venues in Tokyo and Kyoto, where updates and demonstrations were provided for key areas such as Android, Chrome & HTML5, and Cloud Computing. The event highlighted Japan's significant contribution to Google's ecosystem, being the second-largest global market for Android app uploads and App Engine use, while announcing 200,000 daily Android activations and 90,000 active App Engine developers monthly worldwide. Notable features included a new open-source font for Mac OS and support for the Japanese Transliteration API, alongside engaging activities like the Android robot and the Chrome bento lunch box. Future Google Developer Days were scheduled for Brazil, Germany, Russia, and the Czech Republic, with European GTUGs organizing hackathons preceding these events. Despite high demand for invitations, Google encouraged developers to stay connected through local blogs and social media, providing official hashtags for event discussions.

In October 2010, Google and VMware announced the upcoming general availability of integrated developer tools designed to facilitate the creation of business-oriented, cloud-portable web applications. This collaboration aims to simplify the development of modern web apps that are ready for deployment across various environments, including Google App Engine and VMware vFabric solutions. Key tools offered include Spring Roo combined with Google Web Toolkit (GWT) for building rich browser applications, and integration between Google's Speed Tracer and VMware's Spring Insight for enhanced performance visibility. Additionally, the SpringSource Tool Suite and Google Plugin for Eclipse integration provide developers with robust resources for building large-scale web-based enterprise applications. This initiative supports the creation of optimized mobile web apps, with plans to incorporate mobile best practices and HTML5 features to enhance both developer and end-user experiences. Developers can access the release candidate of SpringSource Tool Suite or sign up for notifications on the general release, and are encouraged to share feedback through the GWT developer forum.

In a presentation at Google's Web Exponents speaker series, Jason Grigsby, a leader in mobile web development, shared insights on mobile strategy, emphasizing the importance of understanding customer needs and the devices they use. He highlighted the necessity of looking beyond native apps to mobile web technologies like SMS and MMS, ensuring a consistent user experience across devices, and recognizing the significance of mobile context. Grigsby advised against assuming app downloads, relying on Flash, and making information such as store locations hard to find, while stressing that simplicity doesn't equate to lack of functionality. He also discussed the challenges of delivering the right content across varied devices, advocating for strategies like integrated image resizing, video conversion, and API usage to separate content from markup, with NPR cited as a successful example. The talk underscored the ongoing need for frameworks that facilitate these practices while acknowledging the substantial design effort required from developers.

Google announced the introduction of several new international apps to the Google Apps Marketplace as part of their App Tuesday initiative, highlighting their collaboration with developers worldwide. Among the new additions are Brightpearl from the United Kingdom, SprinxCRM from the Czech Republic, Producteev from France, and Clio from Canada, expanding the marketplace's reach to include apps from 25 countries outside the United States. Although the initial version of the Marketplace Billing API is limited to U.S. sellers, Google encourages developers globally to integrate and sell their business-focused web apps on the platform, with a modified revenue sharing exemption period lasting until three months after the API's release in their country. Additionally, Google announced upcoming developer events such as G-Days in Egypt and Jordan, as well as Developer Days and Dev Fests in cities like São Paulo, Buenos Aires, Munich, Prague, and Moscow, inviting developers to meet the Google Apps Marketplace team and share their app development ideas.

The Google Analytics Management API, launched seven weeks prior to October 1, 2010, has received positive feedback, prompting an update to the Google Analytics Python Client Library to facilitate access to all five feeds of the Management API. Python, being a popular language among users, now enables easier retrieval of configuration data via this library. An example provided demonstrates how to use the library to fetch all goal names for a specific profile, showcasing the simplicity of the process. Additionally, a reference example is available to access key information for each feed, with links to the source and documentation provided on the Management API Libraries and Examples page. Feedback is encouraged to further refine the tool.