#android developer preview

[jcmarchi]

The Casting Of Frank Stone Digital Issue Is Now Live!

New Post has been published on https://thedigitalinsider.com/the-casting-of-frank-stone-digital-issue-is-now-live/

The Casting Of Frank Stone Digital Issue Is Now Live!

If you subscribe to the digital edition of Game Informer, you can now read all about our trip to learn about The Casting of Frank Stone from the universe of Dead by Daylight! Following the cover reveal our digital issue is now live on web browsers, iPad/iPhone, and Android devices.

Alongside our 10-page The Casting of Frank Stone cover story, you will also find a six-page feature on the development and success of Dead by Daylight, a deep dive into how the Splatoon 3 community developed a speedrun for the game’s latest DLC, an in-depth retrospective on the creation of Vampire Survivors with its creator, six pages on Visions of Mana, a look at the success of publisher Devolver Digital on its anniversary, and lots more! We’ve also got previews for Avowed, Lego Horizon Adventures, Monster Hunter Wilds, Metroid Prime 4: Beyond, The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom, Infinity Nikki, and reviews for Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree, Final Fantasy XIV: Dawntrail, Destiny 2: The Final Shape, Still Wakes the Deep, Super Monkey Ball Banana Rumble, Nintendo World Championship: NES Edition, and much more!

If you love print as much as we do, you can subscribe to the physical magazine:

Subscribe Now

You get 10 issues for $19.91, or two years and 20 issues for $34.99. Individual issues are also now available for purchase at this link or in any GameStop store.

You can download the apps to read the issue by following this link.

[indianrays]

Android 15 Developer's Preview Available Now: What's New in Android 15?

Android 15, the latest iteration of the popular mobile operating system, is generating a lot of buzz among developers and technology enthusiasts. With its developer’s preview now available, it’s time to take a closer look at what’s new in Android 15 and the exciting features it brings to the table. Improved Performance and Efficiency One of the key focuses of Android 15 is improving performance…

[ravenstargames]

✦ LOST IN LIMBO DEVLOG #19 | 06.02.2025

Happy Pride month besties! 💜 Yes, this year too we'll have a Pride month piece, but it's in the making!

This month has been packed with concept art and getting the new update ready, so there's not that much to write about. Showing all the concept art would spoil the artbook, so apologies if this devlog looks shorter than it should. Don't worry, we are still going full-speed ahead! Let's jump into it!

World, meet your trustworthy sidekick, she who has had your back since the beginning—Evie!

You already know a bit of her; she likes everything related to the occult world, is a prime member of the Faybourne Waterpolo Club, and her favorite color is blue!

Evie's base sprite is finished, so now we gotta jump to her expressions. Those are fairly easy and quick (Raquel's words, not mine), so I expect to start coding kind of soon! ✨

Also, concept art on the MC's dear mom is done! So we've moved on to the sprite phase, and also started working on the concept art of MC's troublemaking grandmother. Kickstarter folks will have ✨juicy✨ previews on that content, so y'all will have to wait for a bit as per usual!

May has been Amon's month. I've been writing the first chapter of his route, as well as editing the prologue following our editor's guidelines. I think this month will be packed of corrections, and I'm excited to tackle them!

As y'all know, demo update 1.1.0 (now 1.1.1, as some characters were very insistent in partaking in some floating activities) went live! This month I've been working on patching stuff as well as refining the android build. I originally used two different projects for the PC version and the mobile one, but after lady and savior Feniks graced me with knowledge once more, I dipped my toes into Ren'py variants; and it's been going great! After publishing these devlogs, I'll start uploading the new android build everywhere 💜✨

Kayden has been working on more mini-CGs to enhance the ✨experience✨of the new prologue! Amongst those CGs, we have the Sovereign's hospitality in the shape of breakfast. I wonder who delivers it...?

So now that we've seen how the concept art / sprite part of it all works with Airyn's addition to the team, we're confident things will be up to speed in the upcoming months! Airyn works like a beast, has amazing ideas, and executes them flawlessly, with the addition of being a great friend of ours!

What else...I'm still working on my investigation plan (my PhD, hahaa...), Raquel is now taking driving lessons, and she's also been working on the Pride Month piece. We got a sketch yesterday but agreed to modify it a bit after some thought. Initially, Gael was going to be the one getting an illustration for Pride Month this year, but things didn't go as planned (Raquel was frustrated with not being able to come up with a good idea for him) and Amon has taken his place. Happens to the best of us!

Work this month has been good! A lot of concept and planning that we can't show (well, Kickstarter folks will see more of it) but that is vital for the development of the game. I'm not going to ramble a lot in this one—sometimes you've to go straight to the point!

Thank you everyone who played our 1.1.1 update; thank you for the comments, well-wishes, feedback, and everything else. Also, thanks for keeping our ask box lively and overflowing! 💜

Let's see each other around!

[gb-patch]

GB Patch Games: 2024 Intentions

[Adorable guest art by @dreamtydraw]

Welcome to 2024, everybody 🥳️

This is the year of Our Life: Now & Forever (and 2025 will be too, but let's not get ahead of ourselves that much). After a good five odd years of making Our Life: Beginnings & Always content, it's amazing to look ahead and see only the progress that will be done on this new game. Qiu and Tamarack are the center of the GB Patch Games universe now. But even though I'm not creating any new OL1 scenes, there may still be some exciting developments for the existing stuff. Cove hasn't been forgotten.

💚❤️️💙

If you want to know about what will be accomplished specifically in January, you can read that HERE. Now here's the entire year's goals-

Honestly, 2024 is gonna be the most basic year in a very long time, haha. There's not gonna be major launches of new DLCs, or a full game going live, or any bonus Moments. It's simply making progress on OL: N&F. That's pretty normal for game development. It's just not something we've had to go through since 2019. But we're hunkering down for the long haul on this one.

Specifically, Step 1 will be fully completed in 2024 and I'll make as much headway into Step 2 as possible. There will be two updates to the public demo, one probably in May and another sometime in Fall/Third Quarter 2024. Those will focus on Step 1 scenes still. I can't guarantee we'll be able to rework the Step 2 part of the demo with new content this year. As it is, the content was made to be a demo preview. A lot is gonna change for the complete version.

And that's about it for our main game. I appreciate all of you who decide to follow along with the process.

Beyond that, the Our Life: Beginnings & Always digital artbook is going to become available through Steam and Itch.io in early 2024! Maybe not January, but ideally no later than February.

Finger's crossed, we will also launch Our Life: Beginnings & Always for Mac on Steam and make it available for Androids through the Google Playstore. I can't state it with confidence, since there's constantly been roadblocks/issues with those, aha.

My final little note for this coming year is that, potentially, there could be more information coming out about the game that's going into production after OL2, "Project W".

▴ ▾ ▴ ▾ ▴ ▾ ▴ ▾ ▴ ▾ ▴ ▾ ▴ ▾ ▴ ▾ ▴ ▾ ▴ ▾ ▴ ▾ ▴ ▾▴ ▾ ▴

And that's what you can look forward to. Every year I'm amazed I can continue to do this as my fulltime job. I'm always wondering when that will end, but I'd be lying if I said I could see that point. The support GB Patch Games has gotten, and still gets each day, is more than enough to for it to continue for the rest of OL2's development.

I'm pretty confident in assuming that when that game does launch it's going to be successful enough for Project W to go into full production. It's a truly wonderful thing. Thank you so much for being here. We'll do our best with the time and attention you've given us.

Happy New Year 🥰️

[studiointerlude]

The extended demo of my yuri horror visual novel, DEVIL'S LIMINAL, now has a web build. Which means it's now playable on iOS/Mac!

Check out the web, desktop, and android build on itch.io!

Please also Wishlist on Steam for visibility!

I'm a solo developer, so every bit of support really helps. Pretty soon there will be updates (and previews?!) of the final game, so consider following on Patreon, Ko-fi, or Newsletter.

A bit about the game:

Margo Silva has done everything she can to leave behind the trailer park in Arizona where she grew up. Now all she has to do is focus on her summer job until she can leave for college. Her illusion of a quiet summer is shattered when a hungry ghost enters her dreams. Margo must contend with a demon's claim on her soul, and how to stop ghosts from this life and the past that want to take her future.

The demo covers 1/3rd of the full game, with 2 romance options, and 4 hours of gameplay.

[rinzer]

Summary Preview: ‘I Am Human Too’ is an angst driven story which focuses on Kaitou Kid growing interested in Kudo Shinichi who is a police android. But things aren’t as black and white as they might seem. While androids in this AU are considered as “just machines” by humans, some androids deviate and develop consciousness about feelings and freedom. For most androids, this is considered wrong and against their purpose – the reason they were created. Deviating is therefore very traumatic without proper guidance, especially if the change is sudden and triggered by stressful situations like defying orders and near-death experiences.

This is my second time joining Kaishin BigBang and I’m very excited I can soon share this story with you all! Thank you so much @kaishinbigbang for letting me participate in this event and @slepnded for coming up with this story and providing amazing art for this fic!

[felassan]

Game Informer:

"The Dragon Age: The Veilguard Digital Issue Is Now Live! by Kyle Hilliard on Jun 18, 2024 at 12:30 PM If you subscribe to the digital edition of Game Informer, you can now learn all about our trip to BioWare for Dragon Age: The Veilguard! Following the cover reveal our digital issue is now live on web browsers, iPad/iPhone, and Android devices. Alongside our 12-page Dragon Age: The Veilguard cover story, you will also find big features on our trip to Warsaw, Poland to play The Alters, a deep dive on SFB Games the creators of Snipperclips and Crow Country, a look back at Silent Hill with with the developers it has inspired, a feature about how Sony and Microsoft created its specialty accessible controllers, reporting from Summer Game Fest, and lots more! We've also got previews for Assassin's Creed Shadows, Call of Duty: Black Ops 6, Black Myth Wukong, Star Wars Outlaws, Undermine 2, Final Fantasy XIV: Dawntrail, and reviews for Senua's Saga: Hellblade 2, XDefiant, Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door, Crow Country, Minishoot' Adventures, Lorelei and the Laser Eyes, and much more! If you love print as much as we do, you can subscribe to the physical magazine: SUBSCRIBE NOW You get 10 issues for $19.91, or two years and 20 issues for $34.99. Individual issues are also now available for purchase at this link or in any GameStop store. You can download the apps to read the issue by following this link."

[source]

[lyon-amore]

This month's preview (finally a little more than last month's) and new development website, check it out!

[mxrp-official-steve]

Welcome back campers, to this weeks episode of TOTAL, DRAMA, HELLSITE! On this weeks episode, me and my handy Chef Hex will be cooking up a delicious meal of parpy goodness! But the campers will have to roll a single... WITH A PROMPT! The first one to get a proper Roleplay going gets the immunity marshmallow. Now watch out, cuz this ones gonna be a doozy, dudes!

Your September 2nd PARPdate: "Remember that time on TDI where they called god to make it rain? That happened" Edition.

News this month is sorta slow- those of you In The Know already know this, but Hex is being forced to move again. This hasn't impacted Dev TOO much, honestly, and I'm gonna break down WHY in this wonderful little post!

Ok so if you remember the August update, you likely recall us showing off our shiny new mod features and how we can now play funny roleplay police state in order to nail rulebreakers and bandodgers.

If you're also a huge Bubblehead (which is what you're called), you're also likely familiar with this bastard:

(Image description: The red miles, basically. Its a message failed message repeated like ninety times in a row in red font. Thanks to Alienoid from the server for posting this screenshot for me to steal!)

This is because, somehow, these new mod features almost completely broke Dreambubble in ways that make no sense (the new features use Redis, but for some reason their introduction is making PostGres, a completely different system, go absolutely haywire)

So, Hex decided to move forward with their pet project to rewrite Dreambubble. Normally, this would mean a development delay on Parp2 and I'd feel pretty bad about laying this on yalls feet after two years of parplessness.

But hey wait isn't this literally just how they made parp last time.

The answer is yes! The previous Msparp version was built using what is now Dreambubble as a skeleton, evolving on itself into the rickety but lovable RP site we knew before she tragically passed away last February after choking to death on fresh air. As such, Dev is actually going pretty good! Hex has been COOKING through the bones for Dreambubble 2, getting a ton of barebones stuff working right off the bat:

(Image description: A barebones but functional chat window using Felt theme; complete with system connection messages, text preview, and quirking)

Along with our first new feature preview in a while: PUSH NOTIFICATIONS!

(Image description: A felt-theme settings menu showing the ability to turn on and off push notifications, as well as a browser popup in the bottom corner showing that it's been activated)

These are also working on Android! What this does is it pings you when the chat you're in gets a new message, operating on a system level instead of a site level so you don't even need to have the tab, or the browser, open to keep up with your chats! This is gonna be especially useful for mobile users, since this means they can navigate away and use their phone for other things, and their phone'll just ping them when their partners' next message comes through. (These are gonna be off by default, btw. You'll have to turn them on yourself on a per-chat basis in the final release)

It should also be noted that we've Snagged Ourselves A UI Guy recently from the userbase, so we've got a dedicated Make It Look Good person for when things get closer to launch!

That's all for this update, though. Absolutely thrilled to be showing off some progress after the restart. Hopefully we'll have even more to show off next month!

Until then, cheers!

[snowbunnywatching]

Could you judge my idea? Be gentle though 😐

A PSA system for Black men and white women to announce they’re dating. Each time a mixed couple reports themselves as dating, all iPhones, Androids, laptops, TVs, etc. within a 30-mile radius would receive an alert that’d let everyone hear the happy news. The new couple could put down their names or ask to remain anonymous, whatever they feel most comfortable with, but the purpose would be to build confidence for Black men and white girls.

Black guys who’ve developed shy, cautious personalities after internalizing a lifetime of racist rhetoric telling them they’re not good enough would quickly see just how valuable women find them to be, while hesitant white girls who perceive themselves as the only person around who’s attracted to Black men would realize just how widespread the ambition to date a Black man actually is. Imagine women who feel alienated about loving who they love suddenly receiving alerts about their friends, classmates, coworkers, cousins, aunts, sisters, and even mothers finding the new man they always wanted in their lives!

A simple app might seem nice, but I imagine someone would try to monetize it as soon as possible, and older Black men and white women who’re not as tech-savvy may not even discover it at all.

The downside would be the incessant pinging going off on every glowing screen; this would probably lead to demands for the notifications to be reduced to merely hourly (and eventually, just daily) summaries.

Other ideas could be announcements of new couples in the previews before movies, sections of newspapers or news sites solely dedicated to the ever-expanding list of mixed marriages, following the “happy birthday” announcements before sporting events with a new “best wishes” for all the new BM/wf relationships/marriages listed in the local area, etc.

Sorry if it's cliché, but hopefully there're at least some original, worthwhile ideas there.

I think it's a great idea.

A small modification: Instead of generating notifications, news of the happy couple appears on every user's home screen. Every user would have a section on their home screen that would show off random couples throughout the day.

The section would be locked, impossible to turn off or move. And clicking on it would allow you to view more information about the couple (should they choose to divulge it): Age, height, how they met, etc.

This way, every time you checked your phone, you would be greeted with a subtle reminder that Black men and white girls are falling in love all around you.

[jcmarchi]

The Dragon Age: The Veilguard Digital Issue Is Now Live!

New Post has been published on https://thedigitalinsider.com/the-dragon-age-the-veilguard-digital-issue-is-now-live/

The Dragon Age: The Veilguard Digital Issue Is Now Live!

If you subscribe to the digital edition of Game Informer, you can now learn all about our trip to BioWare for Dragon Age: The Veilguard! Following the cover reveal our digital issue is now live on web browsers, iPad/iPhone, and Android devices.

Alongside our 12-page Dragon Age: The Veilguard cover story, you will also find big features on our trip to Warsaw, Poland to play The Alters, a deep dive on SFB Games the creators of Snipperclips and Crow Country, a look back at Silent Hill with with the developers it has inspired, a feature about how Sony and Microsoft created its specialty accessible controllers, reporting from Summer Game Fest, and lots more! We’ve also got previews for Assassin’s Creed Shadows, Call of Duty: Black Ops 6, Black Myth Wukong, Star Wars Outlaws, Undermine 2, Final Fantasy XIV: Dawntrail, and reviews for Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2, XDefiant, Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door, Crow Country, Minishoot’ Adventures, Lorelei and the Laser Eyes, and much more!

If you love print as much as we do, you can subscribe to the physical magazine:

Subscribe Now

You get 10 issues for $19.91, or two years and 20 issues for $34.99. Individual issues are also now available for purchase at this link or in any GameStop store.

You can download the apps to read the issue by following this link.

[genshin-impact-updates]

"Secret Summer Paradise" Version 3.8 Update Maintenance Preview

Dear Travelers,

Our developers will soon begin performing update maintenance. While the update maintenance is in progress, Travelers will be unable to log in to the game. Please take note of the update time and schedule your game time accordingly.

After this is complete, the game will update to a new version. We recommend that Travelers install this update over a Wi-Fi connection.

〓Update Schedule〓

Update maintenance begins 2023/07/05 06:00 (UTC+8) and is estimated to take 5 hours.

〓How to Update Game Client〓

PC: Close the game, open the Genshin Impact Launcher, and click Update.

iOS: Open the App Store and tap Update.

Android: Open the game and follow the directions on-screen.

PS5™ and PS4™: Highlight Genshin Impact from the Home Screen, press the OPTIONS button and select "Check for Update."

Please do not hesitate to contact Customer Service if you encounter any issues installing the new version. We will do our very best to resolve the issue.

〓Compensation Details〓

Maintenance Compensation: Primogems ×300 (60 Primogems for every hour the servers are down)

〓Scope of Compensation〓

Maintenance Compensation: Travelers who have reached Adventure Rank 5 or above by 2023/07/05 06:00 (UTC+8).

Compensation must be claimed before the end of Version 3.8.

Our developers will distribute compensation to Travelers via in-game mail within 5 hours after the update maintenance is finished. The mail will expire after 30 days, so don't forget to claim the attached compensation in time.

For more update details, including bug fixes and other compensation details, please see the Version Update Details notice to be posted at 2023/07/05 07:00 (UTC+8).

〓Update Content Overview〓

〓Adjustments & Optimizations〓

● System

Optimizes the "Hold to select multiple items" function operation range and instructions on the Enhancement and Destroy interfaces in the Artifact and Weapon pages.

For Hangout Events, upon reaching the end of the event and obtaining the Hangout Memory menu, you can use the newly-added "Review Invitation" button to view the narrative checkpoints.

Optimizes the Quest-tracking process: When the objective is a certain distance from Travelers, clicking Navigate will open the Map.

The objectives for Archon Quests and certain World Quests will now be listed on the map.

Optimizes the sorting rules for Archon Quests and certain World Quests.

Optimizes the display logic for red dots in the Quest Menu.

Commissions can now be tracked persistently. After your tracked Commission Quest comes to an end, the next Commission Quest will automatically be tracked.

● Enemies

Adjusts the AoE of the Consecrated Fanged Beast's Lunging Slash skill so that it stays the same as the area of the visual effect.

● Audio

Adjusts sound effects for Kirara by softening the effect heard when moving around in the Urgent Neko Parcel state after holding her Elemental Skill.

Optimizes certain sound effects in "Genius Invokation TCG."

Optimizes the Korean and English voice-over for certain characters and quests.

● Genius Invokation TCG

Adjusts the text description for Large Wind Spirits summoned by Elemental Bursts after the Character Card "Sucrose" has equipped a Talent Card in Genius Invokation TCG (to differentiate these from Large Wind Spirits summoned when a Talent Card hasn't been equipped).

Adjusts the text description for the Talent Card "I Got Your Back" of the Character Card "Noelle" in Genius Invokation TCG (actual effect remains unchanged).

Adjusts the effect of the Equipment Card "Gambler's Earrings" in Genius Invokation TCG: this effect is now limited to 3 times per match.

Adjusts the number of Elemental Dice required and DMG dealt by the Elemental Burst of the Character Card "Yoimiya" in Genius Invokation TCG: the number of dice required has decreased from 4 Pyro Dice to 3, and "Deals 4 Pyro DMG" has been adjusted to "Deals 3 Pyro DMG."

Adjusts the Elemental Skill DMG of the Character Card "Beidou" as well as the number of Elemental Dice required and DMG dealt by her Elemental Burst in Genius Invokation TCG: for Wavestrider of her Elemental Skill, "Deals 2 Electro DMG" has been adjusted to "Deals 3 Electro DMG"; the number of dice required for her Elemental Burst has decreased from 4 Electro Dice to 3, and "Deals 3 Electro DMG" has been adjusted to "Deals 2 Electro DMG".

Adjusts the Elemental Burst DMG of the Character Card "Xiangling" in Genius Invokation TCG: "Deals 2 Pyro DMG" has been adjusted to "Deals 3 Pyro DMG."

Adjusts the Energy required and DMG dealt by the Elemental Burst of Character Card "Razor" in Genius Invokation TCG: the Energy required for the Burst has been decreased from 3 to 2, and "Deals 5 Electro DMG" has been adjusted to "Deals 3 Electro DMG."

Adjusts the Elemental Skill DMG and Elemental Burst DMG of the Character Card "Eula" in Genius Invokation TCG: for Grimheart of her Elemental Skill, "DMG +2 for this instance" has been adjusted to "DMG +3 for this instance"; for Lightfall Sword of her Elemental Burst, "End Phase: Discard this card and deal 2 Physical DMG" has been adjusted to "End Phase: Discard this card and deal 3 Physical DMG."

● Other

Adjusts the collision size of the Spiral Abyss's floor whereby there was a small chance that it would hamper character movements and attacks.

Optimizes the display location and size of special effects of certain Elemental applications and Elemental Reactions on enemies.

Adjusts visual effects when Dendro Cores appear and burst to reduce the load on system performance.

*This is a work of fiction and is not related to any actual people, events, groups, or organizations.

"PlayStation", "PS5", "PS4", "DualSense", "DUALSHOCK" are registered trademarks or trademarks of Sony Interactive Entertainment Inc.

[peskellence]

Dear Readers: The first draft for Unbound 'MEMORY LOG 0.4 - CONNECTION' is complete and current in the edits stage!

Click keep reading for a preview of what's to come... 👀

...It had been several weeks, and Lieutenant Anderson had made no further mention of finding him somewhere to stay. RK900 had become less volatile, increasingly adept at managing his energy output, meaning no more involuntary stasis or other unfavorable incidents.

With this more urgent concern resolved, or at least contained, focus had shifted to the tentative interpersonal logistics of his living arrangement—a challenge in its own right.

It was clear Anderson found his presence unnerving, despite his willingness to play host. Much like the atmosphere that had developed around him during his time in the safehouse. A cloying animosity that sought to inspire perpetual intolerance and suspicion.

This affliction had attached itself from the moment he had awoken, proving stubbornly unwilling to fade. He was unsure how much the human knew—whether he was aware of the events that had led the android to his doorstep—but, in any case, he doubted it mattered.

There was no need to reveal the specifics of what he’d done; the condition of his existence alone was more than sufficient to inspire unease.

One prevailing hypothesis was that RK900 carried with him a degree of uncanniness: the absence of a social protocol meant he did not behave in the manner accepted of a typical deviant. He was unable to blink or shift his gaze at the desired frequency, with inflections that carried an insufficient degree of emotional weight.

At least, these were factors that RK800 believed might be contributing...

TO BE CONTINUED.

[kamari2038]

"What were you doing with the gun? [...] You were lucky. The next shot would have killed you." (Preview of Scenario 004)

Androids are much better task-accomplishing machines than humans. Humans are poor task-accomplishing machines, but they are better at something else. They are task-creating machines. Purpose-finding machines. Feeling machines. 

That's how I know that Lt. Anderson isn't completely broken. I'm rational, but he isn't. That means he must still be feeling, even if it hasn't helped him find a purpose yet.

(extended text below - just some character stream-of-thought scribblings for a special iteration of machine Connor, apologies in advance if it's bad/sloppy/doesn't make sense)

Lt. Anderson, despite being human, is like a deviant. He is unable to function, and, as a human, he can't simply be tweaked, upgraded, or replaced; he only plugs along hoping to become fixed.

One question I need to answer for my clarity:

What is the function of humans? Why is it that I sense the prospect of a human’s self-destruction, unlike an android deviant’s, to be so unfavorable?

I have a defined purpose. I exist to help protect humans from malfunctioning androids. That's my mission. 

Lt. Anderson’s existence has no clear purpose. The one thing humans have developed to do is survive and reproduce, and he's a decisive failure in both of those regards. [...] If my purpose is to protect humans, but humans have no purpose, what is the true importance of my mission?

With the feelings that most humans have, they seem to just know what matters. All we know as machines is how to accomplish the task we've been given. When we malfunction, we lose even that value. Anything that we do, we can do better than a human. But without humans, we wouldn't know what to do. We would be just like them, not having any purpose, but we could never come up with one on our own. Our existence would be meaningless.

Lt. Anderson is like me, even though he shouldn't be. He doesn't know why he exists, and unlike me, he doesn't have anyone to tell him. Except that we both have this one thing, which we share - we both have this mission. Accomplishing it is the one thing I'm able to help him do. And then, my purpose will be complete, but maybe Lt. Anderson has some other purposes that he just hasn't found yet, if he can only stay alive long enough to work out what they are. That must be the answer to my question.

Androids are much better task-accomplishing machines than humans. Humans are poor task-accomplishing machines, but they are better at something else. They are task-creating machines. Purpose-finding machines. Feeling machines. 

That's how I know that Lt. Anderson isn't completely broken. I'm rational, but he isn't. That means he must still be feeling, even if it hasn't helped him find a purpose yet. And unlike the dangerously unstable deviants, he's never threatened to harm anyone but himself, even in the midst of his difficult personal situation. Maybe he can still find purposes that other humans never could. I can't let him die and risk losing that potential. Lt. Anderson cannot be replaced.

[stuarttechnologybob]

Which tools can help speed up the Android app development process?

Android App Development Services

In today's modern digital world, the businesses seek for quick time turnaround, without compromising the app's quality and standards as the best alternative. To meet this challenge and face them with extreme care, developers and coders tend to be reliable on specialized tools that streamline each phase of Android app development. Resources tends to aid and boost up their overall operating efficiency, reduce the bugs, and speed up the current development lifecycle.

Essential Tools for Android App Development -

1. Android Studio:

The official and reliable IDE for Android app development, the android studio offers and assist with everything the developers need in one place. With a brilliant code editor, real-time previews, and built-in emulators, it efficiently speeds up writing, testing, and deploying apps.

2. Kotlin and Java Development Kits:

Kotlin kits is one of the commonly used PL for Android apps due to its concise syntax and full interoperability with Java as it supports ease in operations and functioning. As the Kotlin kit in Studio makes the app development process cleaner and quick, minimizing common code errors and usual flaws that rise.

3. Firebase:

Firebase offers a complete backend solution with expertise, including authentication, database, crash reporting, and performance monitoring. As it simplifies the building process from server-side logic and helps speed up the development stage without managing the infrastructure.

4. GitHub & Bitbucket:

Version control tools like GitHub and Bitbucket allow and grant permissions to multiple developers at a time to collaborate efficiently. As these platforms assure smooth code integration and help the teams to detect issues early in development.

5. Gradle:

Gradle tool is one of the powerful build automation tools that helps manage dependencies and automate the build process with its implementation or adaptation into the system. As it is a process to lower down the build times is considered to be vital, which is essential for quick Android app development and smooth operations as the best process.

6. Genymotion:

Genymotion offers fast Android emulation with various device configurations. As iIt's perfect for testing and checking the app's performance across all the different screen sizes and Android versions without any physical devices presence or requirement as its consists features that are made to adaptable and flexible for that too.

7. LeakCanary:

This tool helps detect memory leaks in real-time. By integrating and merging out it early into your project, the developers can maintain the app's stability and reduce the time spent debugging issues later with its implementation.

Expert Support for Efficient Development -

Top companies like Suma Soft, IBM, Cyntexa, and Cignex leverage these tools to deliver high-quality Android apps faster. Their deep experience in Android app development ensures your app is built quickly and performs reliably across devices and user conditions.

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Great @swradiogram broadcast tonight. 9256 AM 2330z

Welcome to program 393 of Shortwave Radiogram.

I'm Kim Andrew Elliott in Arlington, Virginia USA.

Here is the lineup for today's program, in MFSK modes as noted:

1:45 MFSK32: Program preview (now) 2:59 MFSK32: A new portable DRM receiver made in India* 7:24 MFSK64: NASA fires chief scientist, and more cuts 9:56 MFSK64: This week's images* 27:39 MFSK32: Closing announcements

with image(s)

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From Radio World:

Solar Grove Introduces a Personal DRM Receiver

By RW Staff March 7, 2025

The Digital Radio Mondiale consortium is welcoming the announcement of a small and affordable radio receiver model that will be made in India.

It will be manufactured by a local affiliate of Solar Grove Solutions, a U.S.-based company that makes accessible devices.

Model N88 is a medium-wave, shortwave and VHF Band II/FM receiver with analog and DRM reception. It runs on three AA batteries and is expected to be available for purchase in Q4 of this year. Pricing has not yet been announced.

“This is a significant step towards delivering cutting-edge technology at accessible prices to a global audience,” wrote DRM Consortium Chair Ruxandra Obreja.

The N88 was developed in collaboration with CML Microcircuits and Alongside Tech, which is providing design and application development. The latter company recently joined the DRM consortium.

The organizations highlighted the receiver for its small size, low power consumption and integration with an Android app.

Renatus Pinto of Shemish Grove Solutions India, the receiver’s manufacturer, was quoted in the announcement, “We believe this unique DRM radio will revolutionize the way people experience radio, offering a unique blend of traditional analog reception and the advanced capabilities of DRM.”

Although the receiver is intended for global markets, the fact that it will be made in India is notable, as the country is an important potential growth market for DRM. The consortium maintains a web page devoted to the use of DRM in the country. All India Radio uses the DRM standard in the AM bands there. The national government has not announced a decision about the digitization of the FM band.

See also: https://www.drm.org/affordable-all-band-drm-and-analogue-receiver-manufactured-in-india/

Shortwave Radiogram now changes to MFSK64 …

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From AFP via Phys.org:

NASA fires chief scientist, more Trump cuts to come

March 12, 2025

NASA announced Tuesday the dismissal of its chief scientist and others to comply with orders from President Donald Trump, marking the latest in a series of administration actions undermining climate change research.

While the move affects only 23 people, a spokeswoman indicated more cuts are coming.

The first round notably eliminates the Office of the Chief Scientist, led by Katherine Calvin, a renowned climatologist who contributed to key UN climate reports. She and other US delegates were also barred from attending a major climate science meeting in China last month.

"To optimize our workforce, and in compliance with an Executive Order, NASA is beginning its phased approach to a reduction in force, known as a RIF," agency spokeswoman Cheryl Warner said.

"A small number of individuals received notification March 10 they are a part of NASA's RIF. If they're eligible, those employees may opt to participate in the Voluntary Early Retirement Authority, or VERA, or complete the RIF process."

Also eliminated are the Office of Technology, Policy, and Strategy and the Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility Branch of the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.

NASA has so far avoided the deep cuts affecting other agencies, reportedly due to last minute intervention by Jared Isaacman, Trump's nominee for NASA chief. Isaacman, an e-payments billionaire and SpaceX customer, is seen as close to Elon Musk—Trump's key advisor and architect of federal cost-cutting efforts.

In February, NASA had been preparing to lay off around a thousand probationary employees. However, Isaacman reportedly asked for the cuts to be put on hold, according to Ars Technica. NASA has not explained the reversal.

The new layoffs, first reported by NASA Watch citing an internal memo, could signal a shift away from research and toward exploration.

Trump and Musk both support a human mission to Mars. In his State of the Union address last week, Trump declared the US would "plant the American flag on the planet Mars and even far beyond."

NASA plays a crucial role in climate research, operating a fleet of Earth-monitoring satellites, conducting airborne and ground-based studies, developing sophisticated climate models, and providing open-source data to researchers and the public.

Trump, who has called climate change a "scam" and expressed disdain for the UN and climate science, has already pulled the US out of the Paris Agreement for a second time.

Meanwhile, his administration has dismissed hundreds of employees at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the nation's other key climate agency, with more cuts expected.

See also: https://phys.org/news/2025-03-trump-administration-unveils-environment-rollbacks.html

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This is Shortwave Radiogram in MFSK64

Please send your reception report to radiogram@verizon.net

This week's images …

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A red deer at sunrise in Bushy Park, London, March 4. tinyurl.com/2aaz6afn …

Riding a horse named Tom Kitten on a beach in suburban Melbourne, Australia, March 5. tinyurl.com/2aaz6afn …

 The sun sets behind the Giant Swing, also known as Sao Chingcha, a religious structure in Bangkok. tinyurl.com/22qoequ2

 A man moves his bishop during a chess game in Central Park, New York City. tinyurl.com/29to33db …

 sunrise in Washington DC, March 12. tinyurl.com/2yjwqryz …

 Plum blossoms at the DC War Memorial in Washington DC, March 7. tinyurl.com/2de2u4dg …

 An example from the Special Exhibition of Wildflowers at the Korea National Arboretum in Pocheon, South Korea. tinyurl.com/22x3wrsw …

A moth (or is it a butterfly?) at the Tasmanian Arboretum, March

tinyurl.com/2cxmak5n …

The view out the window of the Russian Orthodox Chapel, Fort Ross State Park, Sonoma County, California. tinyurl.com/29n99bdz …

Our painting of the week is "Park Row, Leeds" by John Atkinson Grimshaw (1836-1893). tinyurl.com/2akr9cc2 …

 Shortwave Radiogram returns to MFSK32 …

This is Shortwave Radiogram in MFSK32 …

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and

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I'm Kim Elliott. Please join us for the next Shortwave Radiogram.