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BlackBerry Releases Closed Beta Native SDK for PlayBook Game Development
Research In Motion announced yesterday that it is launching a beta of the Native SDK for BlackBerry Tablet OS that will allow game developers to code in C/C++ and take advantage of a deeper API set. Developers can create games for the BlackBerry PlayBook using the Standand Template Library and the Open GL ES. Given the decline of the BlackBerry platform over the last year, how many developers are still actively creating apps for either the Tablet OS or smartphones?
RIM has been fairly active in creating and updating its developer tools for both the QNX operating system for the PlayBook and for the BlackBerry OS for smartphones. Eventually, these two platforms will merge, probably early next year. Questions for developers: is it harder to code for BlackBerry apps? With the domination of Android and iOS, is it even worth it anymore?
The Native SDK supports features such as accelerometer, device orientation as well as a number of POSIX compliant libraries. The beta will include updates to RIM's QNX Momentics that can include addition APIs for the PlayBook. Momentics is RIM's environment designed to provide developers with a safe and secure way to efficiently build applications for the RIM's tablet.
The Native SDK will roll out in a closed beta and developers will need to fill out a form to participate.
Since the PlayBook launched in April, BlackBerry has come out with a series of new developer tools for the QNX OS and BlackBerry OS. With the PlayBook, RIM announced new SDKs to help create apps for the PlayBook. In May, developers got yet another SDK suite that allows for NFC apps. In June, RIM released a new WebWorks API for the PlayBook that allows for in-app payments and more.
Yet, with all of these developer tools that RIM has released, there has been no more mention of when and how RIM will tackle the "app player" that will bring Android apps to the PlayBook, as was promised in March. If and when RIM can pull off the app player and bring Android apps to the PlayBook, is it even worth developing for QNX as a stand-alone platform?
[Update]
Bloomberg is citing sources that say that Android apps and a revamp of the PlayBook will be ready this fall. The PlayBook would get native email and calendar apps that were missing in the first iteration of the device and have been sorely missed by BlackBerry users.
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