This is the third week in a row I've managed to do this weekly report, something that took me about 9 hours of work, so I can see that the amount of work will vary pretty dramatically each week. Doesn't matter, I'm in for the long haul now, butI'm guessing Monday morning is going to be the common release date, as I start wrapping up on Saturday, but often can't do all the heavy lifting until Sunday.
The Weekly API.Report represents the best of what I've read throughout the week, and is only what I personally felt should be showcased. Each news item comes with a link, and some thoughts I had after curating the piece of API related news. I'm trying to break down stories into as coherent buckets as I can, but it remains something that is ever changing for me, but ultimately I will settle on a clear definition for each of the research areas.
You don't often see me lead into a story with accounting, but Xero is pushing forward with their world domination plan, worthy of highlighting:
Introducing New Zealand Payroll in Xero - Xero is definitely the one to watch, with their expansion.
Introducing UK Payroll in Xero - I think I will have to do an account API roundup, profile the strongest players, and get a better handle on this.
There were a number of acquisitions, that were worth enough of showcasing this week:
IBM Acquires AlchemyAPI, Enhancing Watson's Deep Learning Capabilities
IBM Acquires AlchemyAPI - IBM has been beating their API drum lately, and the Watson team has been a significant portion of this drumbeat--interesting to see them making API related acquisitions. I use AlchemyAPI, so this impacts me.
IBM powers up Watson with AlchemyAPI acquisition - Mentioned already, but I always like to include one outside view in the conversation.
SocketPlane Excited to Be Joining Docker to Collaborate with Networking Ecosystem - This is an interesting move by Docker. Networking related API and container related stories seem to be popping up more. Usually they are just SDN API stories, but this acquisition is an interesting sign of whats to come.
Box buys small security startup to court more risk-averse clients - Using security acquisitions to boost your street cred is a worthy investment in the current landscape. You can just do it, but buying a company to add to stack, sends a good message to your consumers.
OrgSync Acquired by iModules Software - An interesting education related acquisition. I will have to learn more about iModules, and keep an eye on what they are doing in the higher education constituent management API space.
Akamai Acquires Xerocole - Like security, DNS related investments are wise. Especially if your doing things at Internet scale like Akamai.
PayPal acquires Paydiant, puts NFC into its Here readers - At some point I will have to connect the dots on all the payment space moves, lots of action. Almost too much to keep track of.
Advertising is not something usually here, but at the intersection of gaming, I'm a little more interested:
Get Started with the Amazon Mobile Ads API in Your iOS App or Game - I will have to do more research on how big the mobile advertising space is, and see what portion of that is gaming. I'm not usually big on paying attention to advertising, but monetization for a vertical like gaming is interesting enough to track on.
I am working to pull together analytics specific research project over the next week. It is one of those areas I'm carving off of data:
Build Reporting Apps Using Lightning Components and the Salesforce Analytics API - I'd like to see more stories about building dynamic reporting solutions from API providers. There is a lot of opportunity to build simple tools for end-users here.
What is the Digital Analytics Program (DAP)? - I got a sneak peek of this in action while i was working in Washington DC. I think this type of analytics in aggregate across government, institutions and other aspects of our public world makes sense. I'd like to see APIs that provide access to anyone looking to better understand how government operates (or doesn't).
Google launches Player Analytics and custom native ads tools for game developers - More gaming news. At some point I'm going to start a gaming research site, as I see more API, and API adjacent stories in this space.
I am moving API definitions out of the API design realm, where I can showcase the benefits of machine readable formats:
Apigee Product Highlight Video: SmartDocs - I thought was an introducing highlight of SmartDocs on the Apigee platform, or as I call them interactive docs. I like seeing how each of the API providers view the benefits of machine readable API definitions like Swagger--Apigee is definitely invested in Swagger.
These are my thoughts on API deployment for the week:
We Need An Open Library Of The Most Common Utility API Implementations · - This seems like a no brainer to me. Someone should step up and build a platform to house these, and figure out some way of generating revenue around this, in a way that you can offer the open source designs for free. Maybe premium services, or custom deployments could be enough to pay for it? It is another area that if someone doesn't step up I may start creating and publishing to a Github repo.
Some interesting API design discussions this week, from the pragmatic, to the restafarian:
Making Sure My API Roundup Stories Are Machine Readable By Designing Them As APIs.json Collections · - A look into how I'm using APIs.json to build collections of APIs. As I research specific areas of the industry, I am trying to create these machine readable definitions, that eventually can turn into something so much more.
POST /eff/you/this/is/the/right/url – RESTful API Design - I love creative, pragmatic stories on API design. This one made me laugh, and definitely made me reflect on some of the whacky shit I do when it comes to API design, and you know, that is ok!
Dropbox Sparks Controversy With API Design Decision - I really do not get all worked up about design decisions like this. Whatever. It is their choice, as long as they communicate it out effectively, it doesn't really change the game to much. I prefer to just showcase the decisions API designers make, and why, and let you decide the best path forward for you.
My API Design Research - Rewriting the home page for my API research, while I spend some time pondering what is the current state, and what might be next for my work in this area.
Meta-design: The intersection of art, design, and computation - O'Reilly Radar - This is way beyond API, but of course is where my mind went as I was reading. Some really interesting concepts to weave into API design practice here.
Application-Level Profile Semantics (ALPS) - Shit is getting real for ALPS. I keep meaning to add it to my wheelhouse of API design knowledge, but haven't had the time. Looks I better prioritize, as they are getting real with it.
Common Cases When Using SOAP Makes Sense - It is ok to use SOAP, especially if you work with the enterprise, or take showers every day like I do! ;-)
Dropbox starts using POST, and why this is poor API design. - While I may not have an opinion directly about this, I do love hearing what everyone else has to say.
As usual, I'm leading the API discovery conversation:
A Breakdown Of My Dream APIs.json File · - It could happen! If I believe hard enough, or maybe work hard enough and create enough APIs.json for other people to reach the tipping point.
Three Ways I Am Putting APIs.json To Work · - Some thoughts from a conversation I had this week about APIs.json. I thought I articulated it simply enough, to share as blog post and make part of my regular storytelling repertoire.
Using Machine Readable API Definitions To Solve A Persistent Question: Are There Any Write APIs In Federal Government? · - Taking a question I get regularly and show how with a little hard work, and the APIs.json format we can provide real-time answer, that will keep on giving.
A handful of API evangelism discussions throughout the week:
How Promoting a Developer Ecosystem Strengthens an API - Great story from Mark over at PW. These types of stories are important to motivate API providers in a positive way.
You Can Feel It When An API Evangelist Is The Real Deal · - I mean it. Keran (spelled properly) gave a heartfelt talk, that was genuine, and shows he cares more than the average evangelist I come across.
Developer Download: Bill Palin, the Legal Hacker - I thought this was an interesting profile, from the hackathon experts over at Challenge Post.
The event season is warming up, with lots of API events to attend:
Early Bird Pricing For API Days / APIStrat Berlin Ends Today!! - Better get on the API Days / APIStrat train in Europe. Doing Berlin and Barcelona!
Get your Early Bird Discount for WSO2Con EU 2015 - Get in on the WSO2Con action too!
Call for speakers APIDays Mediterranea 2015 - Make sure your voice is heard in Barcelona. Last year was a great event, and I suspect this year is going to be even better!
I predict API integration conversation will keep dominating the landscape:
Sharing HTTP Requests Publicly or Privately When You Need Help Debugging an API Call - I'm really digging how Runscope is opening up this layer of API integration, and making it more conversational and social. Important stuff!!
SmartBear Announces Developer Network for Community Collaboration - I will get involved and see what goes on over at SmartBears new developer network. I'm enjoying their new podcast! ;-)
Postman 2.0 with Sync is here - Nice. You can now sync your collections and environment to the cloud. This is music to my ears, as I'm spending a lot of time defining my API stack as Postman Collections, and it is reassuring to know there is sync now.
Why API Monitoring Matters To Every Business - Not a big fan of linking to Forbes articles (cause their shitty ads), but an interesting story about my API homie John Musser.
Lots to learn in the area of API management this week:
A Little Care Package for PHP Developers - A pretty straightforward code library story, which I usually do not share as part of weekly update, but I like well told stories, that show API providers care about their devs.
How Promoting a Developer Ecosystem Strengthens an API - Great story from Mark over at PW. These types of stories are important to motivate API providers in a positive way.
Adding Four New Building Building Blocks Providing An API Management API Blueprint · - You will see more work from me in this area, as I define a base blueprint API providers can use to provide an API for their API management infrastructure. I'm using 3Scale to drive the base definition, as I use them for my own infrastructure.
A note about rate limits - A nice, transparent look into API rate limits over at Keen.io. I love it when platforms break down their limits, and the logic that goes into that. It goes a long way to building trust.
Top 20 Intuit Developer Questions - I like the idea of doing a top X FAQ blog post regularly. As an API provider you should also have a dedicated FAQ page, but grabbing the top questions, and publishing on the blog regularly can help get the word out!
I am hoping that the API podcasts that have emerged keep it up, and new one's continue to emerge:
APIs Uncensored - Another episode from SmartBear on their APIs Uncensored podcast. They had Tony Tam over from Swagger, for a very interesting conversation.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is always a fun look at a possible future:
New Rules of Customer Engagement: Anticipate, Adapt With Predictive Analytics and APIs - Way to sell the Apigee products, but it provides some good insight into what I would consider AI building blocks, and shows the Apigee focus.
IBM Acquires AlchemyAPI, Enhancing Watson's Deep Learning Capabilities - Recap IBMs acuqisition here in the AI bucket, showcasing that investments are being made in the space.
Some stories from the world of connected automobiles:
The connected car – do you need a map? - Yes please, I need a map to make sense of all this insanity. Thanks.
End of the road for car giants? - I do not think the car giants are going anywhere, but I do enjoy talking about what the future may look like.
The design studio behind Monument Valley is rethinking in-car displays - These conversations always fascinate me, because the car influenced a lot of how we view things on the Internet, and now it is going back again--Internet affecting how we view in our cars.
Goodyears concept tires highlight how everything is getting smarter - Gotta showcase each new "smart" device as it rolls off the assembly line. Pretty soon, everything will be sart. ;-)
A few moves this week on the banking front:
Outdated infrastructure leaves banks vulnerable - API adjacent, but is part of the argument to help banks move into more modernized, API driven infrastructure.
Capital One People & Money Hackathon Focuses on Personal Finances - Interesting focus for a hackathon. Also good to see Capital One doing more.
Q&A on the Emergence and Importance of the API - This is an important snapshot into how people, and industries see APIs. It is also relevant to the overall banking and financial API conversation.
An interesting enough API launching in the online billing space:
Online Billing Service Hiveage Launches a Comprehensive API - Anice online billing API that I profiled this week. You won't find me showcasing new APIs too often, only when they are clean, well done efforts, that are worthy of profiling and learning more.
One area I will profile deeper in coming weeks is calendaring:
LiquidSpace API Connects Workspaces with Calendars, Systems, and Services - Definitely a service I will dive in and learn more about. Calendar is one area there should be a robust set of API resources, but in reality there isn't. I may profile next.
Always good stuff to cover in the world of city government operations:
5 Modes of Civic Engagement in Civic Tech - Some important insight on what it means to be doing civic tech.
Case Study: On the Go - Insights into Food Truck Regulation in US Cities - Several areas that are interesting. Food trucks yum! Also regulation in U.S. cities. This is one of those areas that open data and APIs by default in cities can have a big economic impact.
Chicago crime data with Turf - I'm always a sucker for a cool story about using public data, especially when it involves mapping, and the growing area of police and crime data.
Improving Cities by Investing in Next-Generation Internet - I keep an eye on net neutrality, connectivity, and network stories, but only sometimes share them in weekly update. As APIs are the next evolution in Internet, these types of partnerships, and discussions are important.
Free Wi-Fi On Buses Offers A Link To Future Of 'Smart Cities' - This is the way it should be! Screw the telcos, and cities should invest in the Internet their citizens deserve, while also building out vital infrastructure. Sorry, the telcos just do not have this type of imagination.
Small City Tackles Big Data: Reading, PA - Every city should be doing this, which is why I have to showcase any new city that gets lit up. -- Thanks Socrata.
Lots of things to watch in the cloud computing wars:
Accusoft Releases Extended WEB API for Cloud Services Viewer - Cloud computing is a mature layer of the API conversation and some of the tooling that emerges needs to be applied to other layers of API operations.
Google Cloud Platform Unveils Pub/Sub Messaging Service - An interesting move by Google.
How to Use Premium Encoding in Azure Media Services - I cannot help but track on what Microsoft is doing on the cloud front--they are moving forward hard and fast.
AWS Management Portal for vCenter Update – Auto Upgrades, Log Upload, Queued Imports - Always smart to pay attention what new features are coming out of Amazon.
CloudTrail Integration with CloudWatch in Four More Regions - Cloud expansion is something to keep an eye on.
Introducing Premium Encoding in Azure Media Services - More media and clod computing related points of interest.
Orchestrate is Now Live in the CenturyLink Cloud Blueprints Ecosystem - An interesting approach to cloud computing, using existing, proven blueprints. How do we apply to this to an API design first way of living?
Amazon hones its cloud update process - I cannot help but watch how Amazon talks about app deployment, and see what applies to my world.
Google Compute Engine uses Live Migration technology to service infrastructure without application downtime - No downtime? Holy crap? What a selling point. As an IT director or VP / CTO lead, this is sexy as shit. I'm signing up!
Google Releases Cloud Status Dashboard to Monitor Service Disruptions
Sizing AWS Instances for Elasticsearch - Elasticsearch represents a single objective when it comes to deploying microservices or APIs, and understanding how to better implement and dial in these resources is valuable--even beyond just the search, and indexing of documents.
The container movement always has interesting stories and players:
Joyent's next generation, Docker-native container service preview - I have to count every move in the containerization movement. Joyent is important player.
All about Apache Aurora - Ok...I can get behind some of the open source stuff supported by Twitter. Hard to call foul on sharing of technology at this scale.
Docker buys SDN start-up for container networking - This is an important signal for APIs and containers. SDN is something I'm very curious about when it comes to ever aspect of Internet operations. How else are we going to stay ahead of the NSA? ;-)
Docker Extends API Reach via SocketPlane Acquisition - Not sure why I feel compelled to include ever PW story on a subject -- old habits die hard.
Red Hat’s new operating system will power up your containers - More expansion in the conterization of everything -- Red Hat continues to understand where its at.
Docker buys SocketPlane as it builds out its container-networking strategy - And the requisite Gigaom chime into the acquisition of SocketPlane.
SocketPlane Excited to Be Joining Docker to Collaborate with Networking Ecosystem - This is an interesting move by Docker. Networking related API and container related stories seem to be popping up more. Usually they are just SDN API stories, but this acquisition is an interesting sign of whats to come.
Visualize the OpenShift API with Swagger – OpenShift Blog - Not quite the visualization I'm seeing around microservices and Swagger, but an important perspective on how we see very abstract architectural components.
Just keeping the API and copyright conversation going:
Copyright for APIs is going to be a disaster and only the Supreme Court can stop it - Vox - Some interesting perspectives, and I think worthy of bringing to the surface.
Like net neutrality, cybersecurity wil continue to leak onto m weekly roundup:
The Democratization of Cyberattack - All the cybersecurity rhetoric is like a train or car wreck for me, I can't help but tune in and be captivated by the 1984-esque tone of it all.
Data continues to lead the API conversation:
As the “quantified self” industry explodes, who will control the data — us or them? - Oh man, so many great questions as the Silicon Valley religion fades, and we are left with sifting through the reality.
Data and Goliath's Big Idea - Deep thoughts from the leader in security. Understanding the nuance of security, not just the hype. Adding to my reading list...
How Open Data Can Change Pakistan - A look at the fringe of what open data and tech can do.
Best time to visit DMV - A pretty relevant, and useful view of what open data can do to impact our everyday life.
Once Upon a Dataset: Data Storytelling in New York City - Storytelling + Civic = win in my book. We need more of this.
Watch Hilary Mason discredit the cult of the algorithm - I love watching things like this unfold. Someone I really respect, but have stopped tuning into because of the commercial aspects of their world--now I'm paying attention again, because they are preaching the truth. ;-)
Sunshine and shadows: Statehouses tackle open records laws in 2015 - Some important state by state movement on the open data front. Gotta love the work the Sunlight Foundation does.
Views of Government Policies Since Start of Great Recession - An interesting walk back through the history of data and the economy
If Data Sharing is the Answer, What is the Question? - Wait what? We have to stop and ask critical questions along the way? Yes, yes, and yes!!!
Chicago crime data with Turf - I'm always a sucker for a cool story about using public data, especially when it involves mapping, and the growing area of police and crime data.
Monitr Announces Finance API for Economic Trend Analysis - How do we understand the fintech space? Another take...
After Sunlight FOIA, comprehensive data indexes arrive on Data.gov - I did not fully understand Sunlight Foundation role in all of this happening. Something you do not hear about on the gov side of discussion, but for shows the important role FOIA plays in the movement forward.
Announcing Data for Everyone: Our New Free, Open Data Library - Lots of things swirling around here. Will have to dive deeper and understand what is going on at Crowdflower.
How Not To Do Open Data - More critical thought on all the open data efforts. I feel like we are finally getting to a healthy point with al of this.
In a step towards sunlight, United States begins to publish a national data inventory - More movement, and perspective from the DC king of gov scrutiny. Still think we have a lot of work to do in making sense of bigger picture, across all this data being released.
Always like covering the nextgen databases like Ochestrate, but cloud blueprints is interesting too:
Orchestrate is Now Live in the CenturyLink Cloud Blueprints Ecosystem - An interesting approach to cloud computing, using existing, proven blueprints. How do we apply to this to an API design first way of living?
You won't see DNA too often in roundup (I hope):
Face sculptures using DNA from chewed gum - Just freaky and cool, had to include it. Next up the chewing gum art API!!
Interesting DNS, while doing Internet at global scale:
What we have learned from selling 100,000 new gTLDs - Just thought this was important insight from the gTLD frontier, and a peak at the future of what is real, and was is fake on the Internet expansion front.
Embeddable is still critical to API integrations:
Embed Twitter-hosted video on your website - Ok. Twitter investing on th embeddable front. Just when I'm about to de-emphasize some of the embeddable research I'm doing, a big player like Twitter steps up and makes another investment. #value
Google Maps API Checker Uncovers Mapping API Problems - This is interesting, because they made an API to help debug and solve the problems faced when using their embeddable, JS API. I think this is something other providers of embeddable JS APIs should consider. Paying attention to what pioneers like Google Maps API are up to is important.
Twitter introduces video embeds for sites - Just a little outside perspective on what Twitter is up to with their new investment in the embeddable space.
An encryption story to keep an eye on:
Outdated Encryption Keys Leave Phones Vulnerable to Hackers - FUD? or just a fact of the reality in 2015. Gonna track on regardless...
I wish there were more environment related API stories available:
Aquatic Informatics Announces Release of Time Series Environmental Data Management Platform and Enhanced API - Gotta love on environmental efforts when it comes to APIs!
This data project could help save forests being destroyed by insects - Data + Environment. Let's get to work folks!
As usual the federal government is dominating, or maybe its because I'm obsessed with the area:
Interagency Public Land Groups Partner to Make Recreation Data More Accessible, User Friendly - Important movement on the parks and recreation API work I've been railing on. I haven't fully digested this news, but it was sent to me directly from PR folks at the Department of Interior.
House of Representatives Places an Order for Legislative Data Transparency - This kind of movement makes me optimistic for actual change in what happens behind closed doors of government. #justalittle
As FTC adds encryption to its website, government remains unsure on corporate use - Conflicts in the encryption conversation at the federal government level.
How Open Data Can Change Pakistan - A look at the fringe of what open data and tech can do.
Sunshine and shadows: Statehouses tackle open records laws in 2015 - Some important state by state movement on the open data front. Gotta love the work the Sunlight Foundation does.
The API Briefing: Practicing Safe App Development with Secure Federal APIs
Views of Government Policies Since Start of Great Recession - An interesting walk back through the history of data and the economy
After Sunlight FOIA, comprehensive data indexes arrive on Data.gov - I did not fully understand Sunlight Foundation role in all of this happening. Something you do not hear about on the gov side of discussion, but for shows the important role FOIA plays in the movement forward.
Government Agencies Turn to IFTTT to Make APIs Accessible - Ok, this is important. I can't believe I haven't written about it early on, but will just be happy that IFTT is supporting gov. Zapier made the move to make their TOS gov ready a while back. All of it equates into more reciprocity in federal government, driven by APIs.
In a step towards sunlight, United States begins to publish a national data inventory - More movement, and perspective from the DC king of gov scrutiny. Still think we have a lot of work to do in making sense of bigger picture, across all this data being released.
Couple of financial related items:
Financial Transparency Is a Bipartisan Issue - Make the argument Socrata! I'm worried about what is next after the Obama adminstration too!
Monitr Announces Finance API for Economic Trend Analysis - How do we understand the fintech space? Another take...
Mts Bondpro Api: Opening New Doors - APIs will become common language across the trading space.
I am reminded of how important FOIA is, and will continue to be, in the work I do:
ATF Open Data: Improving Public Understanding and Reducing the FOIA Backlog - Way to keep doing the important work Socrata. Important link to remember between open data and FOIA.
After Sunlight FOIA, comprehensive data indexes arrive on Data.gov - I did not fully understand Sunlight Foundation role in all of this happening. Something you do not hear about on the gov side of discussion, but for shows the important role FOIA plays in the movement forward.
This was an interesting piece from the world of forms:
Sharing and Previewing Screendoor Project Templates — Department of Better Technology - Templates rule. Why should we reinvent the wheel when it comes to forms or APIs. Good tech coming out of DoBT.
APIs will continue to evolve in gaming sector this year:
ESL Gaming Network to use Wargaming.net Battle API - A gaming API that floated up on my radar this week. Further making the argument for focus on gaming this week!
Clash of Clans API Issues Keep Players Out of the Game - Interesting story of API stability impacting the gaming space.
ArenaNet Announces Guild Wars 2 APIs and App Development Contest - More APIs to understand on the gaming front. How are apps being built at these types of contests? What do devs see? Consumers?
Google launches Player Analytics and custom native ads tools for game developers - More gaming news. At some point I'm going to start a gaming research site, as I see more API, and API adjacent stories in this space.
Google Unveils New Game Developer Tools at GDC Dev Day - Definitely keep an eye on Google when it comes to gaming. They seem to think its important.
Guest post: Developing Countly SDK for Unit3D game analytics - I like stories behind SDKs, and there is an added gaming bonus here.
More amazing GitHub lessons:
How To Use GitHub and the Terminal: A Guide - Important Github lessons, and coming out of the federal government. Pay attention to what 18F is up to folks, you may learn something!
A couple of interesting hackathons occuring:
Data Journalism Hackathon In Barcelona, 18.-21. March - Barcelona has some seriously cool API and data events going on, and much more on tech front.
First Swiss Open Cultural Data Hackathon - Interesting mix of tech, data, culture and politics. I'd like to see what comes out of this event.
GE shows it is interested in the healthcare space:
GE Ventures backs data-driven digital health company Evidation Health - Data driven healthcare is the future folks. GE invests!
Adding to my history of compute archives:
A 1986 video on software design methods pertaining to specific systems using expert knowledge - I am tracking on any history of compute stories I can find, you will just have to bear with me. ;-) Eventually they will begin to make sense.
Some fun and distrubing thoughts from the connected home:
Fridge caught sending spam emails in botnet attack - I have never trusted refrigerators. it makes sense that they would give in to radicalization.
If you want access to future Dropcam features, you’ll need a Nest account - is not just about a smart thermostat or a camera watching you, they are in collusion. Keep an eye out, because our home systems are working together against us! ;-0
Salesforce1 Lightning Components – Working with Controllers - Once mastered the work environment using SalesForce, it makes sense that I would extend this success to my home.
The Nest at the top of the mountain. - Random, but an interesting look into the psyche at Nest. As long as there is whiskey and a bong full of weed, I'm good with it.
An idea I had this week, that generated some great conversation:
Some Please Build A True Next Generation Press Release Aggregation API · - Somebody please do this. I just do not have time!
Identity related products I'm researching better:
The Gluu Server vs. OpenAM (formerly OpenSSO) - Gluu seems to be doing interesting things on the identity front. Enough to keep up on it.
Of course, more Internet of Things (IoT) stories:
Google Play Services 7.0 Adds APIs For Detecting Places And Connecting To Nearby Devices, Improves On Mobile Ads, Fitness Data, Location Settings, And More - Bridges many elements of this weeks news, but I think its local connectivity is most significant. Especially when it comes to other gaming efforts.
Transparency, immediacy and productivity: How IoT will rock your biz - Fuck yeah!! Woooooo!! IoT Rocks! Interesting take on the shit unfolding.
SMART bus driver helps lost child - Thank gawd for smart buses! Saving children. ;-)
Fridge caught sending spam emails in botnet attack - I have never trusted refrigerators. it makes sense that they would give in to radicalization.
Developer Seeks Arduino Robotics API Funding - Interesting cross-section of APIs, robotics, and monetization...
If you want access to future Dropcam features, you’ll need a Nest account - is not just about a smart thermostat or a camera watching you, they are in collusion. Keep an eye out, because our home systems are working together against us! ;-0
Salesforce1 Lightning Components – Working with Controllers - Once mastered the work environment using SalesForce, it makes sense that I would extend this success to my home.
New Release of Eclipse Paho and Eclipse Mosquitto Continue Momentum of the Growing Open Source IoT Community and MQTT - Ok, lots of relevant things come out of the Eclipse Foundation...staying in tune.
Introduction To The IBM IoT Foundation - Part of the tuning in. We have a foundation for IoT. Cause nothing says we are all in, like a foundation!
New IoT Mode Conditions - From the side of IoT where we are just talking about possibilities around IoT, we head over to Temboo, where they actually do shit with connecting devices to the Internet.
Solar Panel System Monitoring Device Using Arduino - Gotta connect your solar panels to the Internetz. The sun gods require it!
Using Cheap Displays With The Raspberry Pi - You will keep finding simple Rapberry Pi stories in my IoT section, because it is the center of much of the real exploration going on.
Tim O’Reilly: Silicon Valley is massively underestimating the impact of IoT (interview) - Always need to hear Tim's opinion on things.
Broadcom’s new Wi-Fi chip turns your phone into an IoT hub - Do I want my phone to be an IoT hub? I guess I do? Or I'll at least keep in tune with those that think we should.
Khronos unveils Vulcan: API for wearables, computers, cars and drones - Ok, you had me at Vulcan. But I can wear it, it plugs into my car, and my drones! It all makes my head swim.
SAP inks partnerships to extend Internet of Things services - Cause after you go all in on cloud and API, you have to go all in on IoT. It is how things work.
The internet of things will rock your business and here’s how
STMicroelectronics unveils world’s first customizable wireless battery... - Now we can configure our apps, the networks, the devices, and now the batteries. I can get behind that.
A couple of healthy API career options emerged this week:
Awesome Software Engineer, API team at Dailymotion - Looks like an interesting gig to me.
Digital API Consultant - If Accenture level consulting is your gig, then this is your role!
One of the more mature layers to the API space, mapping:
Add a third dimension to Mapbox.js with CSS - Ok, I think this is an important lesson for other embeddable efforts. Every .js tool needs a CSS dimension!!
Google Introduces the Google Maps Roads API - Google continuing to invest in the transportation API front with the Google Maps Road API - Thanks Janet.
Mapping nightlife — Mappable - Sucka for beautiful mapping visualizations. Nice work!
Mapping Police Violence - More important open data discussion occurring with mapping as a key element.
Google Maps API Checker Uncovers Mapping API Problems - This is interesting, because they made an API to help debug and solve the problems faced when using their embeddable, JS API. I think this is something other providers of embeddable JS APIs should consider. Paying attention to what pioneers like Google Maps API are up to is important.
I keep saying it, keep an eye on Microsoft, and media is the focus this week:
How to Use Premium Encoding in Azure Media Services - I cannot help but track on what Microsoft is doing on the cloud front--they are moving forward hard and fast.
Introducing Premium Encoding in Azure Media Services - More media and clod computing related points of interest.
Google dominated the messaging discussion this week:
Google Cloud Platform Unveils Pub/Sub Messaging Service - An interesting move by Google.
Google releases a new API for real-time messaging between services - Another take at what Google is up to with this new messaging format.
Google’s new service will ease real-time communications for applications - And another view on the Google effort
Using Google Cloud Pub/Sub to Connect Applications and Data Streams - Straight from the horses mouth on the new Google messaging format.
TigerText Opens Its Secure Communications Platform to Developers - I like the focus on security, encryption, and will keep an eye on what TigerText is offering.
WebRTC's Powerful Promise for Voice and the Web - I am still trying to understand the world of WebRTC.
Making The Most Out Of Each Pixel: Reach More of Your Target Audience with MMS Converter - Expanding the reach of MMS beyond just US--Twilio pushing their reach.
Couple of microservices conversations I was paying attention to:
Microservices: Four Essential Checklists when Getting Started - The New Stack - Learning a lot from this one. Items to consider, when establishing your own definition.
How Enterprise PaaS Can Add Critical Value to Microservices - Enterprise PaaS? Ok. I'm listening...
Managing your Microservices on Heroku with Netflix's Eureka - Demonstrating the value coming out of Netflix API operation (secret: it isn't the public API). An interesting implementation over at Heroku.
Microservices: What are They and Why Should You Care? - Why should we care? Sell me..
Visualizing And Exploring My Microservices Catalog Using APIs.json With Swagger.ed · - This is really getting me excited. Talking with Chris about what is next...
Continuing to demonstrate that mobile is top of list for big companies in 2015:
Get Started with the Amazon Mobile Ads API in Your iOS App or Game - I will have to do more research on how big the mobile advertising space is, and see what portion of that is gaming. I'm not usually big on paying attention to advertising, but monetization for a vertical like gaming is interesting enough to track on.
BlackBerry BBM API Coming Soon? - Interesting look at mobile...
SAP Extends Mobile App Development Reach - Smooch. Smooch. yes they do.
ScientiaMobile Launches WURFL Device Detection API for Scala - How will we detect devices in the future? Mobile? Sensor? Camera? Beyond....
Intel, Alcatel-Lucent unveil their cloud mobile network - Wonder Twins Power Activate -- Form Of A Meaningless Pile of Shit
I like stories about API mocking:
Introducing Keynote: API Readiness — Visualizing and Virtualizing by Lorinda Brandon - I <3 Lorinda. sorry @Alanwordguy
Net neutrality crept into my roundup. I track on lots of stories in this area, but they rarely making it into the API conversation:
Considering Net Neutrality and API Access - This is something you will see me revisit soon. It is one of those grey areas you don't see discussed, but is actually a pretty big fucking deal.
One of the top, new growth areas for me in the API conversation is networking: