Friendster Confirms Developer Program

By Geoff Duncan October 25, 2007

Friendster Confirms Developer Program

A big part of the news this morning is about Microsoft buying a stake in social networking service Facebook. Part of what makes Microsoft value the social networking outfit at something approaching $15 billion dollars is that Facebook was the first social networking service to offer developers an API which enables them to create custom applications and services on top of Facebook—with results ranging from garage sales to…well, a MMORPG.

Other social networking services are also getting on the API bandwagon: MySpace plans to open its platform to developers, and now one of the longest-standing social networking sites, Friendster announced today that it will be commencing the third stage of opening its platform by launching the Friendster Developer Program November 30.

“Since we know that widget companies and developers want an equal opportunity and a level playing field on which to compete for the attention of Friendster’s 50 million users, Friendster is announcing and publishing our plans, APIs and information on our Developer Program in advance of the date on which these capabilities will be activated,” said Friendster VP of marketing David Jones. “The developer community will start the race for Friendster user adoption on the same date: November 30.”

According to Friendster, developers will have access to service APIs compatible with others in the social networking industry, so that widgets and other applications can easily be deployed on Friendster, while existing widgets built using Flash and HTML will continue to function. Friendster also plans to roll out a widget directory to promote add-ons and offer “viral support” for popular widgets via a custom event visible to friends when a users installs a widget. Friendster is also offering an open revenue model: developers don’t have to pay Friendster a cut of any money they earn from their applications.

Former Digital Trends Contributor

Geoff Duncan writes, programs, edits, plays music, and delights in making software misbehave. He's probably the only member…

News

Google Home devices in Preview Program are in danger of being bricked by update

walmart drops the prices on most but not all google nest smart home devices

The instance of a software update bricking a device is nothing new. In the best of cases, the company reimburses customers for their damaged devices. In the worst outcomes, people are out of luck and out of money. Last year, a Google update for Google Assistant accidentally bricked some Home and Home Mini devices, but the search engine giant replaced each broken device free of charge to the customer.
Now, another update is posing a threat to Google Home devices, but the good news is that not all devices are at risk. Only devices in the Preview Program are vulnerable to the update, and of those, it seems that only the original Google Home unit is at risk. If the device is bricked, the LEDs at the top of the device will turn orange and flash and it won’t respond to hotwords.
According to 9to5Google, some users managed to restore functionality by resetting the devices, but others experienced the opposite -- after resetting the device, the unit could not connect to their network at all.
While the obvious problem is that the update is bricking devices, the secondary problem is that no one is quite sure what is causing the issue. At this point, there’s been no official word from Google about the problem and no solution as to how to circumvent the issue. Unofficially, some users have simply disconnected their at-risk devices until Google releases a patch that fixes it or one that avoids the bricking of Google Home units.
The Google Nest Preview Program lets users test drive the latest features before they are released to the public and provides users the opportunity to provide feedback to Google, good or bad, on the new update. While this sounds like a “beta” program to many people, Google specifically states that any features released on the Preview Program are of the same quality as those released to all users. It just gives those in the Preview Program a chance to experience and test these features before others, and provides Google a chance to make last-minute updates and improvements to the features.
Since the original story released, a Google spokesperson has reached out and provided the following statement: "We’ve resolved a server configuration issue that caused a small number of people to have trouble using their Google Home. A fix has been released and devices should recover with no action required from users."

Smart Home

Wyze customers hit by online data leak, company confirms

Wyze Sense Starter Kit review

Wyze, maker of smart home devices such as cameras, locks, and lightbulbs, has confirmed several data breaches that left personal data linked to millions of its customers exposed online.

The first leak was spotted by cybersecurity firm Twelve Security and reported on December 26, while the second was reported a short while later by a Wyze community member. Twelve Security suggested the data belonged to as many as 2.4 million Wyze customers.

Smart Home

Eve MotionBlinds Upgrade Kit and Blinds Collection join the Matter lineup

The Eve MotionBlinds Upgrade Kit being installed.

Eve is a prominent name in the smart home world, with the company responsible for a variety of devices covering everything from smart plugs and security cameras to smart light switches and motion sensors. Its catalog is growing even more enticing today, with the Eve Blinds Collection and MotionBlinds Upgrade Kit gaining Matter support.

The MotionBlinds Upgrade Kit will likely appeal to more customers, as it costs just $200 and works with most existing setups. Installation is as simple as removing your shades, placing the MotionBlinds Upgrade Kit through the roller rod, then reinstalling the unit on your windows. Blinds with a roller between 1.5 inches and 2.0 inches are compatible with the upgrade kit.