ReMarkable 2
ReMarkable 2. © ReMarkable AS.
ReMarkable’s first e-ink tablet, launched in 2017, certainly was a remarkable product, but it did have some major flaws, like an unstable system, poor usability and a hefty price tag (USD500). Even so, the tablet did have its niche of aficionados. Today, it’s back, in a new and improved version. Still at 10.3 inches (1872x1404 pixels, 226 ppp), ReMarkable 2 is extremely thin (4.7mm), faster, sleeker and cheaper, at USD400. Its textured screen and special stylus tip gives it the sound and feel of paper. The new model also switches over to USB-C for charging and battery life is three times longer. Preorders for the reMarkable 2 start today for shipping in June.
⇨ YouTube, “Introducing reMarkable 2 — the paper tablet.”
⇨ Circuit Breaker, Chaim Gartenberg, “The reMarkable 2 promises a better giant E Ink tablet.”
The tool you’ve been waiting for: Godot
Godot Engine.
If you were thinking of exploring games development, there is an open-source alternative to the massive (and sometimes intimidating) tools like Unity or Game Maker: Godot. The fully integrated, free and MIT-licensed development environment works on Windows, macOS, Linux, FreeBSD, OpenBSD and even Haiku. It allows you to create games for almost any platform: Linux, macOS, Windows, BSD, Android, iOS, UWP, BSD and the Web (HTML5 and WebAssembly). It comes in two versions, standard and Mono, which supports C# besides Godot’s scripting language, GDScript. This language uses Python-like syntax and is relatively easy to learn, but unlike Python, it has strictly typed variables and is optimized for Godot’s particular architecture, which is based on scenes. The graphics engine uses OpenGL ES 3.0 on all platforms. If you’ve always wanted to dabble with games development, Godot is probably the environment you’ve been waiting for.
And speaking of games development environments, keep an eye on an upstart: Core, a free PC-based tool that should soon be available in open alpha version, built on top of Unreal Engine.
⇨ The Verge, Andrew Webster, “Core is a new platform aiming to be the YouTube of game development.”
⇨ “Godot Engine - Free and open source 2D and 3D game engine.”
GitHub News
© GitHub, Inc.
Two big pieces of news about GitHub! The first is that the development platform is finally available on mobile devices, with very decent official applications for iOS and Android. These apps should help developers manage projects while away from their PC, letting them organize tasks, give feedback on issues, respond to comments, and review and merge pull requests. You can also see code, though not modify it. The second bit of news, and not the least, is that GitHub is planning on acquiring NPM, the JavaScript package manager. NPM hosts over 1.3 million packages with 75 billion downloads per month and is relied on by over 12 million developers. The amount of the transaction was not revealed. GitHub has committed to keep it free and to enhance NPM integration on its platform.
⇨ The Verge, Jay Peters, “GitHub’s new mobile app is now available on iOS and Android.”
⇨ The Register, Thomas Claburn, “Microsoft’s GitHub absorbs NPM into its code-hosting empire: JavaScript library vault used by 12 million devs now under Redmond's roof.”
⇨ The GitHub Blog, Nat Friedman, “npm is joining GitHub.”
WWDC going ahead
(Yes, this is indeed the official WWDC 2020 visual from professional graphics designers…) © Apple.
Unlike other major events such as F8, E3 and Google I/O which have been cancelled, Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC), the yearly summit of Apple developers, is going ahead in June, but in a new format in keeping with the times: on-line. As always, the event will provide a glimpse of the future of the iOS, iPadOS, macOS, watchOS and tvOS platforms through presentations on new features by Apple engineers and partners, and a glitzy keynote presentation usually delivered by Tim Cook, Phil Schiller and Craig Federighi. As yet, it is not known whether Apple will unveil new hardware in June. Apple also announced it will commit $1 million to local San Jose organizations to offset associated revenue loss as a result of WWDC 2020’s new online format. Apple’s Developer site has no information on how to sign up for this special 31st conference. AltConf, the popular alternative conference that takes place at the same time as the WWDC, has been cancelled for 2020.
⇨ Apple Newsroom, “Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference 2020 kicks off in June with an all-new online format.”
⇨ Ars Technica, Samuel Axon, “Apple’s WWDC is happening this year after all—but it has a new format.”
Red Magic 5G
Red Magic 5G. © Corellium.
Chinese company Nubia has announced a new phone designed for gamers, the Red Magic 5G, with an internal cooling fan, just like a good old PC! The device has a 6.65-inch 2340×1080 144Hz OLED display (notice the record-breaking frequency). Other specs of this well-endowed phone include a Snapdragon 865, 8, 12 or 16GB of RAM, 128 or 256GB of storage, a 4500mAh battery, Android 10, an in-screen fingerprint reader, a USB-C port, and, hallelujah!, a 3.5mm headphone jack. The Red Magic 5G will come in several criminal colour combinations, as well as in see-through version. Launching now in China, it will be available globally in April. Prices in China range from CNY3,800 (CAD775) to CNY4,999 (CAD1,020).
⇨ Ars Technica, Ron Amadeo, “Red Magic 5G gaming smartphone has 144hz display, internal cooling fan.”
