New Terms For Google Play Could Complicate Development of SL Mobile Viewer

 

On August 31, Google announced new requirements for it's Google Play store. Specifically, these are API requirements (Application Programing Interface, programing that allows a piece of software to interact with other software). 

 

New apps and app updates must target Android 14 (API level 34) to be submitted to Google Play (except for Wear OS and Android TV apps, which must target Android 13 or higher).

 

Existing apps must target Android 13 (API level 33) or higher to remain available to new users on devices running Android OS higher than your app’s target API level. Apps that target Android 12 (API level 31) or lower ( Android 10 or lower for Wear OS and Android 11 or lower for TV OS), will only be available on devices running Android OS that are the same or lower than your apps’ target API level.

So what does this mean? Daniel Voyager felt it meant trouble for Linden Lab's Second Life mobile viewer, at least for the short term, "The lab will now need target new Second Life mobile app updates towards Android 14 (API level 34) to be submitted to Google Play for review etc. The lab will need to keep adjusting to upcoming new Android versions like Android 15 (late 2024) and Android 16 due to launch sometime in 2025. For older Android versions the lab have now officially confirmed they are looking into distributing APKs that will target older Android versions from the download page. There is always risk downloading APKs for any app and it might not feel safe doing this for a lot of mobile users.

 

Daniel would go on to say that when the Lab releases the mobile viewer to the general public, "it will be interesting to see how these new API changes impact those using older Android versions," and added it would soon give out updates, and instructions, to explain the changes.

Source: Daniel Voyager

News and Commentary: Sansar Update: Plans For Release Date, Minimum Requirements, Allegation of Content Theft

By Bixyl Shuftan

A few developments about Sansar have come up in recent days. One is an answer from it's developers via Twitter when asked about when it would be ready for release. The answer was, "Plan is this summer, specific date (to be announced)." This is a little different from when in interview last month Ebbe Linden stated they would release Sansar this Summer. Now, they say their plan is to release it this Summer, but can't give a specific date. Another sign that the development of Sansar is seeing more difficulties than anticipated.

Another development was when the developers, also on Twitter, answered a question about Sansar's requirements. What the minimum requirements were, they stated they couldn't say what they would be, but "current recommendation is aligned to Oculus/Vive specs."

Taking a look at oculus.com, there was the following minimum specs:

Graphics Card    NVIDIA GTX 1050 Ti / AMD Radeon RX 470 or greater
Alternative Graphics Card    NVIDIA GTX 960 4GB / AMD Radeon R9 290 or greater
CPU    Intel i3-6100 / AMD FX4350 or greater
Memory    8GB+ RAM
Video Output    Compatible HDMI 1.3 video output
USB Ports    1x USB 3.0 port, plus 2x USB 2.0 ports
OS    Windows 8.1 or newer

On vive.com, these were the minimum specs posted:

Processor: Intel™ Core™ i5-4590 or AMD FX™ 8350, equivalent or better
Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce™ GTX 1060 or AMD Radeon™ RX 480, equivalent or better.
Memory: 4 GB RAM or more
Video output: 1x HDMI 1.4 port, or DisplayPort 1.2 or newer
USB: 1x USB 2.0 port or newer
Operating system: Windows™ 7 SP1, Windows™ 8.1 or later or Windows™ 10

Hamlet Au, who also wrote about the recommendations, summed it up by saying "so basically, if you're not a hardcore PC gamer already, you're probably not ready to jump into Sansar when it Alpha launches ..." In the comments following the article, Ckara Seller commented, "when I did a quick check on upgrading prices to meet specs on Occulus and Vive I was coming up with numbers ranging from $2500 to $5000 depending on how much you need and want. I'd say that most people will need a new system if they are going to meet specs for processor alone. There's the cost of the VR equipment, a powerful graphics card, power supply and the required USB ports. It makes no sense to spend a hefty minimum to upgrade to minimum when you know it's inevitable that minimum will be a dinosaur within months. So my amateur take is that you will need to spend a few thousand to get what you need to carry you for awhile. It's going to hurt your wallet like a bad trip to the dentist. Calling for financial pain is where Sansar is going to begin their introduction to new customers. ... I think this message is so untimely and they all know it. ...."

It's looking less and less like Sansar will be the highly successful product Linden Lab hoped it would be.

Also in the comments was what might be the first accusation of content theft in Sansar. Someone found what he identified as a BonHuit cottage from M and M Creations. If the name seems familiar to longtime Newser readers, it should. M&M Creations, owned by Marcthur and 10 Goosson, was one of the main longtime sponsors of Second Life Newspaper, the predecessor newsletter of the Second Life Newser and has bought some advertising time in the past. In the past, they had an inworld mall and at one time offered building lessons. Sadly real-life troubles have caused them to scale back on their activities. But they do offer some great products.

I messaged Marcthur, and eventually got an answer. The owner of the cottage did buy it from him, and does have permission to use it in Sansar. So apparently there was no content theft after all. This is a reminder though that Linden Lab will need to police it's new grind for real cases of stealing.

Sources: New World Notes, vive.com, oculus.com

Bixyl Shuftan

Mesh Uploading Ability to Require Safeguards

With Mesh being much-anticipated by many, people talking about it’s potential to change Second Life, some have been wondering what the catch is. There have been some whispers that Mesh would mean the end of the usability of Viewer 1-based viewers. But only just now has Linden Lab explained. There are a couple conditions needed to enable Mesh on one’s computer on the Second Life Wiki.


“In order to prevent usage of intellectual property with the mesh upload tool, prior to uploading a mesh with a Mesh enabled viewer, 2 checks will occur before the user will be allowed to upload. The first check will be to verify payment information is on file and the second is a chance to educate the user with a short tutorial. After the user completes the tutorial, they will be enabled to upload content. “


So in order to use Mesh, residents essentially need to identify themselves to the Lab in case someone protests his intellectual property rights are being violated. And if Linden Lab feels there’s a problem, “user can be indefinitely flagged as not mesh enabled.”

Second Life has had problems over intellectual property before. Last November, the Lindens cracked down on Battlestar Galactica roleplay groups after Universal Studios, which owns the copyright to the TV show, complained. Although one can already reproduce copyrighted items in Second Life, Mesh with it’s promise to revolutionize content creation would presumably make it much easier. And there are some hints of such potential. One of Second Life’s readers sent us a screenshot of what was presumably the Mesh grid. The picture shows likenesses of World of Warcraft characters Deathwing, the Lich King, and others. Pictures like this would certainly make Linden Lab’s lawyers nervous.

Both Hamlet Au and Tateru Nino commented on the issue. Hamlet Au saw two problems, that most builders and scripters on the Grid don’t legally copyright their products, and that “3D files often have a dubious or ambiguous IP rights provenance. For example, when Linden Lab announced that mesh was coming back in 2009, the company's own demo included a sculpture of the Incredible Hulk.” Tateru felt that this would mean free account builders would "have to get payment information on file or be unable to upload arbitrary mesh objects, period."

Naturally, there were a number of comments by readers. One commented to Hamlet, “This is one of the worst ideas I’ve ever heard,” feeling all it would do was hassle content creators. Another commented the more he read about Second Life, “the more I feel Linden Lab is spying on its customers.” But there were others whom could understand the Lindens’ viewpoint. One of Tateru’s readers wondered if this would put nonwestern builders at a disadvantage, “In many countries outside the western world the use of credit cards is not that common.” Another commented, “Someone opened Pandora´s Box with Mesh Imports and now this someone struggles to control it. Good Luck with it.”

Tateru put it appropriately when she commented Mesh’s potential was matched by it's potential for trouble, and “Balancing the two interests is going to be tricky.”

Sources, Second Life Wiki, New World Notes, Tateru Nino,

Bixyl Shuftan