Web Dev News Roundup: Google Developers Release Spatial Audio Kit

Zoe Adkins runs through this month’s Web Dev news, including a spatial audio kit release from Google Developers.

Google Developers Release Spatial Audio Kit

Based on pre-existing technology from Google’s VR Audio SDK, the new “Resonance Audio” kit works across both mobile and desktop platforms, bringing a “rich sound to create an engaging immersive experience that makes you feel like you’re really there.”

Regarding CPU resources for VR, AR, gaming and video, implementing a new audio environment that brings a clear, dynamic sound can prove to be a challenge:

There are often few CPU resources allocated for audio, especially on mobile, which can limit the number of simultaneous high-fidelity 3D sound sources for complex environments.

To combat this, the SDK implemented optimised digital signal processing algorithms, which avoids compromising on sound quality.

New Security Release From WordPress

Now available, WordPress 4.8.3 is a security release for any previous versions.

Earlier versions are at the mercy of the “$wpdb->prepare()” issue, which provoked SQL injection through unsafe queries.

The new release features a change to the “esc_sql()” function. While WordPress has announced most web developers won’t be affected by this behavioural shift, there is more information in the note provided.

Updated Chrome Beta For Android

Available in Google Play, Chrome Beta 63 (63.0.3239.41) for Android has been released.

A list of changes has been recorded in the Git log, where you can discover more about bugs that have been fixed and other details about fixed storage and properties.

Google is encouraging its users to be hot on reporting issues by filing bugs if necessary.

This release not only improves the way Chrome works seamlessly with Android, but the bigger picture is that Google wants to continue improving its user experiences across all platforms and devices.

Welcome to Linux 4.14

Linux 4.14 was released on 12^th November 2017.

Here’s what the new release includes:

Bigger memory limits
Zero-copy from user memory to sockets
Add support for AMD Secure Memory Encryption
Better cpufreq coordination with SMP

This release not only provides a new unwinder that offers more detailed kernel traces, but it also includes brand new drivers and a range of other improvements.