March 2, 2011 -- Imagination Technologies, Ltd. has released version 2.8 of its PowerVR Insider SDK (software development kit) for mobile 3D graphics development. The PowerVR Insider SDK fully supports the development of applications using the Khronos OpenGL ES 2.0 API. The PowerVR Insider SDK includes tutorials, source code, extensive documentation, platform abstraction frameworks and a highly integrated suite of tools.

Release v2.8 of the PowerVR Insider SDK includes: access to a new version or PVRTune, the tool created for Imagination's licensees; Android Gingerbread support; PVRShaman support for render to texture/ environment maps and post processing; PVRTexTool support for texture atlases; support for 3DSMAX and Maya 2011; Android project integration for Eclipse; enhancements to PVRUniSCo and a MacOS version of PVRVFrame; an updated Bada SDK and SDKs for new PowerVR enabled devices; support for 64bit Linux; and NAVTEQ map and content samples, including Enhanced 3D City Models.

The latest version of Imagination's PowerVR Insider software development kit (SDK), version 2.8, includes a new tutorial showing developers how to take full advantage of graphics acceleration using OpenGL ES2 to display 3D map and advanced visual guidance data in graphics-rich applications.

The tutorial overviews the implementation of sample map data for the creation of location-based apps. In addition, a complementary white paper explaining efficient navigation rendering techniques for compiling of NAVTEQ data is available on www.NN4D.com. The tutorial helps developers to create differentiated games by adding a location-aware component.

Developers can also join the NAVTEQ Network for Developers to gain access to more extensive data sample sets, and receive technical support.

Demonstrations of advanced OpenGL ES 2.0 shader-graphics content created with Imagination's development tools are available as binary downloads from Imagination's website.

Availability

Developers can join up, download the SDK for free and interact with the community through dynamic online forums on the Imagination website at Developers>PowerVR Insider.