If you were Nokia, which really cool Java ME game would you install on your next really cool cell phone? Doom? Quake? Castle Wolfenstein 3D?

See:

What Java ME game would you pre-install?

Here's a quote:

 If a quick game is more 
 appropriate, pre-installed 
 java games such as the widely 
 popular Sudoku can be found 
 on the Nokia 5070.  With a 
 built in web browser, surfing 
 the web and checking sports 
 results or movie timetables 
 is also possible with the 
 multi-talented Nokia 5070. 

   -- Phill Collins

Ahhh! That's like putting on that silly Snake game they used to put on cell phones back 10 years ago. Why, why, why can't they pre-install something cool? Oh, well... I guess that's why it's free.

Hinkmond

RIM is doing the right thing by adding more Java ME technology-enabled functionality to their BlackBerry smartphones. Meanwhile, what is Apple doing with their iPhone? Hmmm... The Apple iPhone is more like Sanjaya: Lots of attention now, but in the end will lose because of that missing key point...

See:

Java ME technology adds key ingredient

Here's a quote:

 Research In Motion Ltd. (RIM) 
 is hoping to expand the types 
 of applications... by adding 
 APIs... to the BlackBerry 
 Java Development Environment.

 The new APIs will let 
 developers access additional 
 functions in the phones, 
 including audio, messaging and 
 mapping, to build social 
 networking, location-based, 
 multimedia and other kinds of 
 applications...

Hinkmond

Yougetitback.com announced at CTIA a new service that lets you get your cell phone back if you ever lose it.

See:

Help! I can't find my Java ME phone!

Here's a quote:

 ...the service is based on Java 
 technology and will work with any 
 phone and all types of operating 
 systems. If a cell phone is lost, 
 users will be able to... activate 
 the e-tag wallpaper on their 
 device...only the wallpaper will 
 be displayed on the phone's 
 screen. Additionally, anyone who 
 finds the phone will only be able 
 to make outgoing calls to the 
 Yougetitback call center.

Hinkmond

ZenZui is being launched by the Microsoft spin-off as something like the Opera Mini Web browser for your cell phone, where Web pages are pre-processed by the server-side and presented as zoomable icon widgets on your cell phone screen.

See:

Don't say "phooey", say ZenZui!

Here's a quote:

 The advertising-supported application 
 will be free and available both 
 through carriers and directly to 
 consumers later this year. The 
 offering launches this week on 
 Windows Mobile-enabled devices, but 
 SanGiovanni said the company is 
 working on J2ME and BREW versions.

Hinkmond

In the movie, The Highlander, Connor MacLeod goes around kicking butt because he knows there can be only one. Kinda like there can be only one programming platform for cell phones, eh? The Mobile Services Architecture (MSA) addresses Flash Lite's major criticism of Java ME technology: fragmentation. MSA unifies Java ME into one standard. Sony Ericsson's has announced the launch of their Z750 Java ME cell phone with MSA.

See:

New Java ME technology-enabled MSA phone

Here's a quote:

 The Z750 is the first phone based 
 on Sony Ericsson’s Java Platform 8 
 (JP-8), also announced today, 
 supporting Mobile Services 
 Architecture (MSA) - JSR 248 - the
 next-generation Java umbrella 
 standard. MSA aims to reduce 
 fragmentation in the industry by 
 creating a predictable environment 
 for application developers, 
 reducing porting issues when they 
 develop new applications and games 
 for the new generation of phones. 

Hinkmond

Old fogeys (like me) are being targeted by those young whipper-snapper Java ME game makers. Seems like we are an untapped market, having all these Java ME smartphones for business, but wanting to goof off with Java ME games once in a while...

See:

BusinessWeek article on Java ME old fogey gaming market

Here's a quote:

 In hopes of making headway with 
 men in the 25-to-44 age range—a 
 demographic that has shunned 
 mobile gaming—Handmark made its 
 first few titles available for 
 Internet download in 2005, with 
 impressive results. It markedly 
 expanded that part of the 
 business last year. It's not 
 hard to see why: The market for 
 mobile gaming is set to crack 
 $1 billion before 2010, from 
 $722 million in 2006, according 
 to IDC Research.

Hinkmond

There's a critic born every minute. Here's a summary of a new Java ME MMAPI book from Vikram Goyal posted on Slashdot as reviewed by Cory Foy. Cory is more like Paula than Simon or Randy, giving Vikram's treatment of how to program MMAPI on cell phones a supportive, yet constructive treatment--an 8 on the scale of 1 to 10. Fo' shnizzle. But then again, is there anyone out there really as nasty as Simon?

“You are a saucy little thing aren't you?” -- Simon Cowell

See:

Vikram Goyal's Java ME MMAPI book gets an 8

Here's a quote:

 Several months ago Vikram Goyal 
 emailed me letting me know he 
 had a new book coming out from 
 Apress,  Pro Java ME MMAPI: 
 Mobile Media API for Java Micro 
 Edition.  Having done mobile 
 device development using J2ME...
 I wanted to see if this book 
 could rise up to the challenge...

Hinkmond

Is Motorola taking their final curtain call? Well, you might view it that way when reading their latest lower guidance due to lower sales and operating profits.

See:

Motorola revises guidance downward -:-O

But, since Fast Eddie is still at the helm, there might be hope. There might also be hope because of their Java ME technology strategy.

Here's a quote:

 In this regard, the company is 
 focused on steps to reduce cost 
 and improve consumer experiences, 
 including:
    -- Deploying open standards 
       Linux/Java(TM) software 
       across mid- and high-
       tier devices to enhance 
       the experiences available 
       on handsets

Hinkmond

I'm feeling full of alliteration today. Mobile Mondays meetings are making mobs all over the country like myriads of midges in a mango market. While my colleague, Stuart Marks was presenting at Mobile Monday Austin, Mobile Monday New York also met and had something to share about Java ME technology Web services.

See:

Clickova uses Java ME for Web services

Here's a quote:

 Clickova, was the most interesting 
 of the evening. Clickova is a 
 combination Web/mobile application 
 that uses a piece of Java software 
 on a handset to automatically 
 upload pictures and videos a user 
 stores on their mobile phone to a 
 Website. This way a user can access 
 all the pics and videos they shoot 
 from their camera phone

Hinkmond

Bill Cosby had a routine where he would say, "From the ages of seven to fifteen, I thought that my name was Jesus Christ and my brother, Russell, thought that his name was Dammit. My dad would say, 'Dammit, will you stop all that noise?' And say, 'Jesus Christ, sit down!' One day, I was out playing in the rain, and my father yelled, 'Dammit, will you get back in here!' I said, 'But, Dad, I'm Jesus Christ!'"

Java ME technology is being used to squeeze the full Bible down into your little-bitty cell phone.

See:

It's official: Jesus prefers Java ME over Flash Lite

Here's a quote:

 This offer is only for Java compatible 
 handsets on AT&T, Cingular Sprint PCS 
 and Tmobile only. The Virtual Bible 
 requires a minimum of 1.4 MG free 
 space on your handset.

Hinkmond

I found this old picture of James Gosling that I ganked for this blog post. It's from around 1983 from the Carnegie Mellon alumni page.

In this article today, James answers a question about what he thought were memorable times for Java technology since its inception in 1995.

See:

James Gosling picks top 2 Java milestones

Here's a quote:

 It's actually pretty hard to 
 pick milestones as so much has 
 happened. If I had to pick two, 
 I'd say it Java enterprise 
 software catching hold and then 
 people starting to put Java in 
 mobile phones

Hinkmond

There used to be a muppet on Seseme Street named, the Amazing Mumford. He did magic tricks and his magic incantation was, "A la Peanut Butter Sandwiches!" (instead of "Abracadabra" or "Alakazam" or somesuch). Good times.

A la Mobile (no relationship) has announced a Linux-based phone with Java ME technology that marries GSM and WiFi.

See:

A la Mobile's Magic Trick

Here's a quote:

 Not a closed-up set of code 
 so much as an operating 
 document for a new way of 
 approaching the mobile phone, 
 A la Mobile's Linux kernel-
 based system incorporates 
 a standard SIP-based VoIP 
 client and adds Flash, Java, 
 email, and even a browser.

Hinkmond

One thing you can do with Java ME technology: Create a wireless program that you can sell to Google. $1.65 billion baby! And what better program idea than a Mobile MySpace in for Java ME cell phones! (I have a sneaky suspicion there are probably a couple hundred (couple thousand?) start-ups working on the same thing right now...)

See:

Yet another Mobile MySpace in Java ME

Here's a quote:

 yolo.mobi is a mobile social 
 networking service that 
 encourages spontaneous 
 interactions among friends, 
 especially when they are out 
 and about.

Hinkmond

Lots of bloggers last week talked about how it must be true that Google is developing a Java ME technology-enabled cell phone. How do they know? Why, by the recent Google job posting for some top-notch bitchin' EEs to work on putting the Borg-enabled Internet on a free wireless device, of course!

See:

Paying for cellular service is so last Daylight Savings Time policy

Here's a quote:

 Now that the long-rumored Apple 
 iPhone has finally been 
 officially announced, it 
 seems the rumor mongers have 
 turned their attention to 
 another company: Google.

Hinkmond

Yes, brother. It is written there are are dark days ahead. Days filled with dread. Days filled with danger. Days filled with a threat so great. A threat directly from the Devil himself. The Devil seeks you out, brother. Brace yourself, brother. Brace yourself, to save yourself. Save your Java ME soul...

See:

Flash Lite 3.0 is the Devil

Here's a quote:

 Keep your eyes open between now 
 and the JavaOne conference in May. 
 If Sun can whip up some excitement 
 about Java ME's abilities and keep 
 developers in line, they could 
 eclipse any Flash Lite upgrades. 
 Surely though, Adobe can smell mobile 
 money in the water, and the time to 
 attack the Java ME carriers and 
 developers might be close at hand.

Hinkmond