Red Pyramid has just released a new glorified-gas-guzzling, why-we're-in-Iraq, kill-the-earth, don't-care-about-greenhouse-emissions Java ME mobile game called, HUMMER Jump and Race.

Cool! :-)

See:

Get a HUMMER with Java ME

Here's a quote:

 The release of "HUMMER Jump and Race" 
 marks the beginning of a series of 
 new games... utilizing an advanced 
 3D engine specifically designed for 
 mobile phones... based on J2ME with 
 the use of 3D API JSR-184 and 
 Mascot Capsule...

The 3D graphics part (JSR-184) is very cool also. Watch for more 3D offerings on Java ME...

Hinkmond

Were you part of the Coffee Generation back in the early '80s? You know, "coffee lets you calm yourself down and picks you up"? What an oxymoron. That's more like what a Red Bull and vodka does nowadays.

Flash into the present and today we have the Mobile Generation: They're not chillin' or catching a buzz. They're... IM'ing on their Java ME phones.

See:

Mobile IM

Here's a quote:

 The java-based application is 
 specifically designed and 
 developed to provide mobile 
 consumers with a rich MIM 
 experience that is highly 
 compatible, cost effective, 
 easy to use, and meets the 
 evolving communication needs 
 of today’s mobile generation.

Hinkmond

If you're feeling bi-polar, you can use T-Mobile's new HotSpot@Home service to switch your Java ME mobile phone between their cell network and a WiFi connection.

See:

Flipping between cell and WiFi

Here's a quote:

 ...T-Mobile USA is launching a 
 new service called HotSpot@Home. 
 Those who sign up can use their 
 mobile phone at home over Wi-Fi, 
 and, when outside, can 
 automatically transfer between 
 Wi-Fi at T-Mobile hotspot 
 locations and T-Mobile's cellular 
 network.

No worries.

Hinkmond

Read stories on your cell phone using Java ME technology. 10 million pages have already been read that way. That ain't hay.

See:

Using Java ME to read

Here's a quote:

 Wattpad, the global leading story 
 sharing community for mobile users, 
 today announced that it has served 
 over 10 million pages to mobile 
 phones...

Hinkmond

Maybe Nintendo can talk some sense into Stevie-boy. Here's an article talking about rumors of Nintendo wanting to sell games through iTunes, possibly for the iPhone. But, how the heck would they do that without Java ME technology? Stevie-boy has his head... (need a metaphor here, hmmm... colorful one, but family-oriented) ...buried in the sand. Like an ostrich. ;-) Yeah.

See:

Nintendo would like to sell iPhone (Java ME???) games

Here's a quote:

 ...will Nintendo be offering games 
 on the iPhone? Consider that it 
 has already been announced that 
 the iPhone won't be supporting 
 Java and Flash... you begin to 
 wonder, "If I'm paying $600 for 
 this, shouldn't I be able to do 
 more than watch a bulldog on a 
 skateboard...?

Loosen up Apple.  Free Java ME enabled Super Mario!



Hinkmond

Here's a report on how the iPhone (which BTW, won't be Java ME tech-enabled, doncha know!) requires you to give up your name and credit card number in order to use it. Now technically, that's what a phishing scam does.

See:

iPhone Phishes for Your Private Info

Here's a quote:

 Oh, yes, and we read in the 
 paper that to use an iPhone 
 you're gonna have to have 
 an iTunes account and give 
 Apple your name and credit 
 card number so that it 
 knows where all its little 
 iPhones are even if AT&T's 
 selling them.

Hinkmond

MyWaves.com uses the concept "The Network is the Computer" for mobile video watching. Hmmmm, where have I heard that phrase before? The server grabs videos off the Internet then converts the videos from all different types of codecs to a single proprietary protocol to view on a Java ME app on your cell phone. Nice way to get around the need to have all the codecs on the device itself. Must make Scott McNealy happy to hear that. :-)

See:

Watch YouTube videos of surfing dogs on Java ME

Here's a quote:

 When it comes to Web video, 
 marrying one's Web account 
 to the phone experience seems 
 to be critical in my early 
 testing of the services.  This 
 week I discovered the very 
 interesting MyWaves.com, which 
 lets you subscribe to video 
 channels (including almost any 
 existing video podcast) for 
 delivery on many mobile phones 
 that can accept the Java app 
 download. This is the closest 
 thing to an iTunes podcast 
 library I have seen for 
 phones.

Just what everyone wanted, I guess... ;-) At least the dog looks like he's having fun.

Hinkmond

Yahoo chooses Java ME technology for their new release of Yahoo Go 2.0 while Microsoft chooses the WAP browser for their MSN Mobile service.

See:

Java ME vs. WAP: Wireless Rumble

Here's a quote:

 Using Java means a better user 
 experience, but for less people 
 than the web-based approach 
 adopted by Microsoft. Both 
 companies know mobile browsing 
 is a new market, and customers 
 are only just getting enough 
 confidence to leave their 
 operator portal...

Prince – U Got the Look

Hinkmond

There's a convenience store on the East Coast (of the U.S, for you outrageously international readers out there) named Wawa. Does that have anything to do with Java ME technology? Eh. Not so much. But, there's recent news that Viwawa will launch a new free multiplayer mobile gaming/social networking Java app portal. Try saying that 10 times fast!

See:

They do it just a little bit better at Viwawa

Here's a quote:

 Games will be offered in Java and 
 Flash Lite versions, while the 
 portal will also contain games 
 playable on your PC.

I wonder if you can also buy a dozen eggs, a can of whipped cream, and a jar of maraschino cherries at 10pm at their site? No reason, really. Just wondering...

Hinkmond

Putting Java ME technology on a smartphone or wireless device isn't an option anymore these days. It's a given--even if you are based on Bill Gates' Windows Mobile 6.0. Blech.

See:

People who love Microsoft love Java ME technology

Here's a quote:

 As a Windows Mobile device, the 
 HTC Mogul sports all the usual 
 bells and whistles including 
 media playback and support for 
 Office operations. Beyond this 
 you’ll also find wireless Internet 
 support, Bluetooth, support for 
 Java applications and a built-in 
 speakerphone.

Hinkmond

Everyone is out to get Apple and its freaky little iPhone. So, the iPhone has a touchscreen, eh? Well, HTC has a touchscreen too... plus it's got Java ME technology, and is coming out earlier. :-P

See:

HTC Touch is a Rock Star

Here's a quote:

 Germany's three leading mobile 
 service providers will start 
 selling the HTC Touch smart 
 phone in late June -- earlier 
 than the European debut of 
 Apple's iPhone, which the HTC 
 Touch hopes to rival.

 For ya smartphone posers
 yeah
 it's almost over now
 almost over now

Hinkmond

Here's an article on a reborn company that used to have a WAP mobile app, but then got religion and converted to Java ME technology.

See:

Exodus from WAP to Java ME

Here's a quote:

 Tapatap is fueled by $2.5 million 
 in Series A funding from Gabriel 
 Venture Partners.  The company 
 currently has a WAP-based offering, 
 but is developing clients for J2ME 
 and other mobile platforms

Hinkmond

Mobile ESPN (which was a Java ME technology-enabled Mobile Virtual Network Operator [MVNO]) was dropped faster than an important call on the new iPhone, shortly after its launch last year. But, many people say it was because of the limited scope (just sports info) and the high price. But, now ESPN has a new service, ESPN MVP, which is still based on Java ME tech, but expands its coverage (not just sports).

See:

ESPN MVP MVNO (That's a whole lotta letters!)

Here's a quote:

 ...now it's back, rebranded as 
 ESPN MVP. And you know what? 
 It's even better, for a simple 
 reason: You can get your Paris 
 Hilton updates alongside the 
 soap opera that surrounds 
 sluggers Alex Rodriguez and 
 Barry Bonds.

Hinkmond

Here's a good blog post on an assessment of Java ME Nazi, Stevie-boy, and his mandate that only Web 2.0 apps may exist on his precious little iPhone (with no SDK).

See:

No Java ME for you! Get out of line!

Here's a quote:

 Given the fact that other 
 smartphone platforms are 
 able to run both Web 2.0 
 apps, Widgets, J2ME and 
 native apps, this can be 
 a real blow to the 
 iPhone's future. 

Hinkmond

I'm not sure I totally agree with Adrian Kingsley-Hughes' blog post assumption that the nice homogeneous iPhone environment will be less secure (on Stevie-boy's 10 million unit estimate) than the security you get with Java ME technology having security through obscurity (of the WORA promise on cell phones).

See:

Is security an effect of the sucky WORA of Java ME???

Here's a quote:

 The fact is that it’s tough enough 
 to write legitimate mobile 
 applications using something like 
 J2ME (Java2 Micro Edition) that’ll 
 work smoothly across a small number
 of phones. The combination of an 
 abundant lack of standards and the 
 number of companies competing 
 aggressively means that no single 
 platform has managed to capture 
 enough users to create a critical 
 mass.

If virus writers can write a virus they will. But, put up enough security hurdles to make the virus writer's life difficult (while keeping legit MIDlet writers like Google, Opera, Digital Chocolate, JAMdat, etc. lives (hopefully) less difficult), results in what we see now, not sucky WORA. Virus writers do what every good engineer does: cost/benefit analysis. If it looks too costly (with too many security hurdles), they move on. You don't try breaking into a house with bars on the window, an ADP sign on the front lawn, and a German Sheppard named Bruno on the porch.

Hinkmond