MobileSmith Blog
Mobility Docs Backstage Pass
SVG enriches your UI, but can it win an election?
Karol and I have made it to California where the U.S. Presidential candidates are soliciting votes and fund raising on a non-stop schedule that may be as hectic as the NetBeans team's work schedule to get the 6.0 release out on time. He and I have it somewhat easier however because the rich clients we're spending time with are projects in our IDE rather than big shots extracting promises for their contributions.
But seriously folks, for those of you who cannot make it to the Java Mobile and Embedded Developer Days conference here in Silicon Valley, you can still get a taste of what will be covered by reading through the technical session abstracts. For those with generous bandwidth connections (and the free time to stream and watch video), you'll be able to watch the sessions and demos on the web at http://ustream.tv/sun
For those who can't wait to get started, rest easy, because NetBeans 6.0 has come loaded with sample applications to get you going quickly on your projects. While not as slick as the SVG sample application that will be presented tomorrow at the conference, you can get an idea of SVG's capabilities by opening the SVG Demo.
- Go to File > New Project
- In the New Project Wizard dialog under Categories choose Samples > Mobility > MIDP
- In the Projects window choose SVG Demo and click Next
- Name the demo and select your emulator platform in the next two windows.
- Build and Run the project and the emulator window choose SVG Demo
SVG Demo lists many examples of how to use the image format in applications.
I chose the Optimized menu example..
..because it looks pretty cool! When you navigate between the options in the emulator, the images rotate to indicate which one is now active and which is inactive.
A screencast of the demo we are presenting tomorrow should be available in early February. It will show some details about how SVG separates the design of an application's graphical elements from the functionality, yet integrates them seamlessly. That's one of the big features of SVG and if that notion interests you tune in to the conference streamcast at 16:30 PST or watch for the screen cast tutorial in a couple of weeks.
Posted at 09:20PM Jan 22, 2008 by mobilesmith in Sun | Comments[0]
Meeting of the Moble-minded in Santa Clara
Why wait until Super Bowl Sunday for a shameless plug? The Mobile and Embedded Java Developer Days in Santa Clara, California are coming up faster than an HGH-fed Olympic sprinter. The last day for registering is January 18, 2008 and on-site registrations will be not possibile, so act quickly to get your spot as seating is limited.
So what's the big deal? Well the speakers list includes some big names who definitely have some say about what the future of Java ME (and it's rapidly growing kid brother JavaFX Mobile) will look like. Also on the agenda are two days of sessions loaded with information about Mobile development present and future.
For complete information about the conference and how to register check out:
Why am I so excited about it? Besides the fact that I write about this technology and will get a chance to learn some cool, new things, I will assist Karol with giving the Building slick applications with SVG and advanced graphics presentation that was created by the NetBeans Mobility team. The demo will show how to use SVG with data binding structures and End-to-End to create a mobile transit ticket purchasing UI using NetBeans Mobility. Imagine that! If applied profusely in cities around the world, this application could eliminate queues at ticket machines, eliminate the need to carry a pocket full of coins or to keep currency notes perfectly flat. Pretty cool stuff! That's just one of many sessions set to inform and inspire the developers who can attend. So ask your boss to send you today. Maybe after a pint at the company social you can get him/her to approve it on the spot. :)
Posted at 01:33AM Jan 12, 2008 by mobilesmith in Sun | Comments[0]
NetBeans TV = infotainment for Java geeks :)
Many people have been asking on the NetBeans mailing lists and other message boards "why should I bother to upgrade to NetBeans 6.0?" A valid question given how much larger the installer files are this release. The next time you're eating lunch at your desk, or looking for a justifiable form of procrastination (gee, we never do that around here :), check out the NetBeans video tutorials that demonstrate new features in the IDE. Of particular interest to Java ME developers is Gregg Sporar's Using the Visual Mobile Designer and Connecting Mobile Apps to Web Services screencast. Definitely worth a look if you're wondering why people get excited about how easy it is to create mobile applications using the VMD. If you want a comprehensive run down of everything the Mobility team packed into the 6.0 release, take a look at the New and Noteworthy wiki page for Mobility 6.0 that covers all of the new features. You have to download and try the IDE to truly appreciate how easy it is to create and deploy projects. Not sure where t begin? No worries, check out the sample applications available in Netbeans to get you off and running.
Posted at 12:13AM Dec 20, 2007 by mobilesmith in Sun | Comments[0]
NetBeans 6.0 Unleashed!
After months of non-stop effort by everyone involved, NetBeans IDE 6.0 is available today. The Mobility pack has many new features , including the latest version of the Sun Java Wireless Toolkit for both the Windows and Linux platforms.
Check out the new and updated tutorials for Mobility. The good news is that we have more on the way as there is a lot of useful features to write about in this version. So while the heavy lifting may be done, there is still more work to be completed before we break for winter holiday here in Prague.
If you're new to Java ME development, try the MIDP/CLDC Quickstart Guide or have a look at the NetBeans Mobility Learning Trail and tell us what you think. We are planning to make changes to both the MIDP and CDC Quickstart guides in the coming months, breaking them into smaller sections as well as adding new sections. Your feedback is definitely needed for us to continue producing relevant and useful tutorials. So download NetBeans 6.0 and start creating applications today!
Posted at 01:40PM Dec 03, 2007 by mobilesmith in Sun | Comments[0]
GSM technology turns 20
Mobile communications have been around for a very long time, but the sophistication of the devices used to communicate and the pace at which they evolve is what makes it exciting to be involved in documenting this technology. The BBC ran a story on the 20 year anniversary of the agreement to support GSM as a global standard for mobile communications. This agreement didn't give birth to the mobile telephone, but it's widely credited with creating the framework for the evolution of the technology to get to where it is today with billions of Java ME enabled devices being used daily around the world. That's a couple of billion reasons to use NetBeans Mobility pack! Okay, there are other development tools, but writing software for a large and rapidly growing consumer audience makes going to the office a lot more interesting than most jobs used to be.
Posted at 11:57PM Sep 09, 2007 by mobilesmith in Sun | Comments[0]
Mobility Pack 5.5.1 for CLDC and CDC Released
After many small delays and last minute efforts behind the scenes, the Mobility team got all the bits in place for the 5.5.1 version of Mobility Pack for CLDC release. This version fully supports Windows Vista, includes numerous bug fixes, has an upgrade to ProGuard 3.7 for code obfuscation as well as the latest Sun Java Wireless Toolkit for both the Windows and Linux platforms. One of the most important features of the new Wireless Toolkit 2.5.1 is support for the Mobile Service Architecture specification, an "umbrella" standard designed to increase the consistency of development environments for mobile devices. The first MSA compliant handsets are just coming to market, so we'll see if the standard has the desired impact in the months to come.
Last, but certainly not least, the Mobility Pack 5.5.1 for CDC was also released last week. In addition to Windows Vista support, it includes the NSIcom CrEme VM that allows developers to create and run Java Swing applications for the Windows CE mobile platform. Cool features using the hottest new technologies. That's NetBeans Mobility Pack for you!
Posted at 05:03PM May 30, 2007 by mobilesmith in Sun | Comments[2]
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