|
Sun Lowers Bar for J2ME Developers
New products, developer programs, and increased collaboration with partners aim to simplify life for Java wireless and device developers.
by Lee Sherman
JavaOne, June 12, 2003
Sun announced at JavaOne the Sun Developer Network Mobility Program and other efforts to simplify J2ME development.
The Sun Developer Network Mobility Program is a "resource for developers seeking to create, test, certify, and market Java mobility applications." Once applications are tested and certified, they can be submitted to the Sun Content Catalog, a portal that exposes these applications to operators and device manufacturers. Sun will also make applications available on java.com to increase consumer awareness of J2ME.
Additionally, a joint effort by Motorola, Nokia, Siemens, Sony Ericsson, and Sun attempts to streamline the process of J2ME application testing and certification. For the first time, device manufacturers have agreed on a set of common certification criteria. Starting in Q3-2003, developers can pay an as-yet-undisclosed fee to receive verification, after which they earn the right to attach a Java logo to their programs.
Sun is also extending the Sun ONE Portal Server to address the lack of infrastructure for delivering wireless applications. Version 6.2 will provide platform-agnostic access to information from any wireless browser or Java-enabled device. "Today most mobile solutions are vendor-specific," said Eric Chu, director of J2ME platforms marketing at Sun. "We are giving enterprises an open architecture to integrate any information they have."
Sun also announced it will work more closely with Intel Corp., with which it competes in the microprocessor arena, to increase Java compatibility with the Intel X-scale processor that powers many handheld devices.
About the Author
Lee Sherman is a San Francisco-based journalist covering mobile and Internet technologies.
Back to top
|
