Updates:
- 5/15/2011: Added link to previous blog on Twitter API ME and a How-To (see below)
Smartphones get a lot of attention these days, but feature phones running Java ME outsell smartphones by a 5x-10x margin and have an installed based measured in the billions, not millions.
So, as an application developer or ISV, if you are going for the big markets, Java ME really needs to be part of your platform story. Not only does Java ME provide the big numbers, but Java ME also has all the tools and features to make creating great applications easy – applications that look and feel like smartphone-class applications.
Ok, so, let’s say you want to create one of those cool, new-fangled social networking-/location-based/interactive mash-up applications … Where do you start?
A while ago, I created a presentation and a sample application on just that topic. I presented it first at JavaOne 2010 in San Francisco as session S314178: “Beyond Smartphones: Rich Applications and Services for the Mobile Masses” and you can find the presentation by searching at the JavaOne content catalog.
I’ve been continuously updating it since, and have now released the source code under the BSD license on java.net. The “Meet Me For Dinner” sample application and project shows the core building blocks and development aspects of creating rich and compelling applications and content for Java ME platforms.
The sample app is not perfect (still has a few minor bugs and is lacking some nice-to-have features) but the goal is to show interested developers how to get started and enables them, due to the liberal BSD license, to copy-and-paste code as a starting point for their own projects.
Check out this short video for an introduction. Then go the “Beyond Smartphones” project on java.net for the full sources, instructions on how to build and run the code, and a forum for questions. Also, see my previous post on the Twitter API ME for more information and a “How-To”.
Finally, if you’re planning to attend JavaOne in Hyderabad, India next week (May 10-11), be sure to attend the “Beyond Smartphones” session scheduled for Wednesday, May 11, at 3:45 pm.
Cheers,
— Terrence
Across the Universe 
6 comments
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05/06/2011 at 10:54
Adrian
But how many of those billions are are aware of their phone’s java support, and how many are in landfill somewhere? I’ve had half a dozen java-enabled phones and all are dead.
05/06/2011 at 15:11
terrencebarr
Well, I don’t think this is a function of mobile Java. It depends on the devices themselves, and the different types of users (some just use the phone capability, some never install any apps, some buy a phone and stuff it in a drawer – but I suspect this is also true for many smartphones). Plus, device manufacturers and operators have been preinstalling Java apps for years as well. More than 5 billion Java-enabled phones have been shipped in total (yes, some of them are probably no longer in use now) and feature phones are the most popular communication method in many developing/emerging and growing markets. In fact, many developers and ISVs tell us that mobile Java represents the bulk of their revenue. This is just to counter some of the hype that smartphones supposedly are the only thing that matters.
05/06/2011 at 16:37
Francisco
Those are all nice things to ponder: how many java-enabled feature phones are in current use on the market, what’s their average hardware configuration, and how can they be monetized. But this things can only be objectively analyzed with data. If you have any on it, from reliable sources, please do share.
Oh, and the cool thing about smartphone development, from my viewpoint, is that: 1) smartphone development tools (at least iOS and Android) make it easier to develop well rounded apps with cool UI, which lower development costs; 2) All smartphone platforms are focusing on providing markets for users, so they can easily and intuitively buy apps. I’ve heard complaints from people who worked in companies with Java ME development that their biggest problem was that people simply didn’t download apps.
As a user, I’ve had many feature-phones with Java ME, and never downloaded a single app. I’ve known some people who did, but not many. Now I have an iPod touch for almost a year, and an Android phone for almost a month. On both I have installed apps.
05/13/2011 at 09:27
beh
Thank you for sharing. 🙂
Where can I find this libraries?
xauth-encoders.jar
mobile-ju-framework-1.0.jar
Br,
05/16/2011 at 09:45
terrencebarr
Thanks for checking on this. Turns out Twitter API ME version 1.6 doesn’t have/require these libraries anymore. I’ve updated the README.TXT file accordingly and will update the project shortly as well.
Hope this helps,
— Terrence
05/23/2011 at 01:34
Sergio
Thanks Terrence for the code I will try it and then show it to the programmers, the idea, to do the best we can with the HW people have in their packets, I would like to program for all the wealthy and the less wealthy.
Sergio