Maemo Summit 2009; Recap

I thought I ought to sum up the Maemo Summit 2009 conference. It has been an intense three days with lots of new interesting stuff. It was about 400 participants here in Amsterdam.

Overall the conference was a very very good one, with lots of good speakers and what I really thought was great was to get a more wider view of developing for Nokia's Maemo-platform using different technologies like Qt, Python, Web Runtime Widgets. Left it full of new energy and compelled to try out numerous new technologies. Update the address book with those new contacts and new friends.

I’m very glad that this event was timed with the release of Nokia N900, so people were actually allowed to talk to each other. As matter of fact I decided to go to Maemo Summit 2009 just because of the release of Nokia N900.

Some of the hot mobility topics at this Maemo Summit 2009:

• Of course the Nokia N900. Thank you Nokia for lending those 300 devices to all participants
• Nokia announced that Qt 4.6 will be supported on the Nokia N900, and published an initial Qt Technology Preview release. Q1 2010 will it be ready for N900.
  
• Qt and WRT are Nokia's primary supported technologies for the Maemo platform, no Java, perhaps the community could add it? Read more about possible solutions in the future to add Java support here.
• WRT support will come soon (in 2-3 months) , it was demonstrated here at this conference and it look very nice.
  

Conclusions:

• Nokia N900 is so great, I love it. Big big improvement since Nokia N810. Of course Maemo 5 and N900 will be improved during the time, Nokia made this clear. But I think it is good enough for me, it is even better than I thought. One thing I would like to see soon is support for PIM synchronization with Mac OS X, read more here and here.
  
• Nokia has big plan for the fifth step, Maemo 6. It will be very interesting to see next version of Maemo and all new Maemo devices.
• I think it is bad for Nokia if Maemo 5 or 6 will not get support for JavaME in the future, every Java developer I talk to say they will move to Android instead. I can understand them I have also application I have develop/use that would like to run also on the Maemo platform, and of course it would be great if I also could use my Java knowledge.
• Qt for Maemo 5 is already available and there is intense work to improve tools and support, I will go for the Maemo SDK Virtual Image when I develop application for Maemo 5, it look very nice. It will save me time.
  
• I plan to learn more about Qt and WRT, it will be important in the future for mobile application development for the Symbian and Maemo platform.
• I decided today to go to Maemo Developer Day and Forum Nokia Qt for Mobile Developers training November 18-20, 2009, Copenhagen, Denmark. I feel so excited of develop for the Maemo platform.

I am looking forward to a next Maemo Summit, I will surly go!!!!

Java on Nokia N900

more reading: Sun preps cell-phone Java plan for netbooks
It is about the intent to create JavaME environment for netbooks.
Perhaps something also for Nokia N900?

Android vs Maemo

Very interesting article: Android vs Maemo, I like it!!!

On my way to Maemo Summit 2009

I am just now at the airport in Stockholm waiting for my flight to Amsterdam. I am so excited to go to Maemo Summit 2009, it will a lot of fun to learn more about Maemo 5 and learn more about developing for that platform. The new Nokia N900 that run Maemo 5 is the most interesting device now a days. I promise to write a sum up blog post about Maemo Summit, you could also follow me on twitter during this event.

The book "LWUIT 1.1 for Java ME Developers"

A couple of weeks ago, a person from Packt Publishing got in touch with me, asking me to post a review on their new book, titled “LWUIT 1.1 for Java ME Developers”. Today I finally got the book.
I will start reading it now and I'll post a review later on.

I will go to Maemo Summit 2009

Finally I decided to go to Maemo Summit 2009, a Maemo developer conference taking place in Amsterdam October 9-11.

Should be a lot of fun!
See you all there!

JavaME and Maemo 5

It look like Nokia (or Sun) is not interested in Java on the Nokia Nxxx devices (Maemo).
There is still no support for JavaME in the Maemo-platform?
I would like to have the same JavaME support out off box for the Maemo platform as for the Nokia's Symbian platform.

Oh yes I know that the phoneME project has a JavaME/CDC runtime for N800, phoneme_advanced (but this is a release that came about back in early 2007). This off course is better than nothing, but it is not support for JavaME/CLDC/MIDP.

I think it very strange from Nokia to ship the N900 without support for JavaME. (like Apple did with the iPhone and Google did with Android), I understand that decent J2ME implementations are closed source and cost money for Nokia but there are a lot of JavaME applications and JavaME-developers in the world.

I really love the Maemo platform and I also plan to buy the new Nokia N900 phone.
I also plan to learn Qt and WRT (I have already started as a matter of fact), but all different mobile platforms give us mobile developers headache, it is to much to learn and support.

Maemo is the future for Nokia, but what is the future for JavaME?
There is today no support for JavaME in IPhone, Palm Pre and Maemo.
This is a huge problem for Sun I believe.
What do you think?

Read more:

• A discussion at the Maemo-users mailing list

Nokia N900 - have look

So cool! , Nokia N900
I will buy one!

Update:
more info: http://maemo.nokia.com/

Nokia RX-51/N900/Maemo 5 review

I found a very interesting article:
First look at Nokia RX-51 also known as Nokia N900 by Eldar Murtazin, mobile-review

Please Nokia release a new Maemo device

Yesterday I used my Nokia N810 when I was driving with my car (as gps navigator), I was suprised when I suddenly realize how much I love this the Open Source Maemo platform, I plan to start to develop more for this platform.
The hardware is also very nice 4 inch screen and a keyboard.
I hope Nokia will release a new Maemo device soon!
I will surly buy a new one!

follow me on Twitter - Ove Nordström

Some months ago I started to use Twitter, I think it is useful so if you would like to Follow me on Twitter

I have got a new Karate belt, brown (1 kyu)

During this weekend (30/5 and 31/5-2009) I was at a Karate training camp with Sensei Mikael Lundström 5th Dan, he is the head of Kimura Shukokai Sweden. The picture show Sensei Mikael Lundström 5th Dan in action.

The training camp attracted 320 participants. I think it was great, with a lot of basic karate training, I think I have learn a lot during this training camp. But now my body hurts after practise karate 7 h during this weekend. I have also got a new grade in Karate, 1 kyu!

Dual boot MacOS X and Windows 7RC1 on my MacBook Air

I love my MacBook Air but MS Windows is still needed unfortunate for JavaME development. First I started to use VMWare Fusion but it has became so slow.

I decided to test boot camp instead and install windows 7Rc1. Boot Camp enables you to install Windows on your Intel-based Mac computer, using a Microsoft Windows install disc that you provide. Windows is installed on its own partition. After installation, you can use either Windows or Mac OS X on your Mac computer

I have found it works very well!!
I have to tell you how I did (it took me a time) before it worked

I did this:
1 ) I run the Boot Camp Assistant (I follow the Boot Camp installation & Setup Guide), but it was impossible to create new partition, it throws an error about not being able to partition, because some files cannot be moved. I solved it, I bought iDefrag. First I created a boot CD with Coriolis CDMaker (it was included in iDefrag). I boot up my Mac from this CD and run iDefrag and made a "Full defrag" and then I was able to create a new partition with Boot Camp Assistant.

2) I then download Windows 7Rc1 (64-bit versions of Windows 7 RC1 ) and install it.

3) After that I try to install the Apple drivers, but it throws an error "Boot Camp x64 is unsupported on this computer".
I Solved it by install it in a different way: In the Start Menu Type “cmd”, then right-click on the program that appears and choose “Run As Administrator”, Then enter;
D:
cd "Boot Camp\Drivers\Apple"
msiexec /i BootCamp64.msi

4) Every things works well except the USB Ethernet dongle, it is because there is no Windows 7 boot camp driver for it, but I found out how to solved it (see step 5).

5) After that I then install Netbeans 6.5.1, JavaME SDK 3.0 and Nokia N97 SDK.

6) I had problems to get N97 SDK to work with Netbeans, it throws an error "Cannot start Series 60 SDK for MIDP", but I found a solution, MS Windows 7 is missing a required DLL file: MSVCR71.dll. I took this file from a MS Windows XP computer and place it in the bin folder of the Nokia S60 MIDP SDK and then it works.

Update:

I have also installed Eclipse Galieo M7 and update it with MTJ 1.0 RC1

(Update site: http://download.eclipse.org/dsdp/mtj/updates/1.0/stable/ )

For the moment it throws an error when I try to open the Nokia N97 SDK using MTJ 1.0 RC1

Nokia Developer Summit 2009; Recap Technical Stream

I thought I ought to sum up the first-ever Nokia Developer Summit 2009 conference. It has been an intense two days with lots of new interesting stuff. It was about 345 developer from 45 countries here in Monaco.

Overall the conference was a very very good one, with lots of good mobility speakers and what I really thought was great was to get a more wider view of developing for Nokia's S60 and Maemo-platform using different technologies like JavaME, Qt, Web Runtime Widgets. Left it full of new energy and compelled to try out numerous new technologies. Update the address book with those new contacts and new friends.

Some of the hot mobility topics at this Nokia Developer Summit:

• Nokia will continue to support Flash and JavaME, but Qt that’s Nokia future direction in mobile application development for the Symbian and Maemo platform. Nokia encourage you to learn more about Qt!!
• It was also very nice to be able to hear more about the roadmap for the Java Runtime for S60, version 1.3, 1.4, 2.0 and 2.1.
• From S60 version 3.2.3 it will also be possible to upgrade the Java Runtime, nice I think.
• Nokia did not answer the question "Why develop for Maemo 5 platform?", waiting and waiting but no news on the Maemo 5 tablet, hope for some great device to come. I really love my Nokia N810!!
  
• I did not know so much about Nokia Web Runtime (WRT), it was nice to learn more about it.
• Qt will perhaps in the future also be part of the Symbian Foundation, it is suggested by Nokia.
• Here you find more about: Qt for Maemo 5 and Qt for S60
• Interesting to hear more about Symbian Foundation and JavaME, JavaME is not yet part of Symbian Foundation but Nokia plans to Open Source the Java Runtime for S60 and put it in Symbian Foundation.
• The new Symbian Foundation developer site: http://developer.symbian.org/ will soon open.
• Mobilize your website with 3 clicks (a Open Source CMS) using a Mobile Plugin
  

Conclusions:

• I plan to learn more about Qt and WRT, it will be important in the future for mobile application development for the Symbian and Maemo platform.
  
• Nokia will continue to support JavaME and thats great I think, but Nokia talked more about Qt at this conference, but anyway it was very nice to to be able to see Nokia's JavaME roadmap, but I don't understand why Nokia have not publish it on forum Nokia site. It is very interesting for JavaME developer like me (I took a picture of it :-) ).
  
• Nokia did not talk at all about JavaFX Mobile, perhaps Nokia is not so interesting in JavaFX Mobile?
• Developers are now more important for Nokia, thats great I think!!
  

I am looking forward to a next Nokia Developer Summit, I will surly go!!!!
But I hope next conference also have more sessions about JavaME, eSWT!!

Read more:

• Nokia Developer Summit video round up Part 1, by NOKIAUSER
• Nokia Developer Summit 2009 by Thiago Macieira

Update:

• Java Runtime for S60 Roadmap by Aleksi Uotila

Eclipse for JavaME - Galileo 1.0 M6 is released

Eclipse Galileo M6 is released, that release included the first drop of Eclipse for JavaME Package that includes MTJ. The download is available here.

Maybe it will be possible to easier upgrade JavaME in the future on Nokia phones

It look like it will be possible in the future to easier upgrade JavaME on Nokia phones. It would be great if it works in a similar manner as in JavaSE for windows!!

****** from Forum Nokia Developer Newsletter *******

New Versioning Scheme for S60 Java Runtimes

Starting with S60 3rd Edition, Feature Pack 2, Java implementations will be versioned separately from the underlying S60 platform. All Nokia S60 devices come equipped with an implementation of the Java Platform Micro Edition (Java ME), also known as Java Runtime for S60 (also known as JRT). For example, Java Runtime 1.3 for S60 (JRT 1.3) is the latest version shipping with the Nokia 5800 XpressMusic, a device based on S60 5th Edition. (In fact, the exact version returned by Java environment is 1.3.4.). Developers can check the Java Runtime version by using the standard mobile information device profile (MIDP) system property microedition.platform. For example, with the Nokia 5800 XpressMusic, the system property would return:
NokiaN5800/20.0.012/sw_platform=S60; sw_platform_version=5.0;sw_java_build=1.3.4.

For details of the version features, download two Forum Nokia Wiki release notes.

Java Runtime 1.3 for S60 release notes.

Java Runtime 1.4 for S60 release notes

To learn how to create a MIDlet for asking the property and parsing the individual details, download this Forum Nokia Wiki article.

Learn more about Java Runtime for S60 releases and their versioning from this Forum Nokia Wiki article.

5 Mobile Development Headaches

I completely agree!!!

5 Mobile Development Headaches by Mike Riley Dr.Dobb's Portal

Update:
Perhaps something good for mobile developers :

• Eclipse Announces Pulsar Initiative to Define a Tools Platform for Mobile Development

"As part of the roadmap, Pulsar will support major mobile development environments such as JavaME, mobile Web technologies, and native mobile platforms. "

"Pulsar will define a common set of Eclipse-based tools in a packaged distribution that will interoperate with the various handset SDKs. This will enable developers to stay within one familiar development environment while creating mobile applications that target multiple device families."

"The first release of Pulsar Platform is expected to be available at the end of June 2009 and will be part of the Eclipse Galileo annual release."

I am going to Nokia Developer Summit

Time for something new, I have now decided to go to the first Nokia Developer Summit on 28 – 29 April in Monaco. I will be able to get the latest technical information on Nokia technologies and development platforms, including Ovi, Flash Lite, Web Runtime, Qt, maemo™, and the S60 touch-screen interface

Should be a lot of fun!
See you all there!

Sony Ericsson will support JavaFX™ Mobile

I like when mobile phone companies tell us developers what we could expect in the future about JavaME in there platform!!!

Now SonyErcisson tell us: Sony Ericsson will support JavaFX™ Mobile

I have to make decisions about what I believe is interesting technology for the future in the mobility area!
What should I learn, it is perhaps impossible to learn all?
What different devices will support it?
We have a lot of new JavaME technology like:
eRCP, eSWT, MIDP 3.0, JavaFX Mobile, LWUIT, Java ODP ...and a lot more

When companies tell us about there plans it is much easier to make decisions!
I would like more companies to tell us about there plans!
Sun have told us about the Java Mobility roadmap!!
I like it!!
Now also SonyEricsson have told us about there plans for JavaFX Mobile.

Java Mobility Roadmap

Nice a Java mobility roadmap from Sun at the Mobile Media and eMbedded Developer Days !
(see slide 13), It is also very nice with a Free, live broadcast / Thanks for that !!!!

PhoneME Feature:

• Q1-2009 MR4 (MSA1.1)
• Q4-2009 MR5
  

PhoneME Advanced:

• Q3-2009 MR3
  

JavaME SDK 3.0:

• Q1-2009

JavaFX Mobile:

• Q1-2009

MIDP 3.0 (project home):

• Q1/Q2-2009

MSA2.0 (read more here):

• Q3-2009

Mobile browser API for JavaME (JSR-290):

• Q2-2009

JavaCard 3.0 (from JavaCard 3.0 session)

• Q2-2009 Reference Implementation
  

Maemo Wordpy 1.0 beta4

My favourite Blogger blog client for my Nokia N810 is Maemo Wordpy has now come to version 1.0 beta4. It is now also very nice to be able to edit posts already published, read more about it here.