ØREDEV 2008; Recap JavaME/Mobile 2.0

I thought I ought to sum up this year’s ØREDEV conference. It has been an intense three days with lots of new interesting stuff. This was my first time I’ve gone to ØREDEV.

Overall the conference was a good one, with lots of good mobility speakers and what I really thought was great was to get a more wider view of the Java mobility area (JavaME, Android, JavaFX Mobile, OSGI, eSWT...and more ). 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 ØREDEV:

• Terrence Barr, SUN had a interesting session about JavaFX Mobile, for me it was a surprise that Sun have now redesign JavaFX Mobile, it will now also work on the old JavaME platform (JavaME/CLDC1.1/MIDP2.0), this was very good I think. There was a cool demo of JavaFX with netbeans, the same code and you were able to deploy it as a normal JavaSE application, a web application and a mobile application, really cool!!. JavaFX will be release soon (December 2008) and then later JavaFX Mobile will be released, planned for spring 2009 and JavaFX TV for 2010.
• Joshua Marinacci, SUN hold a GREAT session about JavaFX script (the new declarative scripting lanuage), only 3 slides and then a lot of code, very nice, well done, I like it!!!!!!!
• Jon Bostrom, MobiNoir Consulting had a interesting session about the new Sprint Titan platform with OSGI Technology in the Mobile, it will be released very soon (some weeks), with support first for eRCP (IBM/j9) on windows Mobile devices.
• Terrence Barr, SUN demonstrated what you could build with the Open Source Lightweight UI Toolkit (LWUIT) that was released at last JavaOne 2008. The think the best thing with it, it works with the old JavaME stack (JavaME/CLDC1.1/MIDP2.0). According to SUN LWUIT bridges the gap between today (MIDP) and tomorrow (JavaFX Mobile). It also look like Sun plan to add support for JavaME/CDC and JavaSE in the future, that's also great. Netbeans Matisse will soon (?) add support for LWUIT. There was two nice demo, SVG GUI Makeover (SVG + Mobile Ajax) and also a LWUIT GUI Makeover (avaible soon here)
  
• MIDP3.0 specification was planned to be finished Q3-2008, at this conference they didn't talked so much about it and no answers about the status of it. Motorala is the specification lead for JSR-271 have recently decide to move to the Android platform, what this mean for the work on MIDP3.0 specification is not clear for me?
  
• The last day of the ØREDEV conference, the Public Review Draft Specification for MSA2 (Mobile Service Architecture 2) was released, they would like to get developer comments on it.
  
• Sten Minör from SonyEricsson talks about some important trends for mobility like: WebServices, Open Source, WebKit (standard browser engine in mobile devices).
• It was also interesting to hear more about the new JavaME plattform SDK 3.0, a beta release is planned early next year, it will support MSA 1.1. Support for Mac OS X is coming but when? (no answers). Tomas Brandalik and David Pulkrabek, SUN made a cool demo with with the sensor API!!
• Gorkem Ercan, Nokia had a great presentation about eSWT, Nokia support it's heavily (eSWT1.1 is in all Nokia S60 devices from version S60v3.2). In the future it will also be possible to update eSWT, the eRCP project are now working on eSWT 1.3. I think eSWT look very nice, it is nice to be able to access to native UI functionality. I plan to test it more in the near future.
• Mike Jennings from Google Uk had a great presentation about Android, I didn't know so much about it. I think it was great to learn more about it. Later when I am able to buy a Android phone here in Sweden, I perhaps will have a closer look on it. It look like it is not so hard to get started, only download the android sdk and the Eclipse plugin. The best part it works also on Max OS X!!. It is also easy to deploy you applications, use your usb cabel and install it or you could also register and deploy your application at the Google's Market (cost you 25 USD dollar), your application will then be available to all android phone in the phone, it looks great to me!!
• Fredik Olsson, Jaywy had a great presentation about developing for the Iphone platform. I am surprised about the 100 million application downloads in 60 days that have give back 70 million dollars for developers. The cocoa touch frameworks looks nice, but for developing you are forced to use Objective C, the tool to use is Xcode, every Mac OS X owner have it already pre installed, you only have to download the plugin for Iphone. My first feeling is, I am a Java developer, I really don't wont use Objective C, but Apple don't allow Sun to give JavaME support on this device, it is pity. The Iphone is a great device, I am still waiting for Nokia's Iphone killer device, I haven't seen it yet.
• Ken Walker, IBM had a interesting presentation about How eRCP and MIDP Application models stack up against Android and Web 2.0 Development, more information here.
  

Conclusions:

• For me as a JavaME developer/architect, it is not easy to understand the future for JavaME, Sun now talks a lot about JavaFX Mobile, Google about Android, Sprint/IBM about the Titan platform (using OSGI Technology in the Mobile (eRCP), Nokia about eSWT and JavaME/CLDC1.1/MIDP2.0, Motorola about MIDP 3.0 (but I don't know any longer, perhaps it is Android?).'
• It is funny, it look like the best JavaME platform is MS Windows Mobile, everyone supports it, it was not like that before, I think now companies like Nokia & SonyEricsson must be careful about that, I suppose they would like to support JavaME developer more in the future, it is not bad now but I think it could be better. I also would like to use OSGi technology and JavaME/CDC on a Nokia/SonyEricsson devices and to able to easily deploy my application on great Nokia Market place and become a rich Java developer. :-)
  
• Today we have JavaME/MIDP2.0, with stagnant JavaME innovation and licensing issues (tech &TCK), it is also expensive for phone companies (like Nokia, SonyEricsson) they have to pay every different company for each JSR support. It has leads to alternatives such as Android and eRCP.
  
• It look like no one care so much about JCP any longer. Sun pushes LWUIT, JavaFX Mobile, Nokia, IBM eSWT/eRCP, Google Android. All of them are Open Souce but it is not a standard by JCP, this is pity because believe in standards.
  
• Every year I have a feeling it will be The Year of the Mobile, I have had this feeling "every year" since 2003, but no. But I am now think 2009 will be The Year of the Mobile for Java, it look great!

I am now looking forward to the Java Mobile, Media & eMbedded Developer Days, Sun Santa Clara Campus Auditorium, California, USA January 21-22, 2009. There are a lots of interesting sessions at this conference. I think it is great to be able to live view it. Of course, the best way to take part is to attend the conference in person, but for me this a good solution (I don't have to travel from Sweden for only two days, it is a long journey), I think it is really cool to be able view it live!

A Mobile Web Server on my Nokia E71 phone

On the train to Øredev conference in Malmö, Sweden I read a blog post about a new release of Nokia's Mobile Web Server 1.5 beta, it was a lot of fun to play with it on the train. Here is my web site on my Nokia E71 phone

The future for Java on mobile devices?

I read a very interesting blog post by Gorkem Ercan, Will Java have a place in the future of mobile devices?
It has for a long time been very hard to understand the future for Java in Mobile devices.
We have now have JavaME/MIDP2.0, Android, eRCP and soon also JavaFX Mobile & JavaME/MIDP 3.0. Different companies all the time make new decisions about the future, like Google & Motorola did with Android and Nokia some years ago talk a lot about eRCP, but nothing have happen so far, no support for eRCP on Nokia's S60 platform.

For me as a architect/developer in the mobility area it is now very hard to decide what I should learn more about. I can't learn all different technique/language, I also have to help my customers to make good choises for the future (I work as Java Consultant)

I really hope that all different important companies in the mobility Java area (Sun, Nokia, SonyEricsson, Motorola ) understand that they have to do something about this mess in the mobility area.

I now would like to see more agreements between companies about the future for Java on mobile devices!! I would like to see a plan for the future, like next year Nokia release devices with support for.....

I have now arrive to Malmö, Sweden and tomorrow the Øredev conference will start here in Malmö, Sweden. I look forward to hear more about mobility and Java in mobile devices, it was also nice with short journey as a change, it was only 5 hours with train from Stockholm (were I live).
If anyone wants to meet there, feel free to contact me.
emails: ove@ojn.se

the JavaME mobility future look very nice

A lot of interesting Java Mobility thing is happen right now in mobilty area, I was thinking about:

• JavaME SDK 3.0 Early Access has been released. What I am really like with this is the upcoming support for Mac OS X (but when?). Read more here and here.
• Eclipse MTJ 0,9 has been released, EclipseME has grown into the the Eclipse Foundation Mobile Tools for Java (MTJ) project. Read more here and here.
• Netbeans 6.5RC1 is out, with a lot of interesting new mobility features as always, for example The Visual databinding, look very nice :-)
• A upgrade for Netbeans Mobility Microemulator Plugin - Solaris, Mac OS, Linux. It is very nice to be able to develop JavaME applications in Mac OS X instead of using Vmware and windows XP. Karol Harezlak, Thanks for that!!
  

Waiting for JavaOne2009..., I go to Øredev

Finally I decided to go to Øredev, a Swedish developer conference taking place in Malmö November 17-21. This year they put together a pretty impressive program across a wide range of developer topics including Java and Mobile 2.0. I'm looking forward to hear more about the new JavaME SDK 3.0, Java FX Mobile, eSWT, Sprint Titan, LWUIT and lot more things.

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

New release of Nokia Email Service

I really love using Nokia Email Service and now Nokia have release a new version, read about it here.

What I really think is very nice with this product:

• I am able to push Email using my gmail/IMAP account!
• There is now also full support for international characters!!
  

If you earlier have used the Nokia Intellisync client 9.0, you understand what the Nokia Email client is based on.

Some weeks ago there was a very surprising (for me at least) press release from Nokia about that Nokia renews its business mobility strategy, as a result of that Nokia will discontinue sales Nokia Intellisync Mobile Suite 9.0 and Nokia Intellisync Device Management through Nokia for Business distribution partners.

So it is very nice that Nokia Email Service will continue to live !!
Companies have to found other products and it could be very painful!

Maemo 5, the future for Nokia's Internet tablet

The future for Nokia's internet tablet devices is called Maemo 5!
Read more about Maemo 5, the next generation of the OS used on Nokia's internet tablet devices:

• OSims News- what's up with Maemo?, by Dr Ari Jaaksi, Nokia
• Technical overview: Maemo 5, the next-gen Nokia Tablet OS, by Ryan Paul
• Nokia unveils Maemo roadmap, plans for 3G Internet Tablet, by Ryan Paul

and listen to:

• Dr Ari Jaaksi's keynote speech from OSiM 2008
• Maemo Developer Session - Part 1
• Maemo OSim Developer Session - Part 2
• What can we get out of Fremantle - Peter Schneider
  

What are you waiting for in the mobility area?

It is funny, I think I always waiting for new devices to show up and also support for new JavaME APIs. I think it is because I have dream...I would like work more mobile and to be able to create cooler Java applications for these new cool devices.

But what is the problem? times go and new devices show up on the market, I think it is opportunity for a JavaME developer with all these new cool devices. The problem is not with all new devices.
But what is the problem?

I think it is still hard to develop cool JavaME applications, I started to develop JavaME applications 2003, at that time I was very pleased with JavaME/CLDC1.0/MIDP1.0 and then later we got JavaME/CLDC1.1/MIDP2.0 and later more and more JavaME APIs.
I have one example, last week I got a new device, a Nokia E71, it is a really nice device!
I love it, but I can say "it is not for the JavaME support", the core JavME support is the same as years ago. I get so bored about that.

I think it is because the JCP process is very slow and that is the main problem, it takes to long time to release new JavaME support and sometimes there is no JavaME support at all in some devices. Read more about this at Daniel Rocha's blog Is the Java Community Process hindering innovation in JavaME.

I wondering how long will it take to get new devices with support for MIDP 3.0?
2-3 years? I get so bored about this, this it is not ok!!

But back to my question, what are you waiting for in the mobility area?

Devices I am waiting for:

• Next Nokia internet tablet, I love my Nokia N810, it is time for a new one, I would like to buy, but I can't, release a new one!
  
• Asus Eee PC 910 Linux Edition, it is close now, only some weeks more.
• DELL Inspiron Mini 9 , Ubuntu version
• the first Android device, before end of this year.
  
• HP iPaq 914 with support for Sun Wireless Client (SJWC), read more here. SJWC is phoneME Feature++ (optimizations and commercial value-added components are added in SJWC above and beyond phoneME Feature, such as optional JSRs, platform tuned optimizations, etc.).
• a Apple tablet, when will Apple release a tablet?
  
• a Ericsson new turbo 3g module for Intels Centrino processor in new laptop from Lenovo, Dell and Toshiba
• the first Nokia device with support for S60 touch interface
  

JSR's I am waiting for:

• JSR-271, MIDP 3.0 to be final
• JSR-249, MSA2 to be final

Java support I am waiting for:

• Netbeans to support LWUIT
• support for JavaME/CLDC1.1/MIDP2.0 in Nokia N810
• a new version of JavaME CDC, read more here
• Netbeans to support eSWT, eSWT is cool, but we need tool support
• Mac support for Sun Wireless Toolkit (WTK), read more here
• Next release of phoneME Advanced, MR3, it will be interesting to see what it is, phoneME Feature MR3 was released during this summer.
• Support for JavaCard 3.0 in Netbeans.
• the release of JavaFX Mobile, it look very interesting

I am of course waiting for next JavaOne 2009 (too long, 264 days to next JavaOne) and next Java Mobile, Media and Embedded Deverloper Days Conference !!
I wondering will it also be a Java Mobile, Media and Embedded Deverloper Days Conference in Europe? (there was plans for that before)

Stroke of lightning, hard to be mobile

At least vacation, time for 5 weeks holiday!
Me and my family are now at a little island called Åland (placed between Sweden and Finland). We rent a little nice house at Eckerö.

I always try to test new devices on the road. This time I bring with me: a SonyEricsson G900, a Nokia N810, a Nokia E61 and also my Macbook Air. Perhaps you wondering why I have to bring two mobile phones? My G900 is my small always used mobile phone, my E61 is my perfect Email device, thats thanks to Nokia Email (push out Email from my Google's Gmail account). My N810 I use for writing in my Google blog (thanks to the perfect software called MaemoWordPy) and I also use it for gps navigation in my car. My Macbook air I use for transfer pictures from my Camera, but I think it is to big for this type of travel, I plan to perhaps buy me a Asus EEE PC 901 instead.

But bad times happen (why now?), yesterday at home a stroke of lightning destoy my router and also my ADSL modem, now I don't get any Email any more and my web site www.ojn.se don't work any longer.
Also today my wayfinder software at my N810 suddently became corrupt and navigation don't work any longer either. I had to go back to manually navigation, a paper map and my wife, she always does a good work. :-)

Blog with my Nokia N810 - Maemo Wordpy

My favourite Blogger blog client for my Nokia N810 is Maemo wordpy!
It is very nice to be able to write a blog entries off line and later publishing it when I have Internet connection available.
There is now a new release, version: 0.6.1-2, that work with Diablo. That is very nice, thanks very much for this new release!

Push Email from gmail/IMAP - Nokia Email Service

Nice to be able to push Email using my gmail/IMAP account!

It works really nice with this new free Nokia Email Service, I have try it on a Nokia E90 and Nokia E61!

Read more:

Nokia Offers Native Push Email With New Service by Darla Mack

time to flash my Nokia N810

Christmas time (in June)!

Nokia have released a OS2008 Feature upgrade called Diablo for the N800 and N810 Internet Tablets.

Read more:

• It's time to start flashing again
• OS2008 Feature Upgrade available: Fire up those firmware updaters!
  

One Symbian - Symbian Foundation

Now we have seen Nokia's response to Google's Android, it is Symbian Foundation!!

I think it is a good thing for us (consumers), we now have three open platforms for mobile devices: Android, LiMo and Symbian

The only bad thing is that Sweden’s UIQ Mulls More Than Halving Staff On Symbian News

Read more:

• Mobile leaders to unify the Symbian software platform and set the future of mobile free, press release by Nokia
• Symbian Foundation, Simon Judge, Freelance Mobile Developer
• Symbian is getting open sourced under EPL, by Gorkem Ercan
• Foundations and principles, by Ari Jaaksi

Google's handsets (Androrid) delayed

"Google Inc. is learning that changing the cellphone industry isn't easy."

"Google now says that the handsets won't arrive until the fourth quarter."

Read more at: Google's Mobile-Handset Plans Are Slowed

Am I surprised? 

No, it has always been so in the JavaME mobility area!!

But I think it is always nice with competition so I am positive that we soon have the Google Android. I think this will help us in the future to get better Java support i mobile devices!!

I think changes have to happen in JavaME area VERY SOON!!

eclipse and JavaME

The Eclipse Mobile Tools for the Java Platform (MTJ) project is being restarted some months ago using the EclipseME as the new development base code, read more here

I hope the MTJ project plan to support JavaME Mac users better than Netbeans do today!!

I love Netbeans and NetBeans Mobility 6.1 provides better support for Mac, but the Mac is still unsupported platform and this is not ok, I hope for something better! 

Today It force me to using VMware Fusion (installing Windows XP + Netbeans) when I developing JavaME applications on my Mac, I don't like that!!

Javaforum presentation - JavaOne2008

Yesterday we held a presentation at the Swedish Java-community conference JavaForum. We presented some of the most interesting topics from this year's JavaOne conference (I was talking about JavaME). Everything went quite well, I think. "We" are;
Robert Varttinen, Jonas Södergren, Mattias Holmqvist, Magnus Kastberg and myself.

JavaOne 2008; Recap JavaME

I thought I ought to sum up this year’s JavaOne conference. It has been an intense week with lots of new interesting stuff. This was the 8th time I’ve gone to JavaOne.

Some of the hot mobility topics at this JavaOne:

• Netbeans 6.1 and all new features, it look really good. This is a performance release, they have working hard to get better performance.
  
• JavaFX Mobile, well actually not so hot this year. But JavaFX was really hot this year, in July 2008 JavaFX Desktop Early Access version will be release and then later JavaFX Mobile will be released, planned for spring 2009.
• MSA 2 is the new name for MSA for CDC (JSR-249), MSA 2 will specify three different sets of API – a limited, a core, and a full set. The limited version with support for MIDP2.1 and the others MIDP 3.0. The final version of JSR-249 is expected to be published in the fourth quarter of 2008. Read more about it here and here. Read also the early draft review for MSA 2, they would like to get feedback, send your comments to: jsr-249-comments@jcp.org.
• Neil Young, Blue-ray and Playstation3, very cool what Neil Young had done in his multimedia project thanks to JavaME/CDC and Blue-ray, read more about Neil Young's project here.
• The Lightweight UI Toolkit (LWUIT) was released at JavaOne 2008. An early access binary release of the LWUIT library is available and it is planned to OpenSource by summer 2008. Read more here. The best thing with it, it works with JavaME/CLDC1.1/MIDP2.0, that's great!. They plan to add support for JavaME/CDC in the future, that's also great. There is also a LWUIT tutorial, later Netbeans support will be added (summer 2008).
  
• Java Card 3.0 specification was finished mars 2008, it is a web-server!, read more here. Netbeans have also added support for Java Card.
• MIDP 3.0 is not so far away (the specification), they plan to release the specification Q3-2008.
• Sprint Titan Platform, a next generation javaME platform (OSGI, JavaME/CDC). Sun provides the new JVM for Titan, but only for the MS Windows Mobile platform.
• Sony Ericsson’s Capuchin project, a bridge between Flash Lite and JavaME, thanks to JavaME you will be able to integrate with the Mobile phone. Read more here.
• JavaOne show devices: Livescribe Pulse (smartpen) with JavaME support and Sentilla Perk Kit, with JavaME support, I bought both!!
• NVIDIA APX 2500 DEMO AT JAVAONE: JAVA ME CDC EVERYWHERE, I think it is cool with JavaME/CDC devices!!
• Java on Windows Mobile, Sun have released a JavaME/CDC JVM for MS Windows Mobile, it is CDC 1.1.1/FP 1.1.1/PBP 1.1.2/PP 1.1.2 which is the equivalent of Java SE 1.4.2 - including AWT and Applet support.

Conclusions:

• Overall the conference was a good one, as usual. 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.
• SonyEricsson was back at JavaOne! (3 years since last time), great for a Swedish person like me.
• JavaME/CDC1.1/FP1.1 is next generation Java that could compete very well with .Net but companies like Sony Ericsson, Sun and Motorola still talk more about JavaME/CLDC1.1/MIDP2.0. This must change very fast I believe!! Every year I think "now it is time for JavaME/CDC/FP" but it look like a long way to go!
• Sprint Titan platform will one of the first to support JavaME/CDC/FP, perhaps ready Q4 2008/Q1 2009?, but only support for MS Windows devices??
  
• I hope companies like Motorola, Nokia, Sony Ericsson soon will release JavaME/CDC1.1/FP1.1 devices, it will put some healthy pressure on the JavaME community. The funny thing now is that MS windows devices support JavaME/CDC.1.1/FP1.1 better because of the Eclispe project eRCP and the phoneME project.
• JavaFX Mobile have long way to go, this year Sun didn't want to talk about it at all.
• Android and eRCP I didn't nearly hear anything about at this JavaOne, this I think it is bad for the Java community.
• The PhoneME project is really interesting, what I am missing is a official roadmap from Sun to point out where SUN are going with phoneME Advanced and MIDP 3.0, OSGI and lot more interesting things like LWUIT.

After Javaone a good resource is the JavaOne Online Technical Sessions and Labs, there you will find:

• The static PDF versions of the technical session slides are open for viewing and download to all users
• The multimedia version, which includes the speaker's audio track and text transcription synchronized with the slide deck, is available to anyone who is a Sun Developer Network member.

See you at next JavaOne June 2-5, 2009!

Read also: JavaOne 2008 Blog Posts

Not so many people have been flying under the Golden Gate Bridge

The day before CommunityOne me and my friends took a helicopter tour over San Francisco. The pilot suddenly told us “Not so many people have been flying under the Golden Gate bridge” and then we did it, very cool!!!

Journey has started

It's soon time for JavaOne again, I have now boarded the plane to Chicago.
This will be my 8th JavaOne, it seems like last time was yesterday, time flies.
See you all there!

JavaFX Mobile at JavaOne2008?

I can't find any sessions about JavaFX Mobile at this JavaOne 2008!!
Session TS-7051, "JavaFX(tm) Mobile Platform Architecture and APIs", has been cancelled.
Strange!???

Nokia N810 compared with Macbook Air

I am now on holiday up in the swedish mountain (practice downhill skiing). I am very suprised now when I have a very slow connection to the Internet that my Nokia N810 works much better than my Macbook air. The browser and the Email client works much faster and perfect compared with the Macbook air.
I think my Nokia N810 is really a great device!

No Email today?

Perhaps you have configure your own postfix server to get rid of spam?
If you have checks against relays.ordb.org configured in your mail server or spam filtering software, you're now blocking 100% of your inbound mail

3/26/08 Update: ORDB has "listed the entire world" -- returning any query with a "listed" response. The result is that if you still have ORDB in your mail server config files, you're now blocking 100% of your inbound mail. For anyone still trying to "use" ORDB, you're not going to receive any inbound mail until you disable queries to it.

Read more here.

HowTo reconfigure postfix:
1) In the file "main.cf", remove the line: reject_rbl_client relays.ordb.org,
2) run: /usr/sbin/postfix reload
3) Now you will get eMail again!

what is missing about JavaME at Next JavaOne 2008?

It is soon time for JavaOne and I always feel "I must go" and I will go also this year!
I think JavaOne is about; go to a lot of interesting Java sessions/BOF, meting a lot of new Java people and also discover a lot of new Java products in the JavaOne Pavilion.

Some weeks ago The JavaOne Content Catalog (for javaME) is online and I was thinking "what subject is missing in javaME area at this JavaOne?"
I would like for example to hear more about Android, eRCP (eSWT), MIDP3.0, but What do you think is missing?

Time to move to a Mac

I finally found a new laptop that I hope will help me to work more mobile. My new laptop arrived yesterday and it is a Macbook Air from Apple. I thought it’s was time for a change, I will now go for Leopard instead of windows XP.

I used to be a Apple fan some years ago, 1986 I bought me my first apple computer, it was a Macintosh plus. At that time I think Apple really was far away from other companies, but time changes and suddenly Microsoft have made progress and made windows 3.11 and later also windows 95/98 and it was not so bad products.

Later Apple did something really great when they move to a new Mac OS based on linux instead, now they able to produce great products again and I must say "Macbook Air is really thin"!
I love it!

Sprint Titan

Sprint Nextel have just released Sprint Titan, a developer SDK incl. OSGi and eRCP
They'll release post- and pre-installed commercial phones in 2008.
Read more about it here.

Nokia N96 a device with support for eSWT, MIDP2.1 and the subset of JSR-248

Read more here: Announcing two Nokia devices with eSWT
Nokia N96 look like a cool device!
(N96 is expected to begin shipping in the third quarter of 2008)
N96 is running S60 v3.2 (with great JavaME support)

Sony Ericsson and Windows Mobile

I became a little surprised when I today read in Computer Sweden (a Swedish IT news paper) about Sony Ericsson plans to start selling high end mobile phones with Windows Mobile instead of Symbian/UIQ.

It look like Sony Ericsson plans to introduce new Windows Mobile phones during the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona this week.

I am little bit surprised because I thought linux for mobile phones is what is hot now in this area. This week I expected to get more information about plans for new phones based on Google´s Android and Sun´s JavaFX Mobile not so much about Windows Mobile phones.

Update:
Today Sony Ericsson made a announcement of the XPERIA™ X1 based on Windows Mobile

Writing in my blog with Maemo WordPy 6.0 beta

It is very nice to be able to write a blog entries off line and later publishing it when I have Internet connection available.

I must say Maemo WordPy 6.0 beta is a very useful software for that purpose.
What is missing so far in this beta release?
Not much actually, perhaps spell checking and to be able to update a already publish blog entry.
I am very pleased with Maemo WordPy 6.0 beta!

I think my Nokia N810 will be the perfect gadget to bring to next JavaOne 2008!

maemo wordpy 0,6 beta also now for blogger accounts

I read about a new beta release of Maemo WordPy 0.6 beta for Nokia N810 that works also for blogger accounts.

I have now installed Maemo WordPy 0.6 beta and now I will try it!
(It's in the extras-devel repository, add to the application catalogue:
Address: http://repository.maemo.org/extras-devel
Distribution: chinook
Components: free non-free)

I hope this works!

Thanks!!, for stream the entire Java Mobile & Embedded Developer Days live

I think it is great to be able to live view the The Java Mobile & Embedded Developer Days!
There are a lots of interesting sessions !!
It will be a long night (we in Sweden are 9 hours before)!

Of course, the best way to take part is to attend the conference in person, but for me this a good solution (I don't have to travel from Sweden for only two days, it is a long journey), I think it is really cool to view it live!

Thanks for stream the entire Java Mobile & Embedded Developer Days live !

Update:
They started to publish the videos online, look here.

Changes have to happen in JavaME area

I read a VERY GOOD BLOG called Possibly the last MIDP specification, you will ever review. The writer Gorkem Ercan gave us the information that the public review for the JSR 271(MIDP 3 ) has started and what he thought about the future for Java in mobile devices.

I totally agree with Gorkem Ercan about that we in the mobility area have some problems with the JCP process, as it works today.

Sorry, I don't get excited about that JSR 271, (MIDP 3) is now in public review or that JSR 232 has published (some days ago) an updated Final Maintenance Release. This because it usually takes years before we have new devices with support for a new JSR.

But I think there are many good things in JavaME area:

• We have a Java standard in mobility area, JavaME/CLDC1.1/MIDP2.0
  
• There are a lot of devices with support for JavaME/CLDC1.1/MIDP2.0
• JavaME is OpenSource
  
• The PhoneME project, an excellent piece of work is done in that project.
  
• The eRCP project is also VERY GOOD for us!
  

I think this is not so good:

• The JCP process is very very slow and not open for everyone. Then when a JSR is finished, it take a very long time when we actually have devices that support it and the worse thing is that sometimes no support comes at all (like AGUI).
• For me as a JavaME developer/architect, it is not easy to understand the future for JavaME and I also don't think it help if you join the JCP (I have join JCP) to get a better understanding about it.
• There are no devices with support for JavaME/CDC1.1/FP1.1.
• There are delays for JSR 249: Mobile Service Architecture 2, based on JavaME/CDC1.1/FP1.1 and no public information from JCP about this delay. I can't understand why JCP don't update the schedule for each JSR.
  

But I think it is always nice with competition so I am positive that we now also have eRCP and soon the Google Android. I think this will help us in the future to get better Java support i mobile devices!!

I think something has to happen now in the JavaME JCP process!!
I don't think it is ok to release a JSR some years later and with no information about delays during the process, JavaME is OpenSource but it is NOT OPEN!

But don't understand me wrong, I am very pleased we have the JCP process in Java, I believe we need Java standards. But innovation I would like to see it in a more rapid way and done open to anyone.

I plan to go to next JavaOne, but I will be very disappointed if I can't find sessions about all kind of Java in Mobility area like: Android, eRCP...

offline blogger client called Maemo blogger

I have now found a offline blogger client called Maemo blogger for N810.
I read about here

This is what I did to get it working:
1. Install python 2.5 runtime
2. Install gdata-python
3. install maemo-blogger

It works very well!
This it the very first post with it from my Nokia N810!!

Today I am happy, my Nokia N810 has arrived!

Yesterday I got my Nokia N810.
I am really impressed about it, it was better than I thought!
I think the keyboard is really great, it will help me a lot in my work!
The skype support is also very good, very very good voice quality.

I have used it on meeting during the entire day and it works very well, no more notes on paper.

It was also very nice sitting on the bus on my way home from my work and writing this, saves a lot of time.

At next JavaOne I will also be able to leave my laptop at home and only bring my mobile phone and my Nokia n810.

I think this is the future! People will work more from different small devices and always be connected to internet.

It was also very easy to install and update new program and OS on it. Yesterday I first installed the first official update of OS2008 for Nokia N810 (version 2.2007.50-2)
It was very easy to do with the Nokia Internet Tablet Software Update Wizard

I have also installed more memory (more is better), I have bought me a 8GB SanDisk microSDHC and put it in a micro-to-miniSDHC adapter.

As I am JavaME developer I plan to install JavaME on it.
I plan to add support for phoneME Advanced, it look like it will be possible, look here.

update:
I have asked about the status of the port of JavaME for Nokia N810 in the phoneME Advanced forum, look here.

Now I waiting for my Nokia N810

Today, I have ordered my Nokia Internet Tablet N810 ! And lucky me, finally the N810 discount code for my Maemo contribution was accepted in the Nokia Online shop.

A lot of thanks to Jan for the tip!

skype and Nokia N770 (running OS 2007 Hacker edition)

Someone discovered that is possible to make Skype run on N770 with Os2007 HE.
It works really great for me!

This is what I did to get it working with skype:
1) First I installed the latest version of os2007 hacker edition, version 4.2007.46-3
2) Install Skype-ui, Menu>Tools>App Manager>Browse Installable apps>skype-ui
3) Download the last Skype armel deb, version1.7.62.48.5 and extract the file named skypehost (In folder ...../usr/bin you find it).
4) copy skyhost into your mmc card (using the USB cable).

5) Install Xterm, to install XTerm on a Nokia 770 0S2007HE go to maemo-hackers and click on the .install link for "bora"
6) Install "becomeroot" package, download it from here

7) Copy skypehost from your mmc card to /usr/bin:
Start Xterm
~ $ sudo gainroot
/home/user # cp /media/mmc1/skyhost /usr/bin
/home/user # chown user:users /usr/bin/skyhost

That's all! You can find more information on the original post

Merry Christmas!!

Oh, Christmas time again!!

I have been very busy last month, working a lot and training karate a lot.

One week ago , I got a new karate belt, brown (2 kyu). The picture is from our training camp in December 2007 with Shihan Lionel 8th Dan from South Africa and Sensei Mikael Lundström 5th Dan.

Today it was time to buy the last Christmas presents..., now after a nice dinner and some glass of wine I got into the Christmas spirit!!!

I wish you a Merry Christmas!!

great to be JavaME developer

It looks very nice all new Java features of Nokia's S60 3rd Ed. fp 2

Because of Nokia's new S60 Java VM, we will get:

• better performance for JavaME applications
  
• possibility to dynamically extend the virtual machine with new APIs.

S60 3rd Ed. fp2 also will add support for:

• MIDP 2.1
• subset of JSR-248
• eSWT
• and lot more .......
  

Great improvements Nokia!

update:

• Widgets: The S60 Web Run Time, what is it and how can I use it? by Stefan Constantinescu, intoMobile
  

Next Generation Java for Mobile devices

I think it will be a very interesting Java mobility year 2008, now when Google also have introduced Android. It look like Android is Java-based but not based on JavaME, I wonder why and what will Sun do about this?

What is Next Generation Java for Mobile devices?
For the moment we have different answers and more confusions for all of us.

We have:

• eRCP, based on JavaME/CDC1.1/FP1.1
• Android, Java-based but not based on JavaME
• JavaFX Mobile, based on JavaME/CDC1.1/FP1.1
• JSR 249: Mobile Service Architecture 2, based on JavaME/CDC1.1/FP1.1
• JSR 271: Mobile Information Device Profile 3 (MIDP 3.0) , based on on JavaME/??
  

For me as a JavaME developer it is important to understand different companies Java support in near future (2008)!
so Please Nokia, SonyEricsson and Motorola tell us!!!

I also think it would be great to have more information about the work going on in JSR-249 and JSR- 271, please tell us!!

Read more here:

• Google Android: Initial Impressions and Criticism by Jilles van Gurp
• Will Google fracture or unify mobile Linux?
• how Google routed around Sun's IP-based licensing restrictions on Java ME
• The Android SDK, Demo Video and Contest by Carlos Enrique Ortiz
• What is Android vs JavaFX Mobile? by Evan Summer
• Sooo, what about Google Android and phoneME? by Terrence Barr
• Android Developers Blog
• On the Android announcement - a bullet list by Sean Sheedy
• Google's Android revealed: Component software for the mobile world

I have been accepted to the N810 maemo device program

I have got a E-mail that made me happy!

N810 maemo submission accepted.
Congratulations! You have been accepted to the N810 maemo device program.
We will send your discount and instructions as soon as the device is available in your selected shop (soon).
maemo team - http://maemo.org

update:

• The 500 fortunate applicants to the N810 maemo device program
• 500 happy contributors
  

No support for Java 6 in Leopard

I feel very disappointed about that Apple have not add support for Java 6 in Leopard!!

I have plan to buy me a new Apple laptop (after Apple have release Leopard) but now I don't know any longer. Perhaps I will go for a linux laptop instead??

What laptop should I buy?
What linux OS should I go fore?
(Ubuntu, Suse10)
Or perhaps solaris (look like James Gosling think it better choise)?
What do you think is the best solution for a Java developer?

Read more here:

• Java Code That Explains the 'No Java 6 on Leopard' Reaction

the future of JavaME

There is a lot of confusion about what James Gosling had said about the future of JavaME.

Anyway, I hope we very soon will see more devices supporting JavaME/CDC1.1/FP1.1 + JSR-232 + JSR-249 (but this JSR is not ready yet)!
On that platform it will be possible to add also the old JavaME platform (MIDP2.1 (and of course JSR-248)).

Read more about all good things with JSR-232 here


Read more here:

• JavaME is *not* dead (James Gosling)
  
• Sun: Plenty of live left in java ME (Internet News article)
  
• Adieu JavaME? (Terrence Barr)
  

Sun and Samsung developing a Java mobile phone

I read that Sun and Samsung are joinly developing a Java phone!
This is interesting because Sun bought the SavaJe company earlier this year and now we could see some result of that.

Read more here:

• Sun/Samsung (Dean Collins)
  

Nokia N810 Internet Tablet - really cool!!

This is a device I have waiting for, I will buy it!
It is the first Nokia Internet Tablet with a keyboard and GPS.
I will also be able to install JavaME/CDC1.1/FP1.1 on it, thanks to phoneMEAdvanced!


Read more here:

• Nokia Internet Tablet Tablet on its way
• Nokia press release, N810
• The Nokia Internet Tablet (Internet tablet talk)
• Nokia N810 -- Announced (Ari Jaaksi)

update:

• First N810 Video and more Info (TabletBlog.com by ThoughtFix)
  

eSWT and Netbeans

Nokia have now released a eSWT plugin for Nokia S60 SDK 3rd Edition FP2 beta.

I thought, will I be able to use my favorite JavaME development tool, Netbeans 5.5.1, for develop a eSWT Midlet?
The short answer is: Yes it works, thanks to the Nokia SDK (very nice Nokia!!)

HowTo get started with eSWT development with Midlets?

1. Read: eSWT for S60, First Contact - Gorkem Ercan from Nokia
   
2. Read: How to use eSWT with Midlets.
3. Install Nokia S60 SDK 3rd Edition FP2 beta
4. Install eSWT plugin
5. Install Netbeans 5.5.1 and Netbeans Mobility Pack and add the Nokia SDK (In the menu "Tools/Java platform manager", choose "Add platform" and "Java Micro Edition platform Emulator")
   

I used the example code from How to use eSWT with Midlets and it works with Netbeans!

But Netbeans don't support eSWT, it works because of the Nokia SDK, I wondering if there is any plans for eSWT support in Netbeans?

Read more about it here:

• eSWT for Nokia S60 series is now available (Beta)

update:

• eSWT available for development (S60 Java blog)
• Advantages of eSWT

Started, a Swedish Java User Group

Now there is also a Swedish Java User Group, in Sweden we also have a other Java user group called JavaForum since many years ago.

Nokia S60 will include eSWT in the next release

I read something very interesting: eSWT will be a standard part of the Nokia S60's java platform (in S60 third edition feature pack 2).

update:
Article: Explore Eclipse's embedded Rich Client Platform (more about eSWT)

Article: The JavaME GUI APIs at a Glance (a update about GUI APIs for JavaME, but nothing about eSWT)

Google phone runs SaveJe SW?

A interesting rumors about that the Google phone will be using a Java based OS (SavaJe??).

JavaOne 2006 I bought the first (and last) SavaJe phone. The phone was nothing special, it was a basic low end phone, but it was a Java phone!
It was ok for me, because I am a JavaME developer.

But this time, if this rumors is true I hope they release a phone with something "extra", something that normal people (not only Java developer) find useful. I believe this is really important to have a business success!

Read more about it here and here.

new Nokia official Podcast

Interesting, Nokia has started offering official podcasts, I find this podcast very interesting!

They talked about how important it is for Nokia Research Center to worked more open and together with other companies and university and how important it is with standards and Open Source.

I have earlier wondering why Nokia S40 platform support JavaME faster and bettter compared with the Nokia S60 platform. In this postcast Nokia explained it "Nokia S40 is a more closed platform and really need JavaME, but for the Nokia S60 you also have c++". But I think this is wrong, JavaME is also really needed for the S60 platform, if you would like to develop enterprise applications you need high end devices (S60) and of course really good support for JavaME.

If you want to subscribe, here is the XML feed for your podcasting client.

Back in business

Back in business after 5 weeks holidays, I have now worked 3 weeks.

Last 3 month I have been able to test both a Nokia E90 and a SonyEricsson P1. It is very interesting to compare them, first I didn't liked the P1 so much, but I have now change my mind. I think I need both...

Some important things have happen during summer:

• Nokia have drop carbide.j, it is not surprising, the Netbeans & the Eclipse platform are to good developer environments!
  
• Great news, Nokia N800 now support skype, perhaps also in the future support for Skype in the Nokia S60 platform?
  
• eRCP 1.1 released, but no support for Nokia S60 yet!
• Java on a Ipod, what a great idea!
  
• Nokia MOSH released, a community for mobility devices. The mobile site is http://mosh.nokia.mobi.
• According to a Swedish newspaper (Computer Sweden) Java developer prefers Mac computers running MacOS X, I think it is perhaps correct, at least many Java developer at last JavaOne had a apple laptop. I hope Apple soon release a new smaller laptop, with flash disk and hsdpa support, perhaps close to the release of leopard in October!

IPhone nothing for a (JavaME) developer

Read this two good articles about IPhone and developing applications for it: No Java ME for you! Get out of line! and Developing Applications for the iPhone

Iphone only support Ajax/Web 2.0
:-(

This is VERY good news for companies like Nokia, SonyEricsson , I believe you really need to support JavaME now and in the future on Mobile phone, PDA or a UMPC!!

SonyEricsson investigating/implementing eSWT

Great news, now also SonyEricsson investigating/implementing eSWT
Read more about this at Gorkem ERCAN blog

MS Vista UMPC killers?

Look like 2007 will be a interesting year in the Mobility area!
I am thinking about Mobility devices with a 10 to 11-inch screen and a keyboard.

• Ubuntu Mobile and Embedded edition, is due to arrive in October 2007. The software is geared for use on Intel's Mobile Internet Device platform--minitablet PCs using low-power processors and tiny keyboards. Read more at CNET News.
  

• Palm Foleo, 10 " display, linux OS and full keyboard, is due to arrive during summer 2007. Read more at UltraMobileGeek

It will be very interesting in the future to see mobility plans for other companies like DELL, Apple, Nokia, HP and SonyEricsson, the battle have now started!!

I have got a new Karate belt, brown (3 kyu)

During this weekend I was at a Karate training camp with Sensei Mikael Lundström 5th Dan, he is the head of Kimura Shukokai Sweden. The training camp attracted 250 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 10h during this weekend.

I have also got a new grade in Karate, 3 kyu.

JSR-232, JSR-249 and Nokia E90

At this JavaOne I went on a session called Advanced Mobile Service Architecture Based on JSR 232 (TS-50695), I think this session was very interesting, perhaps the most interesting session at JavaOne 2007!

This session is about next generation JavaME, based on JavaME/CDC1.1/FP1.1 and JSR 232 Mobile Operational Management.

Now there is also a article based on this session:
Is OSGi the Solution for Mobile Java?

I like this:

• On a device with JSR 232 Mobile Java developers will have a much more powerful CDC/FP runtime and class libraries to work with, making AGUI and Swing GUIs a possibility, a well as the embedded versions of SWT and the Eclipse Rich Client Platform (eRCP).

• Most importantly, the developer doesn't need to wait for the Java Community Process or device manufacturers to bring these components to the handset: once wrapped into an OSGi bundle they can be installed to the device over the air and registered as a service, much like an Eclipse plugin is installed via Update Manager.

I cant wait until I get this upcoming Nokia E90 handset and little later also this post-installed add-on software with OSGi and eRCP.

I think JSR-249, Advanced Mobile Service Architecture will be a very important JSR, perhaps also more important than the upcoming JSR-271, MIDP 3.0 I believe.
I hope it don't take to long time before JSR-249 is finish.

Ubuntu support in Sun Java Wireless Toolkit 2.5.1

Great, there is now also support for Ubuntu in Sun Java Wireless Toolkit 2.5.1.
(it is included in Netbeans 5.5.1)

• But only Ubuntu 6 is supported, Sun WTK team plan to support Ubuntu 7 in next release.
• No support for MacOSX and Solaris :-(
  

If you are a JavaME developer it is really hard to run something else than MS Windows XP/Vista on your laptop, I try to change just before JavaOne 2007, but it didn't work for me.
The missing part for me is now Nokia PC Suite and Carbide.j from Nokia.

Things get better and better!!
:-)

Midlet with eSWT?

Read Midlet with eSWT, Gorkem ERCAN wants to get your opinions about:

• If eSWT should be available for midlets? !

For more info about eSWT read also Better UIs with eSWT , Hartti Suomela's at Nokia.

JavaOne 2007; does Sun need to re-invent itself?

Overall the conference was a good one, as usual. 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.

Not that many big announcements during this JavaOne – more like last years that there are some nice mobility things happening, but nothing really concrete comes out of it, yet. See previous post.

There are a few disappointments at this JavaOne2007 though:

• I am little worried, though, regarding the fact that JavaOne has become a more of an SUN event, there are way too many speakers from SUN.
• When it comes to the quality of the sessions, the span is huge; from the very worst to the very best one I attended

I compiled a list of some suggestions to, in my opinion, to make better conference next time at JavaOne 2008:

• A better mix of speakers selected from various parts of the Java Community, around the world, based on their merits. There are actually great many people from numerous organizations very knowledgeable within their fields of expertise.
• Don’t exclude others communities, e.g. Eclipse eRCP, OSGi, etc. There are way too few sessions covering these “competing” technologies – please keep in mind that other Java based technologies are our friends, the foe is .NET and other things.
• Why no Pavillion on Friday? Some of the really cool toys presented by Gosling where on display in the Pavillion. After Gosling’s display I would like to see those gadgets for real and close up. Also, I do not want to miss out a session or two just because I also want to check out the Pavillion.
• Community One was great, but would like to see more specialized days, e.g. for Mobility, etc. We who have traveled from far away would like to spend our time more effectively when in SF.
• Make Mobility the theme for the next JavaOne
• “Fly your own planes”, i.e. every year there are a number of announcements regarding Java on mobile devices but we do not see any progress of this implemented within the context of the conference itself
• Content catalog available only on mobile phone and on the web, it will save a lot of trees.
• Also record BOFs, some very good sessions not to be missed
• At next years party we would like to see a repeat appearance with Grinder Girl! Will she cut up those freakin’ robots this time?
• Don’t start tearing done the place until conference is really over! SunRay where being removed when there where sessions to go to. No, there should be formal ending of conference, where e.g. the official T-shirt is handed out. That wil make people wanting to stick to the very end. Then you can start dismantling
• Finally, why not have a full five day conference? Less stressful maybe, and there is nothing wrong with repeat sessions on the more popular presentations

See you at next JavaOne May 6-9 2008!

The above comments where compiled from the notes of myself, Ove, and Robert Varttinen. The same text, more or less, will appear soon on his blog.

JavaOne 2007; Recap JavaME

It’s time to go home after a week of conferencing. I am sitting at the airport waiting for my flight back home. It has been an intense week with a lot of new interesting stuff. I thought I ought to sum up this year’s JavaOne conference.

This was the seventh time I’ve gone to JavaOne, so I thought of comparing this year’s with previous ones, but I will be in a separated blog post later.

Some of the hot mobility topics at this JavaOne:

• Netbeans 6.0 preview (M9) and all new features for mobility, it look really good.
• The SavaJe has resurrected as JavaFX Mobile (Read more about JavaFX Mobile here) and it also look like SUN will Open Source the SavaJe SW
• Many sessions were about the SVG API, with SVG you are able to create high-quality UI. Tools like Netbeans and Hyperion Mobile Designer integrate very well together for creating SVG applications
• Blu-ray and the use of JavaME/CDC/Foundation Profile is pretty cool
• Sun-Spot, I’ve gotta get me one of those kits! The kit includes two SPOTs and an SDK – unfortunately not ready for Europe yet
• Netbeans support for development of Sun Spot applications, really nice
• Thanks to the Open Sourcing JavaME there are now ports on other platforms, e.g. that Nokia N800. The phoneME project has made success in very short time, great work done!!
• Developers will soon be able to develop applications that comply with the Mobile Operational Management JSR 232 standard (OSGi) and use SNAP Mobile in less-than-optimum networks, according to two announcements made by Nokia at JavaOne 2007.
• Nokia and IBM gave a demo at JavaOne for developers looking to extend the value of devices to remote desktops and mobile clients across networks that may not be always connected. They showed a service called IBM Lotus Expeditor. It is an end-to-end solution based on Nokia devices enabled by eRCP (embedded rich client platform) and OSGi.
• Web services to Go, JSR-279 and JSR-280 soon finish (~ June 2007 final approved and devices supporting it 6 month later). With these two RSR’s it will be easier for developer to working with Web Services in the mobility area and it will also add better support for parsing XML data.
• Ericsson's Mobile JSF kit, which implements a reference solution about mobile-device-specific rendering for mobile applications based on Java EE
• WidSets, look very cool and soon a new big release.
• Project Orbit, the Sun Java ME viewer of Laszlo content. It is a Java ME CDC/Personal Basis application that uses the Rhino engine to run LZX programming language Web 2.0 (AJAX style) applications. Very cool!
• Data binding and JavaME, Netbeans support data binding.
• Sprint releasing a beta version of Sprint next set of developer tools, the Sprint WTK 3.2 and Mobility IDE. It is a modify Netbeans with added functions e.g. file browser
• MIDP 3.0 will perhaps come; how long it will take I don’t understand??
  Read more at open.source.motorola
• Perst Lite – a Open Source database for javaME
• Advanced Mobile Service Architecture based on JSR-232. This is really hot!

What I would like to hear more about at this JavaOne, but it was missing at this JavaOne:

• The progress of JSR-249, Mobile Service Architecture Advanced
• The progress of the Eclipse project embedded Rich Client Platform (eRCP)

Conclusions:

• JavaME/CDC1.1/FP1.1 is next generation Java that could compete very well with .Net but companies like Sony Ericsson, Sun and Motorola talk more about JavaME/CLDC1.1/MIDP2.0. This must change very fast I believe!!
• Web Services for JavaME will perhaps be useful at the end of this year
• Advanced Mobile Service Architecture based on JSR-232 is really hot and soon there will be devices supporting it
• JavaME/CDC1.1/FP1.1 for linux is really hot
• I hope companies like Motorola, Nokia, Sony Ericsson soon will release JavaME/CDC1.1/FP1.1 devices, it will put some healthy pressure on the JavaME community. The funny thing now is that MS windows devices support JavaME/CDC.1.1/FP1.1 better because of the Eclispe project eRCP and the phoneME project.
• I am very excited about that Sun has bought SavaJe and let all hope that Sun will be able to release newer versions before too long so. I hope will be able to upgrade my SavaJe Jasper S20 I bought at JavaOne 2006. Meanwhile there is now a site with SaveJe Jasper Developer S20 files
• I have also met some old Java friends from the Java community and also made some new friends. This is one of the major advantages going to JavaOne!

After Javaone a good resource is the JavaOne Online Technical Sessions and Labs, there you will find:

• The static PDF versions of the technical session slides are open for viewing and download to all users
• The multimedia version, which includes the speaker's audio track and text transcription synchronized with the slide deck, is available to anyone who is a Sun Developer Network member.

The above comments where compiled from the notes of myself, Ove, and Robert Varttinen. The same text, more or less, will appear soon on his blog.

JavaOne day 2 starts soon

Day two is about to begin (now it is 7.30 AM), yesterday I had sessions/BOF from 8.30 AM to 11.00 PM.
I think JavaOne is about to go to a lot of interesting Java sessions/BOF, meting a lot of new Java people and also discover a lot of new Java products in the JavaOne Pavilion.

Yesterday I also went to a extra JavaOne Q/A session with Scott McNealy, chairman of Sun Microsystems. He is really a interesting person!
It was a great opportunity to ask question about whatever you want.

JavaOne had now started

First day of JavaOne.
Some interesting things:

• The SavaJe software will be OpenSource
• Ericsson have a new partnership with Sun about Open Source IMS
• Open Source JDK is now finished, new site launched: http://openjdk.java.net
• JavaFX Mobile announced, http://java.sun.com/javafx/
  
• Sun had a demo on the SavaJe phone and Nokia N800 running JavaME/CDC
• JRE gets bigger and bigger, because of that there will be a consumer release of JRE in Q1 2008
• JMaki (http://ajax.dev.java.net) and Phobos (http://phobos.java.net) for scripting, fully supported in Netbeans

It is funny device manufactures didn't know about JavaFX when I asked about it in the JavaOne Pavilion?!
To me it look like SUN invent things like JavaFX Mobile without talking with device manufactures like Nokia, Sony Ericsson and Motorola. It could end up with devices not supporting all these new things Sun talks about at JavaOne

JavaOne also have the CommunityOne event

The day before JavaOne starts, Sun had a free event called CommunityOne. There were sessions about Netbeans, Glassfish (Sun's JavaEE server), OpenJDK/Mobile & Embedded, Web 2.0, Linux/Solaris and OpenSolaris.

I took session's about next release of Netbeans, Netbeans 6.0 (It is now also possible to download a special release of Netbeans for the JavaOne event, this release is called Netbeans 6.0 Preview). I was very impressed about the new included Netbeans profiler, it look very useful!!

Netbeans's mobility pack now also support the Sun Spot technology, there was a great demo from Bob Beasly, he had used Sun Spots to train his dog over the internet. It was a great demo!!

karate training camp with Master Kimura's four Senior Instructors

The day before the European Championship in Kimura Shukokai Karate 2007 starts, there was a training camp with Master Kimura's four Senior Instructors:

• Shihan Eddie Daniels 8th Dan from Great Britain

• Shihan Bill Bressaw 8th Dan from U.S.A

• Shihan Chris Thompson 8th Dan from South Africa

• Shihan Lionel Marinus 8th Dan from South Africa.

These four instructors are the head of Kimura Shukokai International.

It was great I could join this training camp!

Tomorrow I am flying to San Francisco, it is now time for the NetBeans day (it's now part of Community One) and JavaOne 2007.

eRCP 1.0.02 Released

I read that eRCP 1.0.02 Released, now also with support for WinCE 5!!
More information about this Eclipse project at the eRCP project home

I am waiting for next release, eRCP 1.1 which will add support for Nokia's S60 platform.
It is close, the release plan (I think I don't know) for eRCP1.1 is July 2007.

Java, golf, karate and photographing

When I don't work with Java, I like to play golf, practise karate and also do some photographing.
This year my Karate club, Kimura Shukokai Sweden arrange the European Championship in Kimura Shukokai Karate 2007, it take place 4-5 may 2007.
I took this picture for this event!

preparing for JavaOne 2007

On Friday I am going to San Francisco and this year JavaOne!!

This JavaOne I thought I could perhaps replace my laptop (running windows XP) with something smaller.

I wrote earlier in my blog: "I am tired of bring my laptop to JavaOne, to heavy and the battery time is only 3 h. I need something else, so please Nokia (or any other company) fix it to next JavaOne, a handheld device with a keyboard like the UMPC!"

I thought for example about a "A ultra thin laptop, with a 11-inch screen and a keyboard. With a screen that I am able to flip horizontally, transforming the laptop into a tablet"
But I have not yet find any device like this!
Perhaps something will come later this year?

Then I thought, I buy me a new hard disk and install Ubuntu 7.04 instead of windows XP.
(I really don't like Windows XP, could I replace it?). I have running Ubuntu on a old laptop for a while and it is very nice.
But this didn't work for me!!

Why did it not work for me?
Because me as a JavaME developer, I really need Nokia PC suite to work (I need to deploy JavaME applications to my phone) and I also of course need a good JavaME development tool (Netbeans & Carbide). I know it was not supported on the linux platform, but I thought perhaps I could install windows XP on a virtual machine (using VMWare player), but it didn't work for Nokia PC Suite!

I have now give up and installed Windows XP again!
I will later give it a try again, but this JavaOne no ubuntu laptop

Because of Java I can't replace my Windows XP laptop with a linux machine!!!!
This is completely stupid!!

Sun buys SavaJe, SUN please Open Source SavaJe SW!

This is great news!!
Sun buys mobile phone software maker SavaJe
Sun promised more details about its plans for SavaJe at the JavaOne Conference scheduled for May 8-11 in San Francisco.
Sun said it expects to close the SavaJe asset acquisition by the end of June.

I wrote earlier in my blog Sun, please work for OpenSource the SW in the SaveJe phone! this because SavaJe is out of business.

Now it will also be possible for SUN to Open Source SavaJe SW!
I think a lot of developers would be happy about that!

7 Signs Your Project Will Never Make it to Production

Read a interesting post from Ben Moore:

• 7 Signs Your Project Will Never Make it to Production

OneJava or NoJava or TwoJava for JavaME/CDC1.1?

I waiting and waiting for devices supporting JavaME/CDC1.1/FP1.1/PP1.1 and AGUI!

Last year at JavaOne something happen, the Java based phone "Jasper" from Savaje was released and I suddenly was able to buy me phone that support JavaME/CDC1.1!! But last year in November the company SavaJe was out of buissness and again no phone on the market was supporting JavaME/CDC1.1/FP1.1/PP1.1 and AGUI!

I think that this sort of problem (with badly support of JavaME/CDC in devices) we perhaps can avoid because JavaME is Open Source, this really something great that have happen during 2007!!

There is also a other interesting JavaME/CDC1.1 solution from a Eclipse project called eRCP. eRCP is installed on top of JavaME/CDC1.1/FP1.1 and using eSWT instead of AGUI. eRCP 1.0.1 is already released and the release plan (I think I don't know) for eRCP look like this: Release 1.0.2 April 2007, Release 1.1 July 2007.
Today the eRCP project is supporting following platforms:

• OS: Windows, CPU: x86
• OS: Windows Mobile 2003 & 2005,CPU: ARM,x86(?)
• OS: Nokia Series 80,CPU: ARM

Other platforms that work is going on to add support for eRCP:

• OS: Nokia Series 60, CPU: ARM
  
• OS: Linux Qte, CPU: ??
• OS: Windows CE v5.0, CPU: ARM

Anyone know more about future plans for devices supporting JavaME/CDC1.1/FP1.1/PP1.1 or eRCP?
Please tell me!!
I hope they release something during JavaOne!
It is now only 39 days left to JavaOne!!

Symbian OS v9.5 is released

I found some interesting things:

• A database is included, Based on the Open Source database SQLite
  I wondering, will it be possible to use the database when you develop JavaME applications or is it only for internal use?
• The first mobile OS to support the new ARM® Cortex™-A8 processor (TI OMAP3430)
  More power on devices during 2008 --> It is then possible to build more cool JavaME Enterprise applications!!
  

Read more at:

• Ring Nokia;Symbian 9.5 supports the new ARM Cortex-A8 processor!
• Symbian;Press release
• SymbianOne;Symbian OS v9.5: More Than A Free Mobile Performance Lunch
• MobileBurn.com;Symbian announces Symbian OS v9.5

eRCP and Nokia E90

I found some interesting things in this presentation eRCP - Ready for prime time! by Gorkem Ercan (Nokia), Mark Rogalski (IBM) from the conference EclipseCon 2007:

• eRCP as a post-installed add-on software
  component to Nokia E90!!!!
• Release plan for eRCP: Release 1.0.2 April 2007, Release 1.1 July 2007
• eRCP Release 1.1: Nokia S60, WinCE

Download the presentation here.

I already thought the Nokia E90 was great but now I also understand that Nokia E90 will also support JavaME/CDC1.1/FP1.1 & eRCP1.1 but as a post-installed add-on software!!!!

Read more about eRCP 1.1 draft project plan at the eRCP project site.

Anyone know more about this?
Please tell me!!

Anyway I think I will get more information about this at JavaOne 2007!!
(Nokia is Gold Cosponsors, but IBM???)
It is now only 45 days left to JavaOne!!

But there is no technical session or BOF about eRCP at this JavaOne??
Strange? why?
Here is the whole content catalog for JavaME at JavaOne2007

I am lucky, I have test the Nokia E90

This week with the 3GSM World Congress in Barcelona have been really interesting.
I hope I next year will be able to join this event.

But lucky me, I have actually this week been able to test two new Nokia phones (here in Stockholm): the Nokia E61i and the Nokia E90.
They are really great phones, especially the Nokia E90 phone with integrated GPS and also a radio!
I can't wait till I own a Nokia E90 phone, for more information read the My-Symbian review

Nokia also released a new a version of Nokia Intellisync Mobile Suite, Nokia Intellisync Mobile Suite 8.0, read more about it here. I have now also got the software and will test it later.