Sony Ericsson Brings Flash Lite Support to Java ME — Allowing Flash Lite to be Packaged as a Java JAR File
This is very exciting news as I can’t think of a single thing that could more quickly expand the reach of Flash Lite.
Sony Ericsson announced today at its Developer World conference plans for a new technology that bridges Adobe Flash Lite and Java ME development platforms.
The technology, called Project Capuchin, allows Java ME (formerly known as J2ME) applications to use Flash Lite as the front-end interface for mobile phone applications.
“In using Flash, you typically can’t access properties of the phone. But with Capuchin, you can get at information and applications in the phone and use that info with the Flash display,” said Christopher David, director of long-term platform planning at Sony Ericsson.
The Java ME/Flash Lite connection will be a two-way street, so both can invoke the other, according to Ulf Wretling, director of Sony Ericsson Developer World. But most importantly, Flash content is packaged as a Java JAR file for use on Java ME-compatible mobile phones.
Read the full article on InternetNews.com
The Rather Difficult Font Game
I just stumbled across a great game on ilovetypography.com called The Rather Difficult Font Game. If you’re a fellow typophile, you should check it out. And, should you have the hardware, there is also an iPhone version to play with as well.
It would seem that WiMAX’s impact on mobile technology in the United States might be closer than we all originally thought.
NextWave Wireless Inc. (Nasdaq: WAVE), a global leader of all things WiMAX, announced that it has retained Deutsche Bank and UBS Investment Bank to explore the sale of its extensive spectrum holdings in the United States. NextWave’s U.S. spectrum footprint covers over 251 million people in the United States and includes major markets such as New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, San Francisco, Boston, Philadelphia, Denver, Houston, and Detroit.
What drove the surge? Possibly Allen Salmasi, chief executive officer and president of NextWave Wireless, when he remarked:
Since the completion of the recent 700 MHz auction, we have received multiple offers for our U.S. spectrum assets. [N]ow is the perfect time for us to sell these valuable assets while network operators are trying to finalize their band plans and spectrum holdings for their continuing 3G and planned 4G rollouts. Monetizing the value of our substantial spectrum assets would allow us to further strengthen our balance sheet, retire debt, and continue the commercial introduction of a wide range of innovative wireless broadband and multimedia solutions such as our high-performance WiMAX and RFIC chipsets, advanced multi-mode, multi-band TD-CDMA, WiMAX and LTE enabled base station platforms, breakthrough MXtvTM and TDtvTM mobile television systems.
Twitter is the Best Source of Entertainment Since Slap Bracelets
Four days ago Twitter was just a word that floated around the Web. It meant nothing to me. Well, that’s not 100% true. To me it meant, ‘terrible-waist-of-time—and—a-bad-idea-to-boot.’
That has all changed. Three days ago I visited Twitter.com because I figured that I should at least know what it was before I publicly bashed it—and boy am I happy I did.
It all started back when I saw the awesome Common Craft video, Twitter in Plain English (again, that was just three day ago). Since then, I have grown to love Twitter. I am still in awe at how incomplete one feels without hearing the beloved tweets.
play_blip_movie_725942();
I should add that I am aware that Twitter is not the newest tool on the block, and I know that I am probably the last geeky-type to blog about twitter—ever. But alas, that is okay. I just hope that my new favorite pastime doesn’t become my old waist of time.
Help keep Tweeter in my life by following me.
I use twhirl on my Mac to read the micro-blog of the future (that’s what I am calling Twitter).
All the Twitter tools and mashups in one place.
p.s. I now also love Common Craft because they are super clever. Watch the video if you don’t believe me.
Adriana Gil Miner created a great video for her blog, Digital Ecologist, outlining today’s issues with SMS spam, privacy, and how mobile marketing law in the United States may be influenced over the next several years by the CAN SPAM Act. This follows up on Pogue’s Post about The Worst Spam Ever.
Learn more about Punchkick Interactive’s mobile marketing capabilities.
Punchkick Interactive has officially been approved by Apple to become part of the Apple iPhone Developer Program, and we are curious as to the number of other developers who were also approved—so, we decided to start a tally.
If you have been approved by Apple to participate in the iPhone Developer Program, then leave a comment. We will update the tally here daily.
1 developer has been approved.
As a bit of background, U.S. applicants rejected received an e-mail stating: “Dear Registered iPhone Developer, Thank you for expressing interest in the iPhone Developer Program. We have received your enrollment request. As this time, the iPhone Developer Program is available to a limited number of developers and we plan to expand during the beta period. We will contact you again regarding your enrollment status at the appropriate time. Thank you for applying.”
Applicants outside the United States received an e-mail stating: “Dear Registered iPhone Developer, Thank you for expressing interest in the iPhone Developer Program. We have received your enrollment request. At this time, the iPhone Developer Program is only available in the US and will expand to other countries during the beta period. We will contact you again regarding your enrollment status at the appropriate time. Thank you for applying.”
Learn more about Punchkick Interactive’s iPhone software development capabilities.
Punchkick Interactive Featured in Adobe’s Flash Mobile Gallery
CLEVELAND, Ohio (April 3, 2008) – Punchkick Interactive has learned that Mobile Ocean, a Flash Lite 1.1 screensaver created by the firm, was selected for exhibit on Adobe’s Flash Mobile Gallery. The work of Punchkick Interactive is one of only a handful of pieces to be displayed on the new site.
Using Adobe’s Flash Lite application, Punchkick Interactive developed the Mobile Ocean screensaver with millions of colors and vivid animation—something that is still largely unseen in today’s J2ME-dominated mobile content market. Mobile Ocean operates as a screensaver or home-screen wallpaper on a variety of Flash-enabled phones. It includes four underwater backgrounds and seven tropical fish, as well as a digital clock that interfaces with a phone’s time-keeping mechanism.
The Flash Mobile Gallery (http://adobe.com/mobile/gallery/) was launched in March 2008, and demonstrates the power of Flash Lite as a developer resource. “Flash Lite is by far the most dynamic software development platform on mobile phones today,” says company co-founder Zak Dabbas. “It will be a great day for consumers when there is as much of a universal adoption for the mobile version of Flash as there is on the Web.”
About Punchkick Interactive Inc.
Punchkick Interactive® is a full service mobile marketing firm that creates text-message campaigns, Flash® Lite™ screensavers, mobile games, custom applications, branded mobile Web sites and blogs, Bluetooth broadcasting campaigns, 3gp video for mobile, and more. For additional information visit www.punchkickinteractive.com or call (800) 549-4104.
About Adobe Flash Lite
Adobe Flash Lite is a lightweight version of the Adobe Flash Player optimized for mobile phones. To date, it has been shipped on over 500 million phones worldwide, and is licensed by all major handset manufacturers. Flash Lite provides developers with access to key phone functions such as Bluetooth, camera, and GPS, and allows for graphically rich content. Additionally, it enjoys support from both a thriving and innovative development community.
New ‘Google Wake Up Kit!’ Spotted on Google Calendar
While using Google Calendar this morning I noticed a new feature titled, “Google Wake Up Kit!” I clicked on it because I often have trouble waking up. Unfortunately, however, it was just an April Fools Day joke from Google.
In combination with the kit, you can receive a new type of notification from Google Calendar, called the “wake up” notification. This notification is relentless in ensuring your timely awakening from restful slumber.
The “wake up” notification uses several progressively more annoying alerts to wake you up. First it will send an SMS message to your phone. If that fails, more coercive means will be used. The kit includes an industrial-sized bucket and is designed to be connected to your water main for automatic filling. In addition, a bed-flipping device is included for forceful removal from your sleeping quarters. Learn more.
Learn more about Punchkick Interactive’s custom mobile software capabilities.
We are excited to announce that Mobile Ocean, a Flash Lite screensaver that we designed and developed, has been selected for the launch of Adobe’s new Flash Mobile Gallery within Adobe.com.
Hopefully, it will be the first of many featured items for Punchkick Interactive on Adobe.com. The Punchkick Interactive Mobile Ocean screensaver can be viewed within our company Web site on our Flash Lite Screensavers and Wallpapers page or purchased from Handango.com.
Learn more about Punchkick Interactive’s mobile screensaver design capabilities.
