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
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.
Why a True Apple Fan Would Never Buy an iPhone
It’s been called the Second Coming—a gadget so revolutionary that people literally fall to their knees in praise of its magnificence. And why shouldn’t they? It’s from Apple, the same company that heroically unshackled us from the misery that is Windows. Apple opened our eyes to a whole new world of computing, one where fantastic design and seamless integration rule above all else. Macs taught us how easy managing a digital photo album could be, and were the de facto force behind our extensive (and legal) digital music libraries.
So why am I, a die-hard-Mac-fanatic, not purchasing Jobs’ brand new marvel? For a number of reasons, all of which are tied to one unfortunate reality: The iPhone is many, many things, but it sure ain’t no Apple.
Let me explain:
- Got a .Mac account? I do. And I couldn’t imagine life any other way. Syncing my emails between different computers is no longer an option for me—it’s a requirement, and I have only Apple to blame for my expectations. The iPhone? It won’t be doing that.
- Speaking of email, how could Apple drop the ball on such an important feature of the iPhone? Noticeable delays between the reading and deleting of emails? Manual deletion of emails one at a time with no option to delete a selected grouping? No BCC option? Yikes.
- On my Mac, Safari is the most dependable browser I’ve ever used. Not on the iPhone. Call me crazy, but surfing the internet sans Flash and Java just doesn’t feel like a true Web experience to me.
- The Edge Network. Can this actually be faster than dial up?
- 8 gigs is just too meager for the iPhone. One of my favorite things about using a Mac and iPod together is the ease with which I download music and sync them. The iPhone’s memory limitations require users to manually manage music and photos—something Apple liberated us from, a loooong time ago. Looks like you’ll have to carry around your iPod and a bigger phone in your pockets now.
- In case I haven’t already made it abundantly clear, syncing is vital to a true Mac user. So why does the iPhone’s Calendar app have so many problems syncing events with a desktop?
Look, I know there are a ton of other problems ($85.95 for a new battery after 300–400 charges?!) with the iPhone. I also know that in many ways, the iPhone rocks. But when Apple creates something unique, and invites me to make it a part of my life, I expect that device to bring it. Maybe my expectations are too high, but Jobs and Co. has taught me to expect only the best out of my gadgets. Ultimately, the iPhone is a jack of many trades, but a master of none. It delivers the internet, serves as an iPod, and provides portable access to iCal and iPhoto—but requests that you enjoy them in an undeniably diminished way.
For a true Apple fan, this is just simply too much to ask.
Learn more about Punchkick Interactive’s iPhone software development capabilities.
I am trying to get a feel of who actually uses the mobile Web and what your favorite mobile Web sites are. Some good ones that I have seen are mobile.google.com and mobile.nikebasketball.com.
Please don’t be shy—post your best and worst mobile Web site examples. If you vote on the poll, I’d love to hear why you do or don’t use the mobile Web. Also, what phones do you use to browse? If you don’t browse the mobile Web, what is stopping you?
Is Flyer worth the hype?
Felipe Andrade created Flyer for Flash Lite using Python for Nokia S60. The Flyer framework is great—it lets you access never before seen features with Flash Lite such as integrating with a mobile device’s camera, bluetooth, filesystem, (potentially) GPS, and much more. But is Flyer worth all the hype?
Flyer was built to extend Flash Lite 2.1 features with Python for S60. That’s quite a few prerequisites: Flash Lite 2.1 (the latest version of Flash Lite), Python (not preinstalled on phones), and a Nokia S60 device. I love what Flyer is trying to do, but I am reluctant to jump on the band wagon since the likelyhood of consumer adoption is low due to what is required to make this framework function.
When would I adopt Flyer? When it works on the current consumer standard version of Flash Lite. If your on Verizon, that would be version 2.1 However, Python for S60 is not synonymous with Python for BREW. And if your not on Verizon, that would be version 1.1.
My final thought is that I love what Flyer is doing—I just wish that it extended Flash Lite 1.1 and did not require a consumer to install Python and the Flyer framework (and yes, I realize that these are pipe dreams).
What are your thoughts? Vote, or comment on whether or not you think that Flyer is worth the hype.
Bluestreak Technology, Inc., the developer of the award-winning MachBlue™ platform for mobile phones and digital television, announced this week that MachBlue Mobile will be commercially available for J2ME-compatible mobile phones.
MachBlue Mobile implements a subset of the Flash 7 specification, supplemented with the MachBlue Mobile API enabling enhanced handset control and integration.
MachBlue’s unique APIs give complete control over device functionality, without the need for low-level coding. The platform also minimizes memory usage, maximizes execution speed, and retains application portability.
Developers use MachBlue Studio, in tandem with Adobe Flash to quickly create mobile applications. And the same developers can easily use MachBlue Studio to create companion applications for digital TV set-top boxes.
MachBlue™ Studio, Mobile Edition
- Enables live, one-click testing from the developer’s PC to the target handset
- Fully integrated with Flash® authoring tools, available from Adobe Systems
- Includes tutorials, integrated help, and code samples
- Includes Windows® emulator for easy content testing
- Supports standard image types, including GIF, PNG, and JPEG
- Includes robust extensibility layer for easy access to new hardware and software features
MachBlue™, MachBlue™ Studio, and the Bluestreak logo are trademarks of Bluestreak Technology, Inc. Adobe and Flash are registered trademarks of Adobe Systems, Inc. in the United States and/or other countries. Windows is a registered trademark of Microsoft Corporation.
Source: Flash Lite Yahoo User Group
Sad. Very sad. The iPhone may not be Flash enabled.
According to Pogue’s Posts (Tech editor for the NY Times), The iPhone does not and will not run Flash. It makes sense from a marketing perspective—keep out free games, apps, and videos—but this makes me sad.
Here is an excerpt from Pogue’s article (p.s. He actually played with one):
Can it be used with anything but Cingular? –No.
Can it run Mac OS X programs? –No.
Can I add new programs to it? –No. Apple wants to control the look and feel and behavior of every aspect of the phone.
Does it run programs from Palm, Symbian, Windows? –No.
Does it have games? –No.
Does it have GPS? –No.
Does the Web browser support Flash or Java? –No.
UPDATE:
Markoff: “What about all those plugins that live within Safari now, like Flash or like Java or like JavaScript?”
Jobs: “Well, JavaScript’s built into the Phone. Sure.”
Markoff: “And what are you thinking about Flash and Java?”
Jobs: “Java’s not worth building in. Nobody uses Java anymore. It’s this big heavyweight ball and chain.”
Markoff: “Flash?”
Jobs: “Well, you might see that.”
Markoff: “What about YouTube–”
Jobs: “Yeah, YouTube—of course. But you don’t need to have Flash to show YouTube. All you need to do is deal with YouTube. And plus, we could get ‘em to up their video resolution at the same time, by using h.264 instead of the old codec.”
——-
So the DEFINITIVE answer now is: NO Java, MAYBE Flash.
FAQ List Part 2
Flash Lite Search Engine
I have created a customized search engine using Google Co-op that searches only sites that will have relevant content relating to Flash Lite. The Flash Lite search engine can be used by following this link: Flash® Lite™ search engine.
