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Bottom line: compared to the performance expectations developed by the users of any given platform, the Java version of any function is dog slow, and I often find myself wishing it had never existed so somebody would have an incentive to code it the *right* way.
Make no mistake: Java gets you easier cross-platform and return it sacrifices everything else.
The idea of transplanting this always-several-notches-down user experience to something like a mobile phone makes me shudder.
No java support is a feature. Glad somebody finally has balls to implement it.
Where do you get this mystery Java app? I don't see anything on the Radar site that mentions it.
You need to track what's happening in northern europe and Japan a Lot more; I keep hearing about what are meant to be realy cool leap-ahead mobile apps/services on american blogs, but to me in the UK they don't seem that especially special!
Great Blog Obviously. :)
(1st comment here!)
Kind regards,
Shakir Razak
As we're talking (discussing) about Java, and how cool you can get with it, may I suggest you go visit: www.forbidden.co.uk , for Forbidden Technologies
and their products Clesh and Forscene (-I don't work for them).
They're also at Von07.
Their products have been available in beta and basic form for years+, and the full-bloodied stuff for a couple of years+ (-well before youtube, etc. developed).
Yours kindly,
Shakir Razak
Once you've created your account on the web, log into Radar (http://radar.net) from your phone's mobile browser. If your phone and carrier are supported, you'll see a "Download Software" link that will install the app over the air.
If you don't see a link, stay tuned. We're adding more devices all the time.
Enjoy.
Now, imagine if Apple made it so that Macs were closed devices, such that "anyone" couldn't develop for them. They wouldn't sell as many as they do. And the truth is, mobile phones are rapidly becoming small personal computers. And that means, people will want to be free to install (and develop) apps on them, in the way they want. It's been pretty obvious this would happen for years; but they're really coming into their own now as the "computer power" of phones reaches the point where it's possible to develop really cool apps. And almost always, these apps are developed by using Java, because Java ships on 80% of cell phones.
Don't bet against Apple including Java with iPhones at some point. Steve Jobs happens to be wrong on this; but he's hardly an idiot. If enough Apple customers tell Apple they want Java on iPhone, that's what they'll get. And that might be sooner than many people think... The day of the iPhone announcement, Apple developer boards were swamped with Apple developers asking for Java on the iPhone. So much so that Apple had to ask people to stop posting on that topic because it was swamping the boards.
It seems a step back to a time when people thought you were only supposed to share photos with your friends and family.
But people want to be able to publish their photos for anyone to see.
And if there are photos you don't want everyone to see, there are privacy controls on flickr (and other sites).
It seems like radar should at least give people the option of making some or all of their photos public.
Second, the "next web" is not about the device or the platform or the browser, it is about finally making all three able to - connect to the network as easily as possible, - connect as ubiquitously as possible and - access the same data/services regardless.
Yes making the mobile platform as open as possible is key. That tranlsates to having at least one platform available on-device that makes afordances for hackes and open-source weenies to play and make stuff. Nokia did this with Python on the N-series (and then promptly messed that up).
The only problem with Java is it never got picked up really by anyone but the corporate programmer crowd. DIY hackers prefer other environments/cultures.
It is very clear the iPhone is not in any way positioned for the tinkerers, but for the mass market who just wants something "polished and perfect", regardless if that means "closed, proprietary, controled" (and I make no moral judgement on that. there are benefits to being so.) And it is further clear that Apple is not interested in, or simply does not see, in allowing their market base to invest some of it's time to make their product really shine. Maybe tat will come later. "Get as many out in a first run, then open it up a bit once we've recouped development costs and not incurred too much support pain (which would happen if they ship something with little open doors that unwitting users could get snagged on)."
That said, the iPhone runs Mac OS X, which is BSD Unix, and it has a USB port. Someone will "get in", and quick too.
Anyways. I don't know how John feels about us saying so but yes, Radar is like Twitter for cameraphone pictures, and it is hugely powerful. Way more so than Twitter. (The only reason the technerds didn't pick up on Radar earlier is cause it has no API or feeds or other such stuff: it too is meant for a different market...)
There are tons of applications, written by everyday individuals, available for download and use on mobile devices (cellphone? what's that? something your grandma uses?). Some even for free. Yes most platforms are closed, and yes lots of the really cool stuff is somehow blocked off, be it at the hardware, platform or network layer, but they DO exist and ARE possible.
Anyone who knows how can write a J2ME app that can run on a wide range of devices. That's a fact which somehow escaped your thorough research apparently. ;)
I tell you what is for me: Gmail and Sky by Mobile. In the UK, I can access a Java app on my SE K800i, browse the whole Sky TV guide and get my Sky HD box to record stuff remotely. Sometimes I don't know how I live without it.
After re-reading Xapplimatic's comment for what you thought you read, I did not see anywhere he says they are not possible. He stated the iPhone is not going to be open and that other phones aren't either....
I am with Melodeo Mobilcast that is working to port podcasts to mobile phones all over the world and the missing support for java forces us to spend thousands of wasted dollars building device specific versions of our Mobilcast application.
The mobile industry just needs to make Java standard on all phones.
Mobilcast is available to be installed outside of most of the carrier networks with our Mobilcast v5 beta. http://mobilcast.com/mobile_center
The only carrier that will absolutly not run Mobilcast is Verizon here in the USA.
"And it is further clear that Apple is not interested in, or simply does not see, in allowing their market base to invest some of it’s time to make their product really shine."
And, I laughed. Why is it that every third rate programmer in the country thinks he can write better applications for the iPhone than Apple's inhouse developers and its partners can? I'll answer that. The A word -- arrogance. I, for one, do not consider arrogance a guarantee of ability. I suspect Steve Jobs doesn't either.
Rob, I think many early adopters awful experience with mobile Java on PDAs permanently alienated us. We are NOT crying copious tears over not having J2ME apps on our mobile phones.
Funny, reminds me of when Windows Mobile users where desperately scrounging around for a way to update the VM on their phones because they wanted to download Java apps.
Stevie, the iPhone is not going to fly yoo far as a CLOSED system in a highly competitive, open world.
Btw, what's even funnier is that a cousin of MIDP in the CDC profile, BD-Java, is going to be powering Pixar films like Cars in Blu-ray discs ;-)
http://www.blueboard.com/bluray/
http://nationwidevpn.com
I reckon its the best idea not including java, it forces something new to be done, or simply more secure closed programming, and hopefully no viruses and glitches.
Having open technology is a bad option and should be strictly for developers only. Why? might you ask.
I'll tell you why, actually no you can realise it.
Think of how many hours you've used (wasted) tring to make your computer better and looking for software?
If you say lots your obviosly a windows/linux user, like me.
I want to convert to mac but dont have the money. I realise I spend more time working then fixing(tweaking,adding,removing) on a mac
and with hardware being more expensive it forces you to conform and just get back to using time wisely.
and for all the one button mouse haters, just plug a normal mouse in it will work just like it did on any other PC. (so many people i know dont realise)