Smartphone & Pocket PC magazine - Java

Skype: "No More Windows Mobile for You!"

Tari Akpodiete — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 08:28:19 +0000

An early access release of the JavaFX MIDlet manager is out!

Werner Ruotsalainen — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 18:03:54 +0000

See http://blogs.sun.com/javafx/entry/want_to_try_javafx_on for more info and http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=4212017&postcount=142 for additional user reports.

According to them, it's pretty nice.

Major Java MIDlet manager update: now, parallel execution possible under Jbed etc.

Werner Ruotsalainen — Sun, 05 Apr 2009 14:30:57 +0000

Esmertec, developers of the Jbed MIDlet manager, are constantly releasing newer versions of their environment in various Windows Mobile models. These new managers are, then, quickly get mirrored as self-standing, standalone, downloadable and installable installers over the Internet (and, most importantly, XDA-Developers).

Opera Mini + (W)VGA users, attention: a hacked, VGA-friendly Jbed version has been released!

Werner Ruotsalainen — Fri, 02 Jan 2009 02:05:58 +0000

(Technical note: as of 01/02/2009 2:57 AM CET, the images in the article and the mirrored download arenâ€™t accessible. Hope theyâ€™ll become available in about 10 hours. That is, make sure you check back in 10-15 hours if youâ€™d really want to see them. Sorry for the inconvenience - my database back-end has been having problems and the CS people have been away.)

VGA & Opera Mini (and/or MIDlet) users, youâ€™ll LOVE this: at last, readable charsizes!

Werner Ruotsalainen — Sat, 12 Jul 2008 23:21:59 +0000

So far, the biggest problem with running Opera Mini (or any MIDlet that uses characters to display anything; for example, the Gmail MIDlet) on high-resolution (W)VGA Windows Mobile devices was the far too small character size all contemporary, recommended (most importantly, Jbed) MIDlet managers used.

MIDlet manager news

Werner Ruotsalainen — Fri, 14 Mar 2008 14:12:43 +0000

In addition to thoroughly re-testing the WM2003(SE) compliance of the latest, just-released 4PDA.ru Jbed version (see the UPDATE section in my yesterday's post), I've continued testing the new MIDlet managers.

Iâ€™ve also tested some of the versions linked from the 4PDA.ru thread on my HTC Vox (s710) to find out whether theyâ€™re any good compared to the old MIDlet managers; particularly Cloudyfaâ€™s version - the version that, so far, Iâ€™ve recommended to all MIDlet users (unless in need for M3G (3D) support.). These two are both â€œfixed heapâ€ versions; some of the less simple games (for example, DoomRPG) and benchmark apps with large memory requirements are stated to run much better / more reliably in the fixed heap versions than in the regular ones (for example, that of Cloudyfa) because of the much bigger available memory. I havenâ€™t tested the effects of this myself.

1. JBed3dMod_HeapSizeFix (that is, 3D-capable Jbed version, based on 20070524.2.1, with fixed heap)

I was really interested in how this (and an additional, hacked file available for download HERE - just overwrite JBed.exe of the original, already-installed version with JBed3d_SreenFix.exe after renaming) worked because, at 4PDA.ru, thereâ€™s a version that promises flawless, screen problem-free functionality on MS Smartphones also compatible with the excellent Gmail client MIDlet.

(Also see THIS (original HERE) for more info; see freesunny's post at 10.01.08 10:56:06.)

So far, it seemed impossible to make the latter (the Gmail MIDlet) flawlessly work on MS Smartphones under any version of Jbed. An example of the display problems the non-hacked version (or any Jbed version) can be seen in the following screenshot:

Unfortunately, the hacked version (after overwriting the EXE file with the separately downloaded JBed3d_SreenFix.exe) doesnâ€™t really work with Gmail: while indeed the entire screen estate is used, the three lowermost menu items (Search, Compose New, Exit) arenâ€™t visible, just like with the non-hacked case:

Note that essentially the same results from the 4pda.ru folks can be HERE. The same problem also exists in Portrait mode, not only in Landscape.

New MIDlet manager in development: PhoneME; Jbed for WM2003(SE) released!

Werner Ruotsalainen — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 14:31:11 +0000

There are two pieces of news for everyone interested in running Java MIDlets. The first will be having a pre-WM5 device and wanting to run Java MIDlets (for example, Opera Mini) on it. Yes, at last, some Russian hackers made Jbed, the industry-leading MIDlet manager work under WM2003(SE)! The second (and, for most people, not that important) piece of news concerns a brand new MIDlet manager port for Windows Mobile.

1. Some Russian hackers, including the 4pda.ru folks, have, at last, managed to make Jbed, the best MIDlet manager, work under WM2003 and WM2003SE. The importance of this just canâ€™t be stressed enough: so far, you only had the really inferior IBM J9 and the 10-series TAO MIDlet Manager to run MIDlets on pre-WM5 operating systems. Now, this has dramatically changed. Now, nothing will stop you from using Opera Mini on your pre-WM5 Pocket PC.

The direct link to these WM2003(SE) MIDlet Managers are as follows. There are three versions: a modded one, a non-3D one and a 3D one; all with a heap size fix.

JBed3dMod_HeapSizeFix
Esmertec Jbed heapfix
Esmertec Jbed3d heapfix

They have also made a MAJOR update to their 4PDA.ru MIDlet article, linking to all the contemporary Esmertec, TAO etc. versions (including ones with heap fixes, with and without 3D support etc.); the above links can also be found in their article. You can see the translation of the new page HERE (Google) and HERE (Babelfish). Note that Iâ€™ve kept the original page HERE (Google) and HERE (Babelfish) for historical reasons for people interested in the pre-Esmertec times.

2. Now, the other piece of news, which, again, wonâ€™t be of that much interest to non-WM2003 / non-Java hackers.

Java is a really viable programming platform. Not only several high-quality games make it worthwhile, but also probably the best and, if youâ€™re lucky enough with your geographical location, fastest and most bandwidth usage-friendly mobile browser available for mobile phones (including Windows Mobile), Opera Mini 4.

Iâ€™ve already devoted an entire all-in-one Bible to running Java on Windows Mobile (and Symbian). Now, let me introduce the latest Windows Mobile KVM: PhoneME.

PhoneME is another "letâ€™s bring Java to various platformsâ€ projects (official homepage HERE), which has recently received Windows Mobile support.

Sneak peek: my forthcoming Midlet Manager Bible

Werner Ruotsalainen — Sat, 01 Sep 2007 14:49:46 +0000

I've been working on a FULL roundup of ALL midlet managers available today.

In addition to thoroughly comparing the current midlet managers to each other, I'll also publish really thorough, reliable and never-before-published, tips, tricks, benchmark and compatibility results. You'll LOVE them.

Currently, the backbone of the roundup, the charts, are (more or less) ready. Feel free to comment on them.

IBM releases new, 6.1.1 version of great Midlet runner J9; now, itâ€™s fully compatible with Google Maps!

Werner Ruotsalainen — Sat, 30 Dec 2006 10:36:37 +0000

UPDATE (04/04/2007): Handango also hosts IBM J9 6.1.1; the links are: hi-res VGA; low-res QVGA. Note that there is no trial version offered in there.
(End of update.)

Ever wanted to run the same midlets (small Java applications) on your Pocket PC as on your mobile phone? Ever wanted to use the great alternative Web browser Opera Mini or the great mapping software Google Maps on your Pocket PC? Read on!

It was over half a year ago that IBM released the last, 6.1.0 version of their well-known Personal Java / Midlet environment J9 (read the tutorial here).

As with the previous version, the distribution isnâ€™t available on major Pocket PC software resellers like Handango; only on IBMâ€™s official download page. You will need to register yourself in there in order to be able to download the environment â€“ Personal Profile (PP) if you need to run smaller, PP-compliant (!) stand-alone Java applications (NOT Java applets inside Pocket Internet Explorer / Internet Explorer Mobile â€“ IBM J9 has never supported them!) and the MIDP 2.0 version if you want to run midlets like the above-mentioned two "killer" midlets, Opera Mini or Google Maps. Note that the Midlet version, as with the previous 6.1.0 version, comes in two flawors: a VGA and a QVGA one. If you have a VGA device, get the former.

After downloading (make sure you also get the installation instructions PDF file and donâ€™t mistake Windows CE 5 for Window Mobile 5 â€“ youâ€™ll need the latter only), execute the file (itâ€™s been downloaded to c:\DownloadDirector\) and extract c:\Program Files\IBM\WEME\runtimes\61\wm50-arm-vga-midp20\weme-wm50-arm-hires-midp20_6.1.1.20061110-161633.zip (VGA MIDP), c:\Program Files\IBM\WEME\runtimes\61\wm50-arm-midp20\weme-wm50-arm-midp20_6.1.1.20061110-161633.zip (QVGA MIDP) or c:\Program Files\IBM\WEME\runtimes\61\wm50-arm-ppro11\weme-wm50-arm-ppro11_6.1.1.20061110-161633.zip (Personal Profile). Transfer the contents of the (unpacked) bin and lib subdirectories anywhere on your Pocket PC (note that the installation instructions instruct you to copy these two directories under \J9\MIDP in the main storage. This isnâ€™t needed: a storage card will do too) and, then, do what â€œInstalling and running a demo MIDletâ€ (the MIDP version) or â€œRunning a demo applicationâ€ (the PP version) states. Note that you can (and, if you plan to install many midlets, should!) still use the registry import script Iâ€™ve provided (see the â€œMy registry scriptâ€ section in my previous tutorial) for 6.1.0 to greatly ease midlet deployment; as with the previous version, make sure you change all occurrences of â€œ\\SD Card\\J9-MIDPâ€ to the current path of your J9 home in it before importing.

Screenshots of the new version running Opera Mini 3.0.6540 Advanced (also see this article; the JAR file is available for download here; simply download it and click on it after transferring it onto your PDA and importing my above-mentioned registry import file if you don't want to deploy it by hand, in the very awkward way the official IBM documentation recommends) on my WM2003SE VGA Pocket Loox 720: 1 2; on my WM5 VGA Dell Axim x51v.

New version of best Midlet manager released!

Werner Ruotsalainen — Thu, 21 Dec 2006 07:02:42 +0000

http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=286857