Wireless Developer Site Launch

By Monica Pawlan
December 2001

From the ubiquitous cell phone to cordless networks, wireless products are coming into our lives and forever changing the ways in which we live, do business, and relate. The good news for developers is that opportunities to create innovative applications to run on all kinds of Java platform-enabled wireless products are growing as well.

If you are wondering how to start developing wireless applications or how to keep up with the latest advances in Java wireless technologies, help is here. The Wireless Developer site is a full-featured, content-rich resource that provides the information and tools you need to design, build, test, and market wireless applications.

To introduce the new site, this article highlights Wireless Developer features and content, and walks you through how you might use the site to develop a wireless application.

• Flexible Home Page with Advanced Search and Map Matrix
• Section for New Wireless Developers
• Technology-Oriented Content Structure
• J2ME Device Tables
• Code Samples and Discussion Forums
• Use the Site to Help You Create a MIDP Application

Flexible Home Page with Advanced Search and Map Matrix

Because developers' needs change from when they first use a site to when they are more familiar with it, the Wireless Developer site provides a tabbed home page with the options described below.

• What's New tab that appears by default when you go to the site URL: http://wireless.java.sun.com. On this page, you have the opportunity to register as a member, read the benefitsto becoming a member, or log in if you are already a member of Wireless Developer, JDC, DotCom Builder, or SolDC.
• Learn tab that presents a high-level introduction to Java platform-based wireless technologies, and includes information on training and a concept map to give you a visual representation of Java wireless components.
• Go to Market tab that explains where you can get information on how to market your wireless application, implement your application for success, develop business strategies, and access marketing resources.
• Advanced Search tab that gives you a way to provide sophisticated search criteria when you search any combination of the JDC, Wireless Developer, Code Drop, and java.sun.com sites.
• Map tab that presents a bird's-eye view into all of the content on the site.

Section for New Wireless Developers

If you are new to the world of wireless programming and want to understand the technologies, tools, and steps involved in designing, testing, and marketing a wireless application, visit the Introduction to Wireless section. The Intro to Wireless section provides the following information and related links to help you get started:

• Overview of Wireless Communications
• Overview of Java 2 Platform
• The Java Community Process (JCP)
• Overview of J2ME
• The Scope of Wireless Java Technology
• Why Use the Java Platform for Wireless Development?
• The Market for Wireless Services

Technology-Oriented Content Structure

The Wireless Developer site uses a technology-oriented organization and navigation to help you find all the information you need in one place. Site highlights include the following technology sections complete with software, toolkit, documentation, and learning information links to help you get set up and writing code as fast as possible:

• MIDP technology section keeps you up-to-date with Mobile Information Device Profile (MIDP) for cell phone and two-way pager applications development.
• Java Card platform technology section gets you going with smart card applications development.
• CLDC/Foundation profile technology section provides information on developing applications for small wireless devices that do not support a graphical user interface.
• Enterprise technology section covers topics such as how to connect a J2ME program with a J2EE backend, or how to use JSP pages or servlets to generate Wireless Markup Language (WML) to run on a handheld device.

J2ME Device Tables

The J2ME Devices tables describe currently available J2ME devices in the CLDC/MIDP world. Table 1 shows information about the devices themselves and Table 2 lists information about various wireless networks.

Code Samples and Discussion Forums

Developers frequently want to get their hands and eyes on example code as quickly as possible. To meet this important need, the site features a Code Samples section. The code samples are cross-referenced to the content on the site where they are described.

The Wireless Forums are a great way to get answers to questions and share your own knowledge with others.

Use the Site to Help You Create a MIDP Application

This section takes you on a short tour of how a developer who is new to Java wireless technologies might use the Wireless Developer site to learn how to develop a wireless application using the MID profile.

1. Go to Wireless Developer.
2. Use the left navigation to select Intro to Wireless. Read through the section and follow any interesting links.
3. Use the left navigation to select MIDP under J2ME Technologies.
4. Click on the Software & Tools bullet at the top of the MID Profile page to find the software you need.
5. Click on J2ME Wireless toolkit to get the free reference implementation made available by Sun Microsystems for compatibility testing, learning, and demonstrations. Follow the installation instructions with the download. You might need to scroll down the page to find the download.
6. Go back to the MIDP page to find all of the documentation and training materials in one place.
7. Choose from the available classroom or browser-based Training options.
8. Scan the two-column table under Documentation on the MIDP page. It has two sections of interest for someone getting set up to develop their first MIDP application: Setup & Tools and Getting Started

Setup & Tools

The Setup & Tools page lists two articles of interest:

• Quick Guide to the J2ME Wireless Toolkit describes hardware and software requirements, the Wireless Toolkit's components, and walks through some example demos and explains how to create a new project.
• MIDP Setup Explained provides practical tips on how to get your software installed and configured on the Windows platform

Getting Started

The Getting Started page provides a number of materials for learning how to use the MID profile. Of note are the following:

• MIDP Programming and Packaging Basics describes how to include commands, icons, and a running ticker in a simple application.
• Dealing with Missing J2SE Classes explains why some classes you might be accustomed to using from J2SE programming are not available in the J2ME APIs and provides some easy work-arounds.
• The J2ME Development Cycle describes how configurations and profiles affect the development cycle for a MIDP application.

Find a Device

Use the J2ME Devices tables to learn which devices made by which manufacturers will support your new applications.

Go to Market

Whether you are an individual developer working on your own or part of a large company, you might want some help and hints for getting your wireless application to market. You will find exactly that kind of information in the Go to Market section of the site.

Conclusion

The Wireless Developer site is a full-featured and content-rich resource for developers who want to design, develop, and market wireless applications for Java-enabled wireless products. Now, entering the growing field of wireless applications development is easier than ever.