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Recent News Headlines - Developer
Database applets to standalone apps
DDH Software, developers of HanDBase, the cross-platform (including S60) database solution, have launched a competition, rewarding the best two 'Applets' (i.e. designed databases, such as Pet Health or CD tracker) with full commercial runtime licenses, 'enabling the winners to turn their entries into commercially-available standalone mobile applications'. Importantly, the 30 day trial version is fine for creating the applets. Press release below the break.
S60 Widgets (WRT) add contextual awareness
Nokia today announced the next stage of its Widget (Web Run Time) platform for S60. The new version will allow widgets to access information and services on the phone (such as location through GPS) in order to enable context sensitive widgets. Also significant is a brief mention of Open C++ which will further extend the number of standard, platform-independent, programming libraries available on the S60 platform. Read on for more.
RabbitFactory v2 Released for Cross-Platform Developers
Dublin based Developer BitRabbit has released v2.0 of RabbitFactory, their middleware for PDA and smartphone game developers. Included are a number of C++ API's that will allow the same title to be easily ported over a variety of devices, including Palm OS, Windows Mobile and Symbian OS; alongside a universal C++, desktop based, emulator. RabbitFactory will power the upcoming multi-platform release of Platypus from Astraware.
Symbian adds SQL and Location Based Services
Symbian announced two new OS technologies today at CTIA: Symbian SQL and an advanced Location Based Services (LBS) architecture. The first will allow the use of much larger data sets by smartphone applications and the second will simplify the development of genuine location-sensitive apps and services. The full press release is below.
Symbian wins in High Court Ruling over software patents.
The UK High Court has over-ruled a decision by the UK Intellectual Property Office in regards to their application for a patent for their method of indexing library functions (reports IT Pro). The UK-IPO had turned down this application, although the European Patent Office had granted it (the UK office does not recognise patents which are 'nothing more than a computer program,' where Europe does), hence their appeal to the High Court. While the case is concluded, the UK-IPO office has indicated that it will appeal the judgement.
Insight 16: New devices, Silverlight and Symbian Signed
Only Rafe and I this time round, here's AAS podcast 64, a.k.a. Insight 16, in which we talk about the new Nokia S60 devices for Vodafone and T-Mobile, the recent announcement of Silverlight Mobile for S60 and the issues surrounding the changes at Symbian Signed - how can the current debacle be resolved?
Ewan chats to Microsoft about Silverlight Mobile
Ewan's been at Mix08 and took the opportunity to chat to Microsoft's Brad Becker, Group Product Manager (for the User Experience Platform and Tools Marketing Group) about the recent announcement about Silverlight Mobile. He also spent a little time with the developer of WeatherBug, talking about their rapid development under Silverlight Mobile. Watch the interviews here in AAS Video podcast 28.
Google, Contacts and Sync
We've had applications to sync into Google Calendar for a while, notably GooSync. But Google just released an official set of Contacts APIs (hooks for programmers to use), meaning that full sync into this part of Google may be on the horizon. But, as the Google OS blog notes, the APIs link into a generic contact store and not necessarily a GMail contact set, meaning that there's probably some tweaking at the Google end set to happen in the future, to simplify contact handling.
Basic for Symbian almost here...
NS Basic, the cross-platform Basic programming language that was announced for Symbian OS at last year's Smartphone Show, seems to be finally coming together. NS Basic has now put a page up, listing it as 'coming soon' and with a bullet list of features. It'll work with both S60 and UIQ, too, which is good to see, though it's apparently implemented on top of the StyleTap Palm OS emulator for Symbian. If you've got as many concerns over performance as I had, check out their benchmarks page too.
Open Signed Online going live next week
Thanks to SWB for reminding us that Symbian's Open Signed Online starts next week for those without Publisher IDs, in beta at least and with some throttling limits in place. We haven't been featuring every last 'unsigned' utility that's flooded the blogosphere in the last 3 months because, basically, the self-signing has been too hard for the average user. Will the new system improve matters? Comments welcome.
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