Last week’s Developer section feature article took a look at FleaC, an easier to use API for Symbian C++ developers. Also, Forum Nokia releases a utility to make the Sensor API (JSR-256) available for Nokia 5800 XpressMusic devices. Read on for more.

FleaC

Developer attitudes towards Symbian C++ have always been highly variable; from simply viewing it as little more than another set of C++ APIs to learn, through to what can most politely be described as disinterest in learning something different. However, a common theme from all developers is the relative complexity of Symbian C++, which has certainly been a barrier to many.

Fleasome’s Pekka Niskanen was one of many who recognised this issue. However, Pekka and the team at Fleasome are some of the few who have set about solving the problem, resulting in FleaC. You can find out more about this in the feature article here.

As a technology, FleaC looks impressive but you do have to wonder if it is a little too late. For example, Nokia is delivering Nokia Maps integration on Web Runtime - to enable cross platform deployment of third-party solutions and ‘lower the barriers’ to developers - but not yet implemented Nokia Maps integration for C++ developers. This may mean that the challenge for FleaC is a significant shift away from Symbian C++ as the premium development environment.

The lack of Nokia Maps support in Symbian C++ could, however, have as much to do with the fact that Google Maps is already widely used by developers who have found a need to add map functionality to their applications. 

Sensor API for the Nokia 5800 XpressMusic

Forum Nokia has released a small utility that adds the Sensor API (JSR-256) to Nokia 5800 XpressMusic devices running firmware version 21.0.025 and later. The Sensor API provides Java developers with features similar to those C++ developers have had since the release of the Nokia 5500 Sport and as a platform feature (as a plug-in) since 3rd Edition, Feature Pack 2. More significantly, and echoing the earlier comment, JavaScript and ActionScript already have this capability on the 5800. The Java version of the API provides access to the accelerometer, battery charge sensor, charger state sensor, and network field intensity sensor.

The Sensor API utility is provided with little supporting information and no doubt will have some Java developers scratching their heads as to precisely how this utility will be of benefit, beyond adding the API for testing on their own 5800.

The Sensor API will also be available to Java developers on the Nokia N97. In addition, as the release notes for JRT 1.4 (which delivered the API to S60) seem to suggest the API will also arrive on S60 3rd Edition devices at some point.