j2me
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Opera Mini 6.5 and Mobile 11.5 embark on data awareness mission, now available for download
Nearly three weeks after Opera Mini 6.5 graced the Android Market, it's now ready for iOS, BlackBerry, J2ME and S60 (the latter's in the form of Opera Mobile 11.5). The download, which is no different than what we saw on Google's mobile OS, brings with it an option to keep track of the amount of data you've used. This type of feature seems to be catching on all over the mobile world as more and more companies continue to switch to capped internet plans. If you're looking for this option, it appears as a dedicated page within the browser's help menu. Now is the time, Opera fans, to go forth and save data.
Opera delivers new Mini, Mobile browsers with pinch-to-zoom and shows off one for TVs
Web browser maker Opera is staying busy, unleashing several new versions of its product upon the populace today. Both of its on the go browsers have been updated with modern technology like pinch-to-zoom, sharing to other apps, improved scrolling and new tablet-friendly interfaces, while its also ready to show off a new version for set-top boxes and updating tools to help developers create apps for Opera-powered TVs. In case you need a scorecard, Opera Mini 6 (available for J2ME, Android, Blackberry, Symbian/S60) compresses pages before downloading them and Opera Mobile 11 (for Android, Symbian, Windows 7, MeeGo, Maemo) promises the entire web for those on high speed connections like WiFi, explaining the platform crossover. Peep the demo above or press releases after the break if you're still not sure what pinch-to-zoom means in or just point your mobile browser to m.opera.com and download the latest version for your device -- iOS need not apply at this time.
Mobile Gmail goes 2.0 for J2ME and BlackBerry phones
Right about this time last year, Google updated its mobile Gmail client to be leaner, meaner and altogether more awesome. Now, we're looking at version 2.0 of the app for use with J2ME-supported and BlackBerry phones. The team behind it rethought how mobile users interacted with Gmail, and they attempted to provide solutions for each instance in which your connection may be spotty. Furthermore, the entire client was made to operate faster and be more reliable than ever, and there's even support for keypad shortcuts, multiple drafts, undo, 35 languages and background mail sending. Hop on past the break for a demo vid, or better yet, just point your handset to m.google.com/mail and have a look for yourself.
Qik video streaming service now ready for J2ME phones
There's a decent chance you completely forgot about Qik, a nifty little startup that enables live audio / video streaming from feature phones to PCs, after hearing absolutely nothing from it since July. If so, it's all good -- the folks at Qik still want you to indulge in its first public alpha release for a slew of J2ME phones. For users with a Nokia 5300, 6300, 6500 classic, 6500 slide, 6555 or 8800 Arte, you can join your brethren with a Sony Ericsson K850, K858, W890, W910, W908, K660, G502 or Z750 in streaming live content right from your phone to your lovely posse. Give it a go and let us know how it turns out, will you?
Sun shows iPhone-like Java Mobile FX platform
Sun is again trumpeting Java from the top of its lungs -- and we're not talking about speweing coffee here here -- showing off what appeared to be flashy new cellphone software at the JavaOne conference this week. Not big news there, except that the Sun software apparently looked eerily like the Apple iPhone's software; in fact, the platform Sun CEO Jonathan Schwartz showed off is already being dubbed "jPhone" based on the striking resemblance to Apple's goods. The actual product name is Java Mobile FX and it's based on code from SavaJe, a Java-centric mobile OS company Sun just completed acquiring last week. The required specs to run Java Mobile FX aren't too slouchy: 32 megabytes of RAM and a 200 megahertz ARM processor are in the spec, so forget those entry-level Nokia and Sammy handsets. Even Sun Chairman Scott McNealy alluded to the copying of Apple's modus operandi by wearing a black t-shirt (ala black turtleneck territory from Steve Jobs) and saying "we have our own shirtsleeve version of Steve Jobs announcing a phone." Har har.
Sun to buy SavaJe Technologies
An announcement made this week states that Sun Microsystems will be purchasing SavaJe Technologies' intellectual property assets. While we haven't really been witness to much action on the SavaJe front, we can see why Sun would like to acquire the company's Java-heavy technology. Of course, SavaJe intended to provide a more complete experience than Sun's own J2ME ever intended to, even going as far as a physical handset release to demo the platform's capabilities. Alas, the company struggled mightily and this acquisition by Sun makes sense to all parties, we suspect. Details of the transaction -- and what it means for both organizations' efforts -- will be released at the JavaOne Conference in May.[Via Phone Scoop]
SavaJe struggles to survive
It seems that one of the prerequisites to the survival of a mobile software platform is... well, hardware to match. Imagine that? Apart from an LG special and a self-branded testbed that was never meant for the general public's consumption, SavaJe has blown through an alleged $71 million in venture capital with very little success to show for it. Its Java-based operating system has won the hearts and minds of the developer community, but thanks perhaps to a glut of platforms infecting the featurephone and smartphone markets these days, SavaJe simply hasn't caught on en masse. The lack of success appears to be taking a toll on the Massachusetts-based company, which is said to be desperately seeking a cash infusion while asking its developers to take a little unpaid time off. Call us morbid, but we reckon we're going to go ahead and write up that obit now.[Via MobHappy]
