When Sun revamped its Java technology a while back in an attempt to more closely match each developer’s target platform, the Java platform was split into three specialized platforms: the Standard, Enterprise, and Micro Editions. The Micro Edition, or J2ME as it has since become known, was intended to offer a Java development platform specifically designed for low-memory and horsepower-challenged mobile devices, such as cell phones and PDAs.
While popular outside the United States for some time, these Java-enabled devices have been a bit slow to catch on inside the United States. However, Java-enabled cell phones are finally appearing in the United States, and a major, if sometimes hammy, marketing blitz is accompanying them. In addition, a slew of pending standards promises to catapult wireless development in the near future. As a result, many developers are beginning to look at J2ME as a development platform for mobile versions of enterprise applications, in addition to traditional consumer-targeted applications such as games.
Become an explorer
Builder.com was ahead of the curve, though, with our Exploring J2ME series last fall. One of the longest continuous series we’ve run here on Builder.com, the Exploring J2ME series thoroughly explored the world of J2ME development. In the series, we discussed how to decode the alphabet soup of J2ME configuration and platform specifications and showed you how to compile and test J2ME programs using Sun’s Wireless Toolkit. Finally, we taught you the ins and outs of wireless communication, J2ME’s GUI toolkit, and the record management API by following along with the construction of a complete, functional J2ME application called ExpensesApp.
Now, you can download this great series, complete with links to all the source code for all the sample applications, in both DOC and PDF formats, for your offline reading pleasure.
