Posted on September 29, 2010, at 6:57 PM .
Yesterday, RIM released a Java plug-in for Eclipse for Mac OS X enabling developers to develop Java apps for the BlackBerry on a Mac. BlackBerry Java development on the Macintosh has been absent and developers have been asking for a solution for a long time.
The initial beta will focus on Java development for BlackBerry 6 with a tethered device debugging on the BlackBerry Torch: no simulator required.
Eclipse is a free java-based open source software development environment mostly based on plug-ins. With the exception of a small run-time kernel, all of Eclipse’s functionality relies on plug-ins. This beta has all the features of the BlackBerry Java Plug-in for Eclipse v1.1.2 including the ability to package a single app project for multiple BlackBerry devices. It also supports Eclipse project artifacts and folder structures.
Continue reading ‘RIM Releases Java Plug-In for Eclipse on Mac OS X’
Posted on September 10, 2010, at 11:32 AM .
Verizon has recently deployed the Perst Lite object-oriented, open source embedded database system from McObject in BlackBerry software for service and repair technicians. The application will eventually be rolled out for use by thousands of Verizon personnel. The company has said that they have sold up to 5,000 licenses of Perst Lite to Verizon, which is a great deal for any organization.
Continue reading ‘Verizon Deploys Open Source Database Perst Lite for Field Technicians with BlackBerrys’
Posted on August 4, 2010, at 12:42 PM .
Some developers have already let us know that their apps are available for BlackBerry 6 including S4BB. It’s good to know that when you get your first BlackBerry Torch, there are developers out there who want to be catering to the early adopters. To help push more development for the device, RIM has made the BlackBerry Java SDK v6.0 available along with device simulators.
The BlackBerry Java SDK v6.0 takes advantage of new UI features, offers deeper integration with BlackBerrys, access to new and enhanced services and support for rendering and porting content to the new WebKit-based browser. BlackBerry 6 offers more than 40 new APIs that allow developers to build even better apps for the Torch. The press release outlines some new BlackBerry 6 features and details about how the SDK supports them:
Continue reading ‘RIM Announces Java SDK to Support BlackBerry 6 with Torch Simulators’
Posted on April 6, 2010, at 10:39 AM .
The BlackBerry Dev Blog have announced that they have new Java and Web development tools and SDKs for BlackBerry. BlackBerry Dev Blog Mike breaks down the major highlights of the update which include:
1) Hot Swap Simulator – Using the new simulators provided in the BlackBerry Java SDK v5.0, you no longer need to reset your simulator every time you update your application, which helps makes it faster and easier to write your applications.
2) Widget and Web Development Tools Together – With the new Web Development tools RIM are bringing together the BlackBerry Widget and BlackBerry Web development tools into one plug-in so that developers can easily get started using one set of common tools. This should make it easier for web developers to experiment with BlackBerry Widgets and to discover the power and capabilities of that development model.
Continue reading ‘RIM Update BlackBerry Java and Web Development Tools and SDKs’
Posted on February 2, 2010, at 10:55 AM .
When I was in Scandinavia meeting with Opera, along with the lucky BBCool reader who won the trip, I got to talking with them about RIM’s acquisition of Torch Mobile. The guys at Opera are really smart and gave me some insight into what a browser really is. A browser is really a combination of 50-80 mini apps, that all serve various functions such as understanding the HTML/CSS. WebKit is a core technology within the browser. There are other core technologies that can be used to build a Browser: Presto, Gecko, Trident etc.
The acquisition of Torch Mobile meant that RIM now controls a few of the developers who are contributors to WebKit’s source code. The Webkit platform, while Open Source, doesn’t allow just anyone to manipulate the base code. There is a relatively small group of contributors from Apple, Nokia, Google, various Universities, and now RIM.
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Posted on November 9, 2009, at 2:38 PM .
The BlackBerry Developer Conference has kicked off with a great start as RIM have announced a host of great features for developers that are going to help them make richer and more attractive content.
The first major announcement is the addition of OpenGL ES support that will help developers make 3D games and graphics. The high performance rendering engine is available on the Storm2, and it makes games like EA’s Need for Speed Shift, look really impressive.
Another announcement is a GUI builder, integrated into the BlackBerry Java Plug-in for Eclipse. The builder will make it faster and easier for Java developers to build user interfaces for BlackBerry applications.
The next big announcement is the BlackBerry Theme Studio 5 that replaces the previously available Plazmic Content Developer’s Kit. The studio allows developers to make themes with the ability to import Adobe Photoshop files to BlackBerry Theme Builder, add ringtones and build screen transitions such as zooming, sliding, wiping and fading within themes. Ringtones and screen transitions are supported for BlackBerry smartphones running BlackBerry OS 5.0 and higher.
So stay tuned because we’re about to see some very compelling applications for BlackBerry that have rich 3D graphics and more integration with the device.
