Getting started in mobile development

Tom Dunne

As per the subject, I'm thinking of getting back into programming, specifically, mobile development.

So, where do I start? I would like to develop apps for Symbian, is it just a matter of downloading the SDK and away I go?

Or would you recommend something else?

anton

What do you want to do? Commercial stuff or hobby?

Depending on that, I suppose, you should choose your target platform and take it from there.

JohnK

Did you manage to get started at all Tom Dunne? I plan to get into Symbian dev too at some point so feel free to keep us updated on your progress

Tom Dunne

JohnK wrote: »

Did you manage to get started at all Tom Dunne? I plan to get into Symbian dev too at some point so feel free to keep us updated on your progress

Not yet. Just got dumped with a load of extra hours at work (which in this climate, really isn't a bad thing).

It is technically a hobby, so there's no rush.

I am now looking at Maemo 5 development for the Nokia N900. Seeing as it is Linux, it really appeals to me.

markmcg

I'm currently developing a Java Mobile App for a project. Java Mobile runs on any platform.

Atomic Pineapple

I started in mobile development at the beginning of 4th year software development, we had a module on mobile apps and programmed using J2ME.

We found J2ME to be a mess of an SDK, we ran into countless problems and the only solutions we found broke all sorts of best pratices and other rules, it was extremely frustrating to work on.

Never the less I enjoyed the mobile side of things and the kind of things you could create so I decided to do my final year project on Android.

I created a location aware car parking application and built a website detailing it.

I got a first class honours for it.

I am not working on a commercial application for Android and getting paid for it

markmcg

I'm going to look into Android during the summer. I prefer mobile development over desktop development.

Atomic Pineapple

markmcg wrote: »

I'm going to look into Android during the summer. I prefer mobile development over desktop development.

As I do but it has its drawbacks, especially working on Android. Of the development team here, I'm the only one with any Android experience and thats was only a 8 month long final year project done entirely on my own.

So getting help is hard and trying to do new things with it is challenging but ultimately more enjoyable than desktop development for me.

Tom Dunne

draffodx wrote: »

I started in mobile development at the beginning of 4th year software development, we had a module on mobile apps and programmed using J2ME.

Actually, that's quite interesting.

The college I am working in is proposing to teach a semester or two on mobile development in 3rd and probably 4th year, so I would have one eye on that.

I've bought myself an N900, so I'm going to have a play around with it over the next couple of months and see how I get on.

Atomic Pineapple

Tom Dunne wrote: »

Actually, that's quite interesting.

The college I am working in is proposing to teach a semester or two on mobile development in 3rd and probably 4th year, so I would have one eye on that.

I've bought myself an N900, so I'm going to have a play around with it over the next couple of months and see how I get on.

Dont put them through the torture of having to develop J2ME apps!

The mobile development course lasted just one year on J2ME and has since moved to Android development

smackyB

draffodx wrote: »

I started in mobile development at the beginning of 4th year software development, we had a module on mobile apps and programmed using J2ME.

We found J2ME to be a mess of an SDK, we ran into countless problems and the only solutions we found broke all sorts of best pratices and other rules, it was extremely frustrating to work on.

Never the less I enjoyed the mobile side of things and the kind of things you could create so I decided to do my final year project on Android.

I created a location aware car parking application and built a website detailing it.

I got a first class honours for it.

I am not working on a commercial application for Android and getting paid for it

Nice, I've been doing stuff with Android now for about a year.. What company are you working for?

Paulj

I currently developing an FTP Server application in J2ME. I find it quite interesting i have to say and looking forward to being able to transfer files to my Jet via Wifi instead of using cable or bluetooth. :cool:

markmcg

I'm going to start doing beta testing in my college for my J2ME app.
Does anyone here want to try out my app shortly

Atomic Pineapple

How are you finding J2ME?

I though it was really restrictive and the API's just weren't up to much.

What kinda app is it?

I'll have a look at it for testing if you want

markmcg

I'm loving J2ME development. I got hooked last year so I wanted to use it for my final year project.
Its a mobile library system. the book titles are grabbed from my college library website and displayed on phone. at the moment the app has the basic functions working. I'm going to add more stuff after a while. By tomorrow I can send you the jar file to install on your phone. What phone you got?

Atomic Pineapple

markmcg wrote: »

I'm loving J2ME development. I got hooked last year so I wanted to use it for my final year project.
Its a mobile library system. the book titles are grabbed from my college library website and displayed on phone. at the moment the app has the basic functions working. I'm going to add more stuff after a while. By tomorrow I can send you the jar file to install on your phone. What phone you got?

Sony Ericsson W810i is the only one I can run J2ME apps on the rest are Android powered

techguy

I wonder are there many iPhone developers here. It seems to mainly android.

I just bought a second hand MacBook Pro with the intent of developing for the iPhone OS.

Just started into a tutorial tonight on Objective-C and am quite please with m progress.

markmcg

I also have a macbook pro. I've watched a good few iPhone development videos. Going to learn more in the summer as soon as I'm finished with my final year project.

Genghiz Cohen

The book Beginning iPhone Development really helped me get to grips with iPhone dev.

If you have problems completing some tasks, older versions of the book have errors in it, the forums detail the solutions.

Random

Paulj wrote: »

I currently developing an FTP Server application in J2ME. I find it quite interesting i have to say and looking forward to being able to transfer files to my Jet via Wifi instead of using cable or bluetooth. :cool:

How's this coming along for you?

Paulj

Random wrote: »

How's this coming along for you?

It's coming along fairly well but i'm finding it hard to get the time to put into it. So far its able to produce an ftp directory listing. Need to expand the state machine to handle all/more of the ftp commands.

Paulj

For anyone interested i've this (j2me ftp server) finally uploaded to a website... you can download it (and its source code) here:
http://code.google.com/p/ftpservmobile/

it's by no means finished! But it is functional on my Samsung Jet. It's very slow though, have to look into that. I've tried it on my Sony Ericsson c905 and there were various issues which would need looking at.

You can open up the project using Eclipse.

markmcg

I finished my j2me app for my project last week and got it handed in. I also had to use LWUIT on top of J2ME. Looking to design a new app during the summer using j2me + LWUIT.

deadbloke

markmcg wrote: »

I finished my j2me app for my project last week and got it handed in. I also had to use LWUIT on top of J2ME. Looking to design a new app during the summer using j2me + LWUIT.

How did you find LWUIT? I used J2ME Polish for my final year project, but I didn't go too deep into it.

markmcg

Hi,
It was really good. There was one problem I noticed. Say I wanted the same ticker on each form then I needed to create a ticker for each form. For some reason you can't add the same thing more than once.
I only started to use LWUIT towards the end because the lecturer said my UI looked bald. When I showed him last week he said well done.

deadbloke

Do you mean the same instance of a ticker object, or a new instance with the same properties?

There's one thing about the standard J2ME is that the UI leaves a lot to be desired. I don't have any experience with Qt or any other mobile platform, but I'd imagine (hope?) that they're a lot better than Java ME.

markmcg

In LWUIT you have use labels as a ticker. instead of just adding the same object you need to create a new object(different name) and then add it.

markmcg

So you think J2ME Polish is worth learning?

deadbloke

I thought Polish was very useful, made prettifying GUI's a lot easier. I've never used LWUIT so I can't compare. Polish integrates easily with Netbeans or Eclipse, and if you're developing for several different devices it's great. It comes with a few samples to get you started, and they demonstrate Polishes abilities well. It helps if you know a bit of ant and css, but I didn't know either when I started.

anton

I've only superficial knowledge of Polish, but I think LWUIT is better. I think Polish mode of operation is to allow creating targeted releases for individual devices while LWUIT philosopy is to create one build for all. Not to mention that LWUI can run on BB and Android.

deadbloke

anton wrote: »

I've only superficial knowledge of Polish, but I think LWUIT is better. I think Polish mode of operation is to allow creating targeted releases for individual devices while LWUIT philosopy is to create one build for all. Not to mention that LWUI can run on BB and Android.

Polish is designed so you don't have to target a specific device, it does that for you. The idea is that you design your application without worrying about device specifics. It also supports porting to other platforms - check out http://www.j2mepolish.org/cms/leftsection/documentation/platforms.html

Whether it's better or worse than LWUIT for this I cannot say.