Category Archives: Mobile Technologies

BlackBerry Desktop Manager

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Last update :  December 7, 2014

Today I installed the BlackBerry Desktop Manager Version 5.0.1.37 (march 10, 2010).

This dashboard offers the following functions:

BlackBerry Desktop Manager

  • Media Sync (synchronise iTunes or Windows Media Player music with BlackBerry device)
  • Application Loader (add or remove applications, update software)
  • Backup and Restore (backup or restore device data)
  • Device Switch Wizard (transfer data from one device to another : BlackBerry, Palm or Windows mobile)
  • Synchronize (synchronize email and organizer data)
  • IP modem (set up BlackBerry device as a wireless modem for internet access)

The desktop manager works with my three different BlackBerry devices : 7100v, 8100 et 9000. It does not support my new Blackberry Z10.

The firmware and microedition versions are shown below :

7100v

  • BlackBerry 7100v
  • v 4.0.2.35
  • Platform 1.8.0.138
  • CLDC-1.1
  • MIDP-2.0
  • JTW 1.0
  • Media 1.1
  • PIM 1.0
  • 2005

8100

  • BlackBerry 8100
  • v 4.2.1.109
  • Platform 2.3.0.85
  • CLDC-1.1
  • MIDP-2.0
  • JTW 1.0
  • Media 1.1
  • Pim 1.0
  • File 1.0
  • 2007

9000

  • BlackBerry 9000
  • v 4.6.0.216
  • Platform 4.0.0.183
  • Branding 1.0.194.166
  • CLDC-1.1
  • MIDP-2.0
  • JTWI 1.0
  • Media 1.1
  • PIM 1.0
  • File 1.0
  • Bluetooth 1.1
  • Location 1.0.1
  • Security and Trust 1.0
  • WLAN 2.4.0.71
  • 2008

My desktop manager was updated in 2011 to version 6.1.0.35 (Bundle 34), released on June 7, 2011, in 2012 to version 7.0.0.59 (Bundle 60), released on May 17, 2012 and recently to version 7.1.0.41 (Bundle 42), released on March 26, 2013.

Screenshot of the Blackberry update window

Screenshot of the Blackberry update window

With my Blackberry Z10, the Blackberry Desktop Manager was replaced by Blackberry Link, the latest version 1.2.3.56 was released on July 3, 2014.

Thoughts on Flash by Steve Jobs : go to HTML5

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Recently, Steve Jobs published his thoughts on Flash on the Apple website.

Steve Jobs explains why Apple does not allow Flash on iPhones, iPods and iPads.

  1. open standards : Adobe’s Flash products are 100% proprietary
  2. full web : most videos are available in a modern format, H.264, and viewable on iPhones, iPods and iPads
  3. reliability, security and performance
  4. battery life
  5. touch : Flash was created for PCs and mice, not for mobile devices with touch interface
  6. Apple wants to provide the most advanced and innovative platform to the developers

Steve Jobs recommends to use the open standards HTML5, CSS and JavaScript for mobile devices.

One on the first to follow this idea is the developer of the JW video player, Jeroen Wijering. Even if he thinks that there is still a lot of work to be done before HTML5 reaches the maturity level that Flash has for delivering video content to the users, he released the beta version of the HTML5 JW player two weeks ago.

BlackBerry RSS reader

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Viigo Inc. develops and markets one of the world’s most popular mobile content and services applications for smartphones. With over 5,000 channels and information services, Viigo customers around the world enjoy up‐to‐the minute access to news, weather, sports, stocks and markets, entertainment, and blogs in one intuitive, simple, freely-downloadable application.

Viigo offers a free beta version of an RSS reader for BlackBerry. This third party application is also used by RIM executives, as stated by crackberry.com, the #1 site for BlackBerry users & abusers.

Oplayer : mobile media player

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Last update : January 30, 2013

In 2001, I tested the first version of the Oplayo Mobile Video Player on mobile phones with Symbian operating system. My first test phone was the Nokia 7650. The videos were converted from standard video files into Oplayo’s MVQ format using the Oplayo Media Designer. The videos typically required a mobile data connection with 26 kbps bandwith and used the HTTP protocol for streaming.

Oplayo has been at the forefront of mobile media development and became a global leader in non-standard encoded mobile video technology. In 2010 the Oplayo domains were acquired by MediaWireless.

XTNDConnect PC from Sybase iAnywhere

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Sybase iAnywhere – Desktop synchronization of PIM to mobile devices

XTNDConnect PC is a software application that allows you to easily synchronize your contacts, calendar, tasks, email and notes between your mobile devices and popular PC applications. XTNDConnect PC greatly improves your effectiveness and productivity without requiring the involvement of IT departments.

Available in 17 languages and validated in the market with more than 50 million copies distributed, XTNDConnect PC is fast, flexible and easy to use. It is available directly for customers or can be customized for OEM/ODM implementations.

XNTD was developed by Extended Systems Inc. Founded in 1984, Extended Systems was acquired by Sybase Inc in 2005.

WURFL = Wireless Universal Resource File

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last update: 22 august 2011

The WURFL is an XML configuration file which contains information about capabilities and features of many mobile devices. The main scope of the file is to collect as much information as we can about all the existing mobile devices that access WAP pages so that developers will be able to build better applications and better services for the users. WURFL is an open-source project and is intended for developers working with the WAP and Wireless.

The WURFL project was launched by Luca Passani. He is the author of the web-tutorial Global Authoring Practices for the Mobile Web.

In June 2011 the WURFL Team launched the new US company ScientiaMobile and turned WURFL into a commercial reality.

InterObject

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last update : august 2010

In 2003, InterObject, an israelian company, was focused on the development of multimedia software for Windows and embedded systems. They have been pioneers in the development of software related to MMS Technology. A 3GPP SMIL player, an MMS composer, an MPEG4 decoder and encoder, am MMS presentation SDK and a Symbian MMS player were some of the tools that I used to create innovative mobile applications for the Nokia Series 60 phones.

On October 20, 2008, InterObject joined GlobalLogic Inc., the leader in global product development services.

Helix DNA server

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last update : august 2010

The Helix DNA Server is a universal delivery engine supporting the real time packetization and network transmission of any media type to any device. The Helix DNA Server is the industry’s core media delivery engine. The Helix DNA Server is available under the RealNetworks Public Source License and is developed by the HelixCommunity.

I used the Helix server for my first streaming applications with the Nokia 3650 and 7650 phones.

Mophun, a mobile environment

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last update : august 2010

Mophun, a product of Synergenix Interactive, is an environment for developing Mobile-Phone Games and Applications. The games are developed in the C and C++ programming languages using an open source SDK available upon request . A compiler translates the projects into a system independent application.

Mophun was the brainchild of Antony Hartley and was developed by Hartley and Anders Norlander. Antony Hartley since moved on to form Mobile Sorcery, a company that specializes in visual mobile authoring. The name was changed later on in MoSync AB.