Do I have to use J2ME for Blackberry development?

Question

I would like to begin developing for the Blackberry platform and, specifically, the Bold and also the Storm device which is coming out soon. Do I need to get into Java and J2ME or can I develop sites in ASP.NET and just keep utilizing the skills I already have? I am completely new to mobile platform development and have no idea what it will take to target these Blackberry devices. I am hoping to continue to use my ASP skills..

Answer 1

Are you talking about websites (because you say "develop sites in ASP.NET") or native Blackberry applications (because you say "developing for the Blackberry platform")?

Applications which run on the Blackberry use J2ME. If your application is accessed from a browser on the Blackberry, then it's the server the web app runs on that determines the language, not that it's being accessed from the Blackberry browser.

Then there's Blackberry MDS for integration with enterprise apps. I don't know much about this (never used it or seen an application that uses it) but it's described here: http://na.blackberry.com/eng/services/mobile.jsp

Paul

Answer 2

This question might help you. "Creating a mini-site in asp.NET that works on blackberry, Windows Mobile, and iPhone"

Answer 3

If you are just doing web development, you don't need to know J2ME for Blackberry. J2ME is a supported JAVA framework for device specific applications. You just need to be familiar with HTML rendering for mobile devices

Assuming that you are building a web app that you intend to be loaded by a Blackberry browser, I suggest building mobile specific pages that are cross compatible across many devices types and configurations.

Look at the Blackberry Browser Development Guides which offer suggestions/best-practices for mobile web development that can applied to all of mobile web development.

Answer 4

To develop Blackberry Applications that are full-featured, have acceptable performance, and look nice, you need to use the RIM native apis.

You can use J2ME applications, but they typically don't mesh well with a full-keyboarded device.

And, of course, web apps will look even worse than that.

Answer 5

Please read this http://www.oracle.com/technetwork/systems/index-139239.html

It talks about how one application should not mix RIM UI API calls with CLDC and MIDP API calls.

Ofcourse, I have to mention also that that link is really dated.