Java Mobile programming for a beginner, where to start?

Question

After I downloaded the Google Mail and Google Maps application into my mobile phone I got an idea about a service that I want to implement.

My problem is that I never did any programming for the mobile platform and I need someone to point me out some resources for the Hello World on a mobile and then something a bit more complicated.

Let's make it a bit broad, as in J2ME in general for the moment. I'll dig into Android once I get the non Android/*Berry/etc out of the way.

Answer 1

Clicking here would be a pretty good place to start, it's where the best J2ME programmers have started before you...

Answer 2

Install NetBeans with J2ME - you can test your mobile applications on a variety of target device emulators. Easy development model - you can develop GUIs rapidly with the Visual Mobile Designer.

Answer 3

I would really recommend looking at Blackberry as a target platform to play with, for the following reasons:

• Lots of documentation
• Access to cheap devices for testing
• No walled garden (approval system or closed marketplace), you can distribute your app via over the air downloads (user just has to point their browser to the appropriate JAD file and download/install begins)
• Large user base (at least within the US)
• Quality forum support for blackberry developers
• Supports J2ME. You can either develop Blackberry specific apps of J2ME specific apps, both run on blackberry devices.
  • Blackberry specific apps have a more elegent UI library (lots of J2ME witdgets you need to roll your own or use a library like LWUIT) and you won't be able to run Blackberry specific apps to other devices (though the underlying logic will be the same)
  • Both Blackberry and J2ME specific apps can still access and use underlying non-ui classes of each framework.

The only cons:

• Not as sexy as Android or iPhone development
• Initial setup can be clumsy
• Tough to monetize because no formal blackberry store to manage transactions and installs

You can get more info about Blackberry development here:

http://na.blackberry.com/eng/developers/started/

Answer 4

Starting from Sun's JavaME (former J2ME) website you can find a lot of documentation and examples (even if i must admin, they are a little old). If you want something more complex yet more advanced, you can have a look at GEAR Java Mobile Framework. It's a lightweight JavaME framework and it's hosted on sourceforge. There is also a blog containing some usefull tutorial on how to start a new application from scratch.