Wendong’s Smart Phone Weblog

uLocate launched a mobile GPS application contest. Contesters need to write mobile applications running on top of Where mobile platform, which supports an XML UI language and a Javascript-like language for logic. If you win, you will get the chance to win some cash prize, plus the opportunity to meet VCs.

Carriers usually have tight control on sensible APIs such Location API. You might not have the chance to use it unless your company partner with those operators. WHERE GPS widgets provide an easy access to those APIs and an easy way to programming for mobile devices. So if you have a killer idea, go for it.

Currently WHERE client is available on 20+ Sprint handsets and 5 Alltel handsets.

Thanks to Allen for this News.

Maptales is a nice geoblog site with an open source Java ME client.

Maptales Mobile is a J2ME/MIDlet client that allows you to log your routes and thoughts on the go, and later edit and publish the data on maptales.com where it can be exported to your Web site, Google Earth, RSS/Atom, and other formats. All you need is a mobile phone that supports Java and a Bluetooth GPS device.

Yes. It has yet another logo with speech bubble. I kind of like the bubble.

Loke Uei’s post about wind and human movement powered phone charger reminds me a solar powered cell phone commercial I saw recently on CCTV4 (Chinese). I found the picture of that phone.

There seems a lot of complaints online about the phones from that manufacturer. I think that it does not have to be perfect to make it usable. It is a great phone for you to throw in the trunk of your car, and use it on emergence.

David Matthews kindly sent me an invitation to Symbian Smartphone Show (16-17
October 2007, London, UK). I won’t be able to attend it but it must be good:

We are delighted to invite you to the 2007 Symbian Smartphone Show, 16-17 October, at the London ExCel Centre. Attended by over 3500 delegates from across the mobile industry, the event showcases recent and upcoming mobile technologies and handsets and gives you the opportunity to debate the future of mobile with industry experts.

Providing you with:
- Free access to keynote sessions from Symbian, NTT DoCoMo, Nokia, Vodafone, Sony Ericsson, RIM, Visa
- Opportunity to have one-to-one interviews with the industry’s most forward-thinking executives
- Symbian press conference, 16 October
- Exclusive demos on today’s coolest mobile applications
- Technology and content seminars
- The Symbian party!

1) Foundation Flash Applications for Mobile Devices

This a must-have for Flash (desktop) developers who want to enter the mobile world or Java ME developers who want to learn Flash Lite. I bought it from bookpool a while ago. As a Java developer (mostly), I do have to pick up some Adobe Flash basics before I feel comfortable to dig into it. But overall it is a great book. And it is the only book available with up to date Flash Lite content.

2) Mobile 3D Graphics: Learning 3D Graphics with the Java Micro Edition

It is funny that I first found this book in this year’s BREW conference, not Java One. Actually there are a few more books on Mobile 3D, such as Mobile 3D Game Development: From Start to Market and the upcoming Mobile 3D Graphics: with OpenGL ES and M3G

3) Mobile Web Design

This book from Cameron Moll will be available on August 28. You’ll have the chance to win an iPhone if you’re one of the first buyers. I follow Cameron’s blog and good posts about mobile web design, so I believe this book will be good.