Research In Motion has launched a beta of its latest Java software development kit, the BlackBerry 7 Java SDK beta.
Research In
Motion has launched a beta of its BlackBerry Java software development kit version
7.0.
The BlackBerry
7 Java SDK provides a set of tools and APIs that enable developers to leverage
key new features of the next generation of BlackBerry smartphones running the
BlackBerry 7 OS, including the recently announced BlackBerry Bold 9900 and 9930
smartphones.
The BlackBerry
7 Java SDK enables developers to create rich applications, including gaming,
augmented reality and NFC (near-field communication), RIM officials said. The
BlackBerry 7 Java SDK also gives developers access to a comprehensive set of
APIs and tools on the BlackBerry platform; the company said they can build and
quickly bring to market interactive feature-rich mobile applications that
provide users with outstanding experiences.
The BlackBerry
7 Java SDK features a host of new APIs, including the magnetometer APIs, which
enable developers to create better navigation applications, augmented-reality
applications and games requiring the orientation of the device to be changed.
There also is a new Native Window API, which is critical for augmented-reality
applications and allows OpenGL ES and Java UI elements to be rendered on a
surface that overlays a native window, such as a camera, video viewfinder or Web
browser.
The new SDK also features NFC APIs, which give developers the
possibility to set and read the NFC chip to communicate with other NFC-enabled
devices and build mobile-payment and e-commerce solutions. The SDK also features support for the OpenGL ES 2.0
standard, which allows developers to build compelling 3D mobile-gaming
experiences with rich and vivid graphics. OpenGL ES is a royalty-free,
cross-platform API for full-function 2D and 3D graphics on embedded systems,
including consoles, phones, appliances and vehicles.
Meanwhile, RIM
is also delivering new service APIs in this beta release, including new BlackBerry
ID APIs to protect the user's information and location-based service API
enhancements, including support for geo-fencing APIs.
The BlackBerry
7 Java SDK represents an attractive opportunity for developers to create and
monetize applications for the BlackBerry ecosystem, which includes more than
150 million BlackBerry smartphones sold, with 14.9 million BlackBerry
smartphones sold in RIM's fiscal fourth quarter of 2011 alone. RIM officials
also said there are more than 43 million BBM (BlackBerry Messenger) users and
growing, at 2 million per month; there are 3 million applications downloaded
daily from App World; and RIM has more than 595 carrier and distribution
partners in over 175 countries.
Developers can
download the BlackBerry Java SDK v7.0 beta at the BlackBerry 7 landing page.
Darryl K. Taft covers the development tools and developer-related issues beat from his office in Baltimore. He has more than 10 years of experience in the business and is always looking for the next scoop. Taft is a member of the Association for Computing Machinery (ACM) and was named 'one of the most active middleware reporters in the world' by The Middleware Co. He also has his own card in the 'Who's Who in Enterprise Java' deck.
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