DeviceAnywhere, a provider of mobile application testing technology, and the Symbian Foundation recently launched the Symbian Virtual Developer Lab. 

The VDL leverages DeviceAnywhere’s technology to enable the delivery of tools for the open-source community to build and bring innovative mobile applications to market faster. Through the VDL, Symbian Foundation members will have remote access to a range of Symbian supported handsets, including the Nokia 5800 XpressMusic, the first touch-screen Symbian device and the Nokia N97, with additional devices being added as the project develops. 

By using DeviceAnywhere’s patented Direct-To-Device technology, developers will be able to remotely perform real-world testing scenarios with physical devices from anywhere in the world, company officials said. The technology enables developers to remotely press buttons, listen to ringtones and sounds, play videos, access the Internet, and view LCD displays with pixel-by-pixel representations for accurate image and text matching that display exactly what the consumer would view, DeviceAnywhere officials said.

“The Symbian Foundation is pleased to announce the delivery of the Symbian VDL as part of the wide range of resources available for developer support,” said Larry Berkin, head of Global Alliances and the U.S. office for the Symbian Foundation, in a statement.  “The Symbian VDL will greatly benefit our community by lowering the cost of the development and testing of mobile applications. We welcome all solutions that lower the barrier to entry for developers and allow them to be more creative, and DeviceAnywhere is a notable example of an innovative company providing such solutions. We look forward to more Symbian devices being available for testing via the VDL, so that developers can easily target the biggest mobile application opportunity available today.”

DeviceAnywhere automatically captures screen shots and keystrokes, allowing for easy review of development and testing activities, company officials said. These reports can then be saved and sent to colleagues to allow for analysis and error proofing. Additionally, videos can also be recorded and used in a similar manner, or marketed to potential distributors and application stores.

“To date, expensive licenses and device requirements surrounding development have limited access for many smaller developers or content providers," said Faraz Syed, CEO of DeviceAnywhere. "DeviceAnywhere was created to help developers of all sizes overcome the barriers to entry into the mobile application space and help solve the problems of fragmentation in mobility. The Symbian Foundation represents an opportunity for a truly open mobile ecosystem, something that I and many industry analysts strongly believe represents a key component in the future success of the mobile industry. This relationship with the Symbian Foundation is great progress toward an open mobile ecosystem.”

Meanwhile, company officials said DeviceAnywhere will be giving every member of the Symbian Foundation 5 free hours of access to the Symbian VDL in addition to complimentary DeviceAnywhere accounts.