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Posted by Chris Shearer Cooper on February 2, 2006, 6:28 pm
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Sorry for the cross-post, I'm new to programming for handhelds and wasn't
sure where to go ...
I've been tasked with writing some software for "a handheld" (and it's up to
me to decide which one). It would be cool if the software I created worked
on the PDAs that our field people already have, except that ...
1) most of the field people are using HP 4100s or 4300s, which have been
discontinued.
2) new field people are being issued HP 2490s, which have problems.
3) within the next year, corporate will make a switch, probably to either
the Palm Treo (phone thingy) or BlackBerry.
So ... my questions are these -
It looks like the HPs all use Windows Mobile?
If I write a program that runs under Windows Mobile, that will run on any
handheld that runs Windows Mobile?
Palm Treo probably runs Palm OS?
Palm OS is of course totally different from Windows Mobile?
BlackBerry uses their own OS, which is different from Palm and Windows
Mobile?
Does anyone make development systems that let me write code once, and have
it run on all 3 OS's (thus hedging my bets)? Maybe Java?
Thanks in advance for all suggestions!
Chris
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Posted by Guy Bannis on February 3, 2006, 2:05 am
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> It looks like the HPs all use Windows Mobile?
Yes.
> If I write a program that runs under Windows Mobile, that will run on any
> handheld that runs Windows Mobile?
Not necessarily. The history of Microsoft for handhelds is that new
versions are incompatible with old apps.
> Palm Treo probably runs Palm OS?
Palm has licensed Windows Mobile and is selling both Palm OS and Window
Mobile Treos.
> Palm OS is of course totally different from Windows Mobile?
The app has to be developed for each.
> BlackBerry uses their own OS, which is different from Palm and Windows
> Mobile?
Yes. I don't know why anyone would want a Blackberry. See
http://www.good.com/ for the same type of functionality on a Treo or Win
Mob device.
> Does anyone make development systems that let me write code once, and have
> it run on all 3 OS's (thus hedging my bets)? Maybe Java?
The handheld would need a Java environment. And it would have to come
from a third party. You'd also need to develop for the Java environment
designed for handhelds, not the server flavor of Java.
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Posted by r_z_aret on February 3, 2006, 2:27 pm
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>
>> It looks like the HPs all use Windows Mobile?
>
>Yes.
>
>> If I write a program that runs under Windows Mobile, that will run on any
>> handheld that runs Windows Mobile?
>
>Not necessarily. The history of Microsoft for handhelds is that new
>versions are incompatible with old apps.
Not quite. The folks in charge of the base Windows CE operating system
have been _very_ good about maintaining backward compatibility. The
folks in charge of platforms (e.g., Pocket PC and Smartphone) were
also careful until recently (around WM 2003). Even now, some apps
written for older platforms work well on WM 5, although at least some
tweaking helps. And compatibility is certainly not a safe assumption.
>
>> Palm Treo probably runs Palm OS?
>
>Palm has licensed Windows Mobile and is selling both Palm OS and Window
>Mobile Treos.
>
>> Palm OS is of course totally different from Windows Mobile?
>
>The app has to be developed for each.
>
>> BlackBerry uses their own OS, which is different from Palm and Windows
>> Mobile?
>
>Yes. I don't know why anyone would want a Blackberry. See
>http://www.good.com/ for the same type of functionality on a Treo or Win
>Mob device.
>
>> Does anyone make development systems that let me write code once, and have
>> it run on all 3 OS's (thus hedging my bets)? Maybe Java?
>
>The handheld would need a Java environment. And it would have to come
>from a third party. You'd also need to develop for the Java environment
>designed for handhelds, not the server flavor of Java.
-----------------------------------------
To reply to me, remove the underscores (_) from my email address (and please
indicate which newsgroup and message).
Robert E. Zaret, eMVP
PenFact, Inc.
20 Park Plaza, Suite 478
Boston, MA 02116
www.penfact.com
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Posted by Ray Ingles on February 3, 2006, 8:31 am
Please log in for more thread options > Does anyone make development systems that let me write code once, and have
> it run on all 3 OS's (thus hedging my bets)? Maybe Java?
Yeah, though they do limit the potential performance a bit. Google
around a bit, I know of MobiForms and NSBasic, though I haven't used
either. There are Java environments (Java 2 Micro Edition is the
official one, and SuperWaba is an unofficial but, I've heard, good one)
though, of course, performance can again be an issue.
In practice, unless you're writing a game the performance overhead
shouldn't be too much of an issue. Without knowing more about what
you're trying to do it's hard to say more than that.
--
Sincerely,
Ray Ingles (313) 227-2317
"If you don't vote, your vote is for 'whoever wins' which is
distinct from a vote for 'nobody'." - fishbowl
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Posted by r_z_aret on February 3, 2006, 2:27 pm
Please log in for more thread options On Thu, 2 Feb 2006 16:28:02 -0700, "Chris Shearer Cooper"
>Sorry for the cross-post, I'm new to programming for handhelds and wasn't
>sure where to go ...
>
>I've been tasked with writing some software for "a handheld" (and it's up to
>me to decide which one). It would be cool if the software I created worked
>on the PDAs that our field people already have, except that ...
>1) most of the field people are using HP 4100s or 4300s, which have been
>discontinued.
>2) new field people are being issued HP 2490s, which have problems.
>3) within the next year, corporate will make a switch, probably to either
>the Palm Treo (phone thingy) or BlackBerry.
>
>So ... my questions are these -
>
>It looks like the HPs all use Windows Mobile?
>If I write a program that runs under Windows Mobile, that will run on any
>handheld that runs Windows Mobile?
>Palm Treo probably runs Palm OS?
>Palm OS is of course totally different from Windows Mobile?
>BlackBerry uses their own OS, which is different from Palm and Windows
>Mobile?
>
>Does anyone make development systems that let me write code once, and have
>it run on all 3 OS's (thus hedging my bets)? Maybe Java?
I just used google (http://groups.google.com/advanced_group_search) to
look up
cross
in microsoft.public.pocketpc.developer and got 283 hits. I took a
quick look, and think you'll find useful info. You might at least
check a 20 Sep 2004 thread called "Recommended cross-platform
development tools for PDAs and mobile telephones?"
I am definitely biased, but I think buying is often less expensive
than creating. Especially when novices are creating. In this
situation, buying means the vendor would have to deal with all the
compatibility issues. Several companies, including mine sell a wide
variety of software to support field workers. We support just about
all Windows devices, including Pocket PCs, but not Smartphones.
>
>Thanks in advance for all suggestions!
>Chris
>
-----------------------------------------
To reply to me, remove the underscores (_) from my email address (and please
indicate which newsgroup and message).
Robert E. Zaret, eMVP
PenFact, Inc.
20 Park Plaza, Suite 478
Boston, MA 02116
www.penfact.com
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