TamsPPC - the PocketPC Blog

Recently, many software houses have begun offering components(used in their applications) to third-party developers(take Resco as an example). The US-based company PhatWare has decided to follow suite by offering its OTA-updating utility to developers:

PhatUpdate SDK for Microsoft Windows Mobile offers an easy and convenient way to provide updates for installed software products and offer additional products compatible with the user’s device. In addition to product updates, the application can also be configured to offer trial versions of other 1st and 3rd party software and provides links to download and purchase the software directly from the device. The SDK includes royalty-free redistribution license, one year maintenance and updates, and two hours of engineering support via phone or email.

The system will work on touchscreened and touchscreenless Windows Mobile 5 or 6 devices. Purchasing it(599$) entitles you to 2h of free tech support and unlimited distribution rights(aka you can use it in all your apps, forever). Additionally, you are entitled to free updates for one year after your initial purchase.

Google has published an SDK and an emulator for his new mobile operating system called Android. This new operating system is based on Linux and shall be pre-installed on some mobile phones soon. Maybe it will also be possible to install Android on existing smartphones, which currently run, for example, Palm OS or Windows Mobile.

Below there are some screenshots of the emulator which currently includes a browser, Google Maps, a contacts application and some demo applications.

HTML Browser

Using the WebKit layout engine, this browser displays almost every web site I opened correctly. Pages can be rendered in different zoom levels and look always like on a desktop computer. The speed is also O.K. - even using this emulator. Unfortunately, Flash contents couldn’t be displayed, at least not on YouTube.com.

Contacts / Address Book

Google Maps

This application has the same features like on other operating systems: a normal map view, traffic view, satellite view, different zoom modes and a routing mode.

Android is not availible on real-existing phones yet, furthermore, the system - at least on this emulator - has only very few applications and I am missing many additional ones. But many things concerning Android could and probably will change in 2008. At the moment, the base system with its APIs seems to be stable and powerful so that it will be able to run a lot of programs (some developers have even started developing for Android).