Enterprise Java applications will be able to run
directly on Palm Tungsten handhelds now that Palm has licensed
IBM's WME (WebSphere Micro Environment) Java runtime
environment.
The deal is part of a broader effort by IBM to bring the
benefits of Java to a wide variety of devices, said Joe DaMassa,
vice-president of marketing in IBM's pervasive computing unit.
IBM added that Nokia will offer developers a tool set to work
with the Eclipse open-source development platform, originally
created by IBM, and that QNX Software Systems is to integrate WME
into its QNX Neutrino real-time operating system.
QNX Neutrino is used in consumer electronics, retail automation
systems and other platforms.
Expanding Java from servers and PCs to other kinds of devices
should make developers more productive by letting them use their
existing skills to write applications for a variety of platforms,
DaMassa said.
Palm will offer WME on all its Tungsten devices, a line of
enterprise-focused handhelds, which include the Tungsten T, the
wireless Lan-equipped Tungsten C and the Tungsten W, which has
GSM/GPRS wireless capability.
The runtime environment, an implementation of J2ME (Java 2 Micro
Edition) that takes up about 600Kbytes to 700Kbytes of memory, may
be extended later to Palm's consumer-focused Zire hardware line if
a demand for it appears, said Chris Morgan, director of strategic
alliances at Palm Solutions Group.
Applications written with any Java development tool will be able
to run on the Tungstens through WME, but IBM's WebSphere Studio
Device Developer will be optimised for creating Palm-based Java
applications, the companies said.
Palm will also offer a free development toolkit that will work
with WebSphere Studio Device Developer.
WME will become available as a download for Tungsten users in
September and will ship with Tungsten devices starting early next
year.