Research In Motion (RIM) has updated Java and web-based development tools for the BlackBerry platform, to make easier for developers to create feature-rich applications.
RIM said that new tools will allow developers to easily build web-based BlackBerry widgets or Java applications to share information with BlackBerry apps or other third party applications. The applications can integrate with a BlackBerry smartphone’s inbox, calendar, address book and other applications.
According to RIM, the new BlackBerry Java Plug-In for Eclipse v1.1 enables Java developers to leverage an open source development environment Eclipse 3.5 to create, debug, profile and simulate their applications using a selection of BlackBerry smartphone simulators, actual devices and multiple versions of the BlackBerry OS.
The Waterloo, Ontario-based company said that the BlackBerry Web Plug-In v2.0, available for both Eclipse and Microsoft Visual Studio, enables developers to create web applications and web content using standard web technology and programming languages such as HTML, CSS, JavaScript and AJAX.
The BlackBerry Widget SDK v1.0 and the BlackBerry Java SDK v5.0, which includes more than 20,000 APIs, provide access to BlackBerry smartphone hardware features, native BlackBerry software apps and other unique system capabilities of the BlackBerry application platform.
The BlackBerry Java SDK v5.0 includes OpenGL ES support for 3D graphics, new pre-built UI components and SQLite support for data sharing across different applications, as well as Gears JavaScript API for database storage. The Widget SDK v1.0 includes navigation support and the widget architecture allows for extensibility by allowing third party developers to develop their own JavaScript extensions, RIM said.
Alan Brenner, senior vice president of BlackBerry platform at Research In Motion, said: “We believe these enhanced tools will spur a new level of creativity and innovation as developers find new ways to leverage the unique power and integrated nature of the BlackBerry platform in order to bring useful, intelligent applications to the millions of BlackBerry smartphone users around the world.”
