Nextel ships first mobile Java phones

From...

by Michael S. Lasky

(IDG) -- Feature-rich wireless phones that take on many functions of mobile computers, including Java applications, are being released this week by Nextel Communications.

Integrating Java 2 Micro Edition, the $199 Nextel I85s and $149 I50sx phones let you download Java apps from Nextel's site or custom applications directly from your PC. Both phones are manufactured by Motorola. Preloaded on both models are specialized business calculators, an expense pad, and a Sega game.

IDG.net INFOCENTER PCWorld.com home Free daily newsletters PCWorld.com: Week in Reviews TechInformer Related IDG.net Stories NTT DoCoMo launches first Java cellphones Matsushita cuts outlook on PCs, cellphones Users will adopt wide range of handhelds Features Top 15 notebook PCs An inside tour of the Pentium 4 Surviving a disk crash: A checklist Visit an IDG site Choose a site: IDG.net CIO Computerworld Darwin Dummies.com GamePro.com The Industry Standard ITWorld.com InfoWorld.com JavaWorld LinuxWorld Macworld Online Network World Fusion PC World Publish.com SunWorld IDG.net search

The J2ME implementation of Java leaves room to grow, according Nextel. It affords a platform on which developers can write custom programs specifically for mobile communication devices. Accordingly, businesses can create applications that will let their employees access specific company data or perform other previously PC-only functions in the field.

More than 1200 developers have registered to develop wireless applications for businesses and consumers, Nextel says.

Both the Nextel I85s and I50sx work only on the company's IDEN network. They support common phone features such as caller ID, call waiting, call forwarding, voice mail, vibration alert, and ring styles. The I85s features digital voice memo recording capability.

Talk, Send Data Simultaneously

The Java calculator suite includes a variety of calculation apps, including basic math, decimal conversion, and gratuity conversion. Internal memory is needed to store and run additional custom J2ME apps. Each phone comes with 384KB, which Nextel says is enough to run any available application. And because the phones use packet data routing as opposed to circuit data routing, you can receive calls while you are accessing data.

Security is addressed with the inclusion of a Subscriber Identity Module Card, which requires you to enter a PIN each time you turn on the phone.

Both the I85x and I50sx have integrated speakerphone and voice-activated dialing, so you can dial a number by merely stating a name previously stored in the phone's address book. A datebook allows you to manage up to 250 events in a 13-month period. You can also associate alarms with entries so that your phone reminds you of important appointments.

Despite their inclusion of PDA functionality, these early combo PDA-phones are not full-featured enough to replace a Palm or Pocket PC device. With their small screens just larger than 1 square inch and their nine-key alphanumeric keypads, input beyond a few taps is impractical. But Nextel is offering its Java 2 Platform Micro Edition as a good start to at least offer some PDA capability in a device designed mainly for talking.

Opinion: The Java-enabled wireless world
March 6, 2000
Wireless products jazz up New Orleans
March 3, 2000
Getting around to wireless networking
March 2, 2000
Intel targets wireless LANs
February 22, 2000
Intel: Make PCs simpler
February 21, 2000
Maxis to WAP Malaysia
February 2, 2000
Verisign aims to secure wireless transactions
Januray 19, 2000
Here comes the wireless monster
January 18, 2000
VeriSign takes the pain out of digital certificates
January 17, 2000
Internet goes WAP in Singapore
January 13, 2000
Cabletron releases wireless system
January 12, 2000
High-speed broadband wireless services go nationwide
January 7, 2000
Xircom announces wireless networking for Handspring
January 6, 2000
The wireless world becomes useful in 2000
January 4, 2000

NTT DoCoMo launches first Java cellphones
(IDG.net)
Matsushita cuts outlook on PCs, cellphones
(IDG.net)
Users will adopt wide range of handhelds
(IDG.net)
AOL to develop Netscape WAP-browser with Nokia technology
(IDG.net)
'Stinger' phone tests to begin
(PCWorld.com)
RIM readying Lotus-enabled wireless pagers
(Computerworld)
Sharp readies color LCD for mobile phones
(InfoWorld.com)
Buying a cell phone with no strings attached
(PCWorld.com)

Nextel
Motorola

Note: Pages will open in a new browser window

External sites are not endorsed by CNN Interactive.