At BREW 2005, new tools for phone software developers

- Gary Thayer, Editor

June 6, 2005 -- (MobileVillage) -- At Qualcomm's BREW conference last week, Qualcomm announced winners of its annual BREW Developer Awards, and several companies announced tools for developing mobile phone applications. The award winners, plus two such developer tools -- Trilibis Mobile's SmartPath software and Networks In Motion's NAVBuilder -- are featured here.

BREW 2005 Developer Awards winners:

• Most Innovative Use of Technology: AtlasBook by Networks in Motion (U.S.) and Buggy Boom with Motion Detection by MediaSeek Inc. (Japan)/3G Vision Inc. (Israel)
  
• Best Business Application: Remo by Remoba Inc. (U.S.)
  
• Best Location-Based Service Application: Friend-Finder Service by Pointi Corporation (Korea)
  
• Best Communications Application: Pop Mailer by Media Socket Inc. (Japan)
  
• Best Information Application: Diabetes Management by Healthpia Inc. (Korea)
  
• Best Entertainment Application: Song IDentity by Rocket Mobile Inc. (U.S.)
  
• Best Game Application: Asphalt: Urban GT by Gameloft (France)
  
• Best Ringtone Application: Modtones DJ by Moderati (U.S.)
  
• People's Choice Award: Song IDentity by Rocket Mobile Inc. (U.S.)
  

Developer tool announcements:

Trilibis Mobile's SmartPath mobile publishing software is designed for wireless application development solution for mobile phones, PDAs and other wireless devices. According to the company, SmartPath offers point-and-click, drag-and-drop tools so that "nearly anyone" can design mobile applications that are compatible with more than 90% of handset device models and launch them in just a few weeks. SmartPath components include:

• SmartApp, a core application comprised of SmartUI for the end-user and SmartEngine backend technology;
• SmartBuilder, a desktop software application used to create, deploy and manage SmartApps;
• SmartSeller, a billing engine that integrates with carrier and third-party billing systems to bill for products and services; and
• SmartManager, a suite of reporting tools that provide activity, usage and billing information.

SmartApps are full-color, multimedia applications that go far beyond text-driven emulation. Businesses can launch applications that are feature-rich and brand consistent with their other online properties incorporating logos, photos, illustrations, sound, video, customized fonts, labels and menus.

SmartSeller integrates with mobile carriers' and third party billing systems, enabling automated billing of mobile consumers for both premium catalog and independently-distributed (non-catalog) applications. The SmartManager reporting module includes pre-defined and customizable reports on customer activity and behavior, bandwidth usage, unique users by carrier and device and detailed revenue analysis.

The SmartPath solution currently supports BREW, J2ME and WAP. Support for additional operating systems will be announced later this year. For more information, see Trilibis.com.

Networks In Motion's NAVBuilder suite of extensions developed for Qualcomm's BREW platform for mobile handsets. NAVBuilder enables developers to integrate location based services (LBS)-related features, such as maps, driving directions and proximity searches, into their applications and business processes.

According to Networks In Motion, NAVBuilder BREW extensions can be used for commercial and consumer location-enabled applications, such as field service, customer relationship management, fleet management, field force automation, friend finders and location-enabled gaming.

The NAVBuilder extensions feature location, mapping and direction capabilities that can be integrated into wireless applications supported by Qualcomm's QPoint location services solution and precision gpsOne location technology.

NAVBuilder extensions also provide a set of mapping-related content, such as business listings and points of interest. The mapping technology delivers full-color maps that can be panned or zoomed, and can support accurate turn-by-turn directions.

Qualcomm's BREW products include: an open, extensible client platform that supports system and application software including personalized and branded user interfaces for mass market devices; and a J2EE -based, modular delivery system that enables the distribution of content, applications and user interfaces to wireless devices across all air interfaces.

For more information about the NAVBuilder extensions, see NetworksInMotion.com.

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