14 DAY TRIAL // Together with the release of its brand new BlackBerry Storm, RIM has also announced today the availability of new developer tools. These are designed to create and test applications not only for the Storm, but also for BlackBerry Pearl Flip and BlackBerry Bold, the other two new smartphones produced by the Canadian company.
The new tools include updated versions of the BlackBerry JDE (BlackBerry Java Development Environment), which allow for a streamlined development of various mobile apps.
BlackBerry JDE v4.7, especially created for the new BlackBerry 4.7 OS that runs on the Storm, is available only in public beta for the moment. Its features include:
- Touchscreen support, so the applications can receive input from taps or slides on the display of BlackBerry Storm; - Accelerometer support; - Orientation and rotation support; - Virtual keyboard control; - Advanced camera and media integration; - Home screen background image setter – allowing an application to directly change the image that appears on the Storm's home screen.
Built for BlackBerry Bold and BlackBerry Pearl Flip, BlackBerry JDE v4.6 offers:
- Location-based services (aka LBS); - Scalable vector graphics; - Customized messages and alerts; - Time zone improvements; - Multiple calendar and contact list support; - Décor enhancements; - SMS and MMS Listener;
All the features of BlackBerry JDE v4.6 are also available in the 4.7 version.
"The latest versions of the BlackBerry Java Development Environment present developers with opportunities to create innovative, mobile-savvy applications that take advantage of the robust feature sets of the BlackBerry Storm, BlackBerry Bold and BlackBerry Pearl Flip smartphones. Each new BlackBerry smartphone presents an opportunity for mobile developers to create new applications or extend their innovations with the latest advances in mobile technology and application development," stated Alan Brenner, senior vice president of BlackBerry Platforms at Research In Motion.
In order to download the BlackBerry JDE v4.7 and the BlackBerry JDE v4.6 you must visit Research In Motion's official website, found at this address.
The new developer tools will be showcased by RIM during the BlackBerry Developer Conference held in Santa Clara, California, between October 20 and October 22.