Building on the hype that was generated on the release of the first Smartbook device, Qualcomm and Sun Microsystems have jointly announced the release of the new Java Platform Standard Edition 6 that has been ported to Qualcomm's latest Snapdragon platform. According to the two companies, the new platform has been specifically designed to optimize the Java application experience for the upcoming wave of Snapdragon-powered smartbooks. These new devices have been designed to provide users with an alternative to the more popular netbook systems, which are mostly powered by Intel's low-power x86 Atom processors.

 

“Qualcomm’s Snapdragon platform is enabling a new class of devices that fundamentally redefine mobility, and by offering the Java SE platform on our Snapdragon products, our OEM partners are in a better position to deliver a compelling and consistent Java user experience on these smartbooks,” said Rob Chandhok, vice president of software strategy for Qualcomm CDMA Technologies. “As Java technology is used throughout social networking, media, and merchandising sites, we believe that a full Java SE port is an important factor in delivering on our vision for smartbooks.”

 

The release of the new Java Standard Edition 6 for Qualcomm's Snapdragon platform will enable future smartbook owners to take advantage of a full web experience, increased battery life and real-time connectivity via Wireless Wide Area-Network (WWAN), Wi-Fi and Bluetooth technology. In addition, a series of other new applications developed using the Java platform will be available for Snapdragon-based devices, providing the end-users with a complete computing experience in a compact and small form-factor PC.

 

Designed as alternative devices to current netbook systems, smartbooks come as a mix of netbooks and smartphones, providing end-users with always-connected experience in an ultra-portable computer system. These new devices are to offer users support for 3G, Wi-Fi and GPS connectivity.