Recently I was asked to develop a mobile phone application for a customer using Java Micro Edition

I see many parallels between Java ME and the movie “The Good, The Bad and The Ugly”. In this popular spaghetti western, “The Man with No Name” (AKA Blondie) uses his wits and skills to make his opponents ineffective. In a similar manner, I believe that Java ME vanquishes the various problems associated with developing mobile phone applications - something I will be covering in detail.

Also in the movie we have “Sentenza”, a villain trying to stop Blondie. So too, Java ME has some bad points, but just like Sentenza, they can be killed off. I’ll be describing some of these traps and problems, and how I’ve managed to work around them.

Finally, we have “Tuco” the bandit - a particularly ugly character. Java ME and its operating environment also have some rather ugly characteristics and unfortunately, just like in the movie, they can’t be killed off. However, they can sometimes be distanced and avoided.

So just in the same way that Blondie triumphed over both Sentenza and Tuco, Java ME can be used to deliver excellent mobile phone applications, with all major obstacles overcome. Ok, so maybe I’m stretching the parallels a bit, but I think you understand what I’m getting at!

Although this discussion is split along these lines, my intention is not for it to be used as a comparative analysis of Java ME. For make no mistake about it: I’m definitely a fan of the Java ME. Indeed, if you could weigh the bad/ugly features, they might come to a few kilograms, whereas in comparison the good features would weigh several tons. The bad/ugly aspects are no more than an irritation, not a reason for avoiding it. So if you’re reading with an interest in evaluating Java ME against other mobile phone application technologies, then I can give you a recommendation now – USE IT!

Alternately, if you’re already using Java ME, there’s something here for you also. For I’ll be describing observations obtained “from the coal face”, ie whilst developing real applications. Many Java ME issues and traps will be described, both to warn and advise developers traveling the same path.

Finally, before we continue, you should note that whilst Java ME can be used on all sorts of devices, my experience has only been with developing applications for mobile phones. As such, any further discussion will be centered on phones.