Technology professionals unveil their suffering - reporting from Brazil

This is about the average salary of tech guys in Brazil (in Portuguese).

A while ago when I was going to São Paulo for a business trip as usual, there were 2 guys beside me and one of them was the president of a company in Brazil. He has commented with the other guy that his annual bonus alone was something about 300K a year...I think I need to rethink my focus :)

And here are the new Java ME features of Nokia S60 3rd Edition devices

It is really becoming more powerful than ever...check below:

• Nokia IAPInfo API
• Device dedicated Media keys (Play/Pause/Stop) access as normal key events
• Control over End call key (Red call key) behavior for application's lifecycle
• Enabling device theme background for Canvases for custom component usage
• Prevention of screen saver via Nokia UI API
• Foreground/background events via pauseApp/startApp
• Flip close event for fold/clamshell devices via pauseApp
• Access to device IMEI, network access type (gprs / csd etc.), network id, network signal level, battery level, country code, date and time formats via system properties
• LCDUI Canvas Graphics scaling (introduced originally in 3rd ed) enhanced for orientation switching devices

New Java features of 3rd Ed. fp 2

Back from London!

I am back from London, the Smartphone Show was hot this year, many new devices and announcements. And the Developer's Day showed us something about the S60 Touch UI...fantastic...iPhone days are counted :)

Next stop: London - UK

Today I am departing to London to attend both the Forum Nokia Developer Day and the Symbian Smartphone Show 2007.

Busy days... :)

Merge operations - good idea?

Trouble brewing at Nokia Siemens

Microsoft software on Nokia - no, it is not Windows Mobile

Market penetration is what really counts in my opinion, this is the proof.

Nokia offering Windows Live on its S60 and Series 40 devices (in Portuguese).

Innovation is still the word of the valley

This article confirms that the USA and the Silicon Valley are still a hot source of cool things technology. Do not believe? Then check below:

The new wave of Silicon Valley start-ups

Here is the iPhone

Finally the iPhone has make it to the stores, while I have a strong opinion about it regarding the articles I have read, I am not convinced it is the big next thing in the market, not at all.

Anyway, here it goes...

Apple's iPhone makes it to stores

Back from Singapore

I have just one thing to say: Amazing trip!

The New Nokia Organization

Nokia will be introducing a new company structure, effective January 1st, 2008.

Nokia organizes for the converging marketplace

The AAC, AAC+, eAAC+ audio formats

Nowadays everyone is buying a smartphone, or feature phone, whatever, you name it.

When I find friends talking about the memory space available on their mobiles and the MP3 thing, I always advise them to check if their phone can play the eAAC+.

I have hundreds of songs in my mobile today :)

Today the vast majority of good Nokia phones use it and I have explained it so many times that I always wanted to find a good (user) article about it. Here is the finding ;)

Sound start to music on mobiles

The Virus threat

That is why I like Symbian and to have PlatSec (platform security) in place.

Mobile viruses (in Portuguese).

Let us go to Singapore. Shall we?

In a few hours I will be departing to Singapore, such a great place to visit. I will be attending the next Forum Nokia Champion event, meeting great friends and getting to know some new faces, fantastic!!!

Everything is clean and safe, polite people, technology, good food. The best fact is that currency (Singapore dollar) is not that strong if compared to Brazilian real and it is a great place to buy new gadgets...oh my God, my credit card is going to have hard work.

What a nice trip :)

If you have never heard about Singapore, here is the entire profile.

About Singapore: A city-state situated at the southernmost tip of the Malay Peninsula, Singapore has always been at the crossroads between the East and the West.

In this present age of globalisation and knowledge-based economy, Singapore is fast becoming a major hub for the Asian countries which are keen to tap the Republic's experience and knowledge of running one of the most successful economies in the world.

Singapore in figures:

• 1965 - The year when Singapore became an independent country and was officially known as the Republic of Singapore.
• 685.4 km2 - Total land area of Singapore
• 25ºC - 32ºC - Average temperature
• 4.35 million - Total population as in 2005, which comprises 3 major ethnic groups (Chinese: 75.6%, Malay: 13.6%, Indian: 8.7%) and other smaller ethnic groups (2.1%).
• 4 official languages - English, Chinese, Malay and Tamil. English is the working language used in the administration and major institutions.
• 29,252 - Total number of graduates from the institutions of higher learning in 2003, of which 16,117 were from the polytechnics, 10,363 from the universities and 2,772 from the National Institute of Education.
• 4.25 million - Number of mobile phone users in 2005.
• 8.9 million - Number of tourists who visited Singapore in 2005.
• S$3.60 - Price of a Big Mac.
  

Uniquely Singapore (the best, and official, in my opinion)

Singapore (in Portuguese).

My hotel

Some friends - Mobile Monday Singapore

All right, here is one of my best friends - Bai Wansong from China.

Wibree forum merges with Bluetooth SIG

Wibree forum merges with Bluetooth SIG

Microsoft Surface

Microsoft has unveiled a new touch-sensitive coffee table-shaped computer called "Surface". In my opinion touch interfaces are the next big thing in mobile computing and as you know Microsoft is a real player on the technology market, so it is worth the read. Nice read ;)

Microsoft unveils table computer

China volumes

Read this article and you will understand the reasons why every big technology company in the world is considering China as crucial to their operations.

China Postel orders 20 million devices from Nokia (in Portuguese).

Military stuff

Since the teenager days when I was an electronic technician (yes, I have studied, designed and participatend in engineering projects applying both analog and digital circuits in the past, oops) I know that the cutting-edge and really hard components, harsh ones, are the ones used in military circuits and components. While this is not so directly related to mobile stuff, sometimes I think about the gadgets those guys are using today. Cyber soldiers are a reality nowadays...and their infrastructure is fantastic!

Bandwidth leap for British forces

This is what I really consider as mobility. I am wired...

Those guys are crazy, I would rather to be in Porto de Galinhas or Itacaré. I like beaches...and safety...no doubts :)

Highest mobile call climb begins

The new pick

Hello there,

Below is the new pick.

Although I am not a beginner mobile developer anymore I am buying two new books aimed at newbies but they seem to be quite interesting books anyway, that is why I am paying for them, of course ;)

The first one is Programming Mobile Devices: An Introduction for Practitioners by Tommi Mikkonen. What caught my eyes is that this book discusses some assumptions and conventions taken into consideration when defining the Java ME and Symbian C++ runtimes, the two technologies I am focusing on during the last couple of years.

The second one is S60 Programming - A Tutorial Guide by Forum Nokia Champion fellow Dr. Paul Coulton as it is about S60 programming focusing on GUIs and also the S60 3rd Edition version of S60. Quite cool!

Check the list yourself, now my library is really solid and complete. I am about to master that all :)

Symbian OS Platform Security
* Author: Craig Heath
* Published by Symbian Press
* Publication date: March 2006
* 250 pages
* ISBN 0-470-01882-8

Symbian OS Internals
* Author: Jane Sales
* Published by Symbian
* Publication date:October 2005
* 918 pages
* ISBN 0-470-02524-7

Smartphone Operating System Concepts with Symbian OS
* Author: Michael J. Jipping
* Published by Symbian
* Publication date: April 2007
* 336 pages
* ISBN-10: 0470034491

The Symbian OS Architecture Sourcebook
* Author: Ben Morris
* Published by Symbian
* Publication date: April 2007
* 640 pages
* ISBN 0470018460

S60 Programming - A Tutorial Guide
* Author: Paul Coulton, Reuben Edwards, with Helen Clemson
* Published by Symbian Press
* Publication date: February 2007
* 344 pages
* ISBN-13: 9780470027653

Programming Mobile Devices: An Introduction for Practitioners
* Author: Tommi Mikkonen
* Published by: John Wiley & Sons
* Published in: February 2007
* ISBN-10: 0470057386

Mobile adverstisement is the $ - Microsoft buys ScreenTonic

Mobile adverstisement is where the money is flowing according to Google. Microsoft is listening.

Microsoft buys ScreenTonic (in Portuguese).

Good friends around

During the last year I have been buying and reading some really interesting books, so far the list of strong stuff is below:

• Nokia Smartphone Hacks
• The Accredited Symbian Developer Primer
• S60 Smartphone Quality Assurance
• Symbian OS Explained
• Developing Software for Symbian OS
• How Smartphones Work
• Developing Series 60 Applications

Besides that great books, I am using a lot of cool articles and tutorials from Forum Nokia, Sony Ericsson Developer World and Symbian. Anyway, I think it is time to buy some new books :)

I will prepare my new list and I will be glad if someone can advise me if my new list really inclues good books. Please friends!

Global mobile phone growth slows

A market update, it seems Sony Ericsson has boosted its deployments and profits, let's see how Nokia is going to tackle that from this last report.

Global mobile phone growth slows

Samsung, Nokia partner on mobile TV

How interesting! Even mobile phone competitors are partnering to foster mobile TV.

Samsung, Nokia partner on mobile TV

SavaJe (and the Jasper S20) still breathing?

Great news, it seems that Sun Microsystems is going to acquire SavaJe and its CDC technology, including a nice implementation of JSR-209 - Advanced Graphics and User Interface Optional Package for the J2ME Platform.

Sun plans to purchase CDC device maker SavaJe

Sun acquires SavaJe intellectual property

Java Everywhere 2 - Sun Microsystems

What a cool video!

You can see some Nokia devices showing JME applications besides all other Java related stuff. Java technology offers a so complete choice that you can run it anywhere indeed.

Java Everywhere - Java Technology in Action

Tiny files set for a big future

Interesting article by BBC's Click Online staff, it talks about tiny file formats that are great advancements. Talks about DivX's approach, encoding and decoding and other interesting subjects.

Tiny files set for a big future

More about Nokia RDA Service

Daniel has written a very informative article about RDA, very nice! You can check it here.

S60 Smartphone Quality Assurance - now on my desk!

Great, S60 Smartphone Quality Assurance is now on my desk at last!!!

I received one copy of her book as a gift from the Forum Nokia Champion program.

I've just skimmed through the book and it's simply amazing, it has a lot of useful information I've never seen anywhere before and, believe me, I have a lot of mobile related books.

Prior to that all, I had listened the Voice of S60 interview with Saila and got to know that she was a senior manager at Nokia. Afterwards I had the opportunity to know Saila in person during the Forum Nokia Tech Days Sao Paolo as Srinkanth has introduced us (me and Luis) to her during the event. She is very polite and even friendly person and now that I got to know her profile and even knowledge (by checking the book table of contents) I am impressed.

One thing that's really interesting and cool about the book and Saila is that, although she's a manager, She is a very technical person with amazing technical skills, I am very, very impressed by her book's content. It seems that being a manager at Nokia also means having excellent technical skills and not just business related ones, very cool indeed.

I am starting to read the book now and I will post a review soon so stay tuned ;)

Nokia Siemens Networks starts its operations

Now it's official, the new company is now operating and announces vision of 5 billion people connected by 2015!

Check their brand new web site - Nokia Siemens Networks

Deepfish browser - early stages

The cool thing about technology is that competition may be the fiercest in the market. Take Nokia for example, it's the leader for me and it will be for a long time as it also receives some cool new ideas from its competitors like the hyped-still-to-the-market iPhone and now this cool Deepfish browser from Microsoft.

But please forgive me, the S60 OSS browser (a.ka. Nokia Web Browser and also S60WebKit) is the browser for the decade in my opinion (I doubt a better browser by 2010), what's your opinion???

Anyway, check some also cool stuff below.

More Fudge from Microsoft Live.com [perhaps playing catch up]

"As a technology preview, Deepfish is early in its development cycle
(still a few releases from beta quality). As a result some features are
not implemented or are only partially implemented. Currently, the
technology preview does not support ActiveX controls, AJAX, cookies,
Javascript, and HTTP POST." - meaning it does bugger all

http://on10.net/Blogs/larry/exclusive-video-new-mobile-web-browser--deep
fish/

http://labs.live.com/Deepfish/

Forum Nokia Wiki, Forum Nokia Remote Device Access Service

Nokia is leading the market with so many surprises and tools for mobile developers like me, I think we have the best community worldwide :)

Two fantastic, brilliant news are Forum Nokia Wiki and the Remote Device Access service, both launched by the best development community I've participated so far in my life, Forum Nokia.

Having that all, it proves one thing: Nokia really knows what the "Connecting People" motto means.

No more comments, come on check them yourself!

IBM is really innovative - The multimedia web for blind people

IBM is a cool company with very interesting projects with no doubts. The project on this article is a
good example of what technology can mean for the whole mankind.

Now that web is becoming richer with mixed media content (a.k.a multimedia), this one is really a killer solution in my humble opinion :)

Read the article:

"Codenamed the Accessibility Browser - or A-Browser - the software was created by a blind employee in Japan."

IBM helps blind 'see' web video

Nokia N95 starts shipping

Wohoo, N95 (specs) is available now at last. I cannot wait to test one and maybe buy one for me, I need to save some money for that :)

Another device I would like to have is the E90 (specs) as it's more biz oriented and I am missing a device with QWERTY keyboard when replying to e-mails and SMS messages while on the move...

Back to N95, don't know you the details and features of N95? Check the links below then...

Nokia N95 multimedia computer starts shipping

Nokia N Series - N95

Nokia N Series

N95 WOM World

Nokia N95 Preview

CDMA-based headaches

The good news is that Nokia is abandoning CDMA as far as I know.

Nokia still disputing Qualcomm patents

Mobile TV warned to standardise

I think Brazil should adopt DVB-H due to obvious and practical reasons, our networks are (and now with VIVO) GSM Networks. But it seems that our government is supporting the Japanese standard, oh my God!

Mobile TV warned to standardise

Laptops set to out sell desktops

This news is really interesting: if laptops and notebooks are surpassing desktops, what about mobile devices such as smartphones, feature phones, tablets and other gadgets?

They are with no doubts the dominant platform (hardware) from now...and it seems the driving force behind this phenomenon is the ubiquity of wireless networks.

Laptops set to out sell desktops

N95 causes hype

I have seen one N95 before and the device is really amazing, the only one I can imagine as being a beat is the new E90, unfortunately I've never seen one so far...

Demand for Nokia N95 reaches fever pitch

NOKIA and VIVO in Brazil

It seems that Moto is losing market in Brazil as well, as Nokia has a very good portfolio of GSM devices ready for VIVO's new GSM network. And the 3G base (devices for now) is becoming available, so it's just a time to see the 3G networks in Brazil I guess. Let's wait :)

NOKIA and VIVO in Brazil (in Brazilian Portuguese)

IT in Brazil - 2007

US$ 18,6 billion dollars, things are getting better each year for Brazil, but it could (and can) be better...Lula???

IT in Brazil - 2007 (in Brazilian Portuguese)

Symbian OS v9.5 announced

Symbian announced the newest version of Symbian 0S, now 9.5. It's very good to know that Symbian OS is evolving so quickly and you can check the new features by reading the links below.


Symbian announces Symbian OS v9.5 - Press release by Symbian

Symbian announces Symbian OS v9.5

And here is the Symbian OS v9.5 page, get the details. Let's see when devices based on it will hit the market.

Forum Nokia Tech Days SP - some pics

As posted before, I was out of office in March, 5th and 6th attending the Forum Nokia Tech Days in SP. Below are some (strange?) pictures. I will post the technical brief soon, so stay tuned!

The JEDI knight, if you were there you know what I am talking about, a real Champion! Nokia gave me a Nokia N80
:)

A nice view from my hotel's window


Cool offices in Sao Paolo

Nice meals offered by Forum Nokia :)

But as of today I am busy, challenging projects on the board so let me apply that knowledge :)

OFF-TOPIC - Gates warns on US immigration curbs

I am not a great fan of Microsoft but Bill Gates is a smart guy I think. Now He's realizing that the USA immigration policies are a real problem to that country, they will face serious problems in the coming years.

"None other than Bill Gates has spoken out against tighter immigration policies in the US. According to Gates, the US is losing skilled immigrants to other countries that are easier to immigrate to. Among his comments: "I personally witness the ill effects of these policies on an almost daily basis at Microsoft."

As I've learned from a lot of friends who have tried, getting to the USA after 2001 has become a real challenge. Come on Mr. President, let us good Brazilian developers in and we will do a great job :)

The world's biggest game studio has been created

"Ultimately we are going to see that the games development industry is much bigger than we thought - Dave Perry"

Can't believe? It's true, check then:

Volunteers sign up to build game

Nokia gets into advertising

Interesting action by Nokia, I think that it's all about media as well.

"Nokia Ad Service and Nokia Advertising Connector will, according to the Finnish firm, allow companies to personalise advertising on the mobile in a way that is much harder to do on traditional media."

Mobile manufacturer Nokia announced this week two mobile advertising services designed for targeted campaigns on the handset.

Sun Updates Mobile Java Platform

MSA is finished and can be marketed now, so let's wait for the really cool devices. It seems that cool new devices are on the list for the MSA-Subset (8 specs) and we will see some hitting the markets soon. Nokia has some devices that are almost there, some have the APIs but not the clarifications as I've learned recently.

During my last trip to Sao Paolo I attended a cool Forum Nokia Tech Days presentation about MSA by Forum Nokia. If you're not sure about the goals of MSA, here it is summarized:

"Sun announces the availability of the Mobile Services Architecture (MSA) for mobile phones and other handheld devices. Sun Java ME Product Marketing Group Manager John Muhlner states, "What we did with Java Technology for the Wireless Industry (JTWI) was make a compilation of a number of specs together to create a standard platform developer could count on being in handsets. MSA is the next generation. It supersedes JTWI with much more features and functionality than what we had … Java ME was severely fragmented for the longest time, and MSA will bring it some unity. These platform specs take the specific technologies and clarify or define certain options within the spec. It reduces fragmentation and makes for a more consistent application environment."

JCP - JSR-248 - MSA for CLDC

MSA Introduction

Now besides being massively deployed, mobile Java is becoming more powerful and complete. I have no doubts that Java is really a very cool technology, so the stakes are high ;)

Forum Nokia Tech Days Sao Paolo

Tomorrow we'll have the annual event in Brazil, being held since 2005 and as I have participated in the two events before (SP and Recife) this year it would not be different.

So I will be off to Sao Paolo until next Wednesday attending the Forum Nokia Tech Days Sao Paulo event, the agenda is quite interesting this year as we'll have some new subjects being discussed, such as Open C and Flash Lite, besides the ever cool lectures by Nokia Experts team.

Some friends will not be able to attend the events in SP nor in RJ either, so they have asked me to blog about it and I will try to post information here.

Besides the cool technology lectures, I will meet some friends such as Ricardo Caspirro and Luis Albinati so this event will be really cool :)

At last, this March we'll have three cool events in Brazil and I'd like to be able to attend BOSSA in Porto de Galinhas as well, but I have not managed to be there this year.

This is the first ever BOSSA event and next year I will plan for it, try to convince my manager of participating there as well as I am involved with Maemo and Linux Tablets, yet in a minor extension so far.

The problem with mobile life - thoughts

A very interesting blog post at Forum Nokia Blogs, by Hartti Suomela, has made me think about the impacts of mobility in my life. And today I came across this article by BBC talking about almost the same problems.

While now I can do a lot of things that I couldn't ten years ago, I mean, I can make things more dynamically, sometimes I feel like being swamped by information all the time.

I do some problems, I must admit after some analysis, every time I check my official e-mail inbox it's full of new messages and even by filtering them I cannot keep up with everything, so I need to prioritize some messages and responses. I am involved in Java, Mobile, JUGs and now Symbian communities and I am always in touch with a lots of people, some are really good friends I cannot let waiting for a late reply...

Besides that all, I am always reading a lot of new stuff related to Java technologies (new JME JSRs and APIs, tools, articles, new JEE 5 APIs, etc) and since I have decided to study and learn Symbian C++ and S60 my time is not what I think I would need, things are getting worse.

My family doesn't let me check e-mails when on vacation, so I think they are really right :)

Oh my God, also thanks for having Hartti and the BBC writing about this important subject, it's changing my perception of some things!

Next-Generation Nokia Cell Phone Could Sport a Joystick

Is it just fluff or real project? Let's wait and see what will happen, but it seems to be great news for mobile gamers.

Next-Generation Nokia Cell Phone Could Sport a Joystick

ClickOnline

ClickOnline rocks!

Well, I am used to watch BBC and it's one of the main reasons I have contracted a full channel plan from our local TV operator. I like to read articles on http://news.bbc.co.uk/ as you may have noticed :). It helps me keep informed and also improves and keeps my English skills in good shape.

One of my favorite programs is ClickOnline, it's all about gadgets, new technologies and consumer stuff, I try to watch it whenever I can.

This week they talked about the so called "Web 2.0" including mobile phones and all, really cool!

Mobile networks powered by wind

Yes, I agree. Very cool initiative and technology indeed but please wake me up when producing beer with a similar solution, ok?

Ha, ha, ha, just kidding a little :)

Mobile networks powered by wind

Nokia 6131 NFC released!

Comments are not needed, I just can say: the Nokia 6131 NFC device implements JSR-257 out-of-the-box and it's a cool Series 40 3rd Edition FP 1 device.

Let's see if I can manage to get one for testing ;)