Motorola might be the first mobile phone manufacturer to implement the new micro edition of Java, J2ME, in mobile phones. What to do with Java in mobile phones? Sega for one will create wireless games.
J2ME is a technology that hasn't been much hyped yet, and that's probably for the best. The reason isn't that there's something wrong with J2ME, but mobile phone manufacturers have probably learned a valuable lesson when overhyping the WAP technology: Don't promise something you can't provide. That's why J2ME is tip-toeing around quietly, while mobile phone manufacturers probably are working like mad to implement the new technology.
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What is J2ME you ask? J2ME is a micro edition of the programming language Java, created to be used in mobile phones first and foremost, but it will guaranteed make its appearance in communicators and other mobile devices as well. Since J2ME has derivated from Java, the intention is that the technology should be cross-compatible with several platforms, which means that applications coded in J2ME should be able to run on all mobile phones that support J2ME. Intriguing, isn't it?
Motorola has now signed an initial agreement that calls for Sega to develop games for what Motorola defines as select next-generation multiple communication phones. What it really means is that, without further ado, Motorola will implement J2ME into its series of iDEN phones that will be available on the U.S market in 2001. Unfortunately for the rest of the world iDEN networks only exist in the U.S and Canada, which means that we'll have to wait a little longer for J2ME to show up in a phone near us.
Nevertheless, the first of these phones will ship with one pre-installed Sega game, according to the terms of the agreement. The puzzle game, Borkov, challenges users to remove blocks in a matrix to match a changing pattern. The game features what Motorola claims to be high-resolution graphics to cheer and prompt player moves, while additional games will be available for users to download from the Internet.
This will be the first time ever Sega games can be played on a mobile phone, and just wait - perhaps Sonic the Hedgehog makes his appearance on a mobile phone near you some time next year.
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