Java™ technology includes two elements: a programming
language, and an application environment in which programs
written in the Java™ language can be executed. The Java™
programming language syntax is similar to C++, both being
object oriented. The main difference between the C++ and
Java™ languages is that the application developer needs
to compile the C++ source code into a native machine code
that works only on the specific target device, whereas
the Java™ language code is interpreted in the target device
by a so-called Java™ virtual machine. This is the mechanism
that makes Java™ applications portable, i.e. a Java™ application
works in all devices with a similar Java™ platform.
The Nokia 6610 supports the Java™ 2 Micro Edition (J2ME)
platform, a part of Java™ technology specially designed
for consumer electronics products. More specifically,
the platform is based on the industry standard Mobile
Information Device Profile 1.0 (MIDP 1.0) which provides
essential functionality to create applications for mobile
phones. Java™ applications created for this platform are
commonly called "MIDlets."
3. What are the benefits of Java™
technology for phone users?
Traditionally, handsets have come with a limited set of
pre-installed applications, such as a calendar, a clock
and a few games. Java™ technology is radically changing
this. It enables phone users to download new applications
into their phones. Thus, phone users benefit from the
creative potential of thousands of application developers.
Examples of downloadable Java™ applications include games,
sports training calendars, bilingual phrase books and
map applications. Java™ technology makes the phone more
exciting to use, and lets phone users personalize their
handset by selecting the applications they want. The Nokia
6610 supports the downloading of Java™ applications both
over the WAP connection and by using PC Suite.
4. What's the benefit of downloadable
applications in my Nokia 6610?
You can enrich your phone's functionality with the applications
you need to manage your work and free time, for instance
travel, shopping and entertainment-related applications,
such as interactive and graphical games. You can also
personalize your phone with other kinds of downloadable
applications.
Java™ applications are executed locally in the device,
providing convenient usage thanks to a fast response without
network delay.
5. How many applications can be
downloaded into the Nokia 6610?
The memory reserved for the Java™ applications in the
Nokia 6610 is dynamic. The maximum size of a MIDlet downloaded
OTA (over-the-air via WAP) is 64 kB. You can download
four maximum-sized MIDlets to the Nokia 6610. If the downloaded
MIDlets are smaller, there is space for more MIDlets.
Using Nokia PC Suite, you can transfer 64 kB of MIDlets
from a PC to your Nokia 6610 .
(Note: The capacity described here refers to the overall
application memory. The Nokia 6610 is pre-loaded with
some Java™ MIDlets that occupy a certain amount of memory.
The MIDlets in the phone can be erased and new MIDlets
can be downloaded to replace them.)
Many parties will be offering Java™ applications. Operators
will have a key role in ensuring that their subscribers
will have easy access to downloadable applications. Club
Nokia will offer downloadable Java™ applications later
this year.. Because the Nokia 6610 supports application
downloading via PC Suite, phone users can also get MIDlets
from the Internet and download them to their handset.
8. Are all Java™ applications
suitable for my Nokia 6610 phone?
The Nokia 6610 supports the download of standard MIDlets,
i.e. applications that use the Application Programming
Interfaces defined in the MIDP 1.0 specification. The
maximum size of the downloadable MIDlet is 30 kB.
9. What is the security of Java™
applications in the Nokia 6610?
The Java™ platform in the Nokia 6610 has extensive
security mechanisms. Phone user confirmation is needed
for the Java™ application to make a network connection.
To make sure that the phone user knows whether the application
is connected or not, a network connection indicator is
shown in the upper left-hand corner of the display whenever
the application is connected. To ensure that the phone
user is aware of the tariff for the network connection,
the applications can be connected only through the WAP
gateway defined in the WAP settings.
To make sure that the Java™ applications do not expose
the phone user's sensitive data, the applications cannot
read the phone user's private data on the device. For
example, the Java™ applications cannot access the
phone book, calendar, text messages and call register.
The only data that the applications can access is the
application's own data, i.e. the data the application
itself has stored in the device. Experts in the telecommunications
industry within the Java™ Community Process (JCP)
have defined this functionality.
It is important to note that if the phone user inputs
(using the keypad) information to the application, the
application can potentially send that over the network
connection. Thus, phone users should not provide sensitive
information to a Java™ application unless they trust the
application.
In the Nokia 6610, the Java™ applications establish the
HTTP connection over the WAP stack. Thus, the transport
layer security is based on the security provided by the
WAP stack, namely the Wireless Transport Layer Security
(WTLS) protocol. Because of some weaknesses in the WAP
security model, mainly because there is no real end-to-end
security between the client and the http server, it is
not recommended to transfer extremely valuable information
over WAP. The gap in the end-to-end security is caused
by the fact that the WAP gateway decrypts WTLS and re-encrypts
the content using SSL to connect to the content server.
If the end-user is not using a trusted gateway (i.e. one
freely available on the Internet), there is the potential
that confidential information can be compromised during
the transfer from WTLS to SSL and vice-versa.
The Java™ application execution is insulated from the
native functionality of the phone. If there is a problem
with the Java™ application, the native functionality of
the phone is not affected. In case of a problem, the Java™
application execution is stopped. Thus, Java™ applications
cannot crash the phone. Phone users can also always stop
the execution of a Java™ application by pushing the red
("stop the call") key.
This will vary depending on the market, the operator and
the type of the application. We expect that commercial
entertainment applications such as games will typically
cost 2-3 USD.
11. What is the bearer for Java™
applications? How network dependent are the applications,
can they be used without network coverage?
Java™ applications can be downloaded using the WAP browser
over Circuit Switched Data and GPRS connections. Once
the MIDlet is downloaded, the application can run independent
of network coverage as long as the MIDlet is stand-alone
and does not depend on a Network component for processing.
A MIDlet can also be connected to server resources. This
connection is established also over WAP.
12. Can the Java™ applications
play polyphonic tones?
No. The implementation supports the generation of single
tones. The Java™ Community Process has not yet defined
specification for polyphonic audio API for Java™ 2 Micro
Edition.
13. Can Java™ applications
be downloaded regardless of time and place, e.g. can they
be downloaded when travelling in the US?
This is dependent on the data coverage of a given network
and the roaming agreements that are in place. Some operators
in the US operate with the "Walled Garden" approach where
they discourage end-users from going beyond the given
carrier's portal.
