2 Chapter 1 Introduction
Java games targeting mobile devices. Processing power, available memory, screen
size, and screen resolution are increasing as new Java enabled mobile devices enter
the market. Newly released Java applications are accordingly sophisticated, and will
help to spread the Java technology usage even further.
The Java APIs for Bluetooth Wireless Technology (JABWT) ties the Java technology
and the Bluetooth technology together. JABWT is made available in some of the
latest smartphones and will probably be available also in low-end cellphones in the
future. One can easily imagine different scenarios where JABWT would be useful,
e.g. the functionality of existing Java games is extended to support multi-player
games using Bluetooth connectivity. Other interesting scenarios emerge as well, such
as a consumer using a Java Bluetooth enabled mobile phone to pay for a soda by
connecting to a Bluetooth enabled soda vending-machine. A good prediction is that
JABWT will first find its use in multi-player Java games, making the Java and
Bluetooth technologies well-known to consumers. Thereafter we will probably see
other types of Java Bluetooth applications, such as small-amount payment
applications.
At the time of writing there are only two books discussing JABWT [6], [7]. These
books provide quite complex code samples for Java Bluetooth programming, making
it hard to grasp how JABWT is used. There are a few discussion boards with high
activity on the Internet where developers help each other [8], [9], [10]. Although
discussion boards may help developers with a specific problem, they usually do not
give a sufficient overview of the technology. This thesis gives a broad overview of
Java and Bluetooth technologies before discussing JABWT and its details. Code
samples are provided, showing how JABWT specific code is used in a J2ME
application. The amount of J2ME specific code is kept at a minimum in order to draw
attention to what is really important, namely the JABWT specific code.
The intended audience for this thesis are students working with Java and Bluetooth
technologies, and Java 2 Micro Edition (J2ME) application developers seeking
knowledge about the Bluetooth technology and JABWT. It is assumed that the reader
is familiar with the J2ME technology. Individuals whom are unfamiliar with any of
the technologies discussed should not expect to understand all the details in this
thesis. However, they will get a broad overview and may use this thesis as a starting
point for their studies on the involved technologies. References to in-depth
information are included throughout the thesis, enabling the interested reader to
quickly find relevant background information.
1.1 Structure of thesis
This thesis will give an introduction to the J2ME technology, the Bluetooth
technology, and JABWT available in mobile devices. The infrastructure used when
developing JABWT applications will be described. Programming with J2ME and