Friday, December 9, 2011

Ovi Store is open for Series 40 web apps

Publish to Ovi is now accepting Series 40 web apps for distribution through Ovi Store by Nokia, marking the final phase of the Series 40 web apps launch. In April 2011, Forum Nokia offered developers Nokia Web Tools, a complete collection of tools to prototype, code, test, package, and deploy Series 40 web apps.

Nokia Web Tools has been downloaded thousands of times, already. Developers are finding it easy to create their first web app, as the tool includes “getting started” guides and videos in Web Developer Channel and web app templates in Web Developer Environment. In addition, Forum Nokia and the Forum Nokia wiki offers additional in-depth information on Series 40 web apps, such as a development FAQ, API reference and best practices guide, and code examples. Training is available in a series of recorded webinars: Introduction, UI, and UX and Mobile Web Library and JavaScript.

Millions of consumers have downloaded Ovi Browser and are ready to start using web apps. Nokia sells more than one million Series 40 devices every day, and starting in the second half of 2011, Ovi Browser will be the default browser on the most popular of those devices.

Discovery and Reach: Ovi Store experiencing tremendous growth

Ovi Store now serves up to five million downloads per day, with 158 developers from 41 countries passing the one million downloads milestone. Additionally, Ovi Store has grown nearly eight times in one year, with more than 40,000 apps now available. Nearly 1,000 new apps are added every week. Series 40 devices, which will enable apps for the next billion mobile phone users, have experienced more than 35 per cent growth in download volumes in the last two months, making up about a quarter of the total downloads.

Submitting your web apps to Ovi Store

To submit your web apps to Ovi Store you will need to sign up as an Ovi Store publisher. Then you package your web app into a *.wgt file and submit that file to Ovi Store. Details on the submission process and the information you need to provide with each submission are provided in Ovi Publisher Guide and information on appropriate content is provided in Ovi Store Content Guidelines. For general information on distributing your web app, including promotion guidelines, please visit the Distribute section of Forum Nokia.

If you wish to see the process by which users will discover your web app in Ovi Store and access it on their device (or want more information on creating the *.wgt file), please see the Series 40 web apps: Publishing guide.

We look forward to welcoming your web apps into Ovi Store and making them available to millions of Series 40 device owners worldwide.

Great UX for Series 40 devices

Using Mobile Web Library, the Ovi Browser client can execute JavaScript code in Series 40 web apps. This code makes it possible to create interactive user interfaces and use graphical transitions to deliver beautiful web experiences. Now web designers and developers can deliver compelling application experiences to users at low cost — both in terms of development effort and user data charges.

Easy to get started: New development option for Series 40

Built on Eclipse and the Aptana platform, Web Developer Environment delivers all the key features developers need to author web content for use on Series 40 devices. In addition, custom features to enable the creation, editing, debugging, packaging, and deployment of Series 40 web apps are included. Development is further streamlined by Web App Simulator, which enables Series 40 web apps to be previewed and tested on a computer. Even before development starts, Web App Designer can help designers to create the right UX by enabling interactive screen mock-ups that can be run on Series 40 devices, so feedback can be gathered on designs.

Thursday, December 8, 2011

Enter the Series 40 Java and Web Competition

Enter Forum Nokia’s new Series 40 Java and Web Competition, and you could be among three winners of a new Nokia X3-02 and a yet-to-be-announced Nokia device. To enter, first create a Java or web app designed to run on a Series 40 6th Edition, Feature Pack 1 device. And use the new Nokia SDK for Java beta, which supports the development of Series 40 6th Edition, Feature Pack 1 apps. Then either host the app as a Nokia project or write an article about the app as a Wiki article, tutorial, or guide. All entries will be judged on quality, value, and appearance, and you may submit more than one app. But hurry: The deadline for entries is 30 June.

Wednesday, December 7, 2011

New tools to create Series 40 web apps

Developers have easy new ways to create web apps for Series 40 phones, thanks to two tools made available by Nokia:

- Web Clip Creator: This new, experimental menu-driven tool, available in Nokia Beta Labs, gives people with little or no mobile development experience a mechanism to create Series 40 web apps based on their current, publicly available websites.

- Ovi App Wizard: This free, easy-to-use Series 40 web app template is for RSS-based apps that are ready for publication on Nokia’s Ovi Store. A publisher’s news and information can be presented in a format that offers consumers interactive user interfaces with graphical transitions.

The two new tools follow the earlier announcement of Nokia Web Tools for Series 40 and the announcement that Series 40 web apps can be distributed through Ovi Store.

Also, web apps created with either Web Clip Creator or Ovi App Wizard and then published on Ovi Store can be entered in Nokia's Create for Millions contest, which will award the winners a share of  cash and prizes worth 1 million euros.

Tuesday, December 6, 2011

Software Update Increases App Visibility for Nokia Developers

 New Series 40 phones with the innovative Touch and Type UI increase visibility for developers’ apps, and existing users will benefit from the enhancement via software updates. This applies already to C2-02, C2-03, C3-01, and X3-02 phones.

A recent software update for these Series 40 phones allow users to swipe left from the home screen to see 3rd Party apps in the Collection, and swipe right to see installed Games (including 3rd party games).

This enhanced app discoverability is shipping now in new devices, and is also available as an update for existing (C3-01 and X3-02) users. The update is already promoted via Ovi Suite, and will be available as an Over the Air (OTA) update in the future.

How to get started:

Version 1.0 of the Series 40 6th Edition SDK, Feature Pack 1 is available, providing developers with the opportunity to create Java applications that leverage the innovative Touch and Type UI.

Series 40 web apps are created and tested using Nokia Web Tools, which is available for Microsoft Windows, Apple OS X, and Ubuntu Linux.

How get noticed:

Submit your best Series 40 Java or web apps in Nokia’s Create for Millions contest to win your share of cash and prizes, worth 1 million euros.

Monday, December 5, 2011

Mobile Web Components power up web apps and sites

Nokia has created a set of components to use in mobile websites and web apps targeted at Symbian Anna phones, the Nokia N9 smartphone, and other Nokia smartphones with a WebKit browser. Included are components for collapsible content blocks, scrollable large content item windows, pop-up menus, expandable sliding menus, slideshows, and others. The components are designed to be used either as-is or extended for your own unique content and look.

Web components are built using the basic building blocks of the web: HTML for structured data, CSS for visual rendering, and JavaScript for behaviour. They are popular with web designers, as they deliver frequently used functions in ready-made, ready-to-add packages, with all structures and behaviours tested and working. Also, components can be easily customised by either using built-in options or editing the component itself.

Sunday, December 4, 2011

Developers from around the world square off in Hackathon

The Hackathon competition for developers is in full swing at Nokia World this week. Competitors in the contest this year come from an international array of large services firms (including Tieto and ICS); local/regional developers (IronBit, Wyztec); well-known games makers (Halfbrick); and even individuals (such as Tonny Katongole).

The competitors got to work last night and have a total of 40 hours to create an app from an idea submitted to the Nokia IdeasProject, and they can submit their app for use on up to three platforms: Windows Phone, Qt, and Series 40. Winners of this year’s Hackathon will share more than 150,000 euros in cash and prizes, and the top three apps will be presented in live demos at the Nokia World finale on 27 October.

What are the developers working on now?

With less than 20 hours to go before they must submit their final apps, all of the developers are hard at work. Here’s a sample:

Peter Lindgren, from Visiarc, whose company is better known for its enterprise software, said their team is working on a multi-player, turned-based game that tests your doodling skills, noting that this will be their first app for Windows Phone.

Simon Botes, from AppCraft, said his team is working on a preschool aid Web App – which was a winning idea he submitted to the IdeasProject – specifically for use on Series 40 phones.

And Ana-Stefania Rades, is here with a team for Namco Bandai working on a game called “Paper Soccer” for both Qt and Windows Phone that can be played in a multiplayer mode between phones.

Meet the teams competing in Hackathon:
  • Dadiaus Misiani: Based in Kenya, Dadiaus is the lead developer for MobiserveWebs, an IT development company that provides web and mobile application-development services across a number of mobile platforms.
  • Futurice: This Helsinki-based software agency offers consulting, design, development, and training to help customers develop their digital business. It builds both consumer and business-critical enterprise services for customers from a wide variety of industries.
  • Halfbrick: Founded in 2001, Australia-based Halfbrick is now expanding its portfolio with a range of independently released games for downloadable platforms.
  • HappyDigital: This Istanbul-based developer offers mobile applications and interactive services.
  • ICS: Integrated Computer Solutions, based in Bedford, Massachussets, is the largest independent supplier of professional services, training, and add-on products for Nokia’s Qt developer framework.
  • iMobileCode: Headquartered in Turkey, iMobileCode specializes in mobile application development across multiple platforms. ITs team of software engineers provide solutions for a wide range of marketing needs.
  • IronBit: This Mexico-based company specializes in web and mobile applications. 
  • KSF Technologies: Based in Kiev, Ukraine, this software-development company has been providing our services worldwide since 1992.
  • Mobifusion: From its headquarters in Silicon Valley, Mobifusion leverages its patented, cross-platform technologies to fuse traditional media with operator and device manufacturer opportunities. 
  • Namco Bandai: A leading publisher and developer of wireless games and content that provide instant fun on the go. 
  • Persistent Systems: Established in 1990, this India-based company has more than 5,000 employees and specializes in software product development services. 
  • Tieto: Based in Finland, Tieto is a leading IT service company in Northern Europe, providing IT and product-engineering services. 
  • Tikle: Turkey’s leading provider for mobile-lifestyle services. The company creates cutting-edge applications and services for mobile information and entertainment solutions.
  • Tonny Katongole: Tonny is a Uganda-based developer who has created several successful J2ME apps for the Nokia Store.
  • Viafo: Founded in 2010, this Seattle-based company’s technology lowers the cost of building and maintaining interesting and compelling mobile and connected applications. Viafo specializes in building social, cross-platform apps.
  • Visiarc: Founded in 2002, this Sweden-based mobile-cloud company develops mobile technology with a focus on security and usability, including its award-winning Mobile Documents mobile email system.
  • Wyztec: This privately held Danish start-up company develops useful and exciting location-based mobile applications.
  • WALI: This Chinese mobile-development company has created many successful and popular applications for the Chinese market across multiple mobile platforms.

The top three teams will demo their apps during the closing ceremonies of Nokia World tomorrow, at which time the winning app will also be announced. We'll bring you that story tomorrow.

Saturday, December 3, 2011

Visiarc wins Hackathon contest at Nokia World for Windows Phone game 'Duudle'

Visiarc, a company well known for their enterprise software is the winner of the 2011 Hackathon competition at Nokia World for their game called "Duudle", which also happens to be their first Windows Phone application. Duudle is a time-based, multiplayer game that can send push notifications to your opponents playing the game on other phones (think of it like a mobile version of Pictionary).

The top four submissions to the Hackathon competition were shown in live demos on stage at the end of Nokia World 2011 today in London.

The competitors had only 40 hours to create their app from an idea submitted to the Nokia IdeasProject, and they had the opportunity to submit their app for use on up to three platforms: Windows Phone, Qt, and Series 40.

The winners of this year’s Hackathon will share more than 150,000 euros in cash and prizes - the winning app from Visiarc receives 50,000 euros.

More details about the winning apps - and photos from the event - will be posted online soon!

Friday, December 2, 2011

Champion of the Month: Simon Botes

Nokia PreSchool is the sort of big idea backed by skilled execution that keeps the honors coming for Nokia Developer Champion of the Month Simon Botes. The idea, to create a free, home preshooling system that can run on Nokia Series 40 phones, took first place in the Create 4 Millions Challenge. Simon's coding of the app at the Nokia Hackathon took top prize for a Series 40 Web app. The app is already submitted to Nokia Store and will be available soon.

Update Nov 7:   Preschool Aid is now available in South Africa and will be rolling out globally soon.

This is not Simon's first success. Check out Simon's profile for more achievements, including over 120,000 downloads from Nokia Store with "zero marketing" and selection as a Mail & Guardian 200 Young South African.

Thursday, December 1, 2011

Winning apps from Hackathon 2011 bring great ideas to three Nokia platforms

We featured the top-prize winner of the recent Hackathon competition that was held during Nokia World 2011 in London last month, but we wanted to make sure you had the full details from the contest, and got a preview of the other award-winning apps based on the best ideas submitted to IdeasProject that were developed in just 40 hours for use on Nokia phones.

As we noted following the Hackathon, the grand prize went to Visiarc, for their Windows Phone game called “Duudle”, a time-based, multiplayer game that can send push notifications to your opponents playing the game on other phones.

The other finalists in the contest were the Seattle-based Viafo, for their mobile app called “BloodSprint” which they developed for use on all three platforms (Windows Phone, Qt, and Series 40); and Tieto, who  submitted an innovative mobile-polling application for use on either Windows Phone or Qt-based devices called “Did You Like It” that can also use NFC. They were joined on stage at the finale of Nokia World by Australia’s Halfbrick, who developed a new first-person game for Nokia Windows Phone called “Ember”.

David O'Neill from Viafo told us that their second-place app which will facilitate blood donations by individuals, helping to connect them to institutions such as hospitals that need donors will be further polished for distribution on all three Nokia platforms, and then they plan to take it to other platforms, since a service such as this one “should be universal”.

It is also worth noting that there were top apps recognized for each of the three platforms:

    The winning Series 40 Web App was produced by South Africa’s AppCraft called “Preschool Aid” – one member of the AppCraft team, Simon Botes, is the current Nokia Developer Champion of the Month, and their award-winning app has already been published to Nokia Store for distribution in South Africa.
    The Qt winner was Futurice, who submitted an app called “mGrafitti”, a virtual, location-based graffiti creator.
    And for Windows Phone, the winning app was “Ember” by Halfbrick.

The winners of this year’s Hackathon will share more than 150,000 euros in cash and prizes - the winning app from Visiarc receives 50,000 euros.

Have a look at more images from Nokia World, with a special focus on the Hackathon, in our Flickr slideshow.

Update (9 November 2011): Following the Hackathon at Nokia World 2011, developers were invited to a special Meetup in London to celebrate their hard work: