Blackberry Java Plugin For Eclipse, Web Plugin, Widget SDK & Java SDK Released

Research In Motion (RIM)  has released updated Java and Web-based development tools for the BlackBerry platform. The BlackBerry Java Plug-In for Eclipse v1.1 and the BlackBerry Web Plug-in v2.0 offer new capabilities to create feature-rich applications. The BlackBerry Widget SDK (Software Development Kit) v1.0 and the BlackBerry Java SDK v5.0, which includes more than 20,000 APIs, provide unparalleled access to BlackBerry smartphone hardware features, native BlackBerry software applications and other unique system capabilities of the BlackBerry Application Platform.

“The BlackBerry Application Platform continues to evolve tremendously and the new tool enhancements make developing applications for BlackBerry smartphones easier and faster than ever,” said Alan Brenner, Senior Vice President, BlackBerry Platform at Research In Motion. “We believe these enhanced tools will spur a new level of creativity and innovation as BlackBerry developers find new ways to leverage the unique power and integrated nature of the BlackBerry platform in order to bring useful, intelligent applications to the millions of BlackBerry smartphone users around the world.”

BlackBerry Java Plug-In for Eclipse v1.1

• Enables Java developers to leverage a familiar open source development environment (Eclipse 3.5) to create, debug, profile and simulate their applications using a wide selection of BlackBerry smartphone simulators, actual devices and multiple versions of the BlackBerry OS
• Improved productivity features include the ability to instantly load and immediately run a modified application being debugged without having to reset the simulator or device, providing tremendous time savings

BlackBerry Web Plug-In v2.0

• BlackBerry Web Plug-ins are now available for both Eclipse and Microsoft Visual Studio
• Enables developers to easily create web applications (includes BlackBerry Widgets) and web content using standard web technology and programming languages (e.g., HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and AJAX)
• Enables JavaScript access to core BlackBerry Java API’s.
• New features in the latest 2.0 release include BlackBerry Widget debugging and profiling, support for Eclipse 3.5, and simulator “hot swap” to greatly reduce the time required to test and debug between iterations

BlackBerry Java SDK v5.0

• OpenGL ES support for 3D graphics, touch-screen, and accelerometer enables visually stunning interactive 3D games(i)
• Rich multimedia audio and video support, Media Play features, camera zoom and focus, and embedded video capture and audio/video streaming support
• New pre-built UI components (e.g., spin-box fields, file pickers, and screen transitions) enable advanced graphics and built-in animation and increased developer productivity.
• SQLite support for data sharing across different applications, as well as Gears JavaScript(R) API for persistent database storage.
• Location Based Services APIs enable cell-site geolocation, GPS, geocoding and reverse geocoding to obtain address and location information

BlackBerry Widget SDK v1.0

• Allows third-party applications to access the calendar, contacts, camera, maps, messaging, browser, files, location via cell-tower or GPS, and receive BlackBerry push content via BlackBerry Widget APIs
• Includes navigation support for touch-screen handsets and screen transition and image transition support for BlackBerry Widgets startup and shutdown
• Location-Based Services and SQLite / Google Gears enabled persistent data storage is also available for BlackBerry Widgets.
• The widget architecture allows for extensibility by letting a third party developer develop their own JavaScript extensions, for use and distribution within a BlackBerry Widget.