News
Java Companies Unite
Six Java tools and applications software companies have announced a cooperative initiative, dedicated to providing solutions that help developers create Java-enabled applications for mobile devices and Internet appliances. The partners are: Bluestone Software Inc.; Cyrus Intersoft Inc.; Espial Group Inc.; PointBase Inc.; and Psion Inc. Together, they provide a set of Java development and deployment tools and mobile computing platforms which enable enterprises to extend their business processes by securely migrating applications and data to consumer devices.
Jupiter Communications estimates that the penetration of Internet appliances will grow more than tenfold from 3.2 million in 1998 to 37.2 million in 2002 as new generations of TV set-top boxes, wireless PDAs, handheld Internet devices and more hit the market. International Data Corporation, meanwhile, predicts that in 2002 there will be shipments of 55 million Internet appliances/devices worth $15 billion into an installed base of over 150 million units. Forrester Research, looking farthest ahead, forecasts that "ultimately all electronic appliances will be Internet-enabled."
The rapid proliferation of Java-enabled devices, coupled with the ongoing trend toward telecommuting and worker mobility, has created an enormous opportunity for Java developers to create applications to empower the workforce of the 21st Century. Based on the Java software and mobile hardware offerings available in this initiative, developers can design, compile, debug, emulate, deploy and manage Java applications on a range of devices and Internet appliances.
Participating Members:
-- Bluestone Software Inc. is a leading of Enterprise Interaction Management software for deploying e-business applications. "Anticipating e-business opportunities created by the growing device market, Bluestone engineered Total-e-Business to support far-reaching access -- not only in terms of performance and fault-tolerance, but also in terms of devices," says Bob Bickel, Senior Vice President of Products at Bluestone.
"To ensure complete e-business support and interactivity for any device, Total-e-Business employs an access methodology based on J2EE platforms, including JSPs, XML and XSL. With Total-e-Business, companies can extend the reach of their e-business solutions beyond the browser and tie devices to corporate databases, legacy systems and e-business applications."
-- Cyrus InterSoft Inc. is the developer of Speiros, an all-Java Internet operating system. Cyrus InterSoft is committed to the goal of pervasive network computing, which lets users access their favorite software applications and documents anywhere, from any computing device.
-- Espial provides Java development tools and enabling technology for embedded Java-based information appliances. "Enterprise developers and ASPs are looking for complete solutions for development, deployment and management of applications to smart devices," says Mal Raddalgoda, Senior Director of Strategic Marketing for Espial. "With Espial's Kalos Architect development tools and Devicetop universal service delivery platform, we offer Java developers and ASPs an end-to-end solution application deployment to mobile, smart devices such as the Psion NetBook".
-- PointBase Inc. provides a 100 percent Pure Java database that enables Java developers to create portable multi-threaded data management solutions that can function autonomously on servers, clients and infrequently connected devices.
-- Psion Inc. is a mobile digital computing and communications product company. Psion offers a broad range of Java platforms that offer alternatives to PC technology for enterprise mobile use. "Developers have been looking for reliable, fit-for-purpose devices to enable Web and Java applications for mobile workers," says Andy Sheehan, Business Development Manager for Psion Inc., "The Psion Series 5mx, netBook portable computer, and forthcoming tablet device running Java over EPOC provide a range of platforms for deploying Java applications in the enterprise and ASP markets."
Fortune 1000 companies are using Java to move their businesses to the World Wide Web in record numbers. Twenty-three percent of new enterprise application development in 1999 is being done in Java, according to Strategic Focus, a market research firm. International Data Corp. projects the enterprise Java market, as reflected by the demand for Enterprise JavaBeans, will expand more than eight-fold over the next three years, from $73 million in 2000 to $628 million in 2003.
Organizations that provide tools and capabilities for developing applications targeting Java devices that want to link up with this initiative should contact Mark Grandcolas, Vice President of Business Development at PointBase mark.grandcolas@pointbase.com.