Load cod file to BlackBerry using JavaLoader

Sep 5, 2010 by Inteist

It is simple to load a BlackBerry application packaged as cod file to your device using JavaLoader.exe. With JavaLoader, you do not have to install the desktop manager if you just want to have an ability to quickly load applications to your blackberry

1. Connect your BlackBerry to your computer through USB
2. Open command prompt and navigate to the location of JavaLoader.exe
3. Run “JavaLoader.exe -u=USB load path_to_your_cod_file” command and you should be all set

It is easier if you have the JavaLoader and the COD files in the same dir because then the command is simply

JavaLoader.exe -u=USB load path_to_your_cod_file

UPDATE: The JavaLoader command will not work if you don’t have the BlackBerry desktop manager installed. You will get an error that the port can not be open.

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How to use Apache 2.0 license in commercial products, explained in simple terms

May 5, 2010 by Inteist

If you were wondering whether you can use  apache licensed code in your commercial applications and what do you need to do in order to comply with the license here’s the unofficial simple ans short answer.

You can use Apache 2.0 licensed source code in your project as long as you include the copy of the license in your distribution and provide attribution in an applicable way in your distribution.

The slightly lengthier and detailed (but still very simple explanation) is below, taken from Apache license FAQ

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Using Amazon S3 to serve JAD files for BlackBerry OTA distribution

Apr 4, 2010 by Inteist

If you don’t want the preamble of why I wanted to serve JAD files from Amazon S3, skip to the second paragraph.

I have recently came across the need to push OTA update of the DailyHoroscope application for BlackBerry. I conjectured that OTA updates have different behavior and thus different impact on the web server. There are still many people using their smartphones in general and BlackBerries in particular over the slower EDGE connections as opposed to 3G, not to mention 4G and/or WiMax. So to download 300K file over EDGE connection in the real usage example can take anywhere between 10 seconds to couple minutes. All this time the webserver’s thread serving this specific client will remain running. So it seems like you (or rather your server) can be in a nasty situation when 1000 users simultaneously or almost simultaneously decide to do the OTA update. Also quick calculation with Amazon WS calculator shows that serving files from S3 would be rather cheap even comparing to renting a cheap VPS for that purpose. My estimate was that the whole upgrade process (considering the fact that almost all the users update from S3) will cost me about $15. And this is independent of the time span. For $15 you could get a very cheap VPS for one month (if you are lucky). So it seemed like a no brainer. It indeed was until I faced a few problems with setting this up which I will cover here so that you don’t have to spend much time looking for solutions if you want to do the same.

Setting up S3 is a breeze. Using it – not so much. It is just like any other service pretty much – when you want to sign up and call sales you are answered immediately but if you have a problem and need customer service, well, you can be on hold quite a while. If you have Amazon account already set up, you can use this account. You will have the option to opt for the payment to any of the payment options (now it seems that this is only credit cards) already on file with Amazon or you could add a new credit card so that your S3 bill is billed separately.

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BlackBerry Upcoming WebKit Browser

Mar 17, 2010 by Inteist

RIM has unveiled the new upcoming BlackBerry browser based on the new WebKit engine.

At the New England BlackBerry meetup, Mike Kirkup mentioned that they are doing some neat tricks with precompiling JavaScript through MDS which makes the JavaScript blazing fast. You can see it for yourself in the embedded video.

The new WebKit browser will be available in the next OS release but the upgrade will be limited on per device manner since WebKit browser is quite resource demanding.

Anyways, it’s great news and good job RIM!

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Firefox 3.6 fix the tab order to open at the end of the tabs

Mar 13, 2010 by Inteist

Just upgraded to Firefox 3.6 and I am a little annoyed by the new “feature” of tabs opening next to the tab where you open the new tab from. While this might be convenient to some people, I got used to the “old” way of handling tabs and find myself constantly wondering where this new tab is. I might give it a few more days to see whether I get used to it but in case you are annoyed by that too and want to “fix” this here is how you can disable the new “Insert Related Tab After Current” tweak in Firefox 3.6.

• Type about:config in the address bar. Then, if needed click the “I’ll be careful, I promise!” button.
• In the filter box – type in: tabs.insertRelatedAfterCurrent
• Right-click that about:config entry, and choose “Toggle”

This will convert Firefox back to opening a new tab from a web page on the far right of the tab bar, rather than right next to the tab you opened it from.

If you decide that you actually like it and want to switch back, follow these same steps and toggle the “false” back to “true”.

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Successful people SHIP

Mar 10, 2010 by Inteist

I’ve seen this video by Seth Godin, who is without any doubt a great thinker and visioner. This presentation by Seth, besides being very informational and interesting is quite extraordinary as well. I can not remember when I’ve seen a better presentation lately. Great usage of visuals and associations!

The presentation made me think about people that are successful and people who are not. And this is absolutely true – successful people ship. I’ve known this for all this time, but this simple 3 words “slogan” so to say never formulated in my head. Intuitively I always felt this but after this presentation it just formed.

Borrowing analogy from Math, shipping is a required condition but not satisfactory, meaning that just shipping you will not necessarily make successful, but if you DO NOT ship you will most definitely NOT be successful.

Again, very inspiring presentation that may be an eye opener for some. Enjoy!

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