I’m starting a series of articles on how to install different Java mobile SDK’s from different mobile phone manufacturers. These SDK’s usually have emulators for their handsets that is needed in testing J2ME software. I’m starting off the series with a how-to for the Nokia S60 SDK.

A patch containing a bunch of fixes for NetBeans 6.1 is now available. The patch includes bug fixes in modules for BPEL, C/C++, Composite Application, Database, Editing Files, GlassFish, IDE Platform, JSF, Java, Java Debugger, Java Profiler, Mercurial, NetBeans 6.1, NetBeans Plugin Development, Platform, RESTful Web Services, Ruby, SOA, Spring Web MVC, Visual JSF, WSDL, Web Applications, Web Services, XML and Schema.

The proposed merger of Activision and Vivendi has finally gotten approval from the Activision shareholders. Under the merger, Vivendi Games will become a wholly owned subsidiary of Activision. Hmmm, this would put top hit games like Guitar Hero and Warcraft under one roof, sure hope they don’t think of coming up with a Warcraft Rockstar (although I have to admit I like rock music and playing Warcraft).

If you want the latest and greatest of the NetBeans IDE, you can now download NetBeans 6.5 milestone 1 from the NetBeans web site. Some note worthy mobility enhancements are included in the upcoming version 6.5 release not to mention the much anticipated improvements in JavaScript support and of course PHP (I’ve tried out the early access and I’m eagerly awaiting for version 6.5.

I love this mobile game, this is one game that I would add to my list. I have to admit that I like playing billiards — think of the entertaining ways to apply practical geometry in everyday game play. Really this is one game that relaxes me. Another would be playing Wimbledon 2008.

Over the week end I got a copy of the mobile Java game from EA mobile called Command and Conquer 3 – Tiberium Wars. I love playing strategy games on the PC and Command and Conquer is one of them so I was very curious how it was on the mobile phone.

Sun is partnering with Hewlett Packard to make Java ME available on HP smartphones like the new HP iPAQ 900 mobile phone. The HP iPAQ 900, which runs on Windows Mobile 6.1, is qwerty-type mobile phone which focuses on business oriented functions.

While going thru my mail this morning, I came across a tutorial for a crash course on creating mobile Java games. The tutorial is clear and simple and discusses in a step by step manner on how to create mobile Java games. The author, Anders, actually does it by going thru an example of a mobile game that he created.

Motorola has announced the availability of the MotoDev Studio 1.4 for developing J2ME applications. Support has been added for several Motorola mobile phones. If you remember, Motorola has taken lead of the EclipseME project and has released MotoDev Studio which is based on Eclipse and EclipseME.

In a bid to make it more easier for J2ME developers to create more consistent mobile Java applications, a group of developers at java.net have created the LWUIT project.