Sure the Android-running T-Mobile G1 has been on the market for quite some time now, but what about all those would-be developers living in countries where the phone isn’t offered?

Enter the Android Dev Phone 1. Recently announced by Google, the Dev Phone will serve as a testing platform to developers who can’t get their hands on already announced hardware.

Aquiring the Android Dev Phone 1 is easy, all you need to do is pay the $25 dollar sign up fee to become a recognized Android developer (which you can do here) and then buy the device for $399. Not too bad a price for a completely unlocked phone, then again it’s not really made for non-developers, but who can resist that custom back?

More information regarding the Android Dev Phone 1 here.

Tags: Android, Cell Phones, developer, G1, Google, google. phone, HTC, Mobile News, T-Mobile

There have been a couple of MOTODEV Summits on the past, and those were good news for software developers, but now it got even better because Motorola announced the MOTODEV Widget Developer Challenge.

The main purpose of the challenge is to let developers use their imagination, and create something useful that can be used by everyone that owns a Motorola cellphone. The applications can go from real-time flight information, to sport scores, and everything else you can imagine that mobile users would enjoy.

The MOTODEV Widget Developer Challenge is open to everyone, and the registration can be done at their website. The prize will be divided into 3 categories, and includes cash + recognition by Motorola + recognition at CTIA 2009 + latest Motorola handsets and accessories + memorial plaque.

MOTODEV Widget Developer Challenge

Tags: developer, Mobile Software, motodev, Motorola, Motorola, widget

Is Nokia getting ready for anything big? They have just launched a contest called Calling All Innovators. Mobile application developers worldwide can start creating applications for Nokia and hope to win one of the first prizes. Developers can prepare apps for one of the three categories available. (more…)

Tags: application, contests, developer, Mobile News, Mobile Software, Nokia, Nokia

Apple’s App Store for iPhone 3G and iPod Touch has proven to be a great idea. Unlike MobileMe, the App Store became quite popular as developers starting to create all sorts of useful and not so useful application over the past month.

Well apparently T-Mobile has witnessed all that and wants to create a similar App Store. It’s rumored that T-Mobile is preparing a platform for developers to release their applications to T-Mobile customers.

So let me see if I got this right. T-Mobile wants developers to create Java, Windows Mobile and maybe Symbian applications which would be sold over an iTunes like platform? Would that be possible with the current lack of 3G support from T-Mobile? Imagine downloading T-Mobile applications without any 3G coverage. And how will T-Mobile motivate developers to choose their App Store over what Apple has?

We’re going to get answers in time. So far, this is just an unconfirmed rumor.

Tags: App Store, Apple, developer, iTunes, Mobile News, T-Mobile, T-Mobile

Possibly the coolest iPhone app has made an appearance. Developed by Ken and Greg Aspeslagh for the Iron Coder Live competition at the C-4 Developer Conference, the iPhone Video Conferencing app takes advantage of your Wi-Fi network, iPhone camera and, surprise, surprise, a periscope-like mirror construction to beam the caller’s video onto the callee’s.

Using the iPhone toolchain, the developers hacked the app to capture video from the iPhone’s camera, compress it and send it to a web server — whereupon it is relayed to another iPhone. And vice-versa. Though audio is not supported by the application, the developers have a simple suggestion: call the person you want to video-conf with and turn on the speakerphone. The video conf system needs the Huckleberry mirror - actually a modded one to fit the iPhone. Once you cut it into the proper dimensions, put in your iPhone and you’re ready to roll.

Needless to say, the demo won first place in the Iron Coder Live.

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Tags: Apple, Cell Phones, contests, developer, hacks, iPhone, toolchain, video conferencing

Sure, Motorola may be taking a beating from the likes of Samsung and LG when it comes to mobile sales, but that doesn’t stop the big M from dropping news about its new MOTOMAGX Mobile Linux Platform. Calling it a significant step in its commitment to the mobile Linux platform, the MOTOMAGX is slated to be a next-gen platform that delivers a new level of openness and more importantly, support for 3rd party applications. Having sold more than 9 million Linux-based handsets, you have to admit they’ve been there and done that before.

Motorola even seeks to up its Linux-based handset portfolio to around 60% in the next few years - which is a big commitment indeed. The first products based on the platform include the now-available MOTOROKR Z6 and the RAZR2 V8 handsets. The MOTOMAGX platform will support content created by 3rd party developers - including applications developed in J2ME and, in upcoming releases, native Linux applications. Nokia/Symbian has taken a step forward in this direction with the introduction of the Open C SDK that allows easy porting of POSIX applications onto the Symbian platform, so it’ll be good to see what Moto has up its sleeve.

If you are a developer waiting to get your hands dirty with Java ME development, get the MOTODEV Studio for Java ME form http://www.motorola.com/developer. At the end of Q4 2007, you will also get Linux and WebUI plugins for the Studio.

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Tags: Cell Phones, developer, j2me, Linux, Motorola, Motorola, platform