Sun's J2ME Wireless Toolkit includes Nokia SNAP Mobile APIs

SAN FRANCISCO: Nokia and Sun Microsystems has announced the inclusion of Nokia's Scalable Network Application Package (SNAP) Mobile APIs in the beta release of the Sun Java Wireless Toolkit (version 2.3), formerly known as the J2ME Wireless Toolkit. For the first time, Sun's Java Wireless Toolkit incorporates a third-party developer application as part of the toolkit's External API feature.

Together, Nokia and Sun are offering the thousands of worldwide Java game developers, client-side APIs, based on the Nokia SNAP Mobile platform, for development and creation of sophisticated, community-enabled, multiplayer Java games. The APIs provide efficient, scalable, server-based multiplayer game data distribution, versatile matchmaking, including ranked, freestyle and challenge modes, as well as community features such as chat, friends list, presence and support for tournaments, a press release said

"The integration of SNAP Mobile technology into the Sun Java Wireless Toolkit provides a robust and reliable mobile multiplayer gaming solution that will streamline the development and deployment of Java-based multiplayer games," said Chris Mellisinos, Chief Gaming Officer, Sun Microsystems. "Until now, the growth of this exciting sector has been slowed by technical barriers and network connectivity. Sun Java Wireless Toolkit with Nokia's SNAP Mobile APIs addresses these issues by removing technological uncertainty while allowing operators, service providers, and game developers to concentrate on their core competencies rather than the underlying technologies."

"We are extremely proud that Sun chose to incorporate our SNAP Mobile APIs in the version 2.3 release of the Sun Java Wireless Toolkit," said Lisa Waits, Head of Nokia's SNAP Mobile. Nokia will be showing several multiplayer Java games built on the Nokia SNAP Mobile platform at this year's JavaOne conference in San Francisco