Metrowerks' Lab Allows Customers to Test Mobile Applications
On Live Wireless Network
AUSTIN, Texas, August 2002 --Metrowerks is helping its customers create innovative wireless applications by offering them access to
U.S. lab facilities for testing mobile applications and devices on a live
wireless network. Metrowerks' newest Wireless Development Center opened in August, 2002
at the company's Austin, Texas headquarters.
The Wireless Development Center provides developers an opportunity to "test drive" their applications on a live wireless network, and on a variety
of different devices, before offering them to carriers or OEMs, or deploying
to customers. This facility enables developers to improve performance,
eliminate bugs, and address other issues before taking their products
public.
The Austin Wireless Development Center includes full GPRS (2.5G), GSM, and CDMA networks with connectivity to the Internet and back office servers.
Customers using the lab facilities have access to the latest wireless
technologies available for development and testing, including application
servers, routers, firewalls, decoding technology, and a wide range of mobile
devices. In addition, customers using the labs can take advantage of
on-site technical support from Metrowerks developer support personnel.
The Austin facility is Metrowerks' third Wireless Development Center. The company also has wireless labs in Basingstoke, England, and Stockholm,
Sweden. Metrowerks was the first development tools company to provide a live
mobile network for wireless applications testing.
Abstract Worlds ( http://www.abstractworlds.com ), an independent software vendor based in the UK, used Metrowerks' Wireless Development
Center in Basingstoke to test StrangeMaze, a 3D maze racing game for Java
mobile phones. According to Paul Ireland, founder of Abstract Worlds,
"Being able to test our application using the same types of phones we're
targeting, over an actual live network, was incredibly beneficial for us.
We were able to get an extremely accurate sense of our application's
performance and address several issues that we probably would have missed
had we relied on alternative testing methods. In the end, we were able to
deliver a better product."
Application developers are not the only group who can take advantage of the labs. Device manufactures can use the labs to test prototypes before
sending their devices to carriers, while middleware developers can use the
labs to test client/server applications.
There are several methods application developers use to test their applications, but most involve the use of simulators. However, simulators
lack the real-world feel of an actual live network, and developers are often
surprised to learn how differently their applications behave on a live
network compared to a simulated one.
While standard, public networks can also be used for application testing, this approach can become expensive. Since over-the-air (OTA)
activity on public networks is metered, developers must pay on a per byte
basis. Development and testing often involve repetition of the same basic
tasks, such as logging in or downloading a task list, and the small incremental charges associated with this OTA activity soon accumulate.
In addition, developers must purchase their own phones for testing and, in some cases, a Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) card, before even using
the public network. Customers using Metrowerks' Wireless Development
Centers, however, simply pay a fee and have access to the entire network and
the devices of their choice, as well as expert guidance from on-site
specialists in application development.
"Metrowerks is known for providing world class development tools, but we also recognize that the testing phase of development is both complicated and
crucial, especially in the wireless market," said Jim Welch, president and
CEO, Metrowerks. "We've seen a high demand for these services at our
European labs, and we wanted to provide the same offerings to developers
here in the U.S. Making these lab facilities available highlights our
commitment to helping our customers through the entire wireless application
development cycle."
The Wireless Development Centers complement Metrowerks' broad portfolio of
CodeWarrior(TM) wireless development tools, which support Java(TM) technology, Palm OS(TM), Sharp Zaurus, embedded Linux,
DragonBall(TM), ARM(R) and Symbian OS(TM) platforms.
The centers are also a key component of Metrowerks' Managed Developer Program, which includes a web-based platform to support a client's developer
community, as well as application certification, technical support, training, marketing, SDKs, market-leading wireless development tools, and
more.
For more information: www.metrowerks.com
MobileInfo Comments and Advisory: We want to applaud
Metrowerks for creating this test facility. We would encourage
Metrowerks to offer support for multiple wireless networks and offer
professional assistance on a need basis to application
developers.
