Mobile Applications

A mobile environment is different from traditional distributed environments due to its unique characteristics such as the mobility of users or computers, the limitation of the computing capacity of mobile devices, and the frequent and unpredictable disconnection of wireless networks. A wireless mobile application is defined as a software application, a wireless service, or a mobile service that can be either pushed to users&s; handheld wireless devices or downloaded and installed, over the air, on these devices. The first generation analog cell phone was a rather bulky piece of equipment. The second generation (2G) of wireless and mobile phone technology gave users the capability to send and receive data in a digital format. General Packet Radio Services (GPRS) enables true &s;always-on&s; capability in the wireless network. The Symbian Foundation it is a non-profit organization that started its activity in 1998, supported by a set of manufacturers with the goal of licensing a software platform for mobile devices.