Can't decide whether to develop for Android, BlackBerry, iPhone, or Symbian? You may not have to, if the latest "write once, run anywhere" claim from Recursion Software bears fruit. The company today unveiled Voyager 7.2 Pervasive Software Platform, and says that developers can use the tool to target those platforms as well as Windows Mobile and LiMo and Maemo Linux-based devices with a single code base.
Apps built with the platform can execute on smartphones, netbooks and PCs and share contacts and other personal information, location data and media files," the company said, opening the door to simpler collaboration, data collection and fleet and asset management and other mobile application development. According to 2Q 2009 stats from market researcher Canalys, the top three mobile platform makers (Symbian, RIM and Apple) account for 85 percent of the market. Add in Microsoft and Google and you're at better than 96 percent.
Helping to do its magic is a location-aware messaging system that Recursive says enables peer-to-peer collaboration without the need for a host PC, server or cloud. The system can communicate and form decentralized groups over "any Telco or WiFi network," it reported. The messaging is part of an abstraction layer that also encompasses C/C++, Java, .NET and numerous other platforms. News of the updated platform came from the 2009 CTIA Wireless IT and Entertainment conference, running now through Friday at the San Diego Convention Center.
The cost? Well, you can download a 30-day evaluation version for free (registration required).
