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Using applets: Set up your phone for Java

By Aloysius Choong
Oct 07, 2002

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How do you tie a Windsor knot? Do you want to relive the old PC classic side-scrolling game Prince of Persia? Want to learn how to say "Yeah, baby, yeah" in German, and more?

Using wireless Java, you can experience all that on your mobile phone. This upcoming technology lets you download games and applications from the Internet onto your phone. It allows for a great deal of personalization, and may even be useful in tight situations. For instance, if you're lost in a strange city, you might be able to download a map to help find the way.

However, Java heavily relies on mobile data connectivity in the form of Wireless Application Protocol (WAP) and General Packet Radio Service (GPRS), which haven't exactly taken off in a big way. Part of this is due to the cumbersome setup required for WAP and GPRS. Using Java can be just as much of a hassle, but this guide should get you on your way.

Here,we will be setting up Java on the Siemens M50. However, this guide should work with other Java handsets below, with slight modifications.

To find out more about the Java phones coming your way, click here. You'll also need to have a data-enabled SIM card for WAP browsing or GPRS. Contact your mobile operator to activate these services.


Putting it together
The most straightforward way to download Java programs is by using GPRS. If you already have a GPRS-enabled SIM card and handset, you can check out this guide to get it up and working. Then you can jump straight to surfing the Java sites.

However, GPRS may not be an option for some. For example, the Siemens SL45i is not GPRS-enabled, therefore a workaround using the circuit-switched WAP is necessary.

To download Java programs using WAP, you'll need an additional Internet dial-up connection. You may already have one which you use to connect to the Net on the desktop. If not, you'll have to subscribe to a service from an Internet Service Provider (ISP) such as Pacific Internet, SingNet or StarHub Internet.

Say you already have a dial-up account, here's the next step:
  1. Enter the phone menus in this order "Menu", "Setup" "Connectivity", "GPRS".
  2. Scroll down to "Java Profile", select "Profile 1" and click on "Options". Select "Change Settings" and confirm.
  3. Edit "CSD settings" and type in the dial-up number of your ISP, followed by your login name and password.

    Diagrams courtesy of Siemens Singapore
Alternatives
If you have a Java-enabled phone but no data account, here's another way to get those apps and games working. Download them onto your PC and copy these to your phone via infrared or using a data cable. Wireless over-the-air (OTA) downloads of Java apps are also available from some mobile operators.

Alternatively, if you don't have a Java phone, you can still try the games. Look for an emulator, which lets you run wireless Java programs on a desktop computer. These are also useful for sampling programs before loading them onto your phone.

 

 

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