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Welcome to the Orange Partner newsletter.

In this months newsletter, we explore the latest solutions to Java fragmentation, and get an insight from the Mobile Web Initiative on how to ensure the success of content adaptation for client services.

If you're in the business of providing mobile content, then don't miss out on the conclusion of the series of articles on Mobile gaming and Mobile TV.

Plus, find out the where the Orange Partner team will be over the coming months!

We look forward to meeting with many of you soon…

With kind regards,

Steve Glagow
Orange Partner - Director

Java fragmentation – working together to find a solution
Those of you involved in java application development will be all-too-familiar with this problem, and we know you're interested in helping us resolve it.

Consumers should expect to be able to run the same java application on a number of different devices, and for it to work every time. They currently can't. Not only is this a barrier to sales, but the cost and resource involved in testing and signing a number of versions of one application is high, for both the operator and for the developer.

It's in the interests of all of us to decrease the cost of testing, and to make it easier for more people to run java applications on their devices, which can help facilitate the increase of applications downloaded. We're working to resolve the de-fragmentation issue, but meanwhile, there's still plenty we can do to help you cope with the existing fragmented base of devices out there.

Orange Partner is currently involved in a number of initiatives which will provide you with short and long-term solutions to Java fragmentation. These range from the provision of guidelines and tools, influencing Standards and other major players in the mobile industry plus the forthcoming JSR248 contest designed to help you cope with the existing fragmented base of devices.

Find out more on the Orange Partner website >

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Devices, devices, devices – what's new on the website?
A brand new 'devices by country' page, giving you the top 50 devices per Orange country plus the latest devices to be launched.

This ever-popular section of the website continues to grow, and in response to your demands for more information on a per country basis, we've created a brand new section and collated all the information you need in one place.

We've given you the top 50 devices in each Orange country and also added information on the latest Orange country…Spain.

Members - check out the devices by country page >

Plus, we've published 18 new device specs for the latest devices to be launched across the Orange group.

Members - get the latest device specs >

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Orange video guidelines – download the latest version
If you're producing content for delivery over low bandwidth, whilst attempting to retain a good quality multimedia experience for Orange World customers, check out the latest video guidelines document.

Video content for Orange World customers is stored on Orange scheduling servers and played out to customers at scheduled times. Some content may be played out on a loop for a set period of time (e.g. 1 day, 1 week etc).

Since much of this content will be prepared as a series of programs joined together into a longer series of content, pre-encoded file sizes are likely to become very large and difficult to manage on a day to day basis, as well as difficult to transfer to Orange servers.

Read through the latest version of the video guidelines, and find out the precise details of the required MP4 encoding parameters to provide content (general, sports and music) that is ready for mobile devices.

Download the guidelines now >

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Mobile Web Initiative – Device Description Repository
Join the debate on whether the success of content adaptation for client services is dependent on the availability of a consistent, valid and trusted database of device information…

The Device Description Working Group within the Mobile Web Initiative (MWI) project believes that the success of content adaptation for client services depends on a public Device Description Repository (DDR) being made available to content and service providers.

To debate the issue, a call for positioning papers on the DDR has been made and a workshop has been organised, to explore DDR design and implementation issues.

In a controversial response to this, The France Telecom Group Research and Development (FTR&D) involved in the Mobile Web Initiative have written and submitted a paper which outlines views on the challenges, opportunities and problems facing a DDR.

The France Telecom Group R&D team believe that a single consolidated database of device properties is unlikely to meet the needs of all the participants in the mobile value chain.

Download the positioning paper: A Device Description Repository: An Integrated Operator's Perspective >

What's your view? Once you've read the positioning paper, let us know what you think – post your views on the forum >

Interested in learning more about the MWI, and following its progress? Click here >

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The promise of mobile games – final part
In the final part of this four part series we take a closer look at the European market which is experiencing a timid start for mobile games.

Jupiter Research reports that mobile games generated €345m in sales last year in Western Europe, but it believes this figure could reach €1.4bn by 2010.

Despite the efforts made by operators to propose large games catalogues and promotions on specific packs, the European mobile games market is still underdeveloped compared to Asia and the USA. European operators have failed to inject any real dynamism in terms of 3D and multiplayer games or gaming communities.

To date the mobiles games offerings of all European operators are much homogeneous: several hundreds titles often from the same publishers, more or less the same tariffs, and so on.

The mobile games segment has not yet matured, however its consolidation is well underway. The players are known but usages are still underdeveloped especially in Europe.

Find out about how European operators are working towards wider adoption – read the full article >

Read the previous parts of this series on Mobile Gaming >

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Mobile TV in search of a business model – final part
In the final part of this four part series of articles on Mobile TV, we examine the challenges of the "broadcast" business model and the even further challenge of convergence.

When starting their mobile TV service over 2.5G and 3G networks, all operators have waived charges during a promotional period of one to seven months.

Today, prices are charged per minute, per hour, by data volume or even through a mix of portal connection charge plus a per-minute rate.

However, with the possible arrival of DVB-H and other "broadcast" digital mobile TV technologies, operators could be marginalised and lose their TV revenues since the network employed will no longer be theirs.

In this new value chain who will the key players be? What place will operators occupy?

Learn more about the role of regulators, the place of operators in the new value chain, how the media see Mobile TV and finally find out how Mobile TV is the convergence challenge – read the full article >

Read the previous parts of this series on Mobile TV >

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Orange & Nokia Learning Institute – free Symbian OS training
If you're a Symbian developer with two to three months of coding experience, join us for a free, two-day technical training course.

Combining both seminar and lab based work, professional trainers will help you enhance your knowledge in Symbian and the S60 platform.

Learn how to implement graphical Symbian OS applications and gain a good understanding and skills in Symbian OS and S60 UI business basics, the S60 GUI application framework, designing handheld UI, writing graphics views and defining application resources.

Completion of the course will provide you with the basic skills needed to develop S60 applications on top of Symbian OS.

Places are limited, and to participate you must be a member of the Orange Partner programme.

Find out more and register now >

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CTIA Wireless (Los Angeles) – 12-14 September 2006
Visit our booth No: 1000 and meet with us face-to-face, grab some great goodies and win an Orange Smartphone.

CTIA Wireless IT & Entertainment is an event that represents all technologies and platforms for wireless data, focusing on both the enterprise and entertainment sectors.

For enterprises the focus will be on incorporating wireless technologies into the enterprise and vertical business markets.

If you're involved in wireless entertainment, the event will look at everything from mobile content to digital cameras and interactive games.

For those of you who are attending, we look forward to seeing there…

Find out more >

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Sybase Techwave (Las Vegas) – 6-10 August 2006
Don't miss the opportunity to meet with us, drop by the Orange Partner stand (No: 300)

Once more Orange Partner will be exhibiting at Sybase's largest annual technical training event.

Sybase TechWave 2006 will deliver a comprehensive technical learning experience that combines accelerated training, technical sessions, keynotes, technical support, partner exhibitions and networking.

If you're attending, don't forget to drop by our stand and meet the team plus get the chance to win an Orange device.

Find out more >

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Symbian Smartphone Show (London) – 17-18 October 2006
The last chance to meet us before Partner Camp EMEA

This will be the last opportunity to meet with us face-to-face before Partner Camp in Autumn (details to follow soon).

In addition to the usual event elements, new to this year's show are the developer zone, developer training courses, developer seminar theatre for all attendees, a developer exhibition and demo area plus CEO Keynote Sessions - open to all attendees.

If you're attending, drop by our stand and meet with us – we'll be glad to see you!

Find out more >

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The International Mobile Gaming Awards – find out how to enter
Mobile games developers - get involved in the IMG Awards which encourage and reward the creativity of leading international studios and talented amateurs.

The awards challenge gaming studios, individual developers, students and researchers to come up with the most innovative concepts for tomorrow's games.

The entrants are judged by an international jury which selects the 20 most appealing, original and innovative ideas that are technically feasible.

A winner for each for the following categories is selected
• Grand Prix
• Most Innovative Game
• Best Interactive Experience
• Excellence in 3D
• Best Use of Connectivity

Find out more about the contest, the prizes and how to enter - visit the IMG Awards website >

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Are you reading off of the same page as your fellow newsletter subscribers?

The Orange Partner newsletter is the best way for our partners to regularly keep up with the latest market and technology developments from Orange and the mobile industry.

To help you keep up to date we've collated the top 5 stories and articles from the newsletter and website that were of interest to our members last month (compiled using clicks per page analysis).

• The brand new virtual developer centre – now ready and accessible from the website
• Orange Partner Camp - post event website
• 'Bringing the web to mobile users' - new MWI whitepaper
• Orange Compatible - now available from Orange Partner
• Ringtone guidelines

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We want to hear your thoughts about the Orange Partner Newsletter. Drop us a line at developers@orange.com