The Mobile Platform Cheat Sheet

hen choosing the technology and target platform for your mobile project or application, you will find several possibilities. There are several kinds of mobile phone platforms available and most have somewhat different characteristics. For example, Windows Mobile development is different from iPhone development, even though the target markets are quite the similar. Similarly, MIDP and Symbian development differ, even though the actual target device might be the same. With so many choices—and the introduction of the iPhone and Android during the past year or so adding to them—your best bet is to develop something that runs on multiple platforms.

Here are some of the questions you need to ask before you start the development:

• To whom are you targeting the application? Is it a consumer application or a corporate application?
• Is your project a game or an application? If a game, you should figure out which types of people will play it and what kind of devices they have.
• What kind of requirements do you have for the technology? Symbian applications may be your only choice if your users already have Symbian phones and don't want to buy new ones.
• How quickly do you need the application or a prototype?
• How much money can you spend on the development? After all, almost always the most important factor is money.