Rapid application development for Nokia E5 (Symbian S60 v3)

Question

I often need simple personal apps on my phone and I'd like to make them. I know some programming (C++, Delphi, some Java, MATLAB, Visual Basic). I don't have any idea about where to start, what can I do, how the issue of "app signing" can impact on this.

One app should help to manage links between book pages, basically it has to handle a small database in which I can add books (title, ID) and linked pages (couples of numbers). The database must be obviously persistent.

The other app should let me program a number of time counters. I don't need persistence between app startups.

I tried Qt Creator, but let alone some problems about installation, it looks like it's made for S60 v5. I don't know where to start. I used to make small utilities for my computer in Delphi, which saved me much time; now that I have a small portable PC like the E5, it could be very useful to have, for example, a portable random number generator, or similar simple apps for personal use.

Someone please give me a kick-start!

Update: I've managed to make the timers application in J2ME, it took a week of investigation (1-2 hours a day)

Answer 1

I did software development for Symbian C++ for more then 6 years. I stopped it something like a year ago when Nokia declared that it is going to kill it. Symbian did not became never popular between application developers because it is EXTREMLY complicated to start developing on it. It will take long-long weeks, maybe months to get running something own for the first time. And that time maybe there will be no new Symbian devices sold... you better invest your time in something that has more future.

Qt is good, qt is MUCH easier to start with and the knowledge you gain you can use also for software development for desktop (Windows, OS-X, linux crossplatform) and other embedded (linux) devices. In one word it has some future.

Qt applications run also on 3.2 devices, just you will have to install the Qt runtime on your phone. You also don't have to use the latest SDK but 1.1.2, this has support for older platforms.

If you want to develop only for your own, you can create a "developer certificate" for free that you can use to sign your applications - they will install only on your phones (you have to specify the IMEI of the phone). You can find more info about signing at http://www.symbiansigned.com.

Answer 2

Take a look here: http://www.developer.nokia.com/Community/Wiki/Category:Symbian There's a lot of information regarding development options available for S60.

I suggest you take a closer look at J2ME, reasons being:

• J2ME is a mature & thriving language with a lot of documentation and examples available.
• The midlets (apps) you produce can also be installed on S40 devices. S40 is currently the world's most widely used mobile phone platform.