Press Release
Sophia Cradle Incorporated
Sophia Cradle Releases Virtual Desktop for Mobile Phones SophiaWindows
No more frustrations with screen size — virtual desktop on mobile phones
Abstract
KYOTO — December 12, 2003 — Sophia Cradle Incorporated (Headquarter: Kyoto; CEO: Kazunori Sugiyama), an innovative developer of mobile phone software, today announced to release SophiaWindows [*i] , a virtual desktop [*1] for BREW-equipped [*2] handsets on December 15, 2003. It is the first technology developed in the whole mobile phone industry. The main feature of SophiaWindows is the user interface that does not depend on the physical size of a handset screen. This new technology enables developers to create multi-window applications without bothering about screen size limitation.
Full Story
Prior to SophiaWindows, a mobile phone user could not run multiple applications on a handset at the same time because of the display size constraint. In other words, a user had to quit an application in order to start another one. Moreover, it was impossible to browse a computer program on a mobile phone because the display was too small.
Sophia Cradle solved these problems by developing virtual desktop SophiaWindows, a groundbreaking technology that virtually enlarges a mobile phone screen size. It is the first technology ever developed in the mobile phone industry. SophiaWindows enables a virtual screen size to be enlarged as much as possible while other physical limits such as handset memory capacity allow. A user can scroll very large documents or multiple documents side by side to view and reload them.
As another example, a user can open an address book in a window to see his friend's profile or diary on a handset while at the same time talking on the phone. Or he can open another window to use a mailing application and write an email instead of talking to him. SophiaWindows also enables a user to easily view a web site or to use software that requires larger screen than the physical screen of the mobile phone.
SophiaWindows will be offered as a new function of graphical user interface (GUI) framework of Sophia Cradle's development environment for BREW, SophiaFramework v.2.1.1 [*3].
Pricing and Availability
Full-featured version will be released on December 15, 2003, and evaluation version [*ii] is now available at the Sophia Cradle web site. Full-featured version is 300,000 yen (without tax) for each application [*iii]. Sophia Cradle expects to sell SophiaWindows for 60 million yen for 200 licenses in the first financial year. It also aims for 300 million yen sales for 1000 licenses in the second year through international trade.
Sophia Cradle will improve SophiaWindows further so that it can be ported into SymbianOS and LinuxOS that are expected to be the leading operating systems of the next generation mobile phones.
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Related Web Sites
SophiaWindows: /products/sophiaframework/sf_swindows.html(Currently in Japanese)
Demo package is available to be downloaded at the SophiaWindows web site. A BREW application development framework SophiaFramework is required in order to use SophiaWindows.
[*ii] SophiaFramework v.2.1.1 Free Evaluation Version
SophiaFramework Evaluation Version (currently in Japanese) is available from December 15, 2003 at /english/form/trial_sf.html. (Currently in Japanese)
[*iii] SophiaWindows Licensing
Obtaining SophiaWindows license requires purchase of SophiaFramework Professional Architect Edition (PAE). Additional maintenance fee, which is 25 per cent of the product price is necessary.
SophiaFramework Pricing: /english/products/sophiaframework/sf_price.html
Example of an application with SophiaWindows
Terms
A function that constitutes a larger desktop than the physical screen resolution. When a user uses an application, part of this virtual desktop is displayed on the handset. Also means the virtual desktop which is provided during this function. Desktop is a basic on-screen background while running an operating system. A user uses applications and documents on a desktop.
[*2] BREW (Binary Runtime Environment for Wireless)
The standard of mobile phone software developed by QUALCOMM Incorporated, released in January 2001. BREW applications work fast no matter what the underlying system software in the handset is. A user can download a compiled BREW application from the Internet and use it with any BREW-enabled handset. The worldwide spread of BREW is so remarkable that there are many network operators that provide BREW services, including Japan's KDDI which started offering it in February 2003.
Middleware released by Sophia Cradle in August 2002. It runs on BREW and consists of three layers: graphical user interface (GUI), C++ utility library and C++ wrappers. SophiaFramework helps a developer create a high-quality BREW application in a short period of time. The technology of SophiaFramework is used in many top-seller BREW applications in Japan.
More about SophiaFramework: /english/products/sophiaframework/index.html
* Trademarks associated with QUALCOMM Incorpotated and BREW are trademarks and registered trademarks of QUALCOMM Incorporated.
About Sophia Cradle
Sophia Cradle Incorporated is a mobile phone software developer which currently specializes in BREW C++, GUI middleware and mobile Java. Founded in 2002, Sophia Cradle aims to render services to the improvement of everyone's quality of life by creating innovative mobile Internet technology. For more information about Sophia Cradle, please visit www.s-cradle.com/english/.