Sophia Cradle : FAQ

Purchase

How do I purchase your products?
Can I use your products right away?
Are there any multiple item discounts?
Is there an academic pricing for your products?
How do I make the payment?
Who is paying for the bank fees?
When will I receive the products?
How do I get an estimate?
Do you issue a receipt?
How do I cancel my order?
Can I return the product?
Will the rejected/incomplete products be exchanged?

Free Trial Edition

I would like to use the free trial edition with applications that are larger than the restricted size.
How do I get the free trial?
Can I use the free trial right away?
What is the difference between the free trial edition and the product edition?
* SophiaCompress(Java) OASIS
* SophiaCompress(BREW) EARTH
* SophiaFramework UNIVERSE
How long can I use the free trial edition?
How much time will it take to evaluate the free trial edition?
Can I ask you a question about the free trial edition?
What should I do if the free trial edition doesn't work on my computer?
How do I uninstall the free trial edition?
Can I use the free trial edition for commercial purpose?

Maintenance Contract

In what ways will I benefit from a maintenance contract with Sophia Cradle?
How much do I need to pay for the maintenance contract?
How long does the maintenance contract last for?
Can I refuse to purchase the maintenance contract?
If I don't purchase the maintenance contract, can I receive bug-fix patches?
Can I stop the maintenance contract?
Will the maintenance contract be automatically renewed?
Can I purchase the maintenance contract after I buy your product or the annual maintenance contract expires?

License

What is a license ?
What is a license file ?
How do I get a license file ?
What is a host ID ?
How do I get a Host ID ?
I am going to change my computer. Can I still use the license file ?
I need a new license file.

Products

Purchase

How do I purchase your products?

There are four steps for purchases:

* Step 1 : Estimate: Request an estimate from us using our Order Form. We will send you an offer sheet via email or fax.

* Step 2 : Ordering: Please sign the offer sheet and send it to +81(75)754-5156 by fax.
(The transmission of the offer sheet by fax would make it an official order.)
Please do not cancel your order after you transmit it to us.

* Step 3 : Payment: Please transfer the payment of the products to the following bank account. (Bank fees are at your burden.)

PAYMENT INFORMATION

      Account Name : Sophia Cradle Inc.
      Bank Code : 0001
      Branch Number : 587
      Account No. : 587 - 2294228
      Paying Bank : Mizuho Bank, Ltd. Demachi Branch
      Address of Paying Bank : 259 Seiryu-cho, Demachi Imadegawa Agaru, Kamigyo-ku,
            Kyoto-shi, Kyoto-fu, 602-0822, Japan
      SWIFT BIC : MHBKJPJTOSA

* Step 4 : Shipment: We will send the requested products via internet within 5 business days after payment goes through.

Can I use your products right away?

The products should be available for use as soon as they are installed (assuming environment meets minimum required specifications).

If you have any special needs or concerns, please express them to us in the message section of the Order Form. We will do our best to accommodate you.

Are there any multiple item discounts?

If you are purchasing multiple licenses or multiple products, we can offer a discounted price. For further information, please check the price list for each product.

SophiaCompress(Java) OASIS Pricing

SophiaCompress(BREW) EARTH Pricing

SophiaFramework UNIVERSE Pricing

Is there an academic pricing for your products?

We offer academic pricing for educational institutions (High schools and above). Please contact us with the name of the end user (The name of the educational institution) when placing an order.

For further information, please contact us through our Question Form.

How do I make the payment?

Please transfer the payment into the following bank account.

PAYMENT INFORMATION

Account Name : Sophia Cradle Inc.
Bank Code : 0001
Branch Number : 587
Account No. : 587 - 2294228
Paying Bank : Mizuho Bank, Ltd. Demachi Branch
Address of Paying Bank : 259 Seiryu-cho, Demachi Imadegawa Agaru, Kamigyo-ku,
Kyoto-shi, Kyoto-fu, 602-0822, Japan
SWIFT BIC : MHBKJPJTOSA

Who is paying for the bank fees?

The bank fees are paid for by the purchaser.

When will I receive the products?

We will transfer the products via internet when we receive a confirmation of payment from the bank.

How do I get an estimate?

Please fill out the details of the Order Form. We will send you an estimate via email or fax.

Do you issue a receipt?

We do not issue a receipt, but the purchaser has the signed Order Form and the bank transfer documents as proofs of purchase.

How do I cancel my order?

Once the fax with the purchaser's signature has been received, the order is placed and may not be canceled. Therefore, please use caution before transmitting the offer sheet.

Can I return the product?

All transactions are non-refundable and we do not accept returns. Once again we stress caution prior to placing an order.

The only exception to this policy is if the product has inadvertently been disrupted during the electronic transmission (rejected/incomplete product). If this is the case, and there are some discrepancies/missing parts to the product, the product will be promptly replaced free of charge.
If you have experienced this situation please contact us through our Question Form.

Will the rejected/incomplete products be exchanged?

If the product is not delivered to the purchaser as advertised, it will be exchanged as soon as possible.

If you have received a rejected/incomplete product, please contact us through our Question Form.

Free Trial Edition

I would like to use the free trial edition with applications that are larger than the restricted size.

* The restricted size is 100KB for a ".jar" or ".mod" file.

How do I get the free trial?

Please contact us through the Free Trial Form and we will send you the user ID and password for downloading the free trial.

Can I use the free trial right away?

If we receive your request within our business hours, we will send you the information for downloading the free trial within that Business day.

If we receive your request after our business hours, we will send you the information on the next business day.

Business Hours: 10:00 - 17:00 JST (Japan Standard Time)

[ Except for Saturday, Sunday, National Holidays, Summer Vacations ( 11 Aug. - 16 Aug. ) and New Year Vacations ( 28 Dec. - 5 Jan. ) ]

What is the difference between the free trial edition and the product edition?

* SophiaCompress(Java) OASIS :

The compression rate is same but there are size restrictions for the free trial edition. You can not compress mobile Java applications larger than 100KB.
There are no size restrictions in the product edition.

* If you wish to compress applications larger than 100 KB, please order the product edition.

* SophiaCompress(BREW) EARTH :

The compression rate is same but there are size restrictions for the free trial edition.
You can not compress an application larger than 100KB.
And the compressed application will not boot up once or twice in 8 times.

There are no restrictions above in the product edition.

* If you wish to compress applications larger than 100 KB, please order the product edition.

* SophiaFramework UNIVERSE :

By using the free trial edition, you can develop BREW applications that work only on the emulator. By using the product edition, you can develop BREW applications that work both on the emulator and the actual mobile phone.

* If you wish to try the developed applications on the actual mobile phone, please order the product edition.

How long can I use the free trial edition?

The trial period for SophiaCompress(Java) OASIS and SophiaCompress(BREW) EARTH is for 10 days.
But for some special cases, the trial period will be for 5 days.

The trial period for SophiaFramework UNIVERSE is for 1 month.

How much time will it take to evaluate the free trial edition?

Approximately 1 week will be required for evaluating SophiaCompress(Java) OASIS and SophiaCompress(BREW) EARTH.

For SophiaFramework UNIVERSE, it depends on the circumstances, but approximately 1 or 2 weeks should be enough time to make a purchasing decision.

Can I ask you a question about the free trial edition?

Yes, of course. Please feel free to ask us anything through our Question Form. We will answer your questions as soon as possible.

What should I do if the free trial edition doesn't work on my computer?

Ask as for help through our Question Form. We will answer your questions as soon as possible.

How do I uninstall the free trial edition?

It can be easily uninstalled using the control panel on your Windows operating system.

Can I use the free trial edition for commercial purposes?

The free trial edition is for evaluation purposes only.

For commercial applications, the Product Edition must be purchased.

Maintenance Contract

In what ways will I benefit from a maintenance contract with Sophia Cradle?

The license fee of this product in the second or higher year will be included in the maintenamce fee.
You can always use the latest versions of our products.
If you face technical difficulties when developing an application, we can give you support.
Your needs and opinions will be reflected in our products.
You can receive minor version ups for free, and major version ups for discounted prices.
Customers signed up to our maintenance service have access to special technical information that may help their projects.

How much do I need to pay for the maintenance contract?

The price of the maintenance contract is 25 % of the license fees of the product. Please check the price list for further information.

SophiaCompress(Java) OASIS Pricing

SophiaCompress(BREW) EARTH Pricing

SophiaFramework UNIVERSE Pricing

How long does the maintenance contract last for?

The maintenance contract lasts for one year, starting from the day of shipment.

Can I refuse to purchase the maintenance contract?

You can refuse to purchase the maintenance contract and purchase just the product. However, if you don't purchase the maintenance contract, you will not receive the benefits included in it. Our experience has shown that the maintenance contract ends up being more economical in the long run.

But in case of SophiaFramework UNIVERSE Development License, the maintenance contract is mandatory.

If I don't purchase the maintenance contract, can I receive the bug-fix patches?

You can get the bug-fix patches only for 3 month period after purchasing it.

Can I stop the maintenance contract?

You can stop it anytime, but the fees are non-refundable.

Will the maintenance contract be automatically renewed?

The renewal of the contract is not done automatically. We will inform you about renewing the contract 1 month prior to its expiration. If you wish to receive the benefits of the maintenance contract, please renew it.

Can I purchase the annual maintenance contract after I buy your product or the annual maintenance contract expires?

If it is less than 1 year period after you buy our product or the annual maintenance expires, you can.

But in this case, the annual maintenance cost is 75% of the purchase price of the product, while it is 25% ordinarily.

For more detail, please ask us through our Contact Us.

License

What is a license ?

A license is a certificate to use SophiaCompress(Java) OASIS or SophiaCompress(BREW) EARTH on a specific machine. It is published by Sophia Cradle Incorporated in the form of a license file.

Both the trial edition and the product edition of SophiaCompress(Java) OASIS and SophiaCompress(BREW) EARTH require a license file to boot up.

This license is different from the Execution license and the Development license of SophiaFramework UNIVERSE.

What is a license file ?

A license file is a DAT format file which contains customer information and Host ID data.

How do I get a license file ?

Please fill in the following information and mail to our customer service. department

SophiaCompress(Java) OASIS or SophiaCompress(BREW) EARTH
Version information
Name of your company
Your name
Mail address
Telephone number
Host ID

What is a Host ID ?

Host ID consists of 30 figures of random letters. It acquires the following information from the machine which has SophiaCompress(Java) OASIS or SophiaCompress(BREW) EARTH installed.

CPU (CPU Number)
Main Memory (Size and form)
Hard Disk (Size and number)
Video Card (Number and amount of VRAM)
Mother Board (Number)
Network Card (MAC Address)

How do I get a host ID ?

A host ID can be acquired by running HostID.exe packed with SophiaCompress(Java) OASIS or SophiaCompress(BREW) EARTH.

I am going to change my computer. Can I still use the license file ?

License files are issued for a single unique machine. So if you are planning to change your machine, you will require a new license file.

Also, if 3 out of the 6 information attributes written on the host ID are changed, your machine will be recognized as a different computer and you will need to have another license published.

I need a new license file.

Customers who have purchased our product with the annual maintenance service have the right to rehost one license per 12 month period free of charge. Additional rehosts will be charged an administration fee of JPY 75,000 per seat. The old license file will become invalid after republishing a new license.

We do not republish a license file for customers who are using free trial edition.

Products

SophiaCompress(Java) OASIS

What's SophiaCompress(Java) OASIS ?

SophiaCompress(Java) OASIS is the world's first compression software for mobile Java applications.

Its maximum compression rate is 70 % and it is suitable for all mobile Java applications worldwide. It is already used in many applications including games, businesses and educational software.

For further information, please take a look at the Overview on SophiaCompress(Java) OASIS.

What is the compression rate of SophiaCompress(Java) OASIS ?

The compression rate is between 30 - 70 %. It is the finest in the world. (However, image sources and sound sources can not be compressed that much.)

For further information, please take a look at Compression Rate of SophiaCompress(Java) OASIS.

How do I use SophiaCompress(Java) OASIS ?

SophiaCompress is a GUI software. All you have to do is; choose the mobile Java application in ".jar" format and press the "Compress" button.

For further information, please take a look at User Interface of SophiaCompress(Java) OASIS.

How does SophiaCompress(Java) OASIS compress an application ?

The compression is done by class integration, data sharing, removal of unnecessary attributes and unused classes, methods, interfaces.

For further information, please take a look at How it Works or Inside of SophiaCompress(Java) OASIS.

How much does SophiaCompress(Java) OASIS cost ?

Please take a look at Pricing of SophiaCompress(Java) OASIS.

Is there an academic pricing for SophiaCompress(Java) OASIS ?

We offer academic pricing for educational institutions (High schools and above). Please contact us with the name of the end user (The name of the educational institution) when placing an order.

For further information, ask us through our Question Form.

Which mobile phone carriers is SophiaCompress(Java) OASIS suitable for ?

Here is the list of mobile phone carriers suitable for our product.

In Japan	NTT DoCoMo / vodafone / KDDI / WILLCOM
Worldwide	NOKIA / MOTOROLA / SAMSUNG / MIDP and etc.

What are the system requirements for SophiaCompress(Java) OASIS ?

Java Environment	For developing an application to be compressed: Java 2 SDK 1.3.1 / 1.4.2
Java Environment	For running SophiaCompress(Java) OASIS: JRE 1.5.0
Windows Environment	Windows 7 / XP
Java Profile	Star / DoJa / MIDP

What are the differences between the three editions ( Standard / Deluxe / Enterprise ) of SophiaCompress(Java) OASIS ?

The compression rate is same in all editions.

The number of licenses are different. The number of licenses are, 1 for Standard Edition, 3 for Deluxe Edition and 10 for Enterprise Edition.

For further information about the differences between GUI and CUI, please take a look at User Interface of SophiaCompress(Java) OASIS.

Why would I want to use the CUI ( Character-based User Interface ) ?

By using SophiaCompress(Java) OASIS from the command prompt, you can use batch processing to compress multiple applications automatically.

Do I need to pay additional fees when I distribute applications compressed by SophiaCompress(Java) OASIS ?

You do not need to pay for any additional fees to distribute the applications compressed by the product edition of SophiaCompress(Java) OASIS.

Who is using SophiaCompress(Java) OASIS now ?

SophiaCompress(Java) OASIS is used by game creators, system integrators and contents providers that are the leading companies in the industry. It is being used for compressing some of the most astonishing applications in the world today.

For further information, please take a look at our Business Partners.

Can I get a free trial of SophiaCompress(Java) OASIS ?

We do provide free trial editions. Please ask us through our Free Trial Form for SophiaCompress(Java) OASIS.

Can I compress an application that is larger than 100 KB, using the free trial edition of SophiaCompress(Java) OASIS ?

The free trial edition of SophiaCompress(Java) OASIS is restricted to applications smaller than 100kb.

However, you may send us a written request through our Question Form and we will see what we can do for you.

SophiaCompress(BREW) EARTH

What's SophiaCompress(BREW) EARTH ?

It is the only compression software in the world for BREW. The average compression rate is 60-75 %, it is suitable for BREW SDK 1.X / 2.X / 3.1 / 4.0. SophiaCompress(BREW) EARTH is already used for game, business and educational applications.

For further information, please take a look at the Overview of SophiaCompress(BREW) EARTH.

What is the compression rate of SophiaCompress(BREW) EARTH ?

The average compression rate is 60-75%. It compresses program module parts, i.e. BREW mod file. (Image sources and sound sources can not be compressed.)

For further information, please take a look at Compression Rate of SophiaCompress(BREW) EARTH.

How do I use SophiaCompress(BREW) EARTH ?

SophiaCompress is a GUI software. All you have to do is choose the BREW application in ".mod" format and press "Compress".

For further information, please take a look at User Interface of SophiaCompress(BREW) EARTH.

How does SophiaCompress(BREW) EARTH compress an application ?

SophiaCompress(BREW) EARTH compresses BREW applications, and then creates a "Boot Loader" to boot up the application in GZIP format.

For further information, please take a look at How it Works.

How much does SophiaCompress(BREW) EARTH cost ?

Please take a look at the Pricing of SophiaCompress(BREW) EARTH.

Is there an academic pricing for SophiaCompress(BREW) EARTH ?

We offer academic pricing for educational institutions (High schools and above). Please contact us with the name of the end user (The name of the educational institution) when placing an order.

For further information, please contact us through our Question Form.

Which mobile phone carriers is SophiaCompress(BREW) EARTH suitable for ?

Here is the list of mobile phone carriers suitable for our product.

In Japan	KDDI
Worldwide	60+ device manufacturers and 60+ carriers in 25+ countries support BREW. ( as of March 2009 )

What are the system requirements for SophiaCompress(BREW) EARTH ?

Brew MP	Brew MP SDK 1.0
BREW	BREW SDK 4.0 / 3.1 / 2.1 / 2.0 / 1.1 / 1.0
Windows	Windows 7 / XP

What are the differences between the three editions ( Standard / Deluxe / Enterprise ) of SophiaCompress(BREW) EARTH ?

The compression rate is same in all editions.

The number of licenses are different. The number of licenses are, 1 for Standard Edition, 3 for Deluxe Edition and 10 for Enterprise Edition.

In the Enterprise and Deluxe Edition, you may use both GUI and CUI. For Standard Editions, GUI is the only interface available.

For further information about the differences between GUI and CUI, please take a look at the User Interface of SophiaCompress(BREW) EARTH.

Why would I want to use the CUI ( Character-based User Interface ) ?

By using SophiaCompress(BREW) EARTH from the command prompt, you can use batch processing to compress multiple applications automatically.

Do I need to pay additional fees when I distribute applications compressed by SophiaCompress(BREW) EARTH ?

You do not need to pay for any additional fees to distribute the applications compressed by the product edition of SophiaCompress(BREW) EARTH.

Who is using SophiaCompress(BREW) EARTH now ?

SophiaCompress(Java) OASIS is used by game creators, system integrators and content providers that are leading companies in the industry. It is used for compressing some of the most astonishing applications in the world today.

For further information, please take a look at our Business Partners.

Can I get a free trial of SophiaCompress(BREW) EARTH ?

We do provide a free trial edition. Please ask us through our Free Trial Form for SophiaCompress(BREW) EARTH.

Can I compress an application that is larger than 100 KB, using the free trial edition of SophiaCompress(BREW) EARTH ?

The free trial edition of SophiaCompress(BREW) EARTH is restricted to applications smaller than 100kb.

However, you may send us a written request through our Question Form and we will see what we can do for you.

SophiaFramework UNIVERSE

What is SophiaFramework UNIVERSE ?

SophiaFramework UNIVERSE is the only C++ library in the world for developing sophisticated BREW applications. It consists of GUI libraries, utility libraries and C++ wrapper libraries. SophiaFramework UNIVERSE can reduce the cost and time of developing a BREW application to 1 / 3. SophiaFramework UNIVERSE is already used for research, business applications, contents providing and educational applications.

For further information, please take a look at the Overview of SophiaFramework UNIVERSE.

What can I do by using SophiaFramework UNIVERSE ?

Using SophiaFramework UNIVERSE will help you to develop compact, stable and speedy BREW applications.
Also, you can use the resources of existing applications, to create other applications.

For further information, please take a look at the Details of SophiaFramework UNIVERSE.

How do I use SophiaFramework UNIVERSE ?

Just install SophiaFramework UNIVERSE on the computer where you develop BREW applications.

What are the benefits of using SophiaFramework UNIVERSE ?

SophiaFramework UNIVERSE provides an object-oriented environment which is vital for efficient development.
GUI applications can be easily developed with GUI libraries included in SophiaFramework UNIVERSE.
SophiaFramework UNIVERSE enables you to develop speedy and memory-saving applications.

For further information, please take a look at the SophiaFramework UNIVERSE Benefits.

How much does SophiaFramework UNIVERSE cost ?

Please take a look at the Pricing of SophiaFramework UNIVERSE.

Is there an academic pricing for SophiaFramework UNIVERSE?

We offer academic pricing for educational institutions (High schools and above). Please contact us with the name of the end user (The name of the educational institution) when placing an order.

For further information, please contact us through our Question Form.

Which mobile phone carriers is SophiaFramework UNIVERSE suitable for ?

Here is the list of mobile phone carriers suitable for our product.

In Japan	KDDI
Worldwide	60+ device manufacturers and 60+ carriers in 25+ countries support BREW. ( as of March 2009 )

What are the system requirements for SophiaFramework UNIVERSE ?

BREW	BREW SDK 4.0.4 / 3.1.5 SP02 / 2.1.3 / 2.0.1
Windows	Windows 7 / XP
Compiler	Microsoft Visual C++ 6.0(SP6) Microsoft Visual C++ .NET 2003 Microsoft Visual Studio 2005 RealView Compilation Tools for BREW 3.0(Build 970) RealView Compilation Tools for BREW 1.2(Build 848) GNUARM 4.1.1 YAGARTO 4.4.2 for Windows (20091018)

Which compilers can I use with SophiaFramework UNIVERSE ?

SophiaFramework UNIVERSE suits with the following compilers.

Microsoft Visual C++ 6.0(SP6)
Microsoft Visual C++ .NET 2003
Microsoft Visual Studio 2005
RealView Compilation Tools for BREW 3.0(Build 970)
RealView Compilation Tools for BREW 1.2(Build 848)
GNUARM 4.1.1
YAGARTO 4.4.2 for Windows (20091018)

Do I need to pay additional fees when I distribute applications developed with SophiaFramework UNIVERSE ?

When you distribute applications developed with SophiaFramework UNIVERSE, you will need an execution license for each application ( each Class ID).

The pricing of execution licenses can be found in Pricing of SophiaFramework UNIVERSE.

What's the development license for SophiaFramework UNIVERSE ?

The development license is for developing applications with SophiaFramework UNIVERSE. You can develop as many applications as you wish.

What's the execution license for SophiaFramework UNIVERSE ?

The execution license is required when you distribute applications developed with SophiaFramework UNIVERSE.

What are the differences between the three kinds of execution licenses ( Standard / Deluxe / Enterprise ) of SophiaFramework UNIVERSE ?

There are no differences in its function.

The number of licenses are different. The number of licenses are, 1 for Standard Edition, 3 for Deluxe Edition and 10 for Enterprise Edition.

Are applications developed with SophiaFramework UNIVERSE, large in size ?

No, they won't be large in size. Because SophiaFramework UNIVERSE will use in-line expansion for functions when needed.

Are applications developed with SophiaFramework UNIVERSE, slow in execution speed ?

Definitely not, since most of the C++ wrapper libraries will use in-line expansion.

How much memory does SophiaFramework UNIVERSE occupy ?

If you don't use the GUI framework, it will occupy about 20KB. With GUI framework, it will occupy about 150 KB.

Who is using SophiaFramework UNIVERSE now ?

SophiaFramework UNIVERSE is used by system integrators, research centers for companies that handle information technologies and contents providers that are the leading companies in the industry. It is used to develop some of the most astonishing applications in the world today.

For further information, please take a look at our Business Partners.

Can I get a free trial of SophiaFramework UNIVERSE ?

We do provide a free trial edition. Please ask us through our Free Trial Form for SophiaFramework UNIVERSE.