A simpler way to develop user interfaces
Neava has developed a totally new concept for writing new
applications for mobile phones. This concept simplifies the
development, reduces the development time and lowers the
development costs. The results are applications for mobile
phones that are more robust.
Efficient GUI design
Apple presented their new smartphone - the iPhone - in January,
2007. One year later, they opened the App Store, an online-store
where iPhone users may download applications directly to their
mobile phones. It was a success from the beginning, and more shops
followed. Since a popular application may generate big amounts of
money, this has kindled the interest of many developers of mobile
applications to join in.
In order to simplify the realization, reduce development time and
costs, and to create more robust applications, it is necessary to
replace today's trend of cutting and pasting in old c
ode.
Neava has together with LTU developed a totally new concept for
writing new mobile applications. In this concept, the developer
works with building blocks (a bit like Lego blocks). Each type of
block represents a specific function, e.g. the function of sending
an SMS message. When the developer needs a particular function, it
can be chosen from a library of functions.
Neava has developed a graphical editor where the developer creates
graphical interfaces for applications with specific functionality
using drag-and-drop technology. Based on the graphics on the
desktop, it is possible to create usable code for the mobile phone
with just one click of the mouse.
One of the aims of this paper has been to show that it is possible
to design a GUI using a graphical tool and from this description
generate usable code for a mobile phone where the GUI of the phone
is a copy of the GUI that the designer had on the desktop according
to the principle of "what you see, is what you get". The GUI
produced may be saved as one of the building blocks in the library
of building blocks. For simpler applications, using existing
building blocks, the development time is reduced from weeks or days
to some tens of minutes.
http://www.satinproject.se/
Master thesis done at Neava by Andreas Mettävainio:
http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:umu:diva-35985