In its recent Wireless Strategy launch, Sun Microsystems took a giant step forward in its quest to be the number one thought leader and provider of products and services enabling the wireless Internet. At the standing room only event at the company's Santa Clara, California campus, Sun unveiled the strategy, products, programs, and services designed to leverage its expertise in the wired Internet world into the fast developing wireless Web infrastructure. The launch emphasized how open technologies — chief among them the Java^TM platform — is an important component in an end-to-end strategy.

"Sun's carrier-grade pedigree in building the wired Web puts us in a prime position to help customers build out the infrastructure for the wireless Web as well," commented Ed Zander, president and chief operating officer for Sun. "We're focusing ourselves and our partners to bring the openness and innovation behind Java technology and the Internet to meet the challenges of our wireless customers."

A Billion Wireless Subscribers Served

The wireless Web is growing quickly. By 2003, more than a billion cellular subscribers are expected to create a $69 billion marketplace. Already, companies using Java technology to develop

"We're focusing ourselves and our partners to bring the openness and innovation behind JavaTM technology and the Internet to meet the challenges of our wireless customers." - Ed Zander, president and chief operating officer, Sun Microsystems

and deploy wireless services and products include: Far EasTone, Fujitsu, LG Telecom, Matsushita/Panasonic, Mitsubishi, Motorola, NEC, Nokia, NTT DoCoMo, One 2 One, Research In Motion, Siemens, Sony, SmarTone, Symbian and Telefonica.

The Number One Thought Leader

The keynote, which was webcast, presented a series of speakers, each of whom shed a special light on the wireless Web. John McFarlane, executive vice president of the Network Provider Group, started off the morning with a quip about how, when speaking to a group, he liked hearing cell phones go off. "Every time a cell phone rings, we know that Sun technology is being turned on or used somewhere in the world," remarked McFarlane. "We have made it our mission to be the number one thought leader and provider of products and services to enable the wireless Internet. We believe this mission is achievable."

Wireline and Wireless: 80% the Same Infrastructure

Sun has focused on providing an integrated, yet open architecture to enable wireless services. The same three components that have driven the revolution in content, commerce and collaboration

Launch Announcements Announcements made at the wireless launch include: • Sun recently began shipping the Mobile Information Device (MID) profile, a set of JavaTM APIs designed to enable users of mobile information devices to securely download interactive services from the Internet.   • The Third Generation Partnership Project (3GPP), a standards body that is playing a key part in defining the future wireless Internet, has adopted Java technology.   • Sun is adding a Java Pervasive Technologies Practice to its suite of customer training and support services. The new practice offers services centered around multi-channel applications using Java 2 Platform, Micro Edition (J2METM) and Java CardTM technologies for wireless, limited connection and LAN-based solution access. The Java Pervasive Technologies practice addresses application architectures that can connect anyone, anywhere to anything. Cell phones, Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs), set top boxes, VCRs, microwave ovens, cars, and even battleships are all being transformed into, or equipped with, intelligent access devices that can deliver innovative content and services.   • Texas Instruments, Inc., the leading supplier of digital signal processing (DSP) and analog solutions for the wireless market, has announced that they will offer Java technology in their solutions for wireless handsets. By engineering Java technology into their wireless solutions, TI will offer enhanced performance and functionality while reducing time-to-market for companies designing and manufacturing Java technology-enabled mobile information devices.

on the wired Web - Java technology, XML and Internet Protocol (IP) - are also providing the universal network glue for the wireless Web. Java technology provides the service, XML the data, and IP the transport. "What's important to understand is that 80% of the infrastructure for wireline and wireless services is the same," explained Ann Wettersten, vice president in charge of Sun's new wireless business group. "The biggest change will be in increased bandwidth, making it possible to deliver innovative new services."

A Talking Car

The audience was treated to a futuristic video of a harried woman riding in her car as she interacted with a Personal Digital Assistant embedded in her dashboard. While eagerly driving to make a 4 o'clock appointment, she got a traffic alert call on her cell phone.

At this point, Greg Papadopolous, chief technology officer at Sun, interrupted the video to interject a couple of points. "A lot is coming together on the network behind the scenes," pointed out Papadopolous. "Her calendar and her traffic service are in communication in the network to inform her of poor traffic conditions."

As she drove along, her PDA suggested two alternate routes, along with estimated arrival times. After informing her that she was getting low on gas, a voice from her PDA asked her to make an offer of how much she was willing to pay per gallon. She made an offer, which was accepted. Next, her PDA asked if she wanted to hear about the surf report. She reluctantly said yes and was treated to a live feed of the surf on her video display. Finally, another voice came on and canceled her meeting. Happy ending - her wish came true and she went surfing.

"There are a whole set of services that fit into the network - calendar, mail, traffic server, location information, a directory of her preferences," noted Papadopolous. "And they are delivered in the most appropriate way at the appropriate time. She even has streaming video of the ocean waves. We are articulating our wireless strategy today because what we saw in the video is very close!"

Smart Card Plus Phone Equals Wireless Commerce Device

Next, George Paolini, vice president of technology advocacy and community development, took the floor and announced that the European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI) has adopted PersonalJava^TM and Java Card technologies. He emphasized the strong momentum in the smart card industry.

"These new smart card applications can be downloaded right to the card," explained Paolini. "I have a Motorola phone that has a card slot. When you take the phone and combine it with the new Blue Card from American Express, you have a wireless commerce device. So Java technology is extending the thin card to provide new services that can be available, even after the phone has left the store. Doesn't it make sense for you to have the ability to provide wireless services for these devices, wirelessly?" The number of Java platform enabled smart cards in the market is quickly approaching 100 million.

Paolini pointed out that Java technology has been adopted as the premier platform for intranet and Internet applications and services. "We are extremely pleased with our partnership with Symbian, for instance, which is now integrating Java technology into their operating system."

J2EE^TM: A Core Component of Data Services for Wireless Phones

"The real beauty is that we have Java technology seamlessly integrated into the back end where you have the Java 2 platform, Enterprise Edition (J2EE^TM)," commented Paolini. "J2EE actually provides the infrastructure you need to provide the advanced data services you are going to expect on these phones. That is why Nokia, Oracle, and iPlanet are all using J2EE as a core component of their wireless data services."

Through the Java Community Process^SM program, the industry participative and collaborative methodology for evolving the Java platform, 22 companies have defined the Mobile Information Device (MID) profile, which is based on J2ME and promises to bolster content on wireless devices. "The smaller devices are aimed at the low-end and mid-range wireless handsets, which is where the MID profile and J2ME really come in," explained Paolini.

Java^TM Technology: "Write Once, Run Anywhere^TM"

At this point, Paul Loos, technology manager for Sun Microsystems, came onstage and downloaded a 30K Java technology game application using a phone from LG Telecom, with the help of a WAP browser residing on the phone. "It took about 25 seconds to download it and I can now play it as long as I want to - I don't need the network to play it," said Loos. "The game is now wholly resident on the phone."

"We have made it our mission to be the number one thought leader and provider of products and services to enable the wireless Internet." - John McFarlane, executive vice president, Network Service Provider Group, Sun Microsystems

Loos then took out a Sony phone equipped with J2ME and downloaded the same game. "It's a different format, but Java technology takes care of that," explained Loos. "With this game, I can play against someone else on the network, or play against the phone." Paolini pointed out that entertainment applications are the most demanding from a user perspective - users want something special. "Java technology is able to provide that," said Paolini. "And it is able to provide multi-user games like chess."

Loos then demonstrated a Palm III with J2ME on the front end interacting with J2EE on the back end that enabled him to gain information about his immediate surroundings. Loos interacted with a database that located where he was in Santa Clara, and drew a map that revealed services of interest, based on a profile he had previously created. After Loos decided to look for a nice place to get coffee, the application provided a phone number, a map, and directions.

"There are a couple of important things here," Paolini pointed out. "We are running an application on different devices. It is still Java technology and can run on any of these devices. And also, this is a high performance requirement so it needs something with the executable environment of Java technology to make it happen. You don't see these kind of applications transmit seamlessly from these kinds of devices on a proprietary network."

Why the Wireless Industry Loves Java^TM Technology

Paolini concluded with a summary. "Why does the wireless industry love Java technology? It's pretty simple. For handset manufacturers, such as Nokia, Motorola and Siemens, it means unparalleled flexibility. They can customize their handsets now for different operators. That is a key. In addition, chip vendors like Texas Instruments are today already tightly integrating Java technology into their chip set. That will make it easier for the handset manufacturers to build these Java technology-based phones. The operators win because they can differentiate easily with some really compelling services now, and they can do that after the phones have already been sold. We are happy to announce today that Sprint PCS, which has been an early adopter of wireless data services, will soon be in trial using Java technology."

Paolini also highlighted the value of Java technology for content providers: "Content providers now have the right tools to build the compelling content they need. They can deploy this around the world because it is all Java technology and all open. And they can tap into two million Java technology developers to quickly build these services and get them to market. And consumers have a choice of new services and new features, regardless of the devices."

Zander: "Anyone, Anytime, from Anywhere, from Any Device"

Ed Zander closed the presentation with some brief remarks. "In August 1996, we came up with a slide that said, `Anyone, Anytime, from Anywhere, from Any Device'. We spent the last few years building out the `Anytime' and `Anyplace' with wireline fixed type Internet infrastructure. We have pretty much achieved that. Today, what you are seeing is the last two - `from Anywhere from Any Device'. When I look at what's coming, I'm really excited. This is great technology and I think it will foster a new wave of growth."

See Also

Sun's Wireless Initiative
(http://www.sun.com/wireless/java.html)