01-22-2004, 03:10 PM
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Pontificator
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 1,177
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AppForge Releases Crossfire
AppForge announced the release and shipment of Crossfire two days ago. Crossfire is a development environment that integrates with Visual Studio .NET and enables cross platform development using Visual Basic .NET for Pocket PC, Palm OS, Sony Ericsson P800/P900, and Nokia Series 60. Crossfire ships with 30+ standard controls and modules/libraries for database synchronization, barcode scanning, communications, telephony, and gaming.
Cross platform development has a negativ ring in my ears and I associate it with words like "limiting", "small player proprietary libraries", "least common denominator", and so on. However, an environment that snaps into my Visual Studio .NET heaven and that helps me roll out .NET infrastructure technologies in enterprises using more than one mobile platform sounds almost too good to be true. AppForge has an excellent track record and I doubt they would ship anything not meeting the highest standards. I am waiting for a review copy and will post my findings here as soon as I can. The feature list is impressive, and these are what caught my interest the most:
� Seamless integration into Microsoft .NET
� Visual Basic .NET language support
� Debug application using .NET debugger
� AppForge Database Model provides a single consistent object model for the platform's native database including SQL Server CE, Pocket Access, PDB, and SymbianDB databases
� Telephony support enables basic phone operations
� SMS Text messaging services support sending and receiving SMS messages
� Wireless Internet allows sending and receiving data using HTTP protocols
� Bluetooth communications support
Follow the link to read more and to download a fully functional 30-day trial. Read on to see the entire press release.
"Microsoft .NET Developers Can Now Create Smart Applications for All Mobile and Wireless Devices
ATLANTA (Jan. 20, 2004) - AppForge, Inc., the leader in multi-platform mobile and wireless application development solutions, today announced shipment of Crossfire, AppForge's mobile and wireless application development environment for the Microsoft .NET platform. Crossfire enables the growing community of .NET developers to design, develop and deploy custom applications for mobile devices with greater speed and efficiency.
Using Crossfire, developers can create a single application, and then deploy it to any number of Palm OS, Pocket PC, or Symbian devices including PDA's, Smartphones, and industrial devices. Crossfire also provides versatility and flexibility by providing built-in database support, and integration with all the leading database synchronization solutions.
AppForge Crossfire 5.0 also offers a subscription program under which customers receive continuous updates to insure that applications will run on the latest mobile devices, thereby future-proofing them against the changes in mobile devices that are occurring nearly every day.
"With new mobile devices released weekly, and new uses for these devices discovered daily, it is difficult for an enterprise to remained standardized on any single brand or model," said Gary Warren, CEO of AppForge. "Under AppForge's subscription model, enterprises can be assured that they will be able to run their mobile applications now and in the years to come."
"AppForge has responded to the changing needs of our customers and we are very pleased with this product," Warren continued.
"Crossfire dramatically reduces the time and expense of developing mobile and wireless applications for multiple devices."
"We have been able to deploy more mobile applications than we originally expected, due to the increased productivity of the AppForge development tools," said Rick Deland, Director of IT for Anderson News. "We are looking forward to implementing AppForge Crossfire into our .NET strategy. "
For existing MobileVB customers, Crossfire includes legacy support for MobileVB and Visual Basic 6, with additional language support coming soon. For more detailed information about Crossfire 5.0, visit the AppForge website at www.appforge.com/crossfire.
About AppForge
AppForge, Inc. is the leader in multi-platform mobile and wireless application development solutions for Microsoft .NET. AppForge software enables developers to quickly develop and deploy robust applications on all mobile and wireless PDAs, Smartphones and Industrial devices. For more information on AppForge, visit the company's Web site at www.appforge.com."
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01-22-2004, 05:19 PM
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Contributing Editor
Join Date: Mar 2004
Posts: 123
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Re: AppForge Releases Crossfire
Quote:
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Originally Posted by Andy Sjostrom
However, an environment that snaps into my Visual Studio .NET heaven and that helps me roll out .NET infrastructure technologies in enterprises using more than one mobile platform sounds almost too good to be true.
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There's the key, Andy. To be able to build an infrastructure using a single technology AND leverage that infrastructure using a single toolset AND support the endless array of client-side devices has been next to impossible without an army of developers and effort. AppForge Crossfire is about the closest we have come to a real solution. I am cautiously optimistic that Crossfire will deliver. Let's keep our fingers crossed :mrgreen:
DonS
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Don SorcinelliMicrosoft MVP, Windows Mobile DevicesEditor-In-Chief, BostonPocketPC.com
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01-22-2004, 05:37 PM
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Executive Editor
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 29,160
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(off topic)
See? Andy's not gone! I told ya! :lol:
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01-22-2004, 05:54 PM
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Contributing Editor
Join Date: Mar 2004
Posts: 123
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Quote:
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Originally Posted by Jason Dunn
(off topic)
See? Andy's not gone! I told ya! :lol:
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I suddenly have a mental image of the latest summer blockbuster movie - "The Contributer Who Wouldn't Go Away"
"Coming this summmer to a theatre near you -
Just when you thought it was safe to go back to the web site.." 8O :wink:
DonS
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Don SorcinelliMicrosoft MVP, Windows Mobile DevicesEditor-In-Chief, BostonPocketPC.com
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01-22-2004, 06:53 PM
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Editor Emeritus
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 10,981
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Re: AppForge Releases Crossfire
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Originally Posted by Andy Sjostrom
AppForge Crossfire 5.0 also offers a subscription program under which customers receive continuous updates to insure that applications will run on the latest mobile devices, thereby future-proofing them against the changes in mobile devices that are occurring nearly every day.
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I'm a little worried about the idea of a subscription for customers to receive updates. I would hope that they provide device updates for free. At least for the first year after purchase. It would only help them increase the number of developers using the product.
__________________
"I have no special talents, I am only passionately curious" - Albert Einstein |
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01-22-2004, 09:04 PM
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Intellectual
Join Date: Mar 2004
Posts: 170
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This is not a product for end-user apps, it can be but its market is enterprise or corporate apps - the so called vertical market.
I've made some bucks with Appforge's previous products. Do not dismiss them for having a runtime, for corporate applications they make development much faster and efficient. It does have its issues but the company is really behind the product, it has great documentation and online support that really works (answered my question by email, knowledge base, discussion forums).
It makes development for Palm which normally is a pain a breeze. Debugging was easy and fast, in the PC mostly. For the pocket pc it offered many things that eVB did not offer (it was IMO way, way better - overcame the lacks in eVB). Also helped debugging. Did not produce as good apps as eVC did, but development was so much faster and enjoyable.
I am very excited about this product and looking forward a lot to trying out. I wonder how much my upgrade from MobileVB 3x.
Also very recomended for people with basic programming knowledge who would like to 'play' around with programming for pocketpc's (or palms). Follow the tutorials, they are great.
(eh, thinking about that, the price is quite steep for someone that wants to play, more so considering Visual Studio is req'd. Then, lets say interesting for students, etc, you get the idea).
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Linear Mode
