Raleigh, NC — (press release) — Continuing the enhancement of technology for deploying connected Java language-based solutions, IBM announces availability of Version 1.2 of VisualAge Micro Edition. This new version incorporates changes that can improve performance, OSGi bundle management, support for real-time Java components and the personal configurations that add an Abstract Window Toolkit, access to… relational databases, Remote Method Invocation functions, and an applet viewer. IBM continues to be the only vendor providing development tools, Java application runtime components for multiple target platforms, and now extended library support from a single code source.

With Version 1.2, the VisualAge Micro Edition Integrated Development Environment (IDE) and tools are now supported on Windows 2000 developer workstations. IBM simultaneously upgraded support for all versions of VisualAge Micro Edition runtime components, including the PowerPC, StrongARM, SuperH, X86, MIPS and 68K DragonBall 32 bit processors and several embedded RTOS targets, including the optimized J9 Virtual Machine used with QNX Neutrino, plus Hard Hat Linux, WindowsCE, iTRON and PalmOS. Release 1.2's performance improvements are the result of restructuring the J9 Virtual Machine with emphasis placed on tuning for characteristics observed in actual applications. The release is optimized for building connected solutions for automotive, networked home, and mobile e-business use.

Things that link and think incorporate features that make it possible to maintain components remotely long after the product is placed in the field. With VisualAge Micro Edition R1.2, IBM is making available an interactive IDE based tool for creating OSGi bundles. This “Bundle Builder” complements VisualAge Micro Edition components designed to comply with OSGi standards for remotely maintaining and updating software. IBM is also shipping a sample implementation of a Service Management Framework based server and component distribution system.

VisualAge Micro Edition now includes IBM's implementation of personal configuration components on Java 2 technology. New class library extensions provide the Abstract Windowing Toolkit user interface framework, relational database access using Java language SQL classes and CORBA compliant Remote Method Invocation (RMI). Even very small devices now have access to powerful middleware and data sharing. The beta version of this technology for use with QNX Neutrino is shipping now.

IBM's applet viewer is also included in this product update. This component allows developers to run Java applets in an environment independent of a web browser.

The VisualAge Micro Edition v1.2 Individual Package is now available for download without charge, here. It is also available on CD-Rom for the cost of shipping. The Collaborative Package, adding version and release tools and the team repository, is available for $99 per developer seat.

 
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