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Great New Software Possibilities Thanks to Windows Mobile 5.0
Some of the most significant enhancements found in Microsoft's new Windows Mobile 5.0 software are in the form of under-the-hood changes and new platform "application programming interfaces" (APIs) that will allow software developers to create more feature-rich and compelling applications for Pocket PCs and Smartphones. According to Microsoft, the new APIs "help expose rich multimedia support, two-dimensional and three-dimensional drawing capabilities, easy interaction with device hardware such as cameras or global positioning system (GPS) devices, straightforward interaction and integration with Outlook Mobile, and improved communications."
This article looks at the enhancements these APIs provide. Admittedly, some of the API descriptions are a little bit technical. To help clarify things, we've described some third party applications that take advantage of them.
A more complete description of Windows Mobile 5.0 is available on Microsoft's Web site. Go to the Mobile Developer Web site (https://msdn.microsoft.com/mobility) and search on "What's New for Developers in Windows Mobile 5.0."
New APIs released with Windows Mobile 5.0
State and Notification Broker: Build intelligent, responsive applications
The State and Notification Broker API provides a unified mechanism for storing device, application, and system state information. It also provides a centralized notification architecture, allowing applications to easily register for notification, optionally starting an application in the event that a value of interest should change. By leveraging these notifications, developers can build applications that respond intelligently to changes in hardware, software, and connectivity properties. No examples yet.
Picture Selection Dialog: Adds a uniform way to select images from a list.
As applications increasingly incorporate photos and graphics, these applications need an easy way to present a list of pictures to a user for selection. To address this need, Windows Mobile 5.0 provides a picture-selection dialog API. Examples:
CodeWallet Pro 2005 (https://www.developerone.com/codewalletpro) encrypts, password protects, and organizes sensitive information on your Pocket PC and Smartphone. It utilizes the Picture Selection feature to allow you to quickly select background images for the individual information cards in the application. It also utilizes the new Softkeys and persistent data storage.
Camera Capture: Adds a uniform way to capture images.
The camera capture feature provides a device-independent way for application developers to integrate photos, video, and video with sound capture into their applications. The feature provides developers with complete control over the camera capture process, which includes the type, quality, and the maximum length of the capture (in the case of video). Example:
By using Direct3D Mobile, developers can take advantage of their existing desktop computer Direct3D skills and code to produce rich three-dimensional games for Windows Mobile devices. Direct3D Mobile lets developers take full advantage of advanced graphics hardware support, and enables them to create games with high-performance three-dimensional rendering. Example: