
Startup Idea? Something I'd like to See: Cheap J2ME "device" - davidw
http://journal.dedasys.com/2009/07/27/something-id-like-to-see-cheap-j2me-device
======
asmithmd1
There are thousands, if not millions, of inexpensive phones available from re-
manufacturers. A J2ME capable phone can be had for less than $20. Activate it
with a pay-as-you go plan if you want to send/receive data or just use them
as-is without activating them. Here is one company that will sell you one
phone:

<http://www.zendoo.com/>

Your options increase and price goes down if you want to buy 20 or more phones
of one kind.

My company buys these phones, loads a j2ME midlet that always runs in the
background getting GPS locations, and sells the unit along with the service
for businesses to track their vehicles.

~~~
davidw
Bingo! That kind of site is what I had in mind.

Also a big +1 for the business idea. J2ME phones aren't the hot new thing, for
sure, and can't do all the fancy things that a brand new top of the line phone
can, but I think there is still a lot of use to be squeezed out of that kind
of device.

------
kogir
Boost mobile has multiple J2ME phones available for around $50. Just check
Wallmart or Best Buy. You'll need to load the games with a serial cable, but
the phones can take a real beating.

J2ME has no future, so it'd be a poor startup idea. Trust me.

You might also want to check garage sales/eBay for old gameboys and games.
They're more fun and more robust.

~~~
davidw
> J2ME has no future, so it'd be a poor startup idea. Trust me.

I don't think J2ME has much of a future for general use phones in rich
countries, no. But it has a huge present, and a niche like this might be just
fine for a startup, actually.

~~~
haseman
Have you done any development with J2ME devices? In the past few years I've
done it..it's been a nightmare

~~~
davidw
It's not that hard in and of itself. The problem is developing something for
tons of devices, which this specific idea doesn't need to deal with at all;
you'd just have one device.

------
davidw
Not something I have the skills/background to pursue, but I think it ought to
be possible to do something cheap and robust with a small screen and keys;
that can run J2ME games. You'd load them via bluetooth or USB.

------
mattj
I'd suggest an iPod touch + apple developer membership. J2ME is horrible to
write code in, especially compared to cocoa or android java.

~~~
davidw
A 200+ Euro device is not at all what I was talking about (+ expensive
development environment). I'm talking about something in the 20 Euro range. My
very young daughter would be just fine with a super cheap phone, to press
buttons, and see shapes, colors, sounds and things. There is no way I am going
to hand her an expensive, relatively fragile, fancy new phone just to play a
few games with.

J2ME is not that bad to code in, actually, and is probably "good enough" for
the sorts of simple kids games I had in mind. Android would certainly be a lot
better, but I am not sure we'll see Android phones at anywhere near the right
price point in the near future.

