Canoo has announced that it successfully adapted UltraLightClient (ULC) to run on J2ME clients, providing Rich Internet Applications (RIA) to mobile devices and thin-client terminals. The sample application is based on an evolutionary prototype that will be released as a new product called ULC Mobile. ULC Mobile will be specially geared for ULC applications running on top of the Java 2 Micro Edition (J2ME) platform.

Using ULC Mobile, an UltraLightClient application will run on both J2SE and J2ME clients. The new product provides the same API as UltraLightClient. This means that existing J2SE UltraLightClient applications can essentially be reused without code changes.

UltraLightClient's built-in optimizations such as lazy loading and caching also apply to ULC Mobile, which make it particularly suited for handheld devices with their limited memory and slow network connections. Large server-based applications will be accessible via rich UIs on lean client devices.

The ULC Mobile sample requires CrEme to be installed on the handheld device. To install and run the sample on a PDA, follow the instructions listed at the ULC Mobile demo page. The new demo application is a limited version of the OnlineShop sample and can be downloaded to any handheld device.

Pricing and licensing options for ULC Mobile will be announced nearer to the final release. For details please contact Canoo.
UltraLightClient is a library to develop Rich Internet Applications (RIA) in Java. It uses Swing on the client, standard communication protocols set by the J2EE container, and standard lifecycle management on the server. The principal design of UltraLightClient is based on the half-object and protocol design pattern. Applied to Swing, this pattern is used to offer the Swing API in a server-side programming model, providing rich user interfaces in a web architecture.

UltraLightClient is a pure Java-based alternative to other RIA technologies such as AJAX and Macromedia Flex. Leveraging Java’s industrial strength, UltraLightClient excels in characteristics like maintainability of code, reliability, scalability, performance, and security. UltraLightClient-based applications are an ideal choice for corporate Intranet applications or B2B applications running over the Internet.

UltraLightClient-based applications can be deployed in a J2EE container, as a portlet, or stand-alone without changing the code. On the client, a standard JRE from 1.3.1 upwards is all that is required. The new product, ULC Mobile, will extend the deployment options to mobile devices that run the Windows Mobile operating system.

A developer license costs US$ 1499 and includes free runtime distribution on any number of servers. A free evaluation license may be obtained for 30 days.