Software Everywhere — David Beers on Mobile Computing

ACCESS has finally released, in a limited way, a software developer kit for the ACCESS Linux Platform. According to a newsletter they sent to developers yesterday:

The Development Suite provides an early look at all the tools needed to build and debug a native ACCESS Linux Platform mobile application and test it on the included ACCESS Linux Platform™ Simulator. The suite contains the IDE, debugger, code editor, and reference documentation, and supports the C programming language.

The hitch is that initially this is only available by invitation to select developers that have joined the (paid) free Inside Track program. Inside Track is an early access and marketing partnership program that dates back to a year before PalmSource was acquired by ACCESS. Since development of Palm OS Garnet and Cobalt hasn't been very active post-acquisition and since we don't have ALP devices yet to market software for I would guess that a lot of Palm developers have let their memberships lapse. If you sign up now you might have a decent chance of being tapped as one of the first developers who can start writing applications for the new platform!

I think it would be a great idea if when ACCESS opens the SDK up to everyone they release a reference handset like Trolltech and FIC are doing. The Haier N60 seems to be one they are using in-house, so why not sell it unlocked off their web site?

Corrected Feb 7, 2007