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Home : Community : Ask An Expert : Archive : June 2004   June 2004     V7: Easy, Intuitive and Shipping June Issue Roxanne "The Expert" Singleton Of course I spend a lot of time using mobile phones — it's practically a job requirement! But let me tell you, being on the "inside" sure doesn't make the experience any better. Like you, I get frustrated because I know how good it could be. But there's great news on the horizon — Openwave V7 — and it relates to our question this month: What's new and exciting with phones, and where and when can I get access to phones with V7? Okay gang, I've got good news for you! Phones are shipping around the world with the components of the new V7 framework. One such device is the Siemens C65 (Hey! We are giving away one of these great phones at JavaOne. See the newsletter for more information). This is one of the first devices around the world shipping with the Openwave V7 Browser. There are a host of cool user features including a built-in digital VGA camera with video capture and an MMS/EMS/email messaging client. It will respond to voice for dialing and other commands and includes some great tools like a calculator, stopwatch and currency converter. To see a detailed list of functions for this phone, click here. While users will enjoy the new look and feel, the framework has opportunities for developers too. V7 lets you get creative because it has: Progressive rendering that will process images and style so that content does not "re-adjust" after the first pass of displaying Robust image support so you can deliver pages that leverage a large degree of graphical content Support for OMA DRM 1.0 Forward Lock that will protect your content Better rendering of table based content so "big" web sites render better Support for XHTML-MP and CSS Want to get started building for this phone? Then be sure to come see me (and the rest of the team) at JavaOne, where we'll be distributing a preview version of our V7 Phone Simulator, which will allow you to design and test your content so that it will render well on this new breed of V7 phones. The good news is that this is just the first of many more devices to come, providing a more flexible, forgiving and powerful browser environment for you the web developer. Look for devices from Sagem, Motorola, Sharp, Seimens and others to hit the shelves in the coming months. If you want to know more about Openwave V7, check out this article by my colleague, Luca Passani for Wireless Business and Technology. Not only can you get your latest apps working and tailored for phones like the Siemens CX65, but you can also enter our contest and get a chance to win one of your very own. Can't make it to JavaOne? That's okay. Check back on the ODN web site at the end of June to find out how you can get a copy of the V7 Phone Simulator Preview. Roxanne has been working as an application developer for over 10 years. Her goal is to successfully write this column without having to join the marketing team or sit on the top floor with the execs. Roxy recently sold her vintage Motorola brick phone on eBay for $15. If you have a general question you'd like answered or just want us to know what's on your mind, let her know. Or, for more detailed or specific technical support questions, please visit ODN Developer Support.