Develop Blackberry apps using native API or J2ME?

Question

We\'re about to build a Blackberry application but would love some input on whether to implement using J2ME (MIDlet based) or Blackberry native (UIApplication).

I unders

Answer 1

I have been working with J2ME since 2002 when the Nextel/Motorola phones were in the forefront of J2ME functionality. I deal primarily with non-gaming applications. Today with J2ME evolving and more phones conforming to the JSRs my application continues to port smoothly. This year I finally got around to moving it to a Blackberry device. Two days later my application is fully functional on a Blackberry. The application is purely generic J2ME and uses many of the JSRs (location, bluetooth, xml, etc ). A strong UI design helps. I extended some of my UI classes to support the QWERTY/SureType keypads. I have used a variety of native applications found on Blackberry devices (not games) and I have yet to justify any reason to venture off to the RIM API to see what I would benefit. The arguments expressed above by other fellow programmers further prove that there is very little to gain unless you are purely devoted to a Blackberry device platform.