WiMAX is coming and if you want to see how darned fast go to the SuperComm show in Chicago. WiMAX is going to nuke the last-mile monopoly that first telephone and now cable TV have enjoyed into homes and even many small busineses. Be prepared for Topsy to meet Turvy in the broadcast, telecommunication, mobile, gaming, PC and in general intelligent communications and processing markets.
If you thought the fights in cities and regions over sponsorship of WiFi was getting nasty…
But even of more consequence for developers is that cross platform capability in the Presentation Layer will be vital in software development for the new WiMAX reality. Not having to retool software extensively for a variety of devices and platforms is going to be crucial. Java, JavaScript, and perhaps Perl/Ruby/Python certainly deliver the cross platform programming and logic machines. But for the all important presentation layer, developers have to give a careful look see over:
1) Flash – with Flash Lite Macromedia has tremendous cross platform, cross device reach
2)Adobe Acrobat – cross platform container of choice has broadening device reach
3)Suns Java – dont count Java out on desktop and devices – J2ME and SWING-lite are very good
4)Real Networks – coming from the distribution side Real has the ability to hop on board fast
5)Apple Quicktime -Steve has yet to unite Pod+ Quicktime and he has his hands full
6)Windows Media Player – disarmed because its the faithful servant to one and only OS
Note I have ranked the entries in what I think is the most cross platform, cross device order. And look here – what is Adobe sitting on ? The two best cross platform, cross device Presentation layer containers/platforms/enablers.
Here is hoping the execs at Adobe and Macromedia get that merger right.
(c)JBSurveyer 2005