Programming Accessible Software on Java Phones?

LostSinner asks: "My mother, who is blind, called me recently and asked if I'd be up for a challenge. She is supremely fed up with trying to use her current cellphone (a StarTAC) and is looking for a new one. Recently, she has heard about the newer Java-enabled phones. She wants me to write a Java program which will allow her to navigate the menus, place calls, and generally use everything available to us sighted folks that she can't currently use. Though there are a few aftermarket pieces of software somewhat geared towards this, the price and the functionality (or lack thereof) are both sticking points... and what's the use of having a geek son if you don't get any benefits, right? I plan to release the code and either give the software away for free or charge a nominal fee for it. It's new ground for me, but I love a challenge. So, is a Java enabled phone the best way to go? Are there already phones out there with this functionality built in? If Java is the best way to go, what service provider and/or phones does Slashdot recommend? Thanks."

Comments

can't do with j2me, go with symbian.

[gl4ss]

the subject pretty much says it, you can't access the phone on low enough level with the java implementations(the sandbox they work in isn't that free, so that you can run midlets without fear of them racking up your phone tab or sending information of your simcard&etc to some malicious hacker, kind of applets but with ability to connect where-ever the device allows, they even have their own seperate from other stuff store for storing information).

however, symbian allows for much lower level access of the device. sure the developing is a bit harder but that's the price you have to pay(it's not _that_ hard if you're familiar with c++ and the community is building up nicely so help is available).

symbian phones include series60 from nokia(7650,3650,6650&etc) and s-e p800 there may be others as well.

of these i'd recommend the 3650(even though she might not have use for the mmc card), the 'weird' number pad isn't that hard to use, don't know how adapting it is for the blind(i would guess pretty well adapting, should she want to train on it few hours, actually it should go pretty well, and the buttons with different functions are laid away from each other)