BlackBerry 10, a nice atmosphere

We have recently worked on several applications BlackBerry 10. These developments when rubbed in your development environment, tools and documentation.

Here is a small return of experience on this platform.

In general, we was pleasantly surprised by the quality of the platform : OS seems mature mature, all the functions are there, the documentation is correct (although lacking precision in the depreciation and the availability of methods), and the results are good quickly.

In short, work in BlackBerry 10, nice.

The QML is one of the native languages of BlackBerry 10, in addition to C++, but you will quickly get to taste . Its syntax includes JSON, without commas, but also JavaScript, so the coding friends website, which will not be familiar .

The native API QML, formerly named "Cascades", is quite comprehensive in what regards the charting components but does not go any further if application is that a time is somewhat complex. In fact, probably will need to resort to the second API native, that in C++, llamada called "Core" for all components of the non-graphic systems in terms of implementing a media player, a Picture Manager or even reverses its application-specific variables. However, our friends at RIM have set up macros that allow us tosimply access these C++ since QML components !

Finally, the observed pattern / notify is easy to take in hand with methods called side slots observeur object and methods say signals notifier side simply connect together to the instantiation of the observer.

The fact that can encode a QML app indeed largely a simple and flexible language in any one area.

The IDE is basic but effective. In any case is at the height of what has done in competition.

The terminals are good, they are fast and extremely effective for web content. The quality of the webview is vastly superior to that of iOS or Android and CSS animations are fluid.

Between the Z10 and Q10, our heart balance: If we love the Z10 with its big screen and no keyboard, however is the use of the physical keyboard of the very nice Q10. Damages of any kind at the expense of the size of the screen, which limits the number of visible information.

Great black spot of this platform is the deployment of terminals. It must be the debugToken, which let you implement in a terminal and keep continually. With a single terminal, there is no problem. On the other hand, if for example test your applications on various terminals, Q10, and the Z10, you will have all the attractions have a debugToken multi-device and password on each of the terminals, but even that is not enough!

In fact, you will regularly have trouble implementing : binary file that is loaded in the terminal, which is not (only an update of the tree), deployment, which hangs at 84%, the terminal, which is not registered or is disconnected, etc..

Is regularly lost one hour and a half to try to reconnect a terminal: terminal disconnection and reboot, restart the BlackBerry Link software and IDE and plug everything back. It becomes even superstitious and each change of terminal becomes a complicated ritual where each has his technique but none works 100%.

Compiling an application for publication is very simple. A firm to install and the turn is played. With a few clicks, you get the screen file ready to be installed in millions of Z10 and Q10.

Last week, Betty and BFM business applications that have been published in the BlackBerry store. Other BlackBerry apps are being developed.

While we develop these two first applications BlackBerry is out of bag. Since then, rumors of acquisitions are underway. The latest deals will take place at the final deadline today.

We hope that everything does not sign the death knell of BlackBerry car this OS seems quite satisfactory and competitive, as much from a developer's point of view of the user !