JIL would like to announce the availability of new SDK tools including a complete widget emulator and new Eclipse plug-ins. These open source tools are part of a new community supported project currently sponsored by JIL. The multi-platform tools include the Firefox 3.6 based Transit Widget Emulator and companion Eclipse plug-ins for managing widget projects.

These tools are not meant to replace the current JIL Widget SDK, rather supplement it. Each tool is uniquely useful in the various stages of the widget development lifecycle. The project is currently in a beta/incubation phase and is very new. Core features are stable, and some features are experimental or soon to be implemented while the project continues to mature with the help of the JIL developer community.

More information including downloads, documentation for getting started, a project discussion group, issue tracking, and updates can be found at the project home page http://code.google.com/p/transit-widget-tools.

With this announcement, JIL is also taking an initial step towards the inclusion and promotion of 3rd party and developer contributed tools, as well as encouraging developer involvement in our community projects.
 

The JIL Developer Website now supports Internet Explorer v7.x and v8.x, Mozilla Firefox v3.0.x and v3.5.x, Google Chrome v5.0.x, and Safari v4.0.x. We will continue to expand additional browser support, so please check back for the latest updates.

We would like to introduce all registered JIL developers to our Online Widget Porting Engine. The Porting Engine will quickly convert your existing Opera, Nokia S60, and Apple Web Widgets to all versions of the JIL Widget specification.

There's no need to start from scratch. Our Porting Engine provides a best effort conversion automatically, as well as providing a detailed report covering which code and configuration was ported, and which code may require a manual conversion. Quickly port and publish your widgets to JIL markets around the world by accessing the "Porting engine" under the "Develop" menu.

Registered users may now publish their paid and free widgets to the Vodafone Store. Go to the Publish area and follow the steps to upload your content to selected markets around the world.
The latest JIL Developer Website updates also include the ability to digitally sign your content through the use of certificates.

Please check back soon for more publishing information on China Mobile, Softbank Mobile and Verizon Wireless.

Joint Innovation Lab Opens Widget API Specifications and Contributes Them to W3C ROTTERDAM, The Netherlands, February 15 /PRNewswire/ -- JIL Continues to Drive Innovation in the Mobile Apps Space by Committing to Offer API Specifications Royalty-Free to Wireless Service Providers Around the Globe The Joint Innovation Lab (JIL) announced today that it will open its widget API specification to other wireless service providers and contribute these API specifications to the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C). JIL members also announced that they will join the newly formed Wholesale Applications Community (WAC) to ensure that mobile developers can reach as many mobile customers as simply and as cost effectively as possible. The move demonstrates JIL's commitment to making its applications more open to developers and wireless service providers. Read more