I just got the new linux based Palm Pre and I love it :) I was thinking 2nite it would be sweet if I had jBidWatcher as a app on it. From what I understand the phone uses javascript, css and html. Javascript being closely related to java. It might not be extremely hard to port??? I’m new to coding and even newer to java/javascript. Javascript is probably not powerful enough, but id like to get your opinion on it. Do you think it would be possible?

On the other hand the website idea might be a better idea for cross platform compatibility as palm’s webOS uses almost the same browser as the iPhone…both are webkit based.

Thanks, fain

Greetings,
Sadly, despite the name similarity, Javascript has no relation to Java.

Also, JBidwatcher native on any mobile device would be a serious power suck, due to its ‘always online’ nature.

Instead, at least for now, I’m hoping to produce a viable web app which your desktop JBidwatcher will synchronize with, and you can place snipes (which get picked up by the desktop app), view your items, statuses, etc., in, and then make a mobile-viewable styling of that webapp.

It might be a pipe-dream in the long run, but I already have the core of the site working. JBidwatcher includes code to sync auction information up to a server (it’s only enabled if you have account information entered), and the server displays it reasonably well. (Okay, it looks like crap right now, but it contains all the information, and CSS is a lot faster to try stuff out in than Java Swing.)

One note of caution, though… For very light use, it’ll probably be free, but I really, really need to find a way to make recurring income on JBidwatcher, so the site will be subscription-based. Part of that is pure necessity; the bandwidth and CPU horsepower to accept user sync packets is not free, and part of it is…well…also necessity, as I’m still without a job. :(

— Morgan Schweers, CyberFOX!

Hey thanks for the reply :) I just found out that the pre already has been hacked and they found a java virtual machine :D Not sure exactly what this means but it sounds good. Maybe JBidWatcher would run in the virtual machine???

http://www.precentral.net/pre-developer-rom-unc…

I did not know javascript and java was not related :/
The Pre was designed to be online all the time and to update things in real time.
Not sure how that would come into play with the battery life. If the app only connected at selected
intervals to sync time and snipe it shouldnt take much more life than say a email app.
Then again Im a total newb to coding and I just use JBidWatcher to snipe.
I do not know of the other functions it has.
You could sell the app in the app store.
I am sure it would generate revenue.
Currently the pre doesn’t have a eBay app. I am sure it will be coming soon though.
JBidWatcher rocks!