BREW
Zapp Buzz
Zapp Buzz is a communication service from Zapp (a Romanian mobile operator) that centers around a messenger application, with push notifications and voice calling option. The application (messenger client) has been implemented by me.
Features
- Multi-messenger – supports Yahoo! Messenger, MSN Messenger, Google Talk
- Displays contacts images
- Supports groups, displayed as collapsible lists
- Contact status display and changing current status
- Emoticons and BUZZ
- Multiple conversations
- Push messages
- Call contact
Challenges
- Developed only on BREW, with no UI library. All controls are custom-made (except the HTML viewer and the context menus)
- Memory management – keep low memory usage and eliminate all possible memory leaks (no memory management available from the OS)
- Asynchronous communication
- Custom protocol (XML Based)
- Prepared for embedding in the device’s firmware
Zapp E@zy mail client
The Zapp E@zy phone is a Blackberry-like device that integrates the Zapp Buzz service and also offers a thin mail client. With the mail client, you can send and receive e-mail messages using your ZappMobile mail account, your Yahoo! Mail account, GMail account, or your POP3 or IMAP account.
Features
- Message visually marked when unread, replied, forwarded or starred
- Sender, subject, date and attachment availability preview
- Displays attachments (decoded on the server and converted to HTML, when possible)
- Push e-mail
- Auto-complete when writing contacts
- Multiple recipients, Bcc
- Multiple simultaneous accounts and account switching when sending mail
Challenges
- Memory management – low memory usage, even when storing multiple messages
- Developed only on BREW, with no UI library. All controls are custom-made (except the HTML viewer and the context menu)
- Asynchronous communication
- Custom protocol (XML Based)
- Prepared for embedding in the device’s firmware
Meteo
Meteo is a weather application that delivers forecasts and animated maps to client’s handset. It’s been developed for BREW 2.1 and is one of the first applications available in Zapp.
Features
- Animated forecast display
- Textual weather description
- Current weather map
- Animated radar mosaic which you can pan, zoom in and play/stop
- Lightning animation for the previous hour
- Forecasts for one, three, and seven days
- Hourly updates
Challenges
- Map animation on low-end device
- Data updating and consistency
- Easy-to-use UI
Tune-UP
Tune-UP is a customization application, that offers the possibility to download ringtones and wallpapers to your cell-phone
Features
- Content preview
- Content adaptation
- Search
- Pay-per-download
Challenges
- Payment interface (with Zapp payment library)
- Graphical UI, with search and preview
Gazeta Sporturilor
Gazeta Sporturilor is the biggest sports magazine in Romania. The BREW application delivers news right to the client’s handset.
Features
- HTML news displaying
- Content available offline
- Web forms and contests
Challenges
- Content synchronization
- Easy-to-use UI
Pocket FHM and Cosmopolitan
Pocket FHM and Cosmopolitan makes available the magazine’s articles right to your BREW handset. Whether you’re a man or woman, you always can find the articles of your interests on your phone’s screen.
Features
- HTML articles displaying
- Content available offline
- Web forms and contests
Challenges
- Content synchronization
- Easy-to-use UI