Wannabe developer needs help from the pros!

[endovelico]

Hello there,

I'm a relativelly experienced software developer and im looking to develop applications for the smartphone ambient.
The thing is... i don't know the first thing about smartphones OS other than who the big boys are, so... this is where the actual knowledgeable guys come in...

I need help with some questions:


1) Which is more developer friendly (IDE, libraries, languages, allowing for custom applications, etc)?
2) How much support is there for developing great eye candy applications in each major smartphone OS? Or just state the one with the best support for cool looking applications.
3) I heard that in Windows mobile you better code in .NET or C++ or you're screwed... Is there really no better alternative?
4) What other languages / framework can one use in Symbian, RIM, IPhone?

[Soaa-]

I'm not a WinMo dev (yet?) but I can answer a few of these questions.

2. iPhone strives to have a consistently beautiful OS by providing easy to use APIs for GUI creation. Since every app uses the same APIs, they all have the same smooth scrolling action and animations. As far as I know, Windows Mobile does not have APIs for a consistently good looking UI. So far, every app I've seen uses its own implementation of finger scrolling, even within HTC's own apps.

3. What alternatives are you thinking of? If you want to use Java, you could code for J2ME and Jbed. They don't look as good as native apps though, are less flexible, and tend to have greater overhead. Not great for mobile devices.

[endovelico]

I'm not a WinMo dev (yet?) but I can answer a few of these questions.

2. iPhone strives to have a consistently beautiful OS by providing easy to use APIs for GUI creation. Since every app uses the same APIs, they all have the same smooth scrolling action and animations. As far as I know, Windows Mobile does not have APIs for a consistently good looking UI. So far, every app I've seen uses its own implementation of finger scrolling, even within HTC's own apps.

3. What alternatives are you thinking of? If you want to use Java, you could code for J2ME and Jbed. They don't look as good as native apps though, are less flexible, and tend to have greater overhead. Not great for mobile devices.

Thank you that was really helpfull. Whats your take on Symbian or Android?

[lotion]

2. iPhone strives to have a consistently beautiful OS by providing easy to use APIs for GUI creation. Since every app uses the same APIs, they all have the same smooth scrolling action and animations. As far as I know, Windows Mobile does not have APIs for a consistently good looking UI. So far, every app I've seen uses its own implementation of finger scrolling, even within HTC's own apps.

For the record, 6.5 has gestures support (including kinetic scrolling) built in so it will work across all applications.

[nir36]

For all members who've been putting their eyes on questions in the Dev&Hack section. it is now ALLOWED to ask development related questions in the D&H section while all other questions go in the Q&A section.

cheers

[endovelico]

Noone who can give me a quick rundown on these OS's?

Thaks in advance.

[copex]

SEE....

http://www.smorgasbordet.com/pellesc/
http://www.trajectorylabs.com/win32.html

[longstream]

This is the most I've been able to turn up in any of my searches, least in terms of an API for common GUI controls.

http://fluid.codeplex.com/

Haven't had much time to play with it lately tho. Hopefully that will change toward the end of next month.

*EDIT*

Then theres also the non free stuff.

http://www.resco.net/developer/default.aspx