This post, which was originally published in October 2007, is consistently one of the most popular on WapReview and as such gets updated periodically to remove sites that are no longer working and to include the best new ones. Last Update: 18-June-2010
Mobile pundits are starting to talk about the death of Java ME. Oracle, which owns the Java brand, isn't doing much to reassure developers of mobile Java's viability. But Java ME is still the biggest mobile app platform in terns of installed base and one that will be around for years to come.
Mobile carriers offer games and applications for download from their portals, for a price. But there is an alternative, an amazing number of mobile Java games and applications are available for free. Here are my favorite sites for free and legal (not Warez) Java downloads.
Free and Open Source Downloads: These range from simple games and utilities created by hobbyists to some quite sophisticated programs.
GetJar.com is the pioneer and market leader when it comes to free Java game and App downloads. It's huge site (57,000+ downloads) that has been around for years and is now the second biggest app store (after Apple's) in the world. Just about every freeware, shareware or demo game ever published can be found on GetJar as well as many ad-supported ones. In addition to Java programs, Getjar also has games and apps for the BlackBerry, Windows Mobile, Android, iPhone, Symbian and legacy Palm OS platforms.
GetJar's mobile site (m.getjar.com) is pretty easy to navigate. Apps and games are organized by categories, the mobile site's search facility works fairly well and there are descriptions and user reviews on the download pages. The PC site (getjar.com) is also categorized and you can filter the selection by phone model or family. The handset filter works well and includes generic programs in the same listings along with handset specific ones. Each download has a description and a screen shot and most also have user reviews. Each file on the PC site also has a 5 digit Quick Download Code. As the name implies, you can enter this code on the mobile site to go directly to the download for that app or game.
Phoload is a relatively new JAVA ME "App Store" along the lines of GetJar.com. In fact, it's organized very similarly to GetJar. There's a full web version (phoload.com) with a categorized, searchable directory of games and applications that can be filtered to only include apps compatible with your device. Applications and game listings include a screenshot, description and user reviews and ratings. All files can be downloaded to your PC for side loading. Or you can make note of a six digit "download code" and enter it on the mobile site for a direct to mobile download. Registered users can also add titles to a "Quick Download List" which makes them appear on the mobile site's front page.
All downloads are free, the applications and games themselves are mostly freeware or ad supported but some are trials and demos. The type of each download (free full version, free ad-supported or trial/demo) is clearly indicated in each listing on Phoload.
The mobile version of the site (m.phoload.com) offers a searchable, categorized directory of apps and individual pages for each app with screenshot, description and rating. There is also download by code feature and, registered users can access their "Quick Download List" containing applications and games they have tagged on the full web site.
Mobango is a huge mobile file sharing site that has a lot of Java apps and games as well as ringtones, wallpapers, and videos. Registered Mobango users can upload content to mobango.com and then download them to their phones from the Mobango mobile site. When you upload a file you can flag it as either public or private.
Anyone can download the public files, which number nearly 700,000, from the Mobango mobile site wap.mobango.com without logging in or registering.
Sites hosting user submitted content have a problem with users sharing copyrighted material and Mobango is no exception. Each time a user uploads a file Mobango requires the user to check a box asserting that the file is their's to share legally. Mobango responds to take down orders from publishers as well. But manually checking 700,000 files is an impossible task and it goes without saying that there is some copyrighted material on Mobango. I don't know what the answer is to intellectual property issues on file sharing sites. Sharing content you have created is great, sharing the hard work and livelihood of musicians and software developers is not. I hate DRM and the heavy handed approach of the RIAA, etc., but just asking people not to post or download copyrighted material isn't going to work.
BoostApps.com, is a site I created for Boost Mobile and Sprint Nextel iDEN network users. Unlike most
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posted by Dennis Bournique
June 18, 2010 @ 10:54 am
7 View Comments
