How To Install Java For Windows Mobile

MakeUseOf

By Karl Gechlik

Published Mar 19, 2010

Today, most applications for Windows Mobile 6 and 6.5 are CAB files that do not need Java to run. But there are a lot of older applications and some made for other platforms that use .JAD files or something similar. To run these, your device would need to have Java for Windows Mobile installed.

There is not much information out there on how to do this. But I have found JavaFX that can be installed on your Windows Mobile device. It also comes bundled with The Sun Java Wireless Client and several test applications.

To begin the installation of Java for Windows Mobile, visit the above URL and download the last option entitled:

JavaFX Mobile 1.2 For Windows Mobile

Click the check box next to JavaFX Mobile 1.2 for Windows Mobile and then check the box that says I agree below it. Then click the download button. That will download the 5.2MB zip file.

Inside the zip file you will find a directory called DIST and below that BIN. In the BIN directory there will be a CAB file that you can install on your device. If you are downloading the zip directly to your phone, skip to the next step. If you are extracting on your PC, drag the SUN_JAVAFX.CAB out of the archive and copy it to your device.

If you copied the zip directly to your device, find the zip file and open it with Zip Mobile by clicking on it.

Then select the CAB file and double click on it to execute the installer.

I strongly recommend you use your device's memory for installing Java unless you have a fast memory card. It uses about 8 MB of space.

Next you will see a progress bar as JavaFX installs. It took about 3 minutes on my HTC Tilt 2 running Windows Mobile 6.5

JavaFX will let you know when it is completely installed. You will see the message below when you are ready to launch JavaFX.

Now you will need to locate the program file. I found mine in my start menu. If yours is not there (depending on your version of Windows Mobile) then you will need to navigate to your Program Files directory and find JavaFX. Click on JavaFX to start it up.

You will see a file menu inside JavaFX. There are a few bundled Java applications such as a calculator, DisplayShelfMode, Fish Simulator and Twitter Mobile. These applications are here to show you the power of Mobile Java as well as allowing you to test your Windows Mobile ability to run Java applications.

Go ahead and attempt to run one of them by clicking on it. You will see a JavaFX splash screen like you see below. When that disappears you will see your application.

I chose the Fishing Simulator. It allows you to click on the water or fish and create ripples in the water. This is not like any fishing I know. Creating ripples would frighten the fish off - wouldn't it? But anyway you get the idea that Java is functioning on your Windows Mobile device.