ACCESS Systems American, Inc., a member of the ACCESS Co., LTD., group of companies, Thursday announced that the Hiker Application Framework is now available for download.
The Hiker Application Framework was designed by ACCESS to specifically meet the requirements of Linux=based mobile phones and devices. Released under Mozilla® Public License (MPL) v1.1, the Hiker Application Framework includes security features that enable secure application management and an integrated user experience. The Hiker Application Framework is also designed to enhance application security to prevent unauthorized use of phone services or tampering with critical system data.
As part of the Company’s strategy to build the industry’s first truly integrated, commercial grade Linux-based platform for mobile devices, ACCESS developed the Hiker Application Framework as part of the ACCESS Linux Platform™.
The Hiker Application , which was announced in October of 2006, provides a set of services to install and manage applications, the ability to integrate communication between applications, enabling a seamless user experience for music, messaging, and other advanced features on mobile phones.
“As a company committed to the growth of the mobile Linux software platform market, Orange believes that ACCESS’ decision to open source the Application Framework will benefit the entire mobile Linux ecosystem,” said Yves Maitre, vice president, devices for Orange.
The Application Framework from ACCESS consists of several services or “managers” that are being designed to install and manage applications and enable applications to interact with each other and the user. These include:
1. Bundle
2. Security Policy Framework (SPF)
3. Exchange Manager
4. Notification Manager
5. Application Server
6. Attention Manager
7. Alarm Manager
8. Global Settings Services
There is a great article over at LinuxDevices.com that explains what the "Hiker" Application Framework is all about.
"Hiker" appears to be a release name; subsequent releases of the application framework may have different names. The name Hiker appears aimed at evoking mobility, and possibly simplicity, given that Hiker brings many PalmOS-like user interface characteristics to the table.
For example, Hiker provides mechanisms for saving and shutting down one application and "hot-launching" another, so that only one application runs at a time. Such behavior fits the task-based "use model" of mobile devices, Access says, where users may wish to capture and annotate a photo then send it in an email as a single transparent process, rather than launching separate applications and dealing with files, as on a PC.
Sooooo, things are moving right along in the ACCESS Linux Platform. I like the idea of having faster application start-up times. And I also like how Hiker will provide mechanisms for saving and shutting down one application and "hot-launching" another, so that only one application runs at a time. Since Hiker has a Palm OS-like user interface, it should provide the simplicity that many users are looking for in their day to day mobile lives.
