Off and on for the past two weeks, I've been trying to download and install a Java 2 Micro Edition program on my Nokia 3100 phone. Not a specific program-- just any application, more of a self-tutorial/proof of concept type thing. After all, if I'm going to learn how to write Java programs, I'm eventually going to need to know how to get them onto a cell phone.
Naturally, it proved much harder than it should have been.
Google searches lead me to GetJar.com first, but literally nothing I found there would download and install properly on my phone. I have no idea why-- but most of the time, the connection broke before it even completed the download, and on the one or two occasions where I was actually able to download the app, when I tried to run it, I got the infuriatingly vague "Invalid Application" message.
After many fruitless searches about MIDlets, and .jad files and .jar files, I stumbled across a web site called mobilerated.com. I wasn't convinced I'd have any better luck here, but figured I'd give it a try-- and managed to successfully download and install a Java 2 ME app called "Wattpad." It's amazing when stuff works like it is supposed to-- tends to restore your faith in things.
So, at least I know it's theoretically possible to write Java apps and get them installed and running on my phone. I was about to go out and upgrade to a new phone just to get this project off the ground and running.