Maximum PC

There's a programming effort at work and the latest flash in the pan idea is to get a mobile app running on a blackberry paired to a Grabba device. I managed to install the Blackberry JDE before hearing about Eclipse. Since this app is GUI-data entry oriented (think retail doing inventory) it seems like eclipse would be the slicker option.

A few caveats:
-Grabba uses protected API's so the app must be signed using a RIM key (thankfully they're free now)
- (from the sdk) Please note that the Grabba API can only be used with CLDC (native BlackBerry) Java based development on the BlackBerry platform (not web based widgets, nor MIDP based java development).

Can anyone tell me offhand if that limits me to using the Blackberry JDE? How do I make sure I don't use any API's from the MIDP libraries? I don't see anything obvious in the Blackberry JDE or eclipse about that.

Oh yeah and any tutorials/resources that focus on the above mentioned criteria would be much appreciated. I'd hate to go through a tutorial only to find out it uses things not present in the Blackberry CLDC.

Have you considered an intermediary product like PhoneGap? It's based on HTML5/CSS3/Javascript but it will compile the app to native code. If you're doing mostly GUI data entry, it gives you the option to prototype an app fast, compile it to native source and deploy. It's cross-platform, too, so it can do iOS, Android and RIM.

Never heard of it. The only issue I can see with that is how will I get the grabba API's integrated.

I'll check it out.

Forgot about that. Yeah, you may want to check it out. How do you access the API in your code? If you can figure it out, you could probably extend PhoneGap (it's free and open source) to create wrappers for your API.

I'm not sure yet - I got stuck on the phone at work today trying to decipher BarTender's limitations and functionality.

Do you think I could get code generated by phonegap signed with RIM keys? Does it output to something I could open with the blackberry JDE? The site isn't the most clear on that.

I know for iOS, you have to enter your Apple Developer ID/key in XCode if you want to publish your apps. I take it that you need a RIM key(s) to publish to RIM's app store or push to a Blackberry? Your best bet is to find a (free) support forum.

You need a RIM key to run an app that uses a component (grabba) with protected API's. Luckily blackberry made the signing keys free now.