Wanted: Programmers for Handheld Devices

T he pace of change in computer technology can be breathtaking. Frequently, this makes it difficult for programmers to maintain skills that are in demand. Nowhere is this more apparent than in one of the newest and most dynamic segments of the computer industry: hand-held devices and wireless technology. The use of handheld devices is growing rapidly, as is the demand for applications that run on smart phones and personal digital assistants. As Figure 1 shows, IDC, a market research firm, projects that the worldwide annual shipment of intelligent handheld devices will grow from about 20 million in 2001 to about 62 million by 2004. However, programming for these devices—which have limited processing power and memory, as well as tiny screens—is different than developing applications for PCs or servers. Very few programmers have much experience with these devices, particularly in the US, where handheld technology adoption has been slower than in Europe. This is creating a challenge for vendors looking for developers to write mobile applications. Companies must work hard and be creative to find programmers who can become productive quickly in the hand-held environment. And in some cases, developers are carefully selecting projects to most efficiently allocate their limited programming resources. This type of problem often occurs with new technologies, said Andy Pineda, vice president of marketing and product strategy at mvion, a wireless-infrastructure software vendor. " I remember when the desktop computer first came out. At that time there were a bunch of Cobol programmers running mainframe data. The desktop systems required a whole new set of skills. It took a while to get people who were really experienced on desktops. " " I see the same thing happening on small devices, " he said, " but it's even more complex because there are so many of them. It's going to take a while to meet the demand. " DRIVING DEMAND The growing number of wireless devices, the increasing and changing functionality of the machines and their applications, and programmers' lack of experience in the new technology are all driving the rapidly rising demand for wireless programmers. Gary Young, director of technologies for PhoneOnline, a professional-services company that sells a mobile-application framework and engine, said, " The wireless market has slowed down over the last couple of months, [along with] the economy in general. As it starts back up this year, it's going to amplify the shortage. " …