Sun Microsystems Extends the Power of Java with New APIs
Articles and Tips: article
01 Jul 1997
Java Sound, Java Advanced Imaging, and the Java Input Method API
Sun Microsystems, Inc. recently announced three new application programming interfaces (APIs): Java Sound, Java Advanced Imaging, and the Java Input Method API. These APIs bring additional functionality to the feature-rich Java platform. In related news, Sun announced APIs for mobile devices such as phones, pagers and smart cards. (See the accompanying article.)
"We've committed to our developers that we can deliver a comprehensive Java platform for building world-class applications," said Jon Kannegaard, vice president of software products at JavaSoft, a business unit of Sun Microsystems, Inc. "In the last twelve months we've made significant progress by collaborating with the entire technology industry. Today's announcements reflect the work we've led."
The Java Sound API will provide access to a sound engine for control of sound synthesis, mixing and audio rendering. This API will be implemented on top of the Java Sound engine, which is based on technology licensed from Headspace, Inc.
Java Advanced Imaging API allows developers and users to easily manage and work with very high resolution images in Java applications. This is particularly important for professional graphics, medical and technical imaging and GIS.
Both Java Sound and Java Advanced Imaging are part of the Java Media and Communication API suite.
The Java Input Method API will allow developers to deliver sophisticated Java applications, such as word processors and spreadsheets, to the Asian marketplace. It also provides a framework for Java-based network computers to include input method engines for Asian languages including Japanese, Korean, and Chinese.
These APIs come on the heels of the Java Naming Directory Interface API announced at Spring Internet World in March and the Java Servlet API, also announced in March. "Our single-minded objective is to continue to collaborate with industry partners to exceed developers' expectations with creative solutions they'll use in creating enterprise applications," said Kannegaard. "This is not an idle, lofty goal. It is our mandate."
Java Platform API Roadmap
|
API and Description
|
Public Spec
|
Beta Available
|
Final API Available
|
|
Java Applet The basic building blocks for creating fully functional Java applets |
Now |
Now |
|
|
JavaBeans The Java component architecture; provides interoperability with other component architectures like ActiveX |
Now |
Now |
Now |
|
Java Commerce An extensible framework for developing secure electronic commerce applications in Java for both Internet and corporate intranets. |
Now |
Now |
Q2 1997 |
|
Java Management Standardizes the integration of system and network management applications for the enterprise |
Now |
Now |
Q3 1997 |
Java Enterprise
Seamlessly connects Java to enterprise information resources. This includes the following APIs:
|
API and Description
|
Public Spec
|
Beta Available
|
Final API Available
|
|
JDBC SQL-based database access which provides database-independent connectivity between Java and a wide range of databases |
Now |
Now |
Now |
|
Java Naming and Directory Interface (JNDI) Provides Java applications with a unified interface to multiple naming and directory services in the enterprise. |
Now |
Q2 1997 |
Q3 1997 |
|
Java IDL Enables Java applications to communicate with CORBA (Common Object Request Broker Architecture) -based systems using the industry-standard protocol, IIOP (Internet Interoperability Object Protocol) |
Now |
Q2 1997 |
Q3 1997 |
|
Java Transaction Services (JTS) A low-level API compliant with OMG's CORBA OTS that provides open, standard access from Java to Transaction Services |
Now |
Q3 1997 |
Q4 1997 |
|
Enterprise JavaBeans Extends JavaBeans component architecture for transactional business applications |
Q3 1997 |
Q3 1997 |
Q4 1997 |
|
Java RMI A simple-but powerful interface for Java objects to access Java objects in a different Virtual Machine |
Now |
Now |
Now |
|
Java Security Enables secure Web communication, providing implementation-independent interfaces that support privacy, authorization, authentication, encryption and code containment |
Now |
Now |
Now (encryption available separately) |
|
Java Protected Domains Extends the Java sandbox protection to the file system, add fine grain access control and multiple protection domains |
Q2 1997 |
Q2 1997 |
Q3 1997 |
|
Java Input Method *new!* Facilitates sophisticated Java applications like word processing and spreadsheets being made available to Asian markets |
Q2 1997 |
Q3 1997 |
Q3 1997 |
|
Java Message Service Will enable Java applications to interoperate with enterprise messaging systems |
TBD |
TBD |
TBD |
|
Java Servlet Provides server andnetwork-class objects, called servlets, that can be created and work in conjunction with a servlet-enables server todynamically extend network services |
Now |
Now |
Now |
Java Media & Communication
Provides a wide range of interactive media and communication types. It includes the following APIs:
|
API and Description
|
Public Spec
|
Beta Available
|
Final API Available
|
|
Java 2D (Included in next JDK) For creating high quality, device-independent 2D graphics |
Q1-2 1997 |
Q3 1997 |
Q3 1997 |
|
Java 3D Java API optimized for high performance 3D graphics |
Q3 1997 |
Q3 1997 |
Q4 1997 |
|
Java Advanced Imaging (JAI) *new!* For creating and managing high resolution images in Java applications. |
Q3 1997 |
TBD |
TBD |
|
Java Sound *new!* (Implementation contingent on JDK) A software synthesizer, sample playback engine and 32-channel input, 16-bit stereo output mixer. |
Q2 1997 |
Q2 1997 |
Q3 1997 |
|
Java Animation For creating, manipulating and displaying sprite-based interactive objects |
Q3 1997 |
Q3 1997 |
Q4 1997 |
|
Java Media Framework (Part 1-Player) The JMF API specifies a unified architecture, messaging protocol and programming interface for media players, capture and conferencing. The first part of JMF is the Java Media Player, an API for synchronization, control, processing and presentation of compressed streaming and stored timed media including video and audio. |
Now |
Q2 1997 |
3 1997 |
|
Java Collaboration (Part 1 - Wintel to Java application sharing) This API is ideal for interactive two-way, multi-party communications over a variety of different networks |
Q3 1997 |
Q3 1997 |
Q4 1997 |
|
Java Telephony Provides framework for high-level interface-to-call control. Allows for first-party and third-party call control |
Now |
Q2 1997 |
Q31997 |
|
Java Speech Provides Java-based speech recognition and speech synthesis (text to speech) |
Q3 1997 |
Q3 1997 |
Q4 1997 |
* Originally published in Novell AppNotes
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