An Asus Pocket PC recently became available at my job this week. I’ve been using it the past few days to evaluate its features. It connects to our WPA-Radius network just fine (PEAP using Active Directory credentials, if anyone is interested in how to get this working just ask.) It also does Exchange e-mail and Skype like one would expect from a Windows Mobile 6 device. I also wanted to get the Gmail App working with it, since I prefer their true-blue e-mail interface.The Gmail App requires Java. It’s a specific environment for mobile devices, J2ME, and setup is not as easy as downloading J2SE for a desktop OS. Finding a PocketPC with J2ME built-in seems to be difficult, and I found that getting an aftermarket client installed was even more difficult. I first tried MySaifuJVM because its GPL and easy to acquire, but couldn’t get it to work with gmail. The IBM client seems to be the one everyone uses, but it’s also a pain in the ass to get. Everywhere I read said I would have to pay $599 for it. I thank the folks at msmobiles.com for providing a link to a freely available version directly from IBM. I have included a link to their site at the bottom of this post. The registration process and 45mb download of an installer for access to a 3mb .zip proved to be worth it. Click to continue…

1. Go here and download the latest version of the “IBM J9 JVM for CLDC”, for me the file was named ibm-weme-wm50-arm-midp20_6.1.1.20061110-161633.exe.
2. Install this application to your Windows PC.
3. Navigate to C:\Program Files\IBM\WEME\runtimes\61\wm50-arm-midp20 and extract weme-wm50-arm-midp20_6.1.1.20061110-161633.zip to a folder, call it “Java”.
4. Connect the A626 to your PC and explore the device with ActiveSync.
5. Copy the Java folder and its contents to /Program Files/Java on the A626.
6. Download the latest version of the Gmail App, 1.5.0, here, and save this gmail.jad file someplace on your PC.
7. Copy the gmail.jad file to /gmail.jad (the root folder, aka “My Windows Mobile-Based Device”) on your A626 using ActiveSync.
8. On the A626, open up File Explorer and browse to /Program Files/Java/Bin and run “emulator.exe”
9. Click “Yes” to any questions it has about whether you want to install DLLs or allow it to run.
10. Make sure the A626 is somehow connected to the internet, either through your PC or wifi.
11. Once the emulator is open, click the “Install” softkey (at left) on the A626 to install a Java MIDlet.
12. In the URL: box enter /gmail.jad
13. Click yes to have it go directly to google and download the corresponding .jar program.
14. Click yes to any questions about allowing software from an untrusted source to run.

Now the Gmail App will run from within this Java Emulation program. While it is obvious from the interface that the Gmail App is designed for smart phones, it is a lot nicer to use compared to gmail mobile through Pocket IE. It provides a graphically proper experience, and it is worlds better than viewing gmail through POP or IMAP.

I would like to thank the folks at the Everything Q Forum and msmobiles.com for the above information. I have borrowed from both instructions to convey my specific installation experience.