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Press Release

Sophia Cradle Releases Updated Compression Tool for Mobile Java Apps with 50% Compression Rate

Compress Rate Raised up to 50% by Using the New Technology of Class Integration and Instruction Optimization

Abstract

KYOTO — August 5, 2004 — Sophia Cradle Incorporated (Headquarter: Kyoto; CEO: Kazunori Sugiyama), an innovative developer of mobile phone software, today announced the release of SophiaCompress(Java) Version 3.0 [*1], an upgraded version of its popular compression tool for mobile phone Java applications, on August 5, 2004. The compression rate is tremendous and has been raised to an on average between 20-50% . A free evaluation version of the product is also available at the Sophia Cradle web site.

Setting window of SophiaCompress(Java) Version 3.0:
Setting window of SophiaCompress(Java) Version 3.0

Full Story

Sophia Cradle released the upgraded compression tool for Java applications SophiaCompress(Java) Version 3.0 on August 5, 2004.

Main features of the updated version are class integration [*2] and instruction optimization [*3].

1. Class integration is a function that combines multiple classes into one. By using this technology, size of a Java application is reduced so that no more manual reduction of classes is required. As the size of Java applications in general gets bigger, a developer has to reduce the number of classes to make the application fit into a handset's memory capacity which often results in inefficient maintenance. However, class integration automatically minimizes the number of classes so that the size is small enough while the classes are neatly organized for better maintenance.

2. Instruction optimization is a function that replaces a compiled module program instructions with the same-level program instructions that are smaller in size. This technology ultimately minimizes the size of a program.

Survey held by Sophia Cradle shows that the compression rate of an application rises up to 20-50% on average while the compression rate of the previous version was 15-30%. It has also been shown that the bigger the number of classes in a high-capacity Java application, the higher the compression rate.

Pricing and Availability
The price is 300,000 JPY (without tax) per license. Sophia Cradle expects to sell total 500 licenses, including upgrade from a paid version. As a limited discount, Sophia Cradle offers the upgrade at the price of 10,000 JPY per license until the end of September 2004 for those customers who already have annual maintenance contract with Sophia Cradle for a paid version of SophiaCompress(Java). Upgrading fee after October 2004 will be half of the product price.

Free evaluation version of the new SophiaCompress(Java) is available at the Sophia Cradle web site.

Applying for SophiaCompress(Java) Free Evaluation Version
/english/form/trial_scj.html

This Press Release:  /english/news/pressrelease/2004/20040805.html

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Terms

[*1] SophiaCompress(Java)

Mobile phone Java program compression technology, released by Sophia Cradle Incorporated in July 2002, that supports each Java specification of all Japanese carriers. It compresses a Java application in the compiled JAR format to be run on a handset. It is adopted by major content providers, game makers and system integrators, therefore making it the industry's de facto standard.

More About SophiaCompress(Java):
/english/products/sophiacompress_java/index.html

[*2] Class integration

Class integration is a function that combines more than two class files into one that includes all functions. Not all class files in a program can be integrated, but it is still a very effective way of reducing program size because class integration enables sharing of data in each class file. Therefore the bigger the number of the classes, the higher the compression rate.

(A class is a module that composes a Java application.)

Compression by class integration:
The concept of compression by class integration

[*3] Instruction optimization

Instruction is a statement in a compiled program. Instruction optimization means minimization of the size of a class by replacing such statements. The following instruction optimization functions are implemented over the upgraded SophiaCompress(Java).

Instruction optimization:
The concept of instruction optimization

New Features

Generally, an application consists of multiple modules, or "classes" in Java programming language. Each module can be divided into two parts: data and the program.

Similar technology was used in the previous version of SophiaCompress(Java), but sharing and deletion of data was done only in the data part of the class.

Data optimization:
The concept of data optimization

However, the new version enables such sharing and deletion in the program part, too. In other words, a long program is made shorter or useless instructions are deleted, to improve the compression performance.

Moreover, by integrating a module with another, the sharing and deletion can be done in both the data and the program parts of multiple modules. As a result, the compression rate is raised remarkably. It is a groundbreaking technology because most applications today are big in capacity and consist of many modules.

Concept of SophiaCompress(Java) Version 3.0:
The concept of SophiaCompress(Java) Version 3.0

About Sophia Cradle

Sophia Cradle Incorporated is a mobile phone software developer which currently specializes in BREW C++, GUI middleware and mobile Java. Founded in 2002, Sophia Cradle aims to render services to the improvement of everyone's quality of life by creating innovative mobile Internet technology. For more information about Sophia Cradle, please visit www.s-cradle.com/english/.