Finland-based ICT and automation solution provider Sesca has introduced a smartphone application stack called Sesca Ample which is based on open source application development framework Qt. Sesca Ample offers a groundbreaking mobile phone operating system featuring best-of-class user experience and state-of-the-art applications.

Sesca Ample includes advanced touch screen and highly customized graphical user interface and versatile applications such as multimedia player and communications tools. Sesca Ample is directed to mobile device manufacturers and operators. It is platform independent and can be used both in Linux and in Symbian platforms. The first fully functional demo version is available now.

“Sesca Ample uses modern Qt technology which enables highly advanced user interface and versatile applications. With Sesca Ample it is easy to build applications and user interface elements which can be easily moved and used between different devices regardless of the operating system. User experience and versatile applications of mobile device are the main trends in the mobile market during this decade”, says Mr. Juha Sumelahti, the Executive Vice President of Sesca Mobile Software.

Customized, graphical user interface

One of the challenges of building a mobile device is the user interface design. Size of the device limits the size of screen, and user interface controls cover the most of the surface of device. To solve this problem Sesca has developed a touch screen solution based on dynamic user interface elements. Apart from the power button, there are no hardware buttons, and the user interface is controlled by a finger.

Another challenge to a user experience is that the display is too small for a complete QWERTY keyboard. Sesca Ample includes a unique text entry system, where the user presses a Sesca Ample’s touch screen keys based on ITU-T standard. When the user presses UI Flower number key, a set of character icons appear around the activated key. The actual character is chosen by sliding the finger onto the corresponding icon.

All visual components of Sesca Ample’s user interface can be customized, affecting the user interface and applications on all levels. This offers to different user groups, such as operators and corporate customers to customize the user interface visually according to their own brand needs.

Versatile applications

Sesca Ample also includes versatile applications such as multimedia player and communications tools. Familiar mobile applications have received features which improve the user experience. All applications are modular, making it possible to productize any of them separately.

The multimedia player is able to access the most common file types, such as MPEG-4 and MP3. When the user wishes to open a file, which is not recognized by the multimedia player, it queries the underlying operating system and checks if it supports the format. To improve the contemporary mobile multimedia user experience, this application has a set of virtual playlists that react to changes in the multimedia file collection and adapt themselves to user actions.

The Ample messaging feature covers all common message types and chooses the correct messaging technology dynamically between SMS, MMS, and email. The dynamic approach continuously tracks the message content types and user choices, and, for example, what began as an SMS message turns automatically into an MMS message, when the user inserts multimedia content. A MIME-encoded message may be sent simultaneously as an email message and an SMS message to different people.

Voice and data connections can be created over cellular connections using both 2G and 3G technologies. Internet voice calls are supported using a VoIP/SIP stack. Sesca Ample can be integrated with any modem manufacturer solution.

Sesca Ample is platform independent

Sesca Ample is built an open source application development framework Qt which makes it platform independent. It can be ported to any other platform which supports Qt, such as Linux and Symbian. Sesca Ample is binary compatible with ARM Linux kernel 2.6.24. The reference implementation uses Openmoko

Sesca has taken special care to ensure that the open source components’ license agreements allow for protecting immaterial property rights. From the licensors’ point of view, the Sesca Ample approach translates into low R&D costs and extensible code base, while still being able to keep novel, value-adding solution IPR in-house.

Sesca Group can be found in Barcelona at stand 1F07(1-0).

For more information:
Juha Sumelahti, Executive Vice President, Sesca Mobile Software
Phone: +358 50 312 2432
email: juha.sumelahti(at)sesca.com

Sesca Group

Finland-based Sesca Group delivers and integrates ICT and automation solutions and services for the telecommunication, energy production and process industries. Sesca employs approximately 800 professionals in Finland, Sweden, Estonia, Germany, UK, Tsek Republic, Romania and China. Company estimated turnover in 2008 was 51 million euros. Company headquarter is located in Vaasa, Finland.