Majinate Archive News
Majinate Archive news items. For latest news releases and updates go to the latest news page.
Pre 2006
» 10 Oct 2005 Majinate to run Symbian's "Accredited Symbian Developer" (ASD) program
» 08 Oct 2005 Majinate at the Smartphone Show
» 04 Oct 2005 Symsource and Majinate launch Accredited Symbian Developer tests
» 30 Sept 2005 EMCC Software and Majinate join Forces to provide Developer Accreditation for Symbian OS
» 15 Sept 2005 IKM partners with Majinate to provide tailored solutions to the mobile industry
10 October 2005 - Majinate to run Symbian's "Accredited Symbian Developer" program
LONDON, United Kingdom, October 10, 2005: Majinate Limited today announces its appointment by Symbian Limited to operate the "Accredited Symbian Developer" Program. The program is designed to align the entire Symbian developer community around defined standards and competencies. These have been captured in a core curriculum designed collaboratively by Majinate and Symbian, which reflects the key skills needed to take advantage of the rich programmability of Symbian phones.
The curriculum will be maintained in step with the requirements both of developers and their employers as Symbian OS evolves, and is reflected in forthcoming Symbian Press titles. Establishing the curriculum means that academic establishments, training providers and professional services companies can plan the development of their staff and products according to a well-known industry norm.
"The leading indicator of a software project's success is often the competency of the staff assigned to it. Up until now, employers in the Symbian ecosystem have had to rely on subjective experience and luck when assigning staff to tasks. With the advent of this program, personnel and project managers can ensure that the right people are assigned to the right tasks, and that training is targeted at the right people," said Ian Weston, Founder, Majinate. "Working with our partners, Westminster University, EMCC Software and Symsource, we have adopted a market-focused approach to the establishment of an objectively testable skills set that leads to recognised accreditation."
As part of The Smartphone Show presented by Symbian, Majinate will be demonstrating an online assessment based on the foundation courses of the Symbian OS curriculum: Symbian OS Essentials and Application Engines. Developers can test their knowledge of these core topics at the show, with those demonstrating understanding in both breadth and depth of topics being recognised as Accredited Symbian Developers. Thereafter, Symsource (www.symsource.com) will be offering on-line tests and EMCC (www.emccsoft.com) will be offering supervised tests during their training courses.
Bruce Carney, Head of Developer Marketing & Services, Symbian, said "Majinate has both a strong position within the Symbian ecosystem and extensive Symbian OS expertise and experience. Majinate has worked with the Symbian developer community in the design and development of the Accreditation program. By selecting Majinate we have a Partner that can reliably deliver a program that is well-suited to the needs of Symbian developers."
Majinate will be seeking further suitably qualified partners to assist in the development and deployment of the Professional Level of Accreditation (to be launched in 2006) during the remainder of this year.
08 October 2005 - Majinate at the SmartPhone Show
Ian Weston presents "Developer Accreditation - Raising The Stakes" at 1130 on Wednesday 12th October at the Smartphone Show.
04 October 2005 - Symsource and Majinate launch Accredited Symbian Developer tests
LONDON, United Kingdom, October 4, 2005: Symsource, the experts in mobile phone technology, and Majinate, Symbian Developer assessment and accreditation specialists, today announced the forthcoming launch of online Accredited Symbian Developer tests.
The growing Symbian device ecosystem requires a constant stream of capable engineers able to fully capitalise on the strengths and features of Symbian OS.
Now, for the first time, there is a test that simulates the unique challenges faced in developing for the Symbian mobile device environment, testing both the theory and the practice behind the world's
leading smartphone operating system.
"Majinate's Accredited Symbian Developer tests, endorsed by Symbian themselves as the first badge of approval for Symbian Developers everywhere, will be available as an online test supported by Symsource's
subject matter experts." said Ian Weston, CEO, Symsource.
"The growing prevalence of Symbian OS devices has created great interest from newcomers to the wireless domain, eager to fill growing niche opportunities with novel products and services. With increased
competition, engineers and suppliers of engineering expertise will increasingly need to differentiate themselves."
The Accredited Symbian Developer test represents an independent third party affirmation and recognition of an individual or organisation's Symbian OS experience.
Online tests will be available via the world wide web starting during this year's Smartphone Show, October 11th and 12th. Individuals and organisations can take the test by credit card payment. For volume
purchasing please contact sales@symsource.com or see us at the show, where tests will be available from Symsource at stand 101.
About Symsource Ltd.
Symsource was formed in 2004 to meet the burgeoning mobile phone market's need for the highest level of expertise in technologies such as Symbian OS. Although a new company, our management team brings with it
over 15 years of experience at the heart of the mobile phone software industry. Symsource specialises in helping innovators exploit the wealth of technologies now enabled by smart mobile devices, offering bespoke
software development, training and helpdesk services.
Press Enquiries
For more information about Symsource and its products and services, please contact:
+44 (0) 20 7935 5250
info@symsource.com
http://www.symsource.com 
30 September 2005 - EMCC Software and Majinate join Forces to provide Developer Accreditation for Symbian OS
Manchester, UK ? 30th September 2005 - Majinate Ltd, the Symbian Developer assessment and accreditation specialists, and EMCC Software, a leader in telephony software engineering and training, today announced the signing of a partnership to provide a complete and tailored assessment solution for the mobile phone market. The partnership is a result of a growing need to improve quality and streamline engineering productivity within the Symbian phone market.
?The rise of open operating systems, such as Symbian OS, for data-enabled handsets has improved the capabilities of phones, but creates a new level of complexity in production. Combined with the massive scale of mobile phone deployment, production errors are very costly to rectify once phones are shipped. The main predictor of coding quality is the competency of the engineering staff deployed onto the project,? said Ian Weston, Majinate Founder.
Using Majinate?s assessment system, engineering managers will for the first time have an objective, independent assessment system for identifying individual training needs and organisational skills gaps. EMCC Software has joined with Majinate to deliver supervised skills assessments and to provide targeted training solutions, tailored to the individual's or organisation's needs, as identified by the assessment system.
"In today's cost-conscious environment, training managers need to demonstrate that they are getting best value from the training services they buy," said Leigh Edwards, CEO of EMCC Software. "With this system, training managers can identify accurately the training need, spending only where necessary: they can further assess the success of the training by repeating the tests after the training has bedded in."
Majinate's assessment system is fully endorsed by Symbian, with candidates who demonstrate an appropriate level and breadth of knowledge of Symbian OS programming skills being eligible for formal recognition as Accredited Symbian Developers.
"Majinate?s assessment system provides the most efficient and effective way to identify strengths, weaknesses and overall proficiency, at an individual or group level. Majinate and EMCC Software will provide companies with the ability to assess, accredit and co- ordinate training of engineers for Symbian OS, ensuring that individuals get the development they need and that production teams perform at an optimum level,? said Weston.
About EMCC Software Limited
EMCC Software is a leading Symbian, Series 60 and UIQ Competence Center and a Symbian Training Partner, focused on Symbian OS. EMCC Software has been working closely with Symbian and its Licensees for over six years, helping to develop Symbian OS itself, UI platforms such as Series 60 and UIQ, and other system and application software for a wide range of smartphones. EMCC Software specialises in consulting, development and training services for Symbian OS and related mobile technologies, and has developed a portfolio of leading-edge smartphone software products which are available for licence on Symbian OS handsets. The company?s knowledge of Symbian OS, Series 60 and UIQ is extremely broad but EMCC has particular expertise in the development of user interfaces, communications, messaging and JavaTM APIs.
Further information about EMCC Software Ltd can be found at www.emccsoft.com
15 September 2005 - IKM partners with Majinate to provide tailored solutions to the mobile industry
London, UK ? September 15, 2005 IKM, a leading provider of web- based employee and candidate knowledge measurement solutions and services, and Majinate, a telephony software engineering and consulting company, today announced the signing of a partnership contract to provide a complete and tailored solution to the mobile market.
The partnership is a result of a growing need to improve quality and streamline engineering productivity within the open mobile handset market.
Using IKM?s open assessment platform, Majinate will be the first to provide a knowledge measurement program to assess the skills and capabilities of developers for key operating systems in the mobile space.
?The rise of open operating systems for data-enabled handsets has improved the capabilities of phones, but creates a new level of complexity in production. Combined with the massive scale of mobile phone deployment, production errors are very costly to rectify once phones are shipped,? said Ian Weston, Founder, Majinate.
IKM and Majinate?s joint knowledge measurement program ensures the capabilities of engineers are maintained at the right level to minimize manufacturing errors and optimize production. It also improves the quality of complimentary applications developed for the open handset market, allowing greater creativity and innovation.
A user-friendly solution that encourages self-learning, IKM and Majinate?s knowledge measurement program is already being adopted in Europe.
?Individuals can assess their skill levels to identify any training requirements before embarking on development projects. Accessed via the Internet using an authorisation process for developer validation, the program provides a unique ?self-help? approach to optimise usability,? said Weston.
IKM?s knowledge measurement solutions use an unparalleled assessment methodology to provide the most efficient and effective way to identify strengths, weaknesses and overall proficiency, at an individual or group level. Using IKM?s IKM?s methodology platform, web-based assessments will be developed for the engineers of open operating handset developers.
?IKM?s methodology platform can quickly and easily be developed for knowledge measurement and certification programs in any discipline, including mobile phone engineering,? said Marie-Paule Donsimoni, CEO, IKM.
With Majinate?s expertise in mobile open operating systems and processes, the partnership will allow IKM?s assessment solutions to be used for skill gap analysis, training needs analysis, training evaluation and recruitment across the industry.
"IKM and Majinate will provide the ability to assess, accredit and co- ordinate training of engineers in the mobile space, ensuring that individuals get the development they need and that production teams perform at an optimum level", said Donsimoni.
This partnership further solidifies IKM?s position as a leader in knowledge measurement and certification solutions for the enterprise.
?This year IKM has experienced substantial growth, having added new clients such as Reuters Software in Thailand, CountryWide Finance in the USA, or Birlasoft in India. We are now pleased to have Majinate as a partner to provide tailored solutions for the mobile market which will further expand IKM?s footprint across the globe, ? said Donsimoni.