Mobile carriers offer games and applications for download from their portals, for a price. But there is an alternative, an amazing number of mobile Java games and applications are available for free. Freeware and Open Source downloads have been around for years and recently there has been an explosion of ad-supported mobile games offered by several sites. Here are my favorite sites for free Java downloads.
Free and Open Source downloads: These range from simple games and utilities created by hobbyists to some quite sophisticated programs.
Midlet.org Is is a big site with over 400 downloads. Midlet.org doesn't seem to have been updated in years and the downloads are pretty old. The PC version of Midlet.org (midlet.org) is fun to browse to see what's available. It's easy to navigate with downloads grouped into hierarchical categories like Games/Puzzle/Tile. There are screen shots and descriptions of each download and usually a link to the developer's website. The developer sites generally have documentation and often additional and/or newer versions of the game or application. There are also user and developer forums and a page of troubleshooting tips. Like all these sites you can download to your PC for transfer to the mobile via cable or bluetooth.
Midlet.org's mobile version (midlet.org/wap) is also fairly well organized and is where you need to go to download games directly to your phone. At the top level, applications are grouped by handset and under each handset they are divided into the same categories as on the PC site. However, there are actually very few downloads listed under specific phone models. The vast majority of Midlet.org's downloads are are under an All Phones - Generic category. Browsing through the categories is reasonably easy using a phone browser but there are no descriptions of any of the downloads on the mobile site, only their titles. You really need to visit the PC site first to figure out what you want to download before going to midlet.org's mobile site.
GetJar.com is a truly huge site (57,000+ downloads) that like Midlet.org. has been around for years. It has freeware, shareware and demo games and applications. In addition to Java programs there are also some Palm, Windows Mobile, Android and Symbian games and apps.
GetJar's mobile site (wap.getjar.com) is pretty easy to navigate. Apps and games are organized by categoies, the mobile site's search facility works well and there are descriptions on the download pages (image right). The PC site (getjar.com) is also catergorized and you can filter the selection by phone model or family. The handset filter works well and includes generic programs in the same listings along with handset specific ones. Each download has a description and a screen shot and most also have user reviews. Each file on the PC site also has a 5 digit Quick Download Code. As the name implies, you can enter this code on the mobile site to go directly to the download for that app or game.
Mob385 has no games, it's all freeware applications like calculators, calendars, browsers, password safes, etc. plus some wallpapers. You can download directly to your phone from the mobile site (wap.mob385.com) or to your PC for side-loading from the PC site (java.mob385.com/en) The PC site has screen shots and descriptions, the mobile site doesn't but it's fairly small (230 applications) and files are at least grouped into categories.
Phoload is a relatively new JAVA ME "App Store" along the lines of GetJar.com. In fact, it's organized very similarly to GetJar. There's a full web version (phoload.com) with a categorized, searchable directory of games and applications that can be filtered to only include apps compatible with your device. Applications and game listings include a screenshot, description and user reviews and ratings. All files can be downloaded to your PC for side loading. Or you can make note of a six digit "download code" and enter it on the mobile site for a direct to mobile download. Registered users can also add titles to a "Quick Download List" which makes them appear on the mobile site's front page.
All downloads are free, the applications and games themselves are mostly freeware or ad supported but some are trials and demos. The type of each download (free full version, free ad-supported or trial/demo) is clearly indicated in each listing on Phoload.
The mobile version of the site (m.phoload.com) has a mobile formatted version of the same searchable, categorized directory of apps and individual pages for each app with screenshot, description and rating. There is also download by code feature and, for registered users, their "Quick Download List", a "vault" containing applications and games they have tagged on the full web site.
Ad Supported. These sites offer commercial quality games for free. Obviously there is advertising too. In my experience the ads are only shown when a game first loads and when you exit it. I didn't find the ads obtrusive, they are simple text or banner ads that can be dismissed with a click or two. Seeing a couple of ads seems like a reasonable price to pay for a high quality game. Be warned though that if you pay for data by the KB you will be charged for downloading ads every time you play.
GameJump is the site that originated the concept of ad supported Java games and it still one of the biggest in both traffic and number of downloads. Both the PC (gamejump.com) and mobile sites (wap.gamejump.com) are easy to use. Files are categorized and the PC site has screen shots. The mobile site (image) has cover art. GameJump recognizes virtually all phones and automatically customizes the download selection to show only those that work on your phone. There are thousands of games and applications available on GameJump including a number of eBooks.
Hovr has copied GameJump's business model closely and recently passed it in traffic, at least according to Alexa. Both the mobile (hovr.com/wap) and PC sites (hovr.com) feature good usability with categories and descriptions and, on the PC site, screen shots. Unlike GameJump registration is required to download but only from the PC site, the mobile site doesn't require you to login in order to download.
Cellufun is primarily a WAP games site, But it has a few Java games as well. Unlike the other sites mentioned here you do need to register and login before you can download from either the mobile (wap.cellufun.com) or PC (cellufun.com) site.
Will these free Java games work on your phone? I've found that most of them generally do if you have a GSM phone made in the last three years or so. In the US, ATT and T-Mobile are the main GSM carriers. Sprint users can download and play these games as well. Nextel phones run most Java games but you will have to side-load them from a PC as downloading is not supported on Nextel. If you are a Verizon, Alltel or US Cellular customer you are out of luck as these carrier's phones do not run Java programs. Outside of the Americas almost all phones are GSM and should work. Of course, Java ME being what it is there are bound to be some incompatibilities between certain games and phones. But if you download a game that doesn't work, it didn't cost you anything, except possibly data charges and there are plenty more games to try.
Did I miss your favorite free game download site? If so let me know with a comment. No Warez sites please, just legitimate sites offering legal downloads.
Related: GameJump - Free Mobile Games
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I can't find a simple java word processor!
Can anyone point me in the right direction?
i have some java games for my lg shine but i dont know how to run them in the pohne
But why bother, use one of the free web services like rumkin.com or FunForMobile. They work the same, you upload a file with your PC to the site and get an SMS or MMS containing the ringer. You have to pay the normal fee for receiving a message but that beats paying your carrier $2. I like Rumkin because no registration is required and they don't retain your phone number, on the other hand, FunForMobile is a real community with lots of features.
did anyone find one? even a notepad type app would do
http://www.getjar.com/mobile/14776/mini-notepad/
http://www.t-allner.com/mpad.html
http://www.getjar.com/mobile/30539/tapntype-mobile-text-editor/
http://www.getjar.com/mobile/510/notepad/
http://www.getjar.com/mobile/27986/tapntype-mobile-word-processor/
http://www.getjar.com/mobile/13028/upvise-notebooks/
You can get qeep on http://m.qeep.net/free-games.