System Requirements

I have run Linux networks (Ubuntu) in my classrooms for many years. Unfortunately, many cell phone emulators are available ONLY for Windows, and some of those will only run on Windows XP (not Vista). Therefore, I do cell phone software development using Windows XP.

Computer

You don't need a super fast computer for cell phone development, but a little muscle comes in handy. I use a Sony Vaio notebook with 2 GB of memory, and a 2 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor. I bought it new in June '09 for $650 at a local computer store. It works very well for cell phone development.

An older, less powerful computer will certainly work, but compiling will take a bit longer, and some of the emulators will load slowly. The main point is that you don't need an especially powerful computer, and even ones a few years old will be adequte.

Bluetooth

It is extremely convenient to download programs from the desktop development system to a cell phone wirelessly, using Bluetooth. Bluetooth is a short-range (10 meters), high peed (Bluetooth 2.0 transfers data at ~2 Mbit/s), radio frequency link that costs nothing to use (it does not make use of the cellular network).

To make use of Bluetooth, the cell phone must have Bluetooth capabilities, and the computer must have Bluetooth hardward. If your computer does not have Bluetooth built-in, you can buy a Bluetooth dongle (the size of a pendrive) and plug it into any USB port. Bluetooth dongles cost about $10. I've been using Azio model BTD603-132 without any problems.