Andre Howe

(I) Profile:
André Howe is an energetic and talented Director with thirteen years experience in real time embedded, telephony, networking and operating systems development. His software skills include OO design, C/C++ and Java programming, system integration and customer support. He has experience working within teams on large developments and individually on smaller projects. He has had opportunities to provide hands-on training and mentor a team of engineers.
 
Involved with the technology of mobile phones for the last 12 years Andre Howe has gathered a broad experience with mobile phone software. Working for important companies of the mobile phone industry he has helped to develop Nokia, Sony Ericsson, Samsung, Motorola and Siemens phones. His area of expertise lies in WiFi, SMS and bluetooth.
 
André Howe formed Nohowe® Limited in 2003, which started off with SymbianOS consultancy services that same year. Besides their consulting services Nohowe® Limited also worked on individual projects including PennyMail. Frustrated with the costs of sending SMS messages and emails while abroad, Howe set up pennymail.mobi in 2008 to use the latest data technology and bypass expensive network costs. The company's PennyMail is the first step in an overall data and information solution for mobile phone users everywhere.
 
(II) Experience:
 
03/11 - Present, Director at André Howe Systemlösungen in Munich - Germany
 
1) Infotainment Platform project at Confidential in Taipei - Taiwan
* Built Android OS to run on Intel Atom platform and Nvidia Tegra platform.
* Create from scratch software for a bedside entertainment terminal for hospitals based on the linux platform to provide patients with telephony, TV, radio and internet services.
* Develop real-time linux software for the bedside terminal within the full project life cycle including specification, design, implementation, test and maintenance. Responsible for the systems architecture.
* Technologies used for the server side: Linux, Shell-scripting, Apache, PHP, Perl, C, Client/server.
* Technologies used for the client side (hospital bedside terminal): Real time embedded, C, Linux Kernel, Device drivers (Touch-screen, Graphics).
 
03/03 - 02/11, Managing Director at Nohowe Limited in London - UK
 
9) PennyMail.mobi mobile service project at Nohowe® Limited in London - UK
* Email alert - creating missed call via SIP client.
* Email read - incoming call to SIP server streams the unread Emails via VoIP to the caller.
* Send & receive emails for one penny only with UK Pay&Go mobile service provider.
* Supports POP, IMAP and Webmail (Yahoo!, AOL, Gmail and more).
* Technologies: VoIP, SIP, Linux, C, Client/server, Mobile clients, Various mobile platforms.
* WWW: http://pennymail.mobi
 
8) Mobile application project at Penthera Inc. in Pittsburgh, PA - USA
* Developed a S60 application for the NOKIA OVI store.
* Technologies used: S60, C++.
 
7) Linux migration project at Hospedia Limited in Slough - UK
* Created from scratch software for a bedside entertainment terminal for hospitals based on the linux platform to provide patients with telephony, TV, radio and internet services.
* Developed real-time linux software for the bedside terminal within the full project life cycle including specification, design, implementation, test and maintenance. Responsible for the systems architecture.
* Technologies used for the server side: Linux, Shell-scripting, Apache, PHP, Perl, C, Client/server.
* Technologies used for the client side (hospital bedside terminal): Real time embedded, C, Linux Kernel, Device drivers (SLE4406 Smart-card, Touch-screen, GPIO, Graphics), Disk-less-client.
 
6) Process Improvement project at Symbian in London - UK
* Quality Engineer reporting to the VP Quality in the Symbian Quality and Improvement Department.
* Process architecture: responsible for the roll-out of “lightweight” processes within SW engineering.
* Inventory Project: estimated the shelf life of SW not used by the licensees.
* Technologies: C++, RACI charts.
 
5) JAVA/J2ME maintenance project at Symbian in London - UK
* Documented, tested and maintained the SymbianOS Java stack (a challenging task as many different technologies are involved and to be able to succeed certain skills are required: deep understanding of Sun's JVM and Symbian's real time embedded technology plus language knowledge of C/C++, Java, SymbianOS/C++).
* Built the SymbianOS Java stack, built Java components, wrote/modified J2EE test code for the host and J2ME test code for the mobile, modified JSR implementations in Java/C/C++. Ran TCK test cases.
* Technologies: Real time embedded, C/C++, Perl, Java, JVM, J2ME, JDE, J2EE, JSR, TCK.
 
4) Start-up architecture improvement project at Samsung in Staines - UK
* Developed adaptation components within the full project life cycle including specification, design, implementation, integration, test and maintenance.
* Migration project: set up the full development environment for the future team. Migrated NOKIA's S60 phone platform to Samsung's mobile phone platform.
* Responsible for the start-up adaptation architecture.
* Lead the base porting (device driver, device booting, debug tools) activities.
* Technologies: Real time embedded, Migration project, C/C++, TI OMAP 2430, Series60v32, SymbianOSv9.2.
 
3) Wifi/WLAN device driver project at NOKIA in Southwood - UK
* Developed WLAN device drivers for NOKIA N80 and NOKIA N95 within the full project life cycle including specification, design, implementation, integration, test and maintenance.
* Migration project: Ported/integrated vendor code of an embedded Linux C WLAN driver into SymbianOS C++ code.
* Responsible for the architecture and design of the WLAN hardware abstraction layer.
* Provided hands on training. Mentored the team in SymbianOS technology.
* Implemented UAPSD power toggling mode into the driver to enable UMA telephony.
* Technologies: Real time embedded, Embedded Linux, Migration project, C/C++, UART/MCBSP/SPI, TI OMAP 1710/2420, WiFi/WLAN, UAPSD, UMA.
 
2) SIP/VoIP test network project at SX Design in Oslo - Norway
* Developed a test network for SIP VoIP phones within the full project life cycle including specification, design, implementation, test and maintenance.
* Wrote test scripts in C/Perl to automate testing of SIP signalling.
* Technologies: Real time embedded, IAD/ATA, Embedded Linux, C, SIP, VoIP, Ubicom IP2K, Asterisk PBX, Supplementary services.
 
1) Bluetooth device driver project at NOKIA in Southwood - UK
* Developed a Bluetooth device driver within the full project life cycle including specification, design, implementation, integration, test and maintenance.
* Provided hands on training. Mentored the team in SymbianOS technology.
* Optimised the Bluetooth speed performance and the power management of the Bluetooth chip in the device driver.
* Technologies: Real time embedded, C/C++, Bluetooth, HP logic analyser, TI OMAP1610.
 
07/00 – 02/03, Senior Technical Consultant, Symbian, London - UK
* Developed SMS protocol software within the full project life cycle including specification, design, implementation, test and maintenance.
* Responsible for direct support to costumers (also working on site in Finland and USA).
* Developed device drivers and provided base ports for the SymbianOS customers.
* Technologies: Real time embedded, C/C++, UML, SMS, EMS, USB, GPRS, JTAG, TI OMAP 1510.
 
10/97 – 06/00, Software Engineer, Siemens, Bocholt - Germany
* Developed Bluetooth HCI adaptation for different hardware platforms within the full project life cycle including specification, design, implementation, integration, test and maintenance.
* Developed mac-layer SW for base stations and mobiles in C within the full project life cycle including specification, design, integration, implementation, test and maintenance.
* Wrote the high-level specification for the DECT module (cable replacement).
* Technologies: Real time embedded, C, SDL, DECT, Bluetooth, Disassembling, 8051, C161, NSC14.
 
10/96 – 09/97, Tutor in the microcontroller practical training, University of Wuppertal
 
01/95 – 09/96, Programmer in C/C++ image recognition, TEMA Ltd.
 
01/90 – 08/91, Radio and TV engineer, Eibel Ltd.
 
(III) Education:
10/92 – 09/97 Masters degree in Technical Physics, University of Wuppertal
09/91 – 07/92 High school diploma in electrical engineering
09/86 – 02/89 Certificate as radio and TV engineer, RFT Ltd.
 
(IV) Areas of Development Expertise:
Device drivers, Kernel, Platform adaptation, Real-time embedded, Operating systems, Telephony, Multi-threading, Middleware, Internet protocols, DECT protocols, Portability, Development and Verification tools, Test equipment, Factory test, Consumer products, Battery powered devices, Digital communications, Designing, coding and testing software within the full project life cycle (waterfall, iterative), Troubleshooting: HW/SW debugging and defect fixing, Writing scripts for automating test software and builds.
 
(V) Key Technical Skills:
* System and Tools: Embedded systems, Linux, Windows, Mac OS, Unix, In-circuit Emulators, Logic Analysers, Protocol Analysers, JTAG debugger, Visual C++, CodeWarrior, Eclipse, Ant, Xcode, Perforce, SVN, CVS, Synergy.
* Languages: C, C++, JAVA (JDE/J2ME), JavaScript, Perl, PHP, CSS, HTML, SQL, Assembly - ARM; 68000; 8051.
* Protocols: USB, EMS, SMS, Bluetooth, DECT, SPI, WiFi/WLAN/802.11, TCP/IP, SIP, RTP, VoIP, POP, IMAP, FTP, HTTP, DNS, DHCP, WWW (SOAP, REST, JSON).
* Architecture: Design Patterns, UML, SDL, Reverse engineering, Process architecture.
* Client/server: Mobile clients, Peer-to-peer networking, Web/SQL/Email server, Asterisk PBX.
* Unix/Linux: GNU/Linux, Mac OSX, System administration, Shell scripting, GNU toolchain.
* Open source: GnuPoc project at sourceforge.net - SymbianOS SDK for GNU/Linux.
* Mobile Phones: Samsung i520, NOKIA N95 N80 6600 9210, Motorola A920, Ericsson P800.
* Cordless: BT Diverse 4010, Siemens Gigaset 3010.
* Quality: Code Reviewing, Metrics for code quality.
* Methods: Test driven development, Mocking, Rapid prototyping.
* Mobile Platforms: Android, Windows Mobile, iOS (iPhone), Series60, SymbianOS, Java MIDP, BlackBerry, Embedded Linux, Windows CE.
* Tablet Platforms: INTEL N-CPU, Mobile Intel 945 Express Chipset, CrystalHD Broadcom MPEG decoder, Realtek ALC888T codec.

(VI) Key Experience:

C++ design/coding/verification, UML: 9 years
Device drivers: 9 years
Platform adaptation: 4 years
Internet protocols, TCP/IP: 2 years
C design/coding/verification, SDL: 6 years
Real-time Embedded systems: 9 years
Assembly programming: 4 years
Computer telephony, VoIP, SIP: 1 year
Process architecture: 1 year
Leadership: 3 years
JAVA (JDE/J2ME): 3 years
LAMP (Linux, Apache, MySQL, PHP), Perl, JavaScript: 4 years

(VII) Major Achievements:
 
1) Linux hospital bedside terminal project at Hospedia: Although not planned Hospedia was able to demonstrate a working bedside terminal prototype to several banks because André as sole developer had created the prototype in only one month, a lot quicker than expected. This successful prototype contributed in securing Hospedia a total of 18 million pounds, funding the future of the company.
2) Mobile platform integration at Samsung: He discovered a design flaw in the Series60 start-up adaptation architecture and developed an alternative/temporary architecture, which saved the whole development team from a three-month waiting period for a new Series60 release.
3) WLAN project at NOKIA: He mentored a team of engineers with no previous experience of SymbianOS technology and as a result secured NOKIA the release of the NOKIA N80 with WiFi.
 
(VIII) Personal Details:
Nationality: German
Martial Status: Married
Address: Munich – DE
Email: andre at andrehowe.com
WWW: http://andrehowe.com
Languages: German (native), English (fluent), Russian (basic)
Military Service: Artillery Corps as Radio Operator (05/89 – 12/89)
Car: Full and clean Driving License

(IX) My other profiles on the Web:
Blog:   http://andrehowe.wordpress.comSourceForge: http://sourceforge.net/users/andreh XING: http://www.xing.com/profile/Andre_Howe2