Video: AOL Media explains the benefits of Flash Player 10.1
For more videos from Mobile World Congress, check out the MWC page on Adobe TV.
Flash Player 10.1 and AIR coming to BlackBerry devices
For me, day two of Mobile World Congress started with a demo on how to build Flash based applications for BlackBerry devices. Since RIM is one of our Open Screen Partners you will soon see Flash Player 10.1 and AIR on BlackBerry devices. As a Flash developer I am obviously very excited about that. BlackBerry has traditionally been an enterprise platform, one that uses Java as its core developer platform. Bringing Flash Player 10.1 and AIR to these devices opens up a whole new world for Flash Developers but also for BlackBerry users.
At today’s BlackBerry Developer Day we showed some of the new workflows between Adobe’s creative tools and both RIM’s and Adobe’s development environments. With the upcoming BlackBerry plugin for Illustrator, it’s incredibly easy to create assets for different screen sizes. It also simplifies communicating with the developer as he only needs to import one file in to the BlackBerry development environment he’s comfortable with. We’ve also demoed how you can soon build Flash based applications for BlackBerry phones and how Device Central makes it easy to test those applications as if you were using it on the actual device. Developers can use Device Central to test and tweak different screen resolutions and test the application as if it was running on the phone. The next version of Device Central will even allow you to test features like the accelerometer and multi-touch.
I talked to a number of BlackBerry application developers (video will be available on Adobe TV soon) who were at the keynote this morning and it was great to see their enthusiasm. Not only are they very excited about the improvements both RIM and Adobe are trying to make to streamline the communication between designers and developers but I could definitely feel the excitement about Flash Player and AIR coming to these devices as well.
I really like how RIM and the BlackBerry community are embracing the idea of being able to include Flash content in their mobile sites and applications. I can’t wait to see which types of “super apps” the BlackBerry community is going to build once they have Flash Player and AIR on the devices and to see what types of apps the Flash community is going to build for BlackBerry devices.
Make sure you keep an eye on the BlackBerry developer blog. A video of the keynote will be posted there as well as a bunch of information on how to build apps for BlackBerry devices.
Flash on!
Microwave oven powered by Adobe AIR
From Crunchgear:
Two researchers from Japan’s Keio University (which yours truly attended just until recently by the way) have developed a kitchen appliance aimed at the total web geek in you, a YouTube-powered microwave. The so-called Castoven [JP] is based on a conventional, unbranded model of “good quality” but sports a 10.4-inch LCD screen in the door panel.
The main idea is to display a YouTube video whose length depends on the time you need to heat up what’s inside the Castoven. Say, you want to prepare a lunch box that takes 3.30 minutes to be ready. The Castoven would then automatically pull a video from YouTube with that length and display it on the screen until the meal is finished
The oven is powered by an AIR application that runs on your computer and gets YouTube videos through its API.
This is obviously just the tip of the iceberg. I’m sure you can imagine this with cooking videos, news broadcasts etc.
Ok… So I joked about this a while back and it became a reality. How’s this for the next crazy idea: An AIR/Flash Player powered fridge. The application will suggest recipes based on what’s in your fridge and will tell you when items in it have expired. In the morning it shows you the latest news and weather updates and it can even tell you how much power/money it is using and how to lower the cost. It also tracks your purchases so that it can alert you of promotions in your local supermarket… And obviously all presented in a nice, user-friendly UI. You have 6 months… Go!
Flash on!
Kevin Lynch at NewTeeVeeLive
Multi-screen development sessions: Help wanted!
With Flash On The Beach and MAX fast approaching, it’s about time to start prepping my multi-screen development session and lab for both events.
Before I can get started though, I need to come up with a good idea for a multi-screen application and I need your help in deciding which direction I should go.
So… What type of application would you like me to build for this session and lab? Entertainment? Food? Travel? Video? Photo? It can basically be anything as long as it has an in-the-browser version, a desktop version and a mobile version. I do have some ideas in my head but can’t decide on which one to use… That’s why I’m asking for your help!
Now, I’m not asking you to come up with a complete concept (but you can if you want to ;-) ). I’m just asking you to tell me what type of app you would like to build in the BYOL-lab at MAX and have me explain/show in my session at FOTB. I’ll reward the best idea with a goodie bag ;-)
Feel free to post your thoughts as a comment or use the contact form.
Multi-screen development session at Flash On The Beach
Although Flash On The Beach is only 4 years old this year, it has already become a highlight in the Flash community. There something about FOTB that makes this one of the “must-go” conferences of the year. And it seems to be growing year after year!
This is going to be the first year that I’m actually doing a session at FOTB. “I’d better come up with an appealing session”, was my first thought when I got accepted as a speaker. After all, I am sharing the billboard with Flash rock stars like Keith Peters, Mario Klingemann, Mike Jones, Grant Skinner, Joa Ebert, Colin Moock and many more.
But… I think I have an interesting session lined up. With multi-screen development becoming increasingly important, I thought it was a good idea to do a session about that. Even more so because we have some interesting announcements lined up around the MAX timeframe which coincidentally happens to be just 2 weeks after FOTB… So… I’ll show you how to build an application that runs on multiple screens sharing the same code-base and using the capabilities available in the different runtimes.
Can you read between the lines…? “Same code-base across the different runtimes…” Anyone? ;-)
Early bird pricing for FOTB ends on July 24th and FOTB did sell out the last 2 years… So… What are you waiting for? See you in Brighton!
More info and tickets on http://www.flashonthebeach.com/
Flash Lite Developer Challenge deadline is getting closer
A shopping trip to New York City, a few new phones for testing purposes and a new home cinema setup. That’s probably how I would spend $30.000 ;-) I really wish I could enter an app in the Flash Lite Developer Challenge and maybe win up to $30.000 but sadly I’m not allowed to enter one as an Adobe employee ;-).
However, it’s not too late to enter your mobile Flash application. You have until May 31st to submit it on http://flashlitedeveloperchallenge.com.
Making money with mobile apps outside Apple’s App Store
When I talk to developers about mobile application development, they all seem to think that Apple’s App Store is the only outlet where you can make money with mobile apps. Sure, Apple has done a terrific job making it easier for the consumer to buy and install apps on their iPhone but that doesn’t mean this is the only way. The iPhone market is also only a fraction of the total amount of mobile devices out there and people have been making money from mobile phone users for years now.
Here’s a little test. Turn on your television and tune in to any music channel. (Try to) Leave it on for half an hour and count the commercials for ringtone and application subscriptions you see. I’m pretty sure that after half an hour you’ve seen at least five for companies like the Ringtoneking, Jamster and Jamba. All of these (worldwide) providers allow users of just about any mobile phone to buy, download and install mobile applications. All it takes is a simple premium SMS that returns a download link. People have been doing this for years now and the Ringtonekings of this world are obviously making a ton of money from it.
Sure, it’s not the most ideal solution and again, Apple has done a fantastic job with the App Store. However, if these ringtone/app providers have been making money for so long, that means that people have been buying and installing ringtones, games and apps way before the iPhone was even conceived.
Conclusion: If you want to make money from mobile application development, why not do it for the broadest possible audience? And if you’ve made that choice, look in to Flash for mobile devices. It’s available on more than 400 650 (source: Device Central CS4) different mobile phones from just about all manufacturers including Nokia, Sony Ericsson, Samsung, HTC, LG, …
