Marco Casario | RIAvolutionize the web

Comtaste,a Flash Lite and Web 2.0 development company

We're now out with Comtaste, a company dedicated to FlashLite/Mobile applications (for the english version of the site click on the UK upper-right flag).
Comtaste designs, produces and manages applications and services using the Web/Mobile 2.0 approach because we firmly believe that the success of every venture in this field is based on the consensus of the user.

Don't miss the Comtaste's FlashLite 2 Contents page, a place that we'll update with our FlashLite applications and utilities.

Our Mission

Comtaste which has among its team, long standing specialists in Flash and AJAX technology, is working towards the creation of a network of relationships and alliances with companies and professionals in development in different countries.
Comtaste represents the first Italian company solely focused on developing Adobe FlashLite content for mobile devices.

Promote Flash Lite contents on Nokia Support Board

Tommi at Series 60 blog pointed out the Nokia Support Discussions Board. Maybe we could try to post some news about Flash Lite applications dveloped for Nokia mobile phones with Flash Lite embedded.
I think this is the right place to sponsor Flash Lite to Nokia users.

The guidelines says :

Nokia Support Discussions is a meeting place for Nokia prod uct owners. Here you can discuss Nokia products, ask for assistance and help other people by providing solutions.
These boards are also a feedback channel to Nokia and people from many different Nokia departments actively follow these discussions. Constructive feedback and criticism is valued and always welcome.

Flash Lite included in Nokia Catalogs or Nokia Pro Catalogs ?

Today Alessandro talked about a Flash Lite application added to Nokia Forum Pro Catalog.
Some posts ago I pointed out the Nokia Catalogs application that is a simple but useful software  that allows mobile users to buy contents from operator and 3rd party portals.

Just to make it clear I asked to some Nokia people (thanks to Bjorn and Matti) the difference between Nokia Catalogs and Nokia PRO Catalogs.
Here it is :

• Forum Nokia PRO Catalogs are segmented publications published twice a year (http://www.nokia.com/P11513) and distributed to operators, S60 licensees, ...
• "Catalogs" (previously called Preminet Client) is a software application enabling end users to discover, download and enjoy software and other downloads on your Nokia device (http://europe.nokia.com/nokia/0,,84740,00.html)

Just for clarity ;)

Flash Lite 2.0 Stock Charts

Posted by Peter Baird  from Adobe Consulting Blog there is a new Flash Lite 2 application where he played with the Drawing API.

He has created an application which provides stock quotes for any stock the user enters and charts the historic prices of that stock.
A far cry from the old Flash Lite 1.1 !

Go to Adobe Consulting blog and download the SWF file for you mobile !

Presenting at the Adobe Master Class

Today it  starts the Adobe Master Class event.
I'll be presenting Flash 8, Dreamweaver 8 and Contribute 3 and the agenda is full of interesting sessions :

Dreamweaver 8 and Contribute 3, Flash 8, Adobe Creative Suite 2 for print, Photoshop & Illustrator integration, migration from Xpress to InDesign CS 2, Book with InDesing Cs2, Photoshop for photographers, Adobe Photoshop Elements 4.0 and  Premiere Elements 2.0

The Adobe Master Class is totally free but requires the registration.

Are you sure you want to quit FlashLite application ?

There are serious difference between developing application for web and for mobile using Flash 8. This is obvious.
One of this difference that it's not fully documented is that the fscommand2("quit")  won't work when written in the timeline and not associated to a keypress (on release event)

So in order to give some information (credits for example) to users before leaving your FlashLite mobile application, you could launch a movie clip, associated with your Quit button, and force him to read before quitting with the classic :

Are you sure you want to quit ? Yes || No

50% of the world’s population will use mobile cells

According to the latest research from the Strategy Analytics Wireless Network Strategies service, the cellular industry is on course for 2.5 billion subscribers by the end of 2006, and 3.5 billion by the end of 2010.

A new market study from Portio Research predicts that 50% of the world’s population will be using a mobile phone by the end of 2009, and Africa now boasts the fastest growth rate in the world, forecast to add 265 million new mobile subscribers over the next 6 years. [via MobileData]

Wow we're near a mass media like television.

How to install FlashLite 2 and 1.1 on the same device

The game is done. You bought FlashLite 2 and now you're ready to install it on  your Nokia Series60 device where you had your FlashLite 1.1 player previously installed.
But when you launch the installation process on your device Flash Lite 2 will overwrite your old beloved FlashLite 1.1 :(

So I just wanted to pointed out two resources that give you some advice :

A workaround written by Alessandro Pace is the following :

1. Unsis one of the players on your PC
2. create a pkg file
3. replace the UID with another one and make any necessary changes to file names)
4. create a SIS using makesis
5. try to install

Moreover Darren from Ludicrous Software added some extra detailed information for those who want to try to make FlashLite 1.1 live with FlashLite 2.

Top 10 Best-Selling Mobile Games

I found this top ten list of best selling games for mobile devices from ELSPA: The Entertainment and Leisure Software Publishers Association, a  professional association of gaming software developers dealing with issues of anti-piracy, codes of practice, accreditation, and professional development. Here is the top ten for December 2005 :

1. Peter Jackson's King Kong
2. Tetris
3. Block Breaker Deluxe
4. Pacman
5. New York Nights
6. The Sims 2 Mobile
7. 3D pool
8. Call OF Duty 2
9. E/A Sports Tiger Woods PGA Tour 2005
10. 3D pool Urban Hustle

Notice that there are 2 classic arcade games : Tetris and Pacman, a good representation of the arcade games for cell phones !
I saw a Tetris port developed in FlashLite but I can't see the PacMan ported in  FlashLite.
Is  anybody out there developing it with FlashLite ?

DoCoMo quits FlashLite to sell Windows OS phones

DoCoMo starts to sell 3G FOMA mobile phones with Windows Mobile 5 OS.
This means that these new phones won't be equipped with FlashLite player anymore.

In fact today I read that NTT DoCoMo and High Tech Computer Corp announced today that they have signed a basic agreement under which DoCoMo will market HTC 3G FOMA® handsets with Microsoft® Windows Mobile™ 5.0 Japanese edition operating systems. DoCoMo and HTC aim to launch commercial sales sometime in the second half of 2006.

HTC's handset will be designed to provide mobile solutions for corporate users and contributes greatly to system solutions by synchronizing with Windows Server™ and Exchange Server to offer messaging and other business support.