Marco Casario | RIAvolutionize the web

Apollo applications do not require a backend to run

I was reading again the Renaun Erickson 's  post about Apollo and I found some very interesting comments by Mike Chambers :

Mike Chambers' first comment on Apollo :

I just want to calrify, that Apollo applications do not require a backend to run. They can connect to and leverage backend services (The ApolloTunes application was loading album art, and related artists from a web service).

As far as connecting to local databases, that may also be possible.

Mike Chambers' first comment on Apollo :

One, one option, regardless if we support it directly, is to you conenct to the DB via ActionScript and communicate over the socket.

Should be possible, and I dont think it would be long before someone wrote libraries to make it easier.

How is Flash Lite going to succeed where J2ME/WAP/C++ have failed ?

Mobile Marketing Magazine pointed out some good points in comparing Flash Lite technology with other alternative technologies : WAP, J2ME, C++ and Python.

Flash Lite vs WAP :
Firstly let’s look at WAP. WAP has been proved to be slow and difficult to use, and therefore does little to create a desirable experience.

Flash Lite vs J2ME:
J2ME on the other hand is a real contender. It’s powerful, it has an estimated 20,000 developers, it’s got a few years on Flash Lite in the mobile arena, and it’s the de facto standard for games development.
On the downside, J2ME has a very fragmented landscape, and a long development cycle, which is where Flash Lite comes into its own, as development times are typically three to five times quicker than using other applications resulting in lower costs.

Flash Lite vs C++ and Python :
C++ is another option, but again the process is complex and the development cycle slow, while a further possibility, PYTHON, is currently only available for 60 series devices. Though not all necessarily working within the mobile space, Flash has an estimated 1 million developers, and after nine years, has become a robust, mature development environment.

Compared to J2ME, the ability to create dynamic, animated and rich graphics makes Flash Lite the perfect choice for creating sleek designs and superior sophistication for a truly engaging user experience.

Other applications have their place, but for marketing, Flash Lite has a real edge, and opens the door to dynamic multimedia applications and user interfaces. Experience matters, and in the fast moving world of mobile marketing if development times are shorter, then costs are lower, and reaction time is increased.

Read the entire Flash, Savour of the Mobile Universe? article

Flash Lite Success Story: Mobizine

I was googling when I found on the Adobe site the review of Mobizines :

Mobizines deliver a wow! factor that compels mobile users to adopt data services. The service itself is free to subscribers within their respective data plans. Network operators increase data traffic during their underused off-hour timeslots. Advertising revenue is shared by the content publishers and Refresh Mobile. "We're making the mobile pie bigger and reaching untapped market segments," said Elaine Devereux, marketing director at Refresh Mobile. Everybody wins.

Superior rendering is powered by Flash Lite. "Actually, we run a Java version on some phones, but all the advanced services come out on Flash first and then we play catch-up on Java," said Cunnington. He adds that the Flash development environment is easily twice as fast as Java, and he hopes that all device manufacturers to adopt Flash Lite. "Flash is crisper, faster and delivers user interfaces that are now the envy of the mobile and device industry," he added.

Magazines are not the only thing that can be delivered using Refresh Mobile technology. Several organizations with mobile workforces have expressed an interest in publishing their internal newsletters worldwide via Mobizine, as have niche groups like sports leagues and motorcycle clubs. The whole idea brings new meaning to the term self-publishing.

The whole Adobe Developer week recordings

Now you can't say you was busy for the World Cup.
All the Adobe DeveloperWeek recordings at a glance :

• The Adobe Engagement Platform
• Introduction to Developing with Flex
• Introduction to Adobe LiveCycle
• Building Flex Apps with Flex Builder
• Flex Data Services
• Building Killer RIAs? Meet: Adobe’s Next-Gen Technology
• Architecture and Overview of Adobe’s Security Model
• ColdFusion Powered Flex
• An Introduction to Adobe LiveCycle Workflow and Qpac
• ActionScript 3 for Flash Developers
• Looking for IT Agility, Sizzling Apps & Fast Processes
• ColdFusion and Model Glue
• Using InDesign Server with Flex
• Building Applications using LiveCycle and Flex
• Flex and AJAX – Better together
• Smart Client Architecture and Processing Models
  

Future development looks even brighter with Apollo

A lot of rumors are growing around Apollo.
That's what Mike Potter said about Apollo and some other Adobe's technolgies :

Yes, you can do some very cool things with Flex right now.
However, future development looks even brighter from an Adobe perspective.  Apollo will provide additional APIs to web applications that will allow them to integrate into the operating system - users will launch web applications just as they would a regular desktop application (with icons on the desktop / dock / taskbar), the ability to save large amounts of data on the local machine (not limited to the 100K default for the shared object), and perhaps most importantly the ability to develop an application once and then have it run on multiple operating systems (we've committed to making Apollo cross platform).  Watch a developer week session about Apollo.

Reality-Checking the AJAX Web Application Architecture

It's a reminder for me but I'm pretty sure it will be useful for others.
I found the Steffen Meschkat's presentation (Google) during the Web 2.0 Summit, London 2006-02-08 :

Reality-Checking the AJAX Web Application Architecture

Preparing for Adobe Apollo seminar during Real World Flex Conference

"Real-World Flex" One-Day Seminar series will take place on August 14, 2006, at the Roosevelt Hotel in New York City.
The event is been organized by SYS-CON Events, Inc. and of course  Adobe Systems Inc. is the platinum sponsor of this event, with additional sponsorship opportunities available.

The "Real-World Flex" One-Day Seminar will delve deep into the central workings of Flex so that the seminar delegates can integrate this timely new technology into their applications, creating powerful interactive content.

The seminars are pretty cool and there will be a presentation about "Preparing for Adobe Apollo".
I won't be able to fly to New York on August (prices are so expensive during that month for italian people) so I will miss the event :(

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The list of topics at the Real-World Flex Seminar includes:

The Flex Approach to RIA Development

Bridging Flex and AJAX

Integrating The SPRY Framework

Using Flex Builder 2

Flex for Java Developers

ActionScript 3.0 Tips and Tricks

How To Use ColdFusion with Flex

Leveraging Flash

Preparing for Adobe Apollo

MXML Master Class"

A new site dedicated to Flex 2

Today is born Flex.org, a new site dedicated to Flex suite :

Flex.org is a starting point for  developers working with Adobe Flex Builder 2, Flex Data Services  2,  and the Flex 2 SDK.  Here you will find links to technical and support resources from both Adobe and the developer community. We are working to evolve this site over time and we welcome suggestions at anytime.

Apollo presentation's recording

I talked about the last Adobe presentation about Apollo technology and I found today the recording of the Breezo.
If you missed it in the past, don't do it again :)

Building Killer RIAs? Meet: Adobe’s Next-Gen Technology

Another Flex 2 support request

Tomorrow I'll be in Milan with Adobe Italy and after a visit to the Java Conference 2006, we'll go to another company who asked for Flex 2 support.

It's a great moment for Flex 2 in Italy and things will continue growing !
Stay Tuned !