Marco Casario | RIAvolutionize the web

Central ICQ Videochat ??

Via my CNET News.com Alerts i received an email titled :

ICQ offers video chat

So I immediatly thought about a Video application created with new Central AOL IM SDK instead I read that the video application was developed under the program known as ICQ Xtraz.
ICQ enables you to conduct simple and easy to use Video chat sessions.

Download the ICQ Video Xtraz.

What is the ICQ Xtraz API ?

The ICQ Xtraz API is a development platform that enables developers and businesses alike to create new and innovative features that can be seamlessly integrated into the ICQ 4 client. Currently the Xtraz API is available to developers or businesses who wish to partner with ICQ.
ICQ Xtraz are web-based features that are seamlessly integrated into ICQ 4.

An ICQ Xtraz feature that you create, as an ICQ partner, will be hosted on your site, and under certain limitations will be controlled and managed by you - so design, security and other aspects of your application or service, can be easily managed.

In order to develop ICQ Xtraz features, you will need access to the development platform, the ICQ Xtraz API. Currently the Xtraz API is only made available to individual developers or businesses that partners with ICQ.

Go to Xtraz Developer Center

The article end with this sentence :

"Central has yet to generate significant interest among developers, however, who have expressed concerns about usefulness and licensing terms."

Read the entire article.

PayDirect service (used by Central Try/Buy model) shutted down by Yahoo

I read on Zdnet site that Yahoo is shutting down PayDirect, the payment system used by the new Central Try/Buy license model.
The Try/Buy Distribution License permits developers to sell their Central apps using the Central Try/Buy infrastructure to promote them and handle payments transaction with the Yahoo! Payments service.
All details about the model are here.

You can read the entire article here.

From Yahoo Paydirect site (http://paydirect.yahoo.com/) :

The PayDirect service and web site will be completely discontinued on May 15, 2005.

A full timeline outlining these dates is included below:

November 22, 2004 – After this date, you will no longer be able to send money or add funds to either your PayDirect account or to any WorldCards you have sent. However, you will be able to transfer your balance to your bank account and close your PayDirect account. Recipients of Worldcard ATM cards may continue to withdraw funds you have put into a sub-account prior to this date but you will not be permitted to put new funds in a sub-account.

February 15, 2005 – All PayDirect accounts that have not already been closed by the account owner will automatically be closed, and the balance will be refunded. You will not be able to conduct any further transactions. The PayDirect web site will still be available for you to view your account history.

May 15, 2005 – The Yahoo! PayDirect from HSBC service will be completely discontinued, and you will no longer be able to access the web site.

What will happen to Central and the new License program ??????
Macromedia let us know, please !

Central 1.5 and AOL IM Bot

With the release of Central 1.5 developers can integrate in their application AOL and ICQ Instant Messaging service using the AIM SDK.

The AIM SDK for Macromedia Central contains a comprehensive API, supporting most of the functionality of the AIM and ICQ networks, including:

- connecting to the AOL messaging service
- sending and receiving instant messages
- sending SMS messages to cell phones
- managing buddy lists
- detecting the status of users
- searching for buddies (ICQ only)
- creating and joining chat rooms

America Online is launching a program this week to promote and facilitate the creation of what it calls AIM Robots for its AIM instant messaging system.
You can find more info here

And >here you can find a list of existing AIM Bots.

Flash Video feeds via Central

Today Mike Chamber and other MM people were going to be running some tests involving Flash Video, Xbox and DevChat.
I connected to DevChat and this is what i saw in my Central Pod :

This is the video output captured in realtime from Mike Chamber's Xbox while playing with star wars battlefront game.
Very cool application for Central enviroment !

Central Portraits

I was browsing the Central product page on Macromedia site and i found this cool demo under the How To Use Central section :

See portraits of Central in use
(high bandwidth connection recommended)

It's a flash movie divided into 4 different categories of users : developer, homeuser, student and journalist.

Simple, clear but it works !

New Central App - Recipe Finder

Hi,
i found this Central application in central mailing list post by Andrew D. Goodfellow.
I found it very nice :)

Description:
The Recipe Finder searches for recipes by keyword, allows you to save your
favorite recipes, and use those recipes to plan meals!

You can find the installation badge here:
http://www.goodfellow.net/central/recipe/

Have a good dinner !

Central 1.5 released !

Version number 1.5 for Macromedia Central (codename Gemini). Even if this is still a developer edition a lot of new features was implemented :

- Automatic network detection
- simpler licensing models
- support for accessing local files system, remote file upload and download
- support for Flash Player 7
- support fo Actionscript 2
- support for new component architecture
- a first step towards flex integration
- partnership with AOL Instant Messaging to integrate instant messaging into central apps

So we can see that Central 1.5 is the result of hard work by MM team.
So let's get started developing :)

Macromedia Central Developer Center
What is Central 1.5 article
Central 1.5 Desktop Dynamo article
Central 1.5 Quick start

Help Macromedia to create the future for Rich Internet Application !!