Marco Casario | RIAvolutionize the web

Flex 4.1 SDK and an update to Flash Builder 4.01 released by Adobe

Adobe has released an update to Flex 4 SDK as well as to the Flash Builder 4.

These are the list of bug fixed in Flex SDk 4.1 by the Flex team and Flash Builder 4.01  Update.

It has been added minor enhancements to the SDK such as the Flex mirroring and bidirectional text.

The  Flash Player 10.1 and AIR 2 runtimes are now supported by the updater.

You can download the Flex 4.1 SDK manually or you can use the update system of Flash Builder 4 to update the IDE and the SDK automatically.

AIR 2 and Flash Player 10.1 released. A lots of new features have beend added!

We got two great announcements from Adobe today:

• Flash Player 10.1
• AIR 2

Flash Player 10.1 closes its beta phase and it is finally available for Windows, Mac OSX and Linux!

 Here are some of the new features in Flash Player 10.1 :

• Global error handler
• Globalization support
• Browser privacy mode
• Out-of-memory management
• Content protection
• Peer-assisted networking
• HTTP Dynamic Streaming
• Stream reconnect
• Smart seek
• Buffered stream catch-up
• High-quality video codecs (video up to 1080p HD quality that rivals today's best video codecs with On2 VP6, On2 VP6-S, and industry-standard H.264)
• 3D effects
• Dynamic filters, effects, blend modes, and fills
• Custom filters and effects
• Advanced text support
• Animation and compositing
• Image import
• Large bitmap support
• Fast switch
• Microphone access
• Dynamic frame rate

See the full Flash Player 10.1  features list here.

AIR 2 starting today, is downloadable and installable at get.adobe.com/air/. Developers can now deploy applications built for AIR 2 on Windows, Mac OS and Linux. (Note that the AIR 2 SDK is available in CS5 and will be available as a free standalone download on Tuesday, June 15^th.)

These are some of the new features grouped by categories:

Deeper desktop integration

• Native process API
• Native document handlers to open documents
• Local microphone API
• UDP networking support
• WebKit with HTML5/CSS3 support
• Sophisticated printer interaction ENHANCED
• Mass storage device detection
• Enhanced drag-and-drop support
• Socket servers and peer-to-peer applications
• TLS/SSL sockets
• Large maximum window size ENHANCED
• IME API and IME text input ENHANCED
• Performance improvements ENHANCED
• Multitouch and gestures
• Faster JavaScript engine ENHANCED
• Global error handler
• Security improvements ENHANCED

Performance optimization

• Support for screen readers
• Cross-platform vector printing

Innovations for security and the enterprise

• Content protection (DRM) NEW (desktop only)
• New Linux DEB and RPM installers
• IME (input method editor) API
• IPv6 network support

You can have a look at all the features listed on the Adobe AIR 2 page.

Apples banned Flash-to-iPhone converted applications

War never ends between Apple and Adobe.
Apple and Steve Jobs did not hide the fact that they do not like Adobe and with the recent change to the  iPhone Developer Program License Agreement it's now clearer.

As Mashable writes in its blog post "The Apple-Adobe War Escalates: Using Flash to Build iPhone Apps Banned":

The new change to the iPhone Developer Program License Agreement, which comes as part of the release of the new iPhone OS SDK for developers, changes all that. Originally section 3.3.1 was only a sentence long, but now it has gained several more.

Here’s the new wording of the policy in question:

“3.3.1 — Applications may only use Documented APIs in the manner prescribed by Apple and must not use or call any private APIs. Applications must be originally written in Objective-C, C, C++, or JavaScript as executed by the iPhone OS WebKit engine, and only code written in C, C++, and Objective-C may compile and directly link against the Documented APIs (e.g., Applications that link to Documented APIs through an intermediary translation or compatibility layer or tool are prohibited).”

Flash on The Beach site's ready for this year's conference

FOTB 2010 site has been published. 

Here are just a few reasons that Flash on the Beach is your 'must-go-to' conference for 2010:

1. Nearly 60 of the worlds best speakers
2. 45 presentations
3. 5 workshops delivered by world renowned speakers
4. Content packed sessions covering creative, technical, inspirational, business.
5. More than 1200 attendees from all over the world
6. Exclusive access to video of every presentation *(only available to attendees)

Tickets will go on sale around next later.
Don't miss the opportunity to attend this awesome conference !

 

Want to read more on Flex 4, BlazeDS, Livecycle Data Services, Java, Spring, Flash Media Server 3, AIR, GWT, Google Apps,and Livecycle?

I just wanted to advice you that our company's blog (at Comtaste) has grown and 2 new authors has been added.

It means that you'll read more contents about Flex 4, BlazeDS, Livecycle Data Services, Java, Spring, Flash Media Server 3, AIR, GWT, Google Apps, and Livecycle ES.

I can prove it :) This is a list of latest Comtaste'posts:

• Flex WebService: how to list available operations at runtime
• First steps with Mate Flex framework
• AutoComplete custom component in Flex
• Spring BlazeDS Integration
• New Pantaste feature - Column constrained dashboard
• Filtering nested elements of a Tree data provider
• How to test upload bandwidth to a FMS
• Axis2, Spring and Annotations
• Fields Validation with LiveCycle Designer 8 for XDP or Dynamic PDF files

AIR on mobile devices and Flash Player 10.1 available to content providers and mobile developers worldwide announced by Adobe

Wow great news from Adobe at the Mobile World Congress  2010, Barcellona :

• Adobe AIR on mobile devices, a consistent runtime for standalone applications to come out of the Open Screen Project™, an industry-wide initiative led by Adobe that has grown to close to 70 ecosystem partners.
  
• support for the Android™ platform expected in 2010
  
• Adobe also announced that a beta of Flash Player 10.1 was made available to content providers and mobile developers worldwide. With the general availability expected in the first half of 2010, Flash Player 10.1 is the first consistent runtime release of the Open Screen Project enabling uncompromised Web browsing of expressive applications, content and high definition (HD) videos across screens including new tablet devices, smartphones, netbooks, smartbooks, desktops and other consumer electronics.

Some links:

Getting started with Adobe Flash Player 10.1 content for mobile devices

Resources for Flash developers optimizing mobile content to deliver uncompromised Web browsing of expressive applications, content, and video across devices with the upcoming release of Adobe Flash Player 10.1. 

www.adobe.com/devnet/devices/mobile_flash_10-1_developers.html

Adobe Flash Player 10.1 and Adobe AIR 2 mobile preview videos

Videos highlighting various aspects of Adobe Flash Player 10.1 and Adobe AIR 2 prerelease software, including websites and applications, on devices from Open Screen Project partners and other providers.

www.adobe.com/go/airmobile

Follow Adobe at the official Mobile World Congress blog at blogs.adobe.com/flashplatform.

Flash Cs5 Public Beta won't be released by Adobe

From the outside I can only say that it looks like there are a lot of changes  inside Adobe !

According to the Flash Platform blog: 

There will not be a beta for Flash Professional CS5

Adobe is no longer planning to release a public beta of Adobe Flash Professional CS5. This is a change from the plan that we announced in October at Adobe MAX 2009.

Adobe thinks that what is most important is to get the release version completed and in your hands as quickly as possible.

Adobe AIR 2 beta released on Labs together with Flash Player 10.1

That's a great news. Adobe finally announced that the Adobe AIR 2 beta is now publicly available on Adobe Labs!
Moreover the Flash Player 10.1 is available too. Flash Player 10.1  is the first runtime release of the Open Screen Project that enables uncompromised Web browsing of expressive applications, content and video across devices.

The features of AIR 2 are tons and they add real value to our desktop applications. Below you can get some useful resources and the list of the newest features that AIR 2 brings:

Adobe AIR 2 beta on Labs 
http://labs.adobe.com/technologies/air2/ 

Adobe AIR Team Blog: Adobe AIR 2 Beta Now Available
http://blogs.adobe.com/air/2009/11/adobe_air_2_beta_now_available.html 

Adobe AIR 2 Beta Release Notes on Labs 
http://labs.adobe.com/wiki/index.php/AIR_2:Release_Notes#Overview 

Adobe AIR 2 Beta Developer FAQ 
http://www.adobe.com/go/air2_faq

Adobe AIR 2 Beta Sample Applications 
http://labs.adobe.com/technologies/air2/samples/ 

Flash Player 10.1

http://labs.adobe.com/technologies/flashplayer10/

This is a list of the new features of Adobe AIR 2:

• Open documents with the user's default application (see File.openWithDefaultApplication() and Opening files with the default system application.)
• Microphone data access (See Microphone.sampleData and Capturing microphone sound data.)
• Mass storage device detection (see StorageVolumeInfo.)
• Updated WebKit version
  • WebKit in AIR is based on the version shipped with Safari 4.0.3
  • Support for JavaScript profiling
  • SquirrelFish Extreme JavaScript engine resulting in 50% faster performance using SunSpider tests
  • CSS3 Module support 
  • Styling scrollbars via CSS
  • Latest Canvas enhancements.
• Global Error Handling (see UncaughtErrorEvent.)
• New networking support
  • Server sockets (See ServerSocket and Server sockets.)
  • UDP sockets (See DatagramSocket and UDP sockets (AIR).)
  • TLS/SSL sockets (See SecureSocket and Secure client sockets (AIR).)
  • DNS lookup (See DNSResolver and Domain Name System (DNS) records.)
  • Network interface enumeration
    
• Packaging an AIR application in a native installer
• Native process API
• Database transaction savepoints (see SQLConnection.setSavePoint() )
• Screen reader support (Windows only) (see Accessibility)
• Printing enhancements
  • Vector printing is now supported on the Mac.
  • PrintJobOptions.printMethod.
• Idle time-out settings for URL requests (see idleTimeout)
• Improved IPv6 support
• Increased maximum size of NativeWindow (see NativeWindow.bounds)
• File promises (Win/Mac only) (see URLFilePromise and Dropping file promises)
• Multi-touch events (see TouchEvent)
• IME API and IME text input enhancement
• Native runtime install packages for Linux

Flash applications on iPhone now available with the upcoming Flash Pro CS5

That was the announcement done at the  today's MAX Keynotes. On theAdobe Labs site you can watch a videodemonstration of applications from the Apple App Store built using Flash technology.
Below there is the video that I've taken during the Keynotes:

From the Adobe Labs:

Flash Professioal CS5 will enable you to build applications for iPhone and iPod touch using ActionScript 3. These applications can be delivered to iPhone and iPod touch users through the Apple App Store.*

A public beta of Flash Professional CS5 with prerelease support for building applications for iPhone is planned for later this year

NVIDIA and Adobe together for optimizing the Flash Player graphic accelleration

Another good partnership for the Flash Player enhancement has been announced from NVIDIA and Adobe: 

 

NVIDIA and Adobe Systems Incorporated announced that they are collaborating as part of the Open Screen Project to optimize and enable Adobe® Flash® Player, a key component of the Adobe Flash Platform, to leverage GPU video and graphics acceleration on a wide range of mobile Internet devices, including netbooks, tablets, mobile phones and other on-the-go media devices. Adobe Flash Player will be accelerated across the range of NVIDIA processors, including NVIDIA Tegra™, enabling users to enjoy uncompromised Web browsing, full H.264 video playback, and rich, consistent Flash technology based content any time, any place, and on any platform.

Read the full "Adobe and NVIDIA Announce GPU Acceleration for Flash Player" announcement.