(via John Nack) - Good news: the new Flash Player 10.2 (download the beta) offers a new, video-playback-optimized mode called Stage Video which uses the GPU acceleration added earlier this year.
Stage Video requires Flash developers to update the code in video players, so simply updating to the new player won’t automatically improve CPU usage on all sites, but YouTube has already updates its player & others will follow. If you’re a Flash developer and want to start experimenting, check out this tutorial from Lee Brimelow.
Take a look at the video demo here.
Apple finally removed all restrictions on the development tools used to create iOS apps:
(from the press release:) In particular, we are relaxing all restrictions on the development tools used to create iOS apps, as long as the resulting apps do not download any code. This should give developers the flexibility they want, while preserving the security we need.
Definitely a great news for all third party developers out there just waiting for this news. Restrictions were introduced by the famous 3.1.1 section of the iOS Developer Program License Agreement which now sounds a lot more "open". Section 3.3.1 old version:
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).
Section 3.3.1 new version:
3.3.1 Applications may only use Documented APIs in the manner prescribed by Apple and
must not use or call any private APIs.
(via Mark) - With CS5 now available the EMEA Evangelism team have scheduled a series of E-Seminars covering everything from design in Photoshop CS5 to development, and even deployment of your applications using the Flash Platform suite of tools.
The tools covered will include Flash Builder, Flash Professional, Flash Catalyst, Flex 4 and the Flash Player 10.1 and AIR 2 runtimes. In my own session we’ll also be covering Device Central and some asset optimization guidelines for targeting mobile phones.
Read more from Mark or sign up here!
Mark just posted a very interesting article about Flash Player 10.1/PhoneGap integration on the Nexus One:
As we edge closer to the release of Flash Player 10.1 in the first half of this year, it seems appropriate to revisit these posts. In this post you’ll see that there are hidden benefits to using a common runtime across device platforms, some of which are not that obvious.
The result of my week long investigation is that (using the beta version) I can hook up Flash Player 10.1 to the camera; but that’s just the start. Let’s look at how it’s done…
Read the full post here. Thanks for sharing Mark!
(via Vivek) - A new article posted in Adobe Devnet by Dave Zuverink on “Design tips for creating mobile RIAs”.
Mobile-specific websites (mobile RIAs) can be built with various combinations of HTML, JavaScript, or Adobe Flash technology. This article focuses on exploring some of the design opportunities offered by such websites. I describe what a mobile RIA is and why you should build one. I then provide several tips for making your mobile RIA a compelling experience for your users.
Read the full article here.
Flash Player 10.1 will become available in the first half of 2010 and Mark Doherty just published more details about flash Player 10.1 installation and update process.
One of the most important parts of our work with our Open Screen Project OEM partners is to enable the seamless discovery, installation and update of Flash Player 10.1 on device platforms. I know that some have asked questions on this, and so I’m glad to bring you some responses, if a little late.
Read the full post here.
Adobe made available a draft version of "Optimizing Mobile Content for the Adobe Flash Platform." Adobe worked with Adobe ActionScript expert Thibault Imbert to provide tips and tricks for improving the performance of ActionScript applications running on mobile devices.
Through code examples and use cases, this document outlines best practices for developers deploying applications on mobile devices. It covers general concerns, such as memory and CPU usage, then addresses ActionScript optimizations specific to mobile devices. This document focuses on best practices for applications running inside a mobile browser, but these best practices also apply to Adobe® AIR® applications. In addition, they apply to applications created using the Packager for iPhone in Adobe® Flash® Professional CS5.
A great resource. Check it out!
A couple of new articles were published recently on Adobe Developer Connection: Design tips for creating mobile RIAs and Delivering video for Flash Player 10.1 on mobile devices.
Design tips for creating mobile RIAs. Mobile-specific websites (mobile RIAs) can be built with various combinations of HTML, JavaScript, or Adobe Flash technology. This article focuses on exploring some of the design opportunities offered by such websites.
Delivering video for Flash Player 10.1 on mobile devices. From providing engaging experiences through rich Internet applications to delivering video, Adobe Flash has revolutionized the way we interact with rich media content on the web. More than 75% of all online video depends on Flash technology. Now that Adobe is bringing Adobe Flash Player 10.1 to mobile devices, you can ensure that all this great content can reach users across devices by taking note of recommendations from this article.
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