Flash and Flex Israel - Making money with Air 25-04-10

An interactive developer & designer specializing in Flash, Flex, Web, Adobe Air, 3D Experiences, and Mobile Devices. Working under “Almog Design” clients include Nokia Asia, Intel Israel and a number of local to international companies.

I’m actively involved in the community, run the Adobe user group Flash and Flex Israel and have spoken in a number of groups and conferences.

Contributor to Flash and Flex magazine and maintains an active blog when not creating he enjoys scuba diving and photography.

My site & blog - almogdesign.net Twitter @almogdesign almogdesign -

Almog Koren “Almog Design” Interactive Developer & DesignerFounded and mange “Flash and Flex Israel” official Adobe User Group

1. Introduction: Adobe AIR• What is AIR? • Cross platform development • Technologies and tools • Features • What can’t be done • AIR API

2. Pitching AIR • Selling points • Cost and development • Still no!

Agenda

Table of Contents

3. Market Opportunities • Repurpose web properties • Widgets • Media-rich applications • Offline marketing / Branding • Enterprise applications • Casual games • Kiosk • Components/libraries • Developer tools

Agenda Continued

Table of Contents

3. Case Studies!• Intel Kiosk AIR App - Kiosk • FanBase - Branding • TweetDeck - Social Mash up• AOL Top 100 Videos - Media-rich applications

Agenda Continued

Table of Contents

Do note this presentation is based on Grant Skinner’s talk “Making Money with Adobe AIR” presented at MAX 2008 San Francisco.

It was updated to fit the Israeli market and updates that were done on Adobe Air.

Reference (the following sites were used for reference)http://www.adobe.com/products/air/ http://www.adobe.com/products/air/develop/flex/

http://www.adobe.com/products/air/showcase/ http://blogs.adobe.com/air/ http://www.adobe.com/devnet/air/ http://refreshingapps.com/

Disclaimer

INTRODUCTION

Adobe Integrated Runtime (AIR) is a cross-platform runtime environment for building rich Internet applications leveraging current web technologies and tools.

A web browser enables a user to interact with content and applications typically located on a website on a server. Adobe AIR builds upon capabilities and technologies used in the browser to enable deployment of applications on the desktop.

What is AIR?

Introduction: Adobe AIR

The adobe AIR runtime is currently available for Mac, Windows, Linux. In the upcoming months AIR 2.0 will also be available on Android OS, tablets mobile and much more.

Deployment is via cross platform .air file or through “badge install”, In the upcoming AIR 2 self installer for the runtime will be available.

You can also obtain a license from Adobe to distribute the runtime in a combined installer (http://www.adobe.com/products/air/runtime_distribution1.html), for example MDM Inferno.

Cross Platform Development

Introduction: Adobe AIR

Leverage your existing experience with existing technologies • HTML, Javascript, AJAX• Flex, MXML• Flash, ActionScript 3

Utilize your existing tools• Dreamweaver • Flash Builder 4 • Flash • Command line compiler (ADL/ADT) FREE

Use existing libraries for ActionScript or JavaScript - Facebook API, Amazon S3 Library, AS3 Core Library, AS3 Crypto, AS3 Notification Library, AS3 Ebay Library, Flickr API,Ribbit, Salesforce Flex Toolkit, TweenLite, YouTube API - Develop the way you want!

Technologies and Tools

Introduction: Adobe AIR

Deploy engaging user experiences to the desktop - provide customized or branded user interfaces, integrate local and network data, interact with local and network applications.

Enhance the power of RIAs - have access to a set of Adobe AIR APIs that expose desktop functionality and resources, including local file access and storage, drag-and-drop support and more.

Achieve rapid productivity - AIR supports a flexible programming model that helps developers achieve excellent productivity.

Easy application delivery - open echo system, develop on the AIR marketplace or on your site.

• Familiar workflow, Flexible runtime, Local file access, Embedded database, Convenient desktop APIs, Enhanced networking, Rich multimedia and video, Multiwindow support and transparency, Cross–operating system compatibility

Features

Introduction: Adobe AIR

Introduction: Adobe AIR

Features Cont.

Air is not a robust desktop programming environment.

Performance and memory utilization is ok, not on par with native executables.

No support for command line access, activeX or an extensibility model.

Don’t expect to develop full grown software apps.

What can’t be done

Introduction: Adobe AIR

AIR API

Introduction: Adobe AIR

• FileSystem access (read / write)• Windowing• Native menus • Network monitoring • Clipboard access • Application update • Encrypted storage /DB• Drag and drop• File type registration\• Local SQL database • Embedded HTML Control• Application updating • System notification / dock icons • Background applications • System isle detection

• TLS/SSL Sockets (Air 2.0)• Enhanced Printer Interaction (Air 2.0)• Native Process APIs (Air 2.0)• Mass Storage Device Detection (Air 2.0) • UDP Networking Support (Air 2.0) • Socket servers and Peer-to-Peer (Air 2.0) • Native Document Handlers to Open Document (Air 2.0)• Enhanced drag and drop support (Air 2.0)• Local Microphone API (Air 2.0)• maximum window size (Air 2.0) • New Webkit with HTML5/CSS3 (Air 2.0)

PITCHING AIR

Selling Points

Pitching AIR

• Cross platform• Web installation and launch options • Rich interaction, design, and content • Multiple screen experiences • Ability to leverage existing skills, libraries, and tools • Rapid prototyping / iteration / development • Network update • Integrated media features: video, audio, microphone, webcam • Online / Offline • Network events and robust connection options • Leverage AMF and Durpal, Web service and more

Using existing toolsby using existing tools like Flash Builder 4 or Flash there is no need to cost for development tools.

Leverage existing knowledgeno need to learn a language.

Leverage existing librariesby using existing libraries devolvement time is dropped.

Cost and Development

Pitching AIR

CustomersEstablish a more persistent connection with existing customers.

Brand Deliver fully branded experiences.

Adobe Develop and deliver RIAs efficiently using proven Adobe technology.

ROIIncrease the ROI of your web investments.

ExamplesShow many examples

Still no!

Pitching AIR

MARKET OPPORTUNITIES

Because AIR is built on top of standard web technologies, it is almost trivial to migrate them. Kuler - http://www.adobe.com/products/kuler/

Repurpose web properties

Market Opportunities

Easy to create simple service “mash-up” or “Social mash-up” Fast and Furious - http://www.fastandfuriousmovie.net/

Widgets

Market Opportunities

Animation, interaction, photos, audio, video Adobe Media Player - http://www.adobe.com/products/mediaplayer/

Media-Rich Applications

Market Opportunities

Extend to consumer’s with richly branded interactive experiences., provides a sense of ownership that web properties do not. Time 100 - http://www.adobe.com/cfusion/marketplace/index.cfm?event=marketplace.offering&offeringid=12445

Offline Marketing / Branding

Market Opportunities

Critical business tools that are easy to deploy from an intranet, and are seamleassly cross platform. Dashboards, time tracking, expense submission ect.. Klok - http://klok.mcgraphix.com/klok/index.htm

Enterprise Applications

Market Opportunities

Cross platform and badge install makes AIR an obvious choice for taking games offline.

Casual Games

Market Opportunities

AIR id a good platform for richly interactive kiosk experiences. Full screen, touch, network, remote update, logging, media integration.

Kiosk

Market Opportunities

Large potential market selling libraries to other developers. Doc? http://www.airdoc.be/

Components/Libraries

Market Opportunities

AIR makes it easy to rapidly write one-off utility applications to generate/manage files and automate tasks. aSnippet - http://asnippet.com/blog/

Developer Tools

Market Opportunities

CASE STUDIES!

Intel Kiosk AIR App

Case Studies!

PC based kiosk app, touch screen, network, AMF + drupal, MDM inferno combined installer distribution.

FanBase - Branding

Case Studies!

Atlantic Record’s FanBase application connects for their favorite bands. It provides value to the user, and extends the brand onto the desktop.

TweetDeck – Widget/Social Mash up

Case Studies!

TweetDeck offers user a simple app to track there twitter account from the desktop. PC, mac and mobile versions.

AOL Top 100 Videos - Media-Rich Applications

Case Studies!

AOL top 100 provides a rich media experience for users.

THANK YOU