The anticipated coolth of Adobe AIR 2.0

[update: this post has been in the limbo for way too long, I wanted a way to embed the flash videos from Adobe.tv here, but it looks like there is none. I am publishing this post today, in hopes that the reader may find it interesting enough to actually try the links... BTW this here might relate to the silverlight 4 thingy as well! ]

I am yet to sift through all the Adobe MAX 2009 videos.

I find it really generous of Adobe to put all of these up. Even if most of it is marketing, they still share a few gems of information. Really worthwhile for guys like me, who end up being so busy there's little hope of attending an actual MAX event unless planned at least six months ahead of time.

I chanced upon the Adobe AIR 2.0 preview video:  http://tv.adobe.com/watch/max-2009-develop/whats-coming-in-adobe-air-2-/

(I wish there was a way to embed flash videos from Adobe.tv into Wordpress...)

 

To me the most important ones are the support for USB (mass storage devices) and native apps (so you can now open a word document from within AIR). I am still a bit skep about the performance, but, I am sure this is going to improve over the new version too...

Check these videos out. Kinda nice. Kinda exciting.

 

Cheers.

 

S.

[update:

1. there's a lot more videos on AIR2 in the complete video list, but I did like this one by Kevin Lynch as well: http://tv.adobe.com/watch/max-2009-develop/kevin-lynch-demos-adobe-air-2-features/

2. I prefer the adobe media player for working out all of it. nicer neater faster AIR based video playing...]

...and then came Silverlight 3 !

Yeah!

SilverLight 3 is here.

Loads and loads of new features. Infact, I am sure this is going to heat up the RIA wars with the Flash Platform.

Silverlight now combines the features of Flash 10, Flex, AIR and Pixel Bender all in one!

Also, Expression Studio already does what Flash Catalyst is supposed to do next year (or by the end of this year, when ever).

Hell I am impressed!!! Looks like with Bing, Azure and a host of new products, Microsoft's getting it right all over again! And Silverlight 3 appears to be another one of those aces.

Take a look at the complete feature listing here: http://silverlight.net/getstarted/silverlight3/default.aspx

...and I'll go start working on some samples now.

ciao!

S.

edit: Did I mention Sliverlight 3 also supports desktop applications for both Windows and Mac now? (I haven't tested this yet, but what the hell! Its exciting to hear those words...!)