What is ADOBE AIR?
What is ADOBE AIR?
AIR (Adobe integrated Runtime) is a cross platform runtime that allows you to leverage your web development skills to develop Rich Internet applications that can be deployed on the desktop.
What does this mean?
The runtime provides a consistent cross-operating system platform and framework for deploying applications and therefore eliminates cross-browser testing by ensuring consistent functionality and interactions across desktops. The target here is not the operating system rather the runtime that benefits by
• Applications developed for AIR run across multipleoperating systems without any additional work by you
.• Applications can be builtfaster by enabling you to leverage existing web technologies and design patterns. Web based applications are extended to desktop without having to learn the traditional method of desktop development and eliminating the complexity of native code.
• Easier than lower level languages like C, C++
What exactly does ‘Leverage your web development skills’ mean?
Adobe AIR is built on top of the three core web technologies • HTML • Flash • PDF As a result, AIR enables you to work in familiar environments by supporting with technologies like FLASH, FLEX, HTML, CSS, JavaScript, Ajax.
When should we use Adobe AIR?
When you want the customer to be reached at their doorstep, AIR can be used. Instead of having the customers visit the website, the products / services is extended to their desktop.
Why Adobe AIR?
Business Point of View:
1. Let’s you connect with the customer:
• Reach the customer rather than the customer reaches you.
• Let’s your customer to be connected without him/her being logged on to your website.
• Instant notifications, updates and alerts rather than using traditional channels like mails.
• Interact with the desktop by accessing files or content on the user’s system.
• Synchronization with the server, when the customer is connected to the Internet.
2. User Experience:
• Highly Dynamic and interactive.
• Stable and Reliable.
• Information Sharing.
• Option of working online / offline.
3. Cost/Assets
• No new technology used.
• No new process/architecture.
• Reduced cost in terms of development an d maintenance.
Technical Perspective
Architecture
Some who have already taken a lead in using AIR
Upcoming Features with Adobe AIR 2
Adobe released AIR 2 beta, which includes improved performance, interaction with printers, and Socket connections along with the following
• Open documents with default application.
• Mass storage volume detection • Native process API.
• Microphone data access.
• Multi-touch and gesture events.
• Global error handling.
• Enhanced printing support.
• Updated WebKit.
• Improved IPv6 support.
• Increased maximum size of Native Window.
• Server sockets support.
• File promises (Windows/Mac only) to name a few
What the Next Generation holds?
With Adobe AIR, developers can build standalone applications to target devices that run on the Android operating system. The same applications can also be deployed as desktop AIR applications on Windows, Mac, Linux. They can also be deployed on the iPhone using the Packager for iPhone.
Adobe air developers using AIR on Android will be able to leverage mobile-specific features such as multi-touch, gestures, accelerometer, GPS, and screen orientation to deliver richer and more impressive user experiences across multiple operating systems. Prior to targeting of Android platform, developers would be able to create mobile applications targeting iphone using the packager available with Adobe CS5.
