Every year, I look forward to this presentation in order to get the latest info on new software and what is in the workshop. Adobe provided an array of great information for several different types of users. The main topics covered were Adobe Creative Suite 3, Flash CS3, Flex, Apollo and Flash Media Server.
Adobe Creative Suite 3 is now available for purchase so you can begin creating your masterpieces. I’m really excited about the integration between all of the different software’s and the cross-over between them. Since this is the first official released of all Adobe products (Flash 8 was under Macromedia) they have taken into consideration all their software and have designed the panel system to look very similar consistantly throughout. This is extremely important when going between Photoshop and Illustrator or Illustrator and Flash, etc. There are a ton of new apps available in CS3, I suggest you go check it out. www.adobe.com/creativelicense/
Flash CS3 has more of a refined look to its workspace and allows the user to create engaging experiences more efficiently. A new function to this software is the import from Photos
hop or Illustrator feature! That’s correct; you can now import your files directly into flash using the same important feature. If you’re importing a Photoshop file, for example, it will prompt you as to which layers you’d like to import. You can choose them all or a select few. You also have the ability to customize each layer as it comes in.
If you have a set animation for a symbol and want to apply that same animation for another symbol, you can “copy motion”. Once you paste the motion to the symbol you want to have the same animation, it will do the identical thing using the new symbol. In previous versions, you would have had to copy and paste frames and swap out the symbol for each key frame. In addition, you can take an animation and covert it to an entire XML file! Your XML file will contain all the data required for the graphics to animate. This can be handed over to a developer who animates in code! Oh yeah, one more thing – you can do 3D with ActionScript 3.0!!!
Adobe Flash Player 9.0 has been adopted to more than 80% in 9 months!
Adobe also mentioned a lot of new cool things going on in the Flex community. A lot of companies are using Flex for enterprise solutions to build complex and nice-looking applications. With the new addition of Flash, I’m sure the applications will be even better!
At last year’s FITC, Adobe announced a new project that they would be working on – Apollo. Apollo allows developers with existing skills (such as html, javascript, etc) to create desktop applications for the internet! An example they gave was a application that runs on your desktop for eBay. This application allows you to do searches in their database right on your desktop. You can place bids on an item and if you’re outbidded, you can be notified if the application is running. If you’re not connected on
line, the application will download current data for it to work. Another example was a RSS aggregator that loads your RSS feeds. If you’re offline, then those feeds are cached onto your system and will update the next time you’re online. Apollo allows web developers to create these types of applications – the sky’s the limit!
Lastly, they spoke briefly about the Flash Media Server which allows for video to be fed to the user really fast! They showed an example of a live web cam streaming into the flash media server and displaying on a webpage. It was absolutely flawless, there was no delay! If you’re dealing with lots of video, this is something definitely check out. They also have their own media player that is schedule for the future.
Thanks to Adobe for providing us with useful tools that make fun and profitable.
Filed under: Apollo, FITC, Business, Flash, Creative on May 2nd, 2007 | No Comments »
