CNET Editors' review
As Adobe has focused on Flash Player development in the aftermath of the rise of HTML5, it hasn't ignored its other content-delivery system: Adobe AIR. AIR 3 brings some hefty speed improvements to the system, thanks to a little something new called Stage3D.
In case you're new to AIR, which stands for Adobe Integrated Runtime, it's a platform that runs applications across multiple systems without coding in more than one language. It's powerful and respected for giving people the same end-user experience, whether on Windows, Mac, or Linux. One very well-known AIR app is TweetDeck. If you try to install an AIR app without having previously installed AIR, you'll be automatically prompted to download it.
Stage3D brings combined hardware-accelerated 2D and 3D graphics rendering that's up to 1,000 times faster than previous versions of AIR. Although it's only for desktops at the time of writing, Adobe promises that it will soon take Stage3D to its mobile apps. The advancements offered by Stage3D should bring far more complex graphics development for the player, and allow some developers to use it as a viable alternative for their projects, especially for cross-platform efforts. It includes more support for Android devices including software licensing and hardware, captive runtime support for developers to bundle AIR along with their programs (removing the requirement to separately install AIR), and native extensions for enhancing AIR's capabilities.
AIR has allowed developers to make hybrid applications, or desktop tools that can integrate with various Web services, while still allowing some offline functionality that Web browsers don't yet have. This includes things like taskbar and dock notifications. With these latest updates, Adobe is really improving AIR as an alternative development environment and maintaining its relevance on the Web.
Publisher's Description
From Adobe Systems:
Adobe AIR is a cross-operating system runtime being developed by Adobe that allows developers to leverage their existing web development skills (Flash, Flex, HTML, JavaScript, Ajax) to build and deploy rich Internet applications (RIAs) to the desktop. AIR enables developers to create applications that combine the benefits of Web applications network and user connectivity, rich media content, ease of development, and broad reach--with the strengths of desktop applications application interactions, local resource access, personal settings, powerful functionality, and rich interactive experiences.
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All versions:
3.4 starsout of 128 votes
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Current version:
5.0 starsout of 3 votes
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Results 1-3 of 3
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"Powerful APP Development tool"
Version: Adobe AIR 3.2
Pros
Build APP once deployed across iTunes and Android Markets. Brands shouldn't care what device the user has
Cons
Game Center integration isn't there and Windows Mobile support is still in progress
Summary
We built this robust APP for Wrangler Jeans and AIR worked perfectly. At the inception of the project there was concern that AIR might not be the most robust if the APP needed to do many things and there wasn't any decent examples of games at this level. We were able to build once and deploy to iTunes and Android
Android;
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=air.com.daa.wrangler
iTunes;
http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/wrangler-rope-your-rewards/id501252209?mt=8
DigitalAdAgency.com -
"works great"
Version: Adobe AIR 3.2
Pros
still free and works great
Cons
none found yet
Summary
you can't beat a free program that works
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"Excellent...and I know what it does!"
Version: Adobe AIR 3.2
Pros
I'm a professional game developer, and I chose Adobe AIR as my platform. It allows me to use all the best features of the Flash platform, plus new ones, to create standalone desktop applications for Windows and Mac! Even better, the final product runs on sparse resources, and takes up very little room.
Cons
The best way to develop in Adobe AIR is through Flash Professional (which I have). It is expensive to get started, though well worth the cash. There are some difficulties with keeping code inaccessible (a developer concern, but never a user-end concern) Other than that, no real cons!
Summary
Adobe Air is an excellent development platform for many, many types of projects. I love working with it.
Results 1-3 of 3
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