Security Analysis Of Flash Applications..!!

While my primary involvement at Adobe happens to be around the ActionScript language, I also have some background in security, and recently I have been thinking about channeling some of that into designing and implementing tools for secure programming in ActionScript. ActionScript programs are compiled to run as Flash applications (on the web) or as AIR applications (on the personal computer / mobile device); as such, they are run on platforms with security models, and their security on those platforms is controlled by various security mechanisms, both at the language-level as well as at the platform-level. (More here.(Adobe blogs)….>)

Flash Builder Burrito – My first app

This was one of the exciting announcements made today at Adobe Max. It has been known for quite sometime that Adobe has been working on optimizing Flex Framework for mobile development. Flash Builder Burrito does exactly that. You can code mobile application (as of now – in the context of Google Android devices) and publish them as AIR apps. Excited about this, I started to write a simple data-centric RSS feed reader application.

Flash Builder Burrito is a separate SDK that you need to download from Adobe Labs, and is currently in Preview.

Here are two screens (or views in this frameworks’ terms). One gives the list of all headlines from CNN World news and the other is a detailed description of that news item. You would have figured it out from the images 😛

What I like about this:

• You strongly feel that you are designing in a mobile context. And as I said, for the Android phones. You can listen to events such as press of MENU and BACK buttons.
• You can include transitions between views.
• The action bar (that is the top pane of the application) is customizable. You can add icons/buttons to them.
• Quick integration with data services. I have always believed projects written in Flex/Flash Builders are handy when dealing with data-driven applications. Connecting to webservices is as simple as they are in Flex (for the desktop).

 

Obviously, from the above images, you’ll observe the img HTML tags. Yes, I am figuring out a way to display RichText inside Spark TextArea. Also, being a aesthetically challenged programmer, I haven’t thought even a single second to skin my app or its components and hence apologize for the UX. I am still in the process of skinning this application and shall soon test/deploy it on a compatible Android device ( I done have one; If any of you have pls comment below, I shall send it to you, for your comments and feedback) after completion. But I must say, I finished this whole RSS reader application within half an hour (inclusive of reading basic Burrito docs). So, I call super-fast application development environment.

Adobe Announces Availability Of Flash Player 10.1 For Mobile & Devices To Its Platform Partners ……..!!

Via Adobe, yesterday Adobe announce the availability of Flash Player 10.1 for Mobile.

“Adobe Systems Incorporated (Nasdaq:ADBE) today announced the release of Adobe® Flash® Player 10.1 to mobile platform partners. Redesigned from the ground up with new performance and mobile specific features, Flash Player 10.1 is the first release that brings the full Web across desktops and devices. Mobile users will now be able to experience millions of sites with rich applications and content inside the browser including games, animations, rich Internet applications (RIAs), data presentations and visualizations, ecommerce, music, video, audio and more.

Already one of the top free apps on Android™ Market today, Flash Player 10.1 will be available as a final production release for smart phones and tablets once users are able to upgrade to Android 2.2 “Froyo.” Devices supporting “Froyo” and Flash Player 10.1 are expected to include the Dell Streak, Google Nexus One, HTC Evo, HTC Desire, HTC Incredible, DROID by Motorola, Motorola Milestone, Samsung Galaxy S and others. Flash Player 10.1 was also released to mobile platform partners to be supported on devices based on Android, BlackBerry, webOS, future versions of Windows® Phone, LiMo, MeeGo and Symbian OS, and is expected to be made available via over-the-air downloads and to be pre-installed on smart phones, tablets and other devices in the coming months.”

kris

Forum Nokia Online Flash Lite Packager is back!

Here is a great news from Forum Nokia, Forum Nokia Online Flash Lite Packager. Check the document with all the information:

“This document provides developers with information on the Forum Nokia Online Flash Lite Packager. The reasons for the creation of the packager are explained and a full description of how to use the packager provided.”

Here is more infos about Nokia and Flash Mobile.

(Thanks to Alessandro)

Adobe CS5 Launch Countdown

Adobe has started a countdown to CS5 launch.

Adobe Whitepaper – Rich Internet applications Across Devices: The Emergence Of Contextual Applications

 “At Adobe, we believe that this is a pivotal time in the history of software development. Cloud-based computing has combined with increased user expectations for interactivity and engaging experiences leading to the rise of rich Internet application (RIA) development. The creation of social networks and platform as a service (PaaS) offerings is enabling applications to grow at unprecedented rates by leveraging existing user networks.  The expanding number and diversity of Internet-connected devices has opened up additional software development platforms for developers and enabled them to create entirely new user interaction models and business opportunities. Together, these three technology trends are converging to deliver major innovations that will have lasting effects on the way web applications are built, delivered, and used.”

Adobe Unveils AIR on Mobile Devices; Flash Player 10.1 Up Right Here

@ BARCELONA, Spain. — At Mobile World Congress™ 2010 here,  Adobe Systems  today announced advancements to the Adobe® Flash® Platform including the unveiling of Adobe® AIR® on mobile devices, a consistent runtime for standalone applications to come out of the Open Screen Project™, an industry-wide initiative led by Adobe that has grown to close to 70 ecosystem partners. With support for the Android™ platform expected in 2010, AIR provides developers with a feature-rich environment for delivering rich applications outside the mobile browser and across multiple operating systems via mobile marketplaces and app stores. AIR leverages mobile specific features from Flash® Player 10.1, is optimized for high performance on mobile screens and designed to take advantage of native device capabilities for a richer and more immersive user experience.

Adobe also announced that a beta of Flash Player 10.1 was made available to content providers and mobile developers worldwide.

Rest of the post is here……..

And you can view or download a printable version of this article. (PDF: 69k )

Call For Sessions At Adobe DevSummit To Be Held In Chennai And Hyderabad

Adobe DevSummit is the biggest annual developer event focused on the Adobe Flash Platform. This event attracts a rich demographics of  pan across devigners(designers and developers) in India.  Adobe has been consistingly showcased path breaking technologies at DevSummit.

For the first time, Adobe DevSummit is coming to both Chennai and Hyderabad in India.

• Adobe DevSummit in Chennai will be on 24th November, 2009
• And again Adobe DevSummit in Hyderabad on 1st December, 2009

Adobe DevSummit is keen to have the experts from the Adobe developer community take the stage and share their knowledge and insights on Adobe Flash Platform. Please find more details and submit your session proposals at the URL below.  Adobe Flashahead team will be posting more details on the event and venue too soon.

Click here to submit your session proposals.

In spite of my vacation during this events, I will try to amend my schedules to attend this session in Hyderabad.

Now, Nokia HealthRadar Chasing Disease Down Thru Flashlite…….

Nokia  has designed an application in Flashlite for the tracking of disease using mobile devices here.

1.  Important feature of the software’s ability is data collection. Rapid and precise collection of information, which is then sent instantly to a central server, speeds up what is currently a time-consuming paper-based activity.
2. Actual aggregation of the data which helps to build a picture of what’s happening and where.
3. Getting the information back to local practitioners, as it then enables them to take appropriate action. What marks HealthRadar out further is the ability to consume the data either on a mobile device or a PC, so the gathered data is useful to people in the field and those based in medical centres.

The software also features a Dashboard which enables users to quickly access key information including a daily update, a GeoHealth Map which highlights disease intensity alongside local health centres, the ability to compare current patterns against historic ones and statistical graphs.

Adobe Unveils First Full Flash Player For Mobile Devices And PCs

Today, Adobe Unveiled First Full Flash Player For Mobile Devices And PCs.  Close to 50 Open Screen Project Participants Support New Browser Runtime for Multiple Platforms.

Adobe unveiled Adobe® Flash® Player 10.1 software for smartphones, smartbooks, netbooks, PCs and other Internet-connected devices, allowing content created using the Adobe Flash Platform to reach users wherever they are. A public developer beta of the browser-based runtime is expected to be available for Windows® Mobile, Palm® webOS and desktop operating systems including Windows, Macintosh and Linux later this year. Public betas for Google® Android™ and Symbian® OS are expected to be available in early 2010. In addition, Adobe and RIM announced a joint collaboration to bring Flash Player to Blackberry® smartphones, and Google joined close to 50 other industry players in the Open Screen Project initiative.

Rest of the post here.