Adobe on Monday announced the availability of Flash Builder 4.5 and Flex. 4.5, a pair of tools that let developers easily code applications for iOS, Android and the BlackBerry PlayBook. Adobe’s tools now provide developers with a single platform for building apps across each of the three popular mobile operating systems. “The reaction from developers to the new mobile capabilities in Flash Builder 4.5 and the Flex 4.5 framework has been absolutely fantastic,” said Adobe’s VP of developer tooling, Ed Rowe, said in a statement. “They are amazed by how easy it is to create great mobile apps for Android devices, BlackBerry PlayBook, iPhone and iPad. Companies can now effectively reach their customers no matter what type of device they have.” Adobe’s new Flash Builder 4.5 Standard is available immediately for $249 and a premium version is available for $699. Flex 4.5 is a free open source framework. Both tools are also included in Adobe’s Creative Suite 5.5. The full press release follows after the break.
Adobe Enables Developers to Build Mobile Apps for Android Devices, BlackBerry PlayBook, iPhone and iPad
Flash Builder 4.5 and Flex 4.5 Update Available Today
SAN JOSE, Calif.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Adobe Systems Incorporated (Nasdaq:ADBE) today delivered an update to Adobe® Flash® Builder® 4.5 and Flex 4.5 software to enable developers to build applications for iPhone, iPad and BlackBerry PlayBook. Support for Android devices was released in April 2011. Developers now have a single platform for building highly expressive mobile applications that can be distributed via the Android Market, Apple App Store and BlackBerry App World. Offered standalone or as part of Creative Suite® 5.5 Web Premium and Master Collection, Flash Builder 4.5 enables the creation of applications that work seamlessly across leading mobile device platforms.
“The reaction from developers to the new mobile capabilities in Flash Builder 4.5 and the Flex 4.5 framework has been absolutely fantastic”
“The reaction from developers to the new mobile capabilities in Flash Builder 4.5 and the Flex 4.5 framework has been absolutely fantastic,” said Ed Rowe, vice president of developer tooling, Adobe. “They are amazed by how easy it is to create great mobile apps for Android devices, BlackBerry PlayBook, iPhone and iPad. Companies can now effectively reach their customers no matter what type of device they have.”
Today’s release accompanies the announcement of the Adobe Digital Enterprise Platform (see separate release). With consumers increasingly engaging with more content on smartphones and tablets, large enterprises are required to add mobile applications as a core part of their marketing strategy. Simultaneously, IT organizations are looking to build business process, CRM and other employee productivity applications to support the broad range of devices and platforms in use today. Using Flash Builder and Flex, enterprises can now use one tool, one framework and one codebase to create high performance applications that run on desktops as well as on smartphones and tablets.
Flex 4.5 also includes significant productivity enhancements that allow developers to rapidly build applications for the desktop, Web and top mobile platforms. Using best practice code templates, code completion and code generation features in Flash Builder 4.5, developers can accelerate the creation of Flex and ActionScript® applications and deploy them using Adobe AIR® software, Adobe’s runtime for standalone applications. This allows developers an opportunity to reach more than 80 million Android devices, BlackBerry PlayBooks, iPads and iPhones in the marketplace today. By the end of the year more than 200 million mobile devices are expected to support AIR applications.
Mobile Apps in Action
Many applications built with Flash Builder and Flex have already been published to the Android Market, Apple App Store, and BlackBerry App World. Following are a sample of those created for Android, BlackBerry Tablet OS and iOS using Flash Builder 4.5 and Flex 4.5, leveraging existing code and logic to quickly deploy to leading mobile platforms.
- Conqu is an easy to use yet powerful task management tool designed to help conquer an email inbox and get things done.
- Mr. Mixit is a spin-based matching game where users must frantically mix record labels against the clock.
- Muni Tracker tracks San Francisco Muni locations and arrival time predictions on a map updating live every ten seconds. Favorite transit stops and lines can also be bookmarked for easy access later.
- Netflix Queue Manager lets users browse, search and manage their Netflix Queue on the go. New features include viewing queues, updating queues, and adding/removing/viewing movies.
- PolitiFact Mobile App helps you “find the truth in politics,” with features including the Truth Index, Truth-O-Meter and Flip-O-Meter. PolitiFact.com is the fact-checking website of the St. Petersburg Times and received a Pulitzer Prize in 2009.
- Pyramix is an easy to learn, highly addictive word game that combines the strategy of Cryptoquote with the simplicity of Boggle.
Developer Reaction to Flash Builder 4.5 and the Flex 4.5 Framework
Nahuel Foronda, owner and president, AsFusion
- “We saved a significant amount of development time using Flash Builder 4.5. We used 100 percent of Conqu’s initial codebase and logic to quickly deploy to several mobile platforms, including Android, BlackBerry PlayBook, iPhone, iPad and the Barnes & Noble Nook Color.”
Sean Carey, president, HD Interactive
- “Flash Builder 4.5 allowed us to develop our Mr. Mixit and Pyramix apps and use the same code base to quickly and easily deploy them to multiple platforms. To create an app natively for one platform would have taken at least three times the amount of time—and then we would have had to start from scratch all over again for a native app on the next platform. It’s unbelievable the amount of time we save using Flash Builder 4.5 to build and deploy our apps.”
Bill Adair, editor, Politifact.com
- “PolitiFact’s fact-checking journalism is ideal for a mobile app because it’s backed by solid reporting and presented in a concise, creative way. You don’t have to be a policy wonk to understand the Truth-O-Meter. The app allows us to present our journalism in lively new ways.”
Jonathan Campos, founder, UnitedMindset
- “The new mobile application development capabilities in Adobe Flash Builder 4.5 allowed me to create Netflix Queue Manager quickly, and debug the application across a variety of configurations. I can now create, develop, and test mobile and multi-screen apps in one place, ultimately bringing our apps to market faster on multiple devices.”
Helpful Links
- Muni Tracker App for Android and iOS built with Flash Builder – Greg Wilson interviews Quality Engineer Shashwati Keith about using Flash Builder to develop Muni Tracker, a popular mobile app that is available for Android and iOS devices and will soon be available for the BlackBerry PlayBook.
- Mr. Mixit and Pyramix Games for Android and iOS – Senior Technical Evangelist Greg Wilson showcases two popular games, Mr. Mixit and Pyramix, both developed in Flash Builder and Flex and available on Android, BlackBerry PlayBook, and iOS devices.
- Financial Trader App for iOS, Android and BlackBerry PlayBook – Christophe Coenraets demonstrates Financial Trader, a cross-platform enterprise financial analytics app featuring 3D charts and real-time updates, which was developed using Adobe Digital Enterprise Platform with Flash Builder.
- Build iOS Applications using Flex and Flash Builder 4.5 – Developer Evangelist Serge Jespers explains how to build iOS applications using new capabilities in Flex and Flash Builder 4.5.
- Learn more about developing mobile applications with Flash Builder 4.5 and Flex 4.5
Pricing and Availability
To download or trial Flash Builder 4.5, please go to http://www.adobe.com/products/flash-builder.html. Street price is US$249 for Flash Builder 4.5 Standard, US$699 for Flash Builder 4.5 Premium. Flash Builder 4.5 Premium is also available as part of the Adobe Creative Suite 5.5 Web Premium and Master Collection. Upgrade pricing for Flash Builder 4.5 is $49 and volume licensing is available. Flex 4.5 is available as a free open source framework. Also, Flash Builder 4.5 for PHP today supports mobile application development for Android, BlackBerry Tablet OS and iOS.
