Adobe AIR getting native Android app compilation

Sound familiar? That's right: Adobe's looking to move some of the same technologies it developed for Flash-to-iPhone app compilation over to Android, where we imagine the company will be meeting a much more receptive audience. AIR -- part of the Flash portfolio of products -- now has a native Android app feature in beta, letting you pump out .apk files from code written in ActionScript 3. Adobe's targeting a release "by the second half" of the year, so this shouldn't take too long to go gold... not to say there aren't perfectly good ways of pumping out Android apps in the meantime, but this should make it a little less painful for seasoned Flash guys to port their stuff.

[Thanks, bono]

[forHim247 Posted Jun 3rd 2010 4:50PM]

Let's hope some more quality apps come from this!

[trippedout Posted Jun 3rd 2010 4:52PM]

@forHim247 got the private release earlier this year, public beta is out now, and its super simple to port stuff over. like, less than an hour simple. should be some cool stuff to come from this. LOVEADOBE

[Drago Posted Jun 3rd 2010 4:56PM]

@forHim247 I love Apple. But as a developer if Adobe is telling me that I can make an App that with the same code it runs on Windows, Mac OSX and Android I'm in!

[Mike10010100 Posted Jun 3rd 2010 5:01PM]

@forHim24

Sweetness! Thanks Adobe!

[mboudreau Posted Jun 3rd 2010 5:02PM]

@forHim247

Awesome! Let's go make Apple Fanboys jealous :P

[SirNoDroin Posted Jun 3rd 2010 5:04PM]

@forHim247
I love AIR for making simple deadline "make it work" apps.

And the apps work well.

So much better then having to use C# for a Tic-Tac-Toe Game or an RSS reader.

[Mike10010100 Posted Jun 3rd 2010 5:05PM]

@John Locke

I'll take SHIT for $500 Alex.

Seriously? Apps on android are awesome! There are always going to be crappy apps no matter which platform you're on. But how on earth does this tool relate to crappy apps? Adobe is making it easier for people to take existing flash UIs and turn them into Android apps.

[dxdragon Posted Jun 3rd 2010 5:08PM]

@mboudreau Yes they really are because time as proven that building apps like this leads to higher quality apps that implement the latest features that are available in the OS.

The people most interested in these are the developers that care a lot about making money and very litle about the quality of the apps they build.

[mboudreau Posted Jun 3rd 2010 5:17PM]

@dxdragon

Not true at all. I'm a professional Flash/Flex developer. There's plenty of small, awesome apps out there already made in Flash that can be converted easily (I have a few of my own!).

And no, it isn't to make money. I already have enough of that.

[dxdragon Posted Jun 3rd 2010 5:23PM]

@mboudreau How can a developer add features that are OS specific if the development tool he is using doesn't support them yet? Example Fast app switching in iPhone OS 4.

[mboudreau Posted Jun 3rd 2010 5:37PM]

@dxdragon

So, you're saying that all apps *have* to be OS specific? Get your head out of your ass...

[gltovar Posted Jun 3rd 2010 5:49PM]

@dxdragon Flash 10.1 adds in a few features that are going to be useful (but not limited to) cellphones. One example is the New multipoint tracking event system which isn't something that (most) computers will be delivering. but ultimately there will be things that you wont be able to do with flash alone... that being said, it feels like we are close to a true "one code to rule them all" moment where (almost) all platforms will be able to run the same project.

[roflcopter Posted Jun 4th 2010 12:59AM]

@Drago

And motherfucking Linux!

[Arkv2 Posted Jun 4th 2010 2:43AM]

@mboudreau
You're so right. I'd love to have this ported....please please please ;D

http://games.adultswim.com/robot-unicorn-attack-twitchy-online-game.html

[ras4life Posted Jun 3rd 2010 4:50PM]

Should have gone with Android in the first place.

[dxdragon Posted Jun 3rd 2010 5:27PM]

@ras4life You must really hate Android... After the AT&T data plan changes was thinking about changing but this news will mean the average quality of an Android app will go down by a lot.

[ras4life Posted Jun 3rd 2010 5:36PM]

@dxdragon How so? There are some quality flash and air apps around.

[MarkAnderson Posted Jun 3rd 2010 5:47PM]

@dxdragon

Yeah it will because... because...

Admit it: you don't know what the f**k you're talking about.

[Student Driver Posted Jun 3rd 2010 5:49PM]

@ras4life At least the "Fc" on the lid was fitting for Android...

[fast Posted Jun 3rd 2010 6:23PM]

@MarkAnderson ...he doesn't. Clueless mofo.

[Jimbojones Posted Jun 3rd 2010 6:52PM]

@ras4life name one AIR app which does something more than web sites do. AIR apps are terrible. It's hard to write good apps on 15 years old platform with 2500 patches.

[petebob796 Posted Jun 3rd 2010 7:16PM]

@dxdragon Just because Steve Jobs tells you something doesn't make it true.

[ras4life Posted Jun 3rd 2010 7:21PM]

@Jimbojones The BBC iPlayer App is pretty good...The Times Reader...etc etc

[Perspective Posted Jun 3rd 2010 4:53PM]

Yes, should have gone with android in the first place, since Android is a Google venture, and Adobe's permanent betas fit in just fine in the land of the unfinished software.

[jasonhaley Posted Jun 3rd 2010 5:07PM]

@Perspective Iphone (or iPhone as you like to call it) is actually still in Beta mode itself. Why do you think simple functions like multi-tasking have yet to be added? How long until they finally got copy/paste working? Face it, they released a sub-optimal Beta and then added basic functionalities as though they were features. Only the fanboys were fooled.
And the reason there next gen won't have flash is because it still can't handle apps with high processor speeds.

[dxdragon Posted Jun 3rd 2010 5:17PM]

@jasonhaley Compared to the iPhone the othersvstill don't have copy and paste...

[dxdragon Posted Jun 3rd 2010 5:24PM]

@dxdragon correction: others still

[patp Posted Jun 3rd 2010 5:59PM]

@dxdragon thats weird.... because mine does. Talking out of your ass much?

[MattsZ Posted Jun 3rd 2010 4:53PM]

needs more stickers

[Pickaxe Posted Jun 3rd 2010 5:15PM]

My first thought was, "I don't think this computer is pretentious enough. Let's fill it with stickers."

[aaronaut Posted Jun 3rd 2010 6:09PM]

@MattsZ okay good it's not just me wondering what is up with all the foofy stickers. one adobe one might maybe be cool, but it looks like some sugarloaded kid got a hold of a sticker album and this computer

[greg787 Posted Jun 3rd 2010 6:17PM]

@MattsZ Hey I wanna know where to get those stickers!

[fflow Posted Jun 3rd 2010 7:18PM]

@MattsZ Otherwise known as "I own a Mac but don't want to admit it in public" stickers?

[cdf74dc9 Posted Jun 3rd 2010 11:49PM]

@MattsZ "needs more stickers"

God, I couldn't get that stupid Apple logo out of my car. You know, the one apple supply with every iproduct? I'm sorely regret putting it on my rear. People giggle when they see it. Apple is not cool :(

[iLoveApple Posted Jun 3rd 2010 4:53PM]

Judging from all the stickers on his laptop, I'll bet this guy wears hot pants and leather jackets in his free time.

[Nimche Posted Jun 3rd 2010 4:58PM]

@iLoveApple
Is he also wearing a diamond ring?

[Drago Posted Jun 3rd 2010 4:58PM]

@ddddd I've always wanted to get my hands on those demo screen saver files

[Tohe Posted Jun 3rd 2010 5:01PM]

Awesome. As we transition from native mobile apps to web-centric mobile apps, we will see modern browsers follow the steps of Adobe's AIR. Just imagine, chromeless browsers that exposed native functionality to a web app. AIR is definitely ahead of its time.

[SirNoDroin Posted Jun 3rd 2010 5:08PM]

@Tohe

THIS!!!!! ^^^^^^^^^^^^^

I was hoping something like AIR would replace the world of the "browser" for a long time.

[Ben64 Posted Jun 3rd 2010 5:15PM]

@Tohe Why would you want to expose native functionality to web apps. The whole point of web apps is that it's simple and works well across platforms.

[Tohe Posted Jun 3rd 2010 5:44PM]

@Ben64

By native functionality I mean access to the compass, accelerometer, camera and any other future components. The only reason we have native apps, is because the devices haven't been powerful enough to provide web apps with the same speed and functionality as native applications. But as we breach that gap, the browser needs to be redesign and follow the AIR design. Wouldn't it be cool to open fully customized browser sessions? why have navigation functionality if I don't need it? The main browser could act as a discovery tool (like the Chrome Store), but there is no point in discovering when I only want to use a particular web application.

[Professor Hubert J Farnsworth Posted Jun 3rd 2010 5:02PM]

The irony of this is that the guy in the image is using a MacBook Pro.

[everyone does Posted Jun 3rd 2010 5:07PM]

@Professor Hubert J Farnsworth

not irony, marketing genius.

[SirNoDroin Posted Jun 3rd 2010 5:09PM]

@Professor Hubert J Farnsworth

The irony of this is that the guy in the image is using a HP.

The irony of this is that the guy in the image is using a Dell.

The irony of this is that the guy in the image is using an Asus.

The irony of this is that the guy in the image is using a Toshiba.

[Alexpeegs Posted Jun 3rd 2010 5:10PM]

@Professor Hubert J Farnsworth What is he supposed to use? An adobe laptop? Lol

[Professor Hubert J Farnsworth Posted Jun 3rd 2010 5:16PM]

@Alexpeegs
No, I just find it odd that Adobe would still use the Mac platform; considering their hatred for apple (and vice versa). Especially when using said product to code for Apples opposition.

[Maj Posted Jun 3rd 2010 5:19PM]

@Professor Hubert J Farnsworth

Sweet zombie Jesus, your right!

[Tohe Posted Jun 3rd 2010 5:49PM]

@Professor Hubert J Farnsworth

But Adobe

[Tohe Posted Jun 3rd 2010 5:53PM]

.. loves Apple



BTW What's up with the heartbreak Engadget? not found of

[patp Posted Jun 3rd 2010 6:00PM]

@Professor Hubert J Farnsworth Adobe doesn't have hatred for apple, apple has hatred for adobe. Adobe want's/wanted flash on the iphone, apple said no.