Nokia pushes Creative Class Community and Flash Lite

Not sure if this is old blog-news, but Nokia have been pushing out some email marketing over the past couple of days and making mention of their "Creative Class" for Flash Lite developers working on the Nokia platforms.

Highlights a pretty decent resource for Flash Lite informaiton on the Forum Nokia site anyway.

Agenda for MAX Mobile and Device Boot Camp

Adobe MAX 2007 Chicago is about one week away. This year in addition to the Flash Lite and Mobile sessions there will be a special session: The Mobile and Devices Boot Camp, on Wednesday 9AM-12:30PM. The managers of the seven Adobe Mobile and Devices User Group put together the event with some great content and presenters.

The idea behind the "MaD Boot Camp" is to allow anyone interested in Mobile and Flash Lite to ask questions and share their ideas. The format of the session will be pretty informal with presentations, discussions and Q/A. We think that it's going to be great and we invite anyone to join us and bring your Flash Lite content to show to others.

Here is the tentative Agenda:

• Mobile and Devices Boot Camp introduction
• Adobe Mobile and Devices User Group Introduction
• Show Cases
• Tools and integration
• Adobe MAX Awards Mobile and Devices finalists
• OEM: Nokia, Chumby
• Flash Lite content aggregators
• Adobe Mobile and Devices team
• Open Discussion forum
• Q/A

Hope to see you there!

Best Practices: Designing & Developing content for the Sony PSP using Adobe Flash software

There's a new Adobe eSeimar coming up that we wanted to tell you all about:

Best Practices: Designing & Developing content for the Sony PSP using Adobe Flash software

Presented by Chris Blair and Jeff Nusz, Zodal (NZ)
Wednesday, September 26, 2007
1:00 P.M. PDT

There are many new opportunities to be found in delivering software services, content, and entertainment to your audience through screen-based devices supporting Adobe® Flash® and Adobe Flash Lite™ software. For game developers, support for content created using Adobe Flash on Sony's PSP® (PlayStation® Portable) game console is a great way to reach a new, diverse, and ever-growing pool of consumers on the go.

Using examples from fun games developed by Zodal, Chris Blair and Jeff Musz will demonstrate the PSP's strengths, limitations, and unique quirks that game designers and developers need to understand before creating content for it. They will look at specific techniques for maximizing the PSP's resources based on experience developing mobile games with Flash Lite 1.1 and Flash Lite 2.1 technology. They will also look at strategies for developing cross-platform games targeted across desktops, mobile phones, and portable devices such as the Sony PSP.

What you'll learn by attending this webinar:

• The nuances in creating content for the Sony PSP using Flash Lite software
• How to manage and maximize the resources available on the PSP vis-à-vis Flash Lite
• How to reach new audiences as a games developer
• How to create cross-platform games from desktop and mobile devices to portable electronic devices

REGISTER HERE

Also, attend an eSeminar and you'll be entered to win a copy of Adobe Flash Professional CS3 or an iriver™ Clix!

Making Wireless Seminars - Flash Lite

Here's some details for an upcoming event in the UK being driven by Italian UGM Giorgio Natili.

C++ and Flash Lite
Date: December 5, 2007
Location: London

• Flash Lite and C++ a brief introduction
• Flash Lite and external applications
• Integration between Flash Lite and C++-
• Case Study: a Flash Lite chat based on Bluetooth and C++-
• Open discussion

For More Information: http://www.makingwireless.it/

Is MOSH a bit dodge?

Recently Nokia launched the beta site for its new MOSH peer-to-peer mobile content sharing portal. I accepted the beta invite and logged in to have a look around. I actually found some other Flash Liters already in there, along with quite a large number of average punters. The first thing that struck me though was the potential for mobile content copyright infringement and licensing issues. Then Bryan mentioned it on his blog, and now MocoNews also runs with the same idea.

What do you think?

MAX + more speaking gigs in the US

As many of you may know I've been fortunate enough to be invited to speak again at this year's Adobe MAX conference in Chicago in October. Things are coming together for the session Alessandro and I are doing together, and also for the Mobile and Devices Boot Camp. If you haven't decided on going yet - get cracking and get yourself there!

To add to my speaking duties while in the US, I've been invited to deliver a session at Entertainment Technology Centre in Pittsburgh, part of the Carnegie Mellon University.

The Entertainment Technology Center (ETC) at Carnegie Mellon University offers a two-year Masters of Entertainment Technology degree, jointly conferred by Carnegie Mellon University's College of Fine Arts and School of Computer Science. Carnegie Mellon is relatively unique among U.S. Universities in being able to offer this kind of degree, as we have both top-quality fine arts and top-quality technology programs.

ETC has a campus in Adelaide (Australia) as well, and Moket recently hosted a group of students and faculty at the Moket offices, giving them an insight into mobile gaming and Flash Lite. It was a great afternoon and met some very talented young game developer superstars of the future. I'm honored to be asked to come and give a repeat performance to the Pittsburgh student body, and to keep sharing the Moket / Flash Lite vision.

Oh, and they also introduced me to Tower of Goo - on par with Desktop Tower Defence as one of the more addicitive online games I've played!

Moket partners 2007 IMGAwards

I'm happy to announce that Moket will be a Promotional Partner for the 2007 International Mobile Gaming Awards (IMGA). We're very pleased to have an association with this annual event and look forward to bringing the awards to a greater number of mobile game developers.

Flash Lite Friday Digest #18

Marco has posted Flash Lite Friday Digest #18 ... enjoy.

The Mobile Papparazzi Busts iPhone Bill Perry

It seems Bill just can't shake the constant harassment he gets from the mobile papparazzi, snapped here in line waiting for his new iPhone - http://www.flickr.com/photos/bananablue/662069737/

Alessandro Nokia Champion of the Month

One of the brightest stars in the global Flash Lite community, Alessadro Pace, is currently featured on the Forum Nokia website as "Champion of the Month"! Nice pic mate ... "don't mess with me, I know Flash Lite."

Immediate opportunities for Flash Lite animations through the Moket Content Network

Over at Moket we've been "kicking some goals" as they say with regards to distribution of Flash Lite content. We now have an opportunity for designers and developers to submit content to the Moket Content Network for consideration in a global distribution deal.

You can read thr email I sent out about it here, but we're very excited to be able to provide an opportunity for Flash Lite guys to see their content out in the market. Right now we're needing animations that can be used for wallpapers, screensavers or animated ringtones. Games will become more of a focus in the coming months.

We've already been able to secure licensing for animations/wallpapers done by Jim and Matt in the first round of ordering which has been great.

So, if you're sitting on some Flash Lite animation content (or have some Flash content you think we can port to Flash Lite easily enough), then please let us know by email at mcn@moket.com.au

Where's Bill? Sign the petition!

Have you seen the homepage to MAX 2007 for Chicago? They have the random banners there with quotes and photos from some of the Adobe stars like Mike Chambers and Ben Forta.

But I want to know where's Bill Perry!?!?!

I think Bill would be great one one of those banners! I mean Mike Chambers doesn't even look happy to be there ... and Ben Forta has the same "Adobe glow" as he always does. Bill Perry should be the poster-boy for Mobile and Devices and should have his own homepage banner, simple as that!

So, sign the petition and we'll forward it to the Adobe MAX web team to see if we can get Bill added.

PS. Just so everyone knows, this is all just a bit of fun - I'm not cheesed off at MAX or anything like that:) But just look at Bill here ... c'mon ... he's front page material ;)

Flash Lite Group on LinkedIn

Alessandro setup a formal group for Flash Mobile and Device members over at linkedin.com. Great initative to connect Flash Lite professionals together and facilitate potential business. I don't know what it is, but there seems to have been a dramatic increase in traffic from people adding me to LinkedIn over recent months. I've been on the site for a long time but never actually used it much, but all this new activity might actually get me using the tool for what it was designed for!

Flash Lite Friday Digest #17

It's back and it's big! The Flash Lite Friday Digest has been reborn by Marco who brings us a compact view of Flash Lite related news from recent times. Nice work mate!

My gig at Adobe MAX 2007 in Chicago

The Adobe MAX 2007 site posted up the speakers last night and I'm happy to say that my name was on it. It's like getting picked for the basketball team all over again ... ahh the memories. Anyway, I'm going to be doing a new kind of session this year - tag team presenting with my mate Alessandro Pace of Biskero.org fame for a session called "20 Tricks to Improve Flash Lite Development". Should be a lot of fun!

The at-a-glance agenda has also been posted.

I'm going to be helping out James too with his pre-conference training day on Flash Lite 2. I did this last year too for James, and it was like running with the bulls - casue of the limited time and amount of content, he gets through the training like he's on speed, and everyone in the room (including his teaching assistants!) just have to hang on for the ride :) Love ya work Kim Chi.

Also at MAX this year, there are a number of product "boot camps" - basically they're like 3 hour birds-of-a-feather sessions that go into detail on various aspects of specific products. A lot of the mobile user group managers from around the world will be involved in the running of the Flash Lite / Mobile and Devices Boot Camp. This is a great initiative which will allow us to get some good visibility at a conference which will be dominated by AIR, Flex, PDF and LiveCycle.

Really looking forward to the end of Septemer :)

Adobe MAX 2007 Registration for North America now open

Registrations are now being taken for Adobe MAX 2007 for North America. I can't believe that things are gearing up again - it seems like only last month that we were all hanging out in Vegas at the last conference! This year is looking like being a ripper - it's in a very cool town (Chicago), there's been some cool advances on the product front (think AIR, Flex 3, Flash Lite 3, all the CS3 stuff), and it's always fun when you get to catch up with people from all over the world.

I can tell you that there's going to be some cool mobile stuff happening as well (stay tuned) so there'll be plenty to get excited about for the Flash Lite'rs who can make it. Then of course there's Europe (Barcelona) and Japan (Tokyo) MAX in November as well!

Watch the Adobe MAX website for updates.

C++ and Flash Lite

The Mobile and Devices User Group in Italy is holding the following face to face seminar. Speakers are Vassilis Legakis and Giorgio Natili.

• April 25th in Athens, Greece
• "C++ and Flash Lite" - http://www.makingwireless.it/?page_id=3

Outline of the seminar:

• Introduction to Symbian C++
• Major differences to classic C++ development
• Brief introduction to FlashLite
• FlashLite and the network
• FlashLite and external applications
• Integration between Flashlite and C++

If you're in the area, this would be well worth getting along to!

Flash Lite 2.1 Roadshow for the US

Adobe has organized a road show in several US cities to show Flash Lite 2.1 for Brew and the new mobile features of Adobe CS3. You can catch the guys from Adobe, Verizon, Qualcomm, Smashing Ideas and Atom Shockwave here:

• Wednesday, April 25th New York, NY
• Thursday, April 26th Boston, MA
• Tuesday, May 1st Chicago, IL
• Thursday, May 3rd Atlanta, GA
• Tuesday, May 8th Austin, TX
• Thursday, May 10th Seattle, WA
• Tuesday, May 15th San Francisco, CA
• Wednesday, May 16th San Diego, CA
• Thursday, May 17th Los Angeles, CA

The one-day seminar will highlights such as:

• How to monetize your Flash Lite 2.1 for BREW content
• Share best practices for developing Flash Lite for BREW content for Verizon Wireless
• Learn the ins and outs of Qualcomm’s BREW platform
• Learn to develop and test mobile content with Adobe Creative Suite 3 and Adobe Device Central CS3

View the agenda here and register here.

New Flash Lite Friday Digest #16

Darren over at Ludicrous Software has posted the latest Flash Lite Friday Digest of what's been happening around the Flash Lite community lately.

webDU Day Two and all done

So webDU is done for another year, and I can say that it was again a very successful conference. Geoff, Julie, Vanessa and the rest of the Daemon team should be very proud and their efforts are very much appreciated by all attendees, speakers and sponsors.

So Day Two started off not as dusty as previous years ... the previous evening was the annual conference banquet with it's regular highlights of great food, casual conversation amongst everyone and some fun entertainment. This year saw the Kath and Kim show come to webDU, and the two foxy ladies from Fountain Lakes did their level best to embarress as many of the visiting US Adobe folks as possible. Only problem was that when Kim tried to throw herself at who she thought was Tim Buntel, she instead had Andrew Spaulding (and don't tell me you didn't enjoy it Andrew!). They also thought that Ted Patrick was the Adobe guy with the dog who went everywhere ... James Talbot was beside me saying "Don't tell them it's me ... don't you say a word!".

The Microsoft party this year was handled by none other than our own Scott Barnes, who cut quite the dashing figure in his new MS Expression jacket. Free jackets and copies of Expression Web also sweetened the deal for many party goers ... but I think we all knew most were there for the drinks :)

But everyone pulled up very well I thought the next day, and the scond day keynote with Tim Buntel (ColdFusion Scorpio preview) and Ted Patrick (Flex). Sessions were also well attended, with Jesse showing off his awesome work on Flash Lite 2.x component framework called Shuriken. The day ended with a roundtable with all attendees and the Adobe guys doing their best to answer questions, but as always most of the answers involved a healthy dose of "no comment" :)

So, just the speaker party to go tonight before I head home on Sunday. It's been a great time this year and I was pleased to find so much positive energy for Moket and what we're trying to achieve. Most believe that Flash Lite WILL evetually fulfill the promises we've had over the past 2-3 years, and hopefully Moket is still well placed when it does.

So from webDU 2007 ... good night!

Touchdown at webDU

webDU is officially underway for me. I got the red-eye out of Brisbane this morning at 5.30am to get down to Sydney in time for the Day Zero training course I was running for Flash Lite. Got to meet up with James and Kai again which was cool, and gave 6 or so guys a total deep-end experience in Flash Lite 2,x development :) I think they're heads are still spinning, and I'm just catching up to the fact as to how little sleep I got last night! Off to the annual ANZ User Group Managers meeting tonight to catch up some more ... keynote tomorrow is Apolllo with Mike Chambers and Mie Downey (always a hoot), then my FL session first up. Rock on!

Builder.AU article on the Aussie mobile scene - featuring Moket

There's a new article on Builder.AU that looks at the current (and future) trends and technologies in the Australian mobile landscape - The Mobile Future. I was interviewed for the article to give a perspective on Flash Lite and where Moket fits into the scene here.

Also an interesting read is the Australian Mobile Development Landscape which looks at some of the big players here and where mobile is headed.

Despite what many people think, we're not all that far behind things down here in Oz!

Porting J2ME to Flash Lite

Mariam from Indiagames has a new article on Adobe Mobile Dev Cente, all about porting J2ME content to Flash Lite. Indiagames have a large catalogue of Java content, and in her article, Mariam talks about a real world example of her team porting some of that to Flash Lite. Well worth a read.

Flash Lite Friday Digest

Flash Lite Friday Digest is out again this week from Luciano. Some great links amongst them so check them out for a quick overview of the week that was in Flash Lite.

Happy New Year and happy book launch

Happy New Year everyone, welcome to 2007. We start the year off with the release for sale of the new Flash Lite book - Foundation Flash Applications for Mobile Devices written by Flash Lite dudes Richard Legget, Scott Janousek and Weyert de Boer.

Great examples of mobile applications and development techniques - well worth a read for anyone in Flash Lite development. Congratulations to the authors!

Flash Lite Friday Digest #14

Alessandro has posted the latest Flash Lite Friday Digest - a summary of the latest news and links regarding Flash Lite.