Flash back on the desktop, launching “Apollo”
Ok so if you have had a look through the rest of my blog posts you will have seen that Im quite interested in Flash on the desktop. Especially with the speed and performance of AS3. So I am unsure how this one slipped past me. Possibly because I didnt go to MAX.
So what Mac…..er….. Adobe are touting as "Apollo" is a desktop based platform which will support the use of flash even when offline. The "platform" will have data syncronisation, desktop intergration, update management,and a secure sandbox (which if not implemented properly could be more restrictive than benificial) and more…….
This is quite exciting, but at the same time kinda dumb as I have been working away at Flabulator giving it similar caching abilities and have spent quite a bit of time on the dragging of flash widgets. Just as a matter of interest I get alot of hits on this site from google looking for "flash widgets" and "konfabulator flash", so I think Adobe are onto a winner introducing a product like this.
Details are a bit sketchy at this point but heres a few resources:
macromedia.com (Mike Chambers)
macromedia Max Article (towards the bottom)
FlashStreamworks
Google results
Im still going to finish Flabulator, as I think it could be cool, but would really love to know more details. Perhaps someone who went to MAX could elabourate a bit in the comments. Even better Adobe peeps could place me on the beta 
as I have a huge wishlist for you.
Lets just hope it doesnt go the way off the original Apollo.
As for the topic thats all over the blogs at the moment, I have to be careful what I say as work is tied to Adobe, but I must admit it was kinda sad going to the MM site only to see the adobe logo.
"Apollo: "The Universal Client"
After showing what the future of experience could be, Lynch revealed how Macromedia will attain it. Apollo, which he called the "universal client," will provide Flash and HTML functionality and will run independent from the web browser. Apollo will support the improvement of user experience by embracing the best of client technologies – data synchronization, the ability to work online or offline, and desktop integration, and more — in combination with desktop distribution. Apollo will join Flash Lite (the mobile client) and Flash Player (the browser client) to form the Flash Platform client family."
I firmly believe that Apollo is going to be the rich client officially positioned to cause mass public adoption of a new type of ‘browser’.
Could be…. PDFs now (or soon will) have a javascript DOM, html forms, 3d, Most likely flash, time will tell I guess. hahaha http://www.xsive.pdf might be the future, though I hope not cause Acrobat is so bloated. You actually download the full application with features turned off when you download the reader. WTF!!!
Hopefully when Apollo lanches, it’ll be a fast performing “do anything” desktop client for Windows, Linux, Apple etc on modestly spec PCs and lots of killer apps would have been released on launch day.
Or If it turns out like Central guess we all can take our Flash/Flex skills to Microsoft WPF lol
You’re not the only one who would love to know more about Apollo. I’m hoping it’s going to be just what I’ve been waiting for (along the lines of what tcs predicts). I utilised Central to develop quite a few ideas, and I’d love to develop them much further for Apollo.
Huge wishlist? – me too.
http://e2easy.com/wishlist.html
Wow …..ok you win on the wish list comp…lol thats a long list. Theres some cool Central apps there. Nice work.