Adobe
Directly distribute rich apps with the latest Flash Lite version.
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Adobe
Download the Flash Lite 3.1 Update for Adobe Device Central CS4 to author, test, and publish Flash Lite 3.1 mobile content.
Adobe
Learn about the features in the new updates to Adobe Device Central and Flash. Flash Lite 3.1 functionality requires the matching update for Flash CS4 Professional.
Adobe
Get a preview copy of the Milan and Japan Adobe MAX ultimate conference guide in Flash Lite 3.0.
Adobe (Oct 31, 2008)
The Brew Mobile Platform was launched today and now Flash and BREW developers can create Flash applications for upcoming Brew MP based devices.
Liz Myers (Oct 15, 2008)
Get up to speed with Device Central and learn about the features in this new version.
Adobe (Oct 15, 2008)
The Adobe Device Central Software Development Kit (SDK) allows you to create custom plug-ins that extend the tasks provided as part of Device Central's project feature.
Liz Myers (Oct 15, 2008)
Do batch testing of content created in multiple products for multiple devices. Record a test sequence once, edit, and run whenever.
Adobe (Oct 6, 2008)
Share knowledge and find answers to common coding problems through the Mobile and Devices cookbook.
Stay on top of new Flash Lite devices from around the world by downloading CS3 Device Profile Update #7, released on September 22, 2008.
The Mobile Content Delivery Protocol defines a mechanism for delivering applications (channels) and synchronized data sets on which the applications operate (feeds) to mobile devices.
Adobe (Mar. 31, 2008)
Get inspired: View the new gallery for engaging mobile experiences created by designers and developers around the world, all powered by Adobe Flash.
Adobe, ARM, Intel, Motorola, NBC Universal, Nokia, NTT DoCoMo, Qualcomm, Sony Ericsson and more to drive consistent rich Internet experiences across multiple screens
Adobe (Feb. 4, 2008)
If the mobile device world is new to you, read this primer which explains the basics of the mobile content marketplace and the options for delivering content to the phone.
The Flash Lite 3 Developer Edition is a standalone player for supported mobile phones to allow developers to test their Flash Lite 3 applications before commercial devices start shipping with the full version of Flash Lite 3 pre-installed.
Nick Hippe (July 21, 2008)
Learn tips for developing and displaying Adobe Presenter content on Flash Lite-enabled devices.
Kumar Vivek (Oct. 15, 2008)
Apply these considerations and tips when creating assets for your mobile development projects using Fireworks.
Samir K. Dash (June 30, 2008)
Take these considerations into account when preparing and distributing localized content on Flash-enabled mobile devices.
Adobe (June 9, 2008)
Experience Design Manager Matt Snow provides a behind-the-scenes look at the Adobe XD Mobile and Devices team and demos several applications currently under development.
Untravel Media (June 9, 2008)
See how Untravel Media combines online mapping with audio, pictures, and video to produce sightseeing experiences that run on mobile phones, video iPods, and, in the future, GPS devices.
Nick Hippe (May 19, 2008)
Use ActionScript to detect the available bandwidth for a mobile device and stream the corresponding video file.
David Brown (May 5, 2008)
Create a great experience for device users by building apps that react to environment changes and have built-in orientation switching.
2007 and 2008 worldwide installed base of Flash Lite devices, broken out by region, country and version.
2007 and 2008 worldwide annual and cumulative device shipments, broken out by region, country and version.
Phillip Kerman (Feb. 12, 2008)
Learn what it takes to create applications for the Chumby—an always-on information device that permits individual expression.
Alessandro Pace (Feb. 4, 2008)
Learn how to protect your Flash Lite work from being copied by others.
Watch or listen to this podcast series aimed at creative professionals new to mobile, as Adobe host John Agger walks you through tutorials on mobile content creation. The Adobe Mobile Podcast series is created in partnership with Terry White's Creative Suite Video podcast and includes the following episodes:
Mariam Dholkawala (Jan. 14, 2008)
Improve the usability, functionality, and performance of your mobile games by following these best practices.
Samir K. Dash (Dec. 10, 2007)
Build a greeting card app that sends customized videos from your mobile phone.
Michael Tuminello (Dec. 3, 2007)
Build a simple mobile app that facilitates memorization of finger placement for music notes.
Rafiq R. Elmansy (Nov. 19, 2007)
Prepare and deploy video on devices in 3GP mobile or FLV format for either Flash Lite 2 or Flash Lite 3.
Parsons design school incorporates the Adobe's Flash platform with Processing, Python, and other tools in its mobile application design curriculum.
Kumar Vivek (Oct. 22, 2007)
Use the provided template to make wallpaper for Nokia Series 40 phones.
Giorgio Natili (Oct. 15, 2007)
Learn how to build video applications that can now be created for mobile devices with the new video feature in Flash Lite 3.
Adobe (Sept. 30, 2007)
There's no need to create a separate web experience for the desktop and mobile devices. Learn how you can optimize and extend your existing Flash-enabled web content to mobile devices.
Rosario Conti (Sept. 30, 2007)
Examine how to extract IDs from YouTube and pass it to Flash Lite 3 to play videos.
Keldon Rush (Sept. 18, 2007)
Get an overview of the processes, tools, and some best practices involved in developing Flash Lite applications.
Anant Parekh (Sept. 10, 2007)
Learn how to make custom device profiles in anticipation of new mobile devices to be released and also for mobile devices which are not included in Adobe Device Central.
Winston Wang (March 27, 2007)
Read about the cool features in Adobe Device Central from Winston Wang, former senior product manager for Mobile and Devices.
Winston Wang, senior product manager for mobile authoring at Adobe, talks about how Adobe Device Central helps demystify mobile development (2:30)
Keldon Rush (Sept. 18, 2007)
Get an overview of the processes, tools, and some best practices involved in developing Flash Lite applications.
Eddie McGreal (March 1, 2006)
Learn what it takes to build the Flash Lite equivalent of a J2ME app.
Winston Wang (March 27, 2007)
Read about the cool features in Adobe Device Central from Winston Wang, former senior product manager for Mobile and Devices.
Winston Wang, senior product manager for mobile authoring at Adobe, talks about how Adobe Device Central helps demystify mobile development (2:30)
aniway.com (Sept. 11, 2006)
Learn how to create Flash Lite content for download through wireless networks.
Dale Rankine (Sept. 5, 2006)
Learn what modifications you need to make so that your content runs on a variety of devices.
Submit your feedback about the Developer Center.
Adobe Flash Lite is the Flash profile specifically designed for mobile and consumer electronic devices. It enables mobile application developers and designers to create rich, engaging content and applications, and customized user interfaces across device platforms. Flash Lite has been licensed by the world's leading operators and handset manufacturers to bring exceptional mobile experiences to subscribers worldwide.
Adobe (Feb. 4, 2008)
If the mobile device world is new to you, read this primer which explains the basics of the mobile content marketplace and the options for delivering content to the phone.
Keldon Rush (Sept. 18, 2007)
Get an overview of the processes, tools, and some best practices involved in developing Flash Lite applications.
For a long time, mobile content and data services were the future. But today, the world is filled with mobile and consumer electronic devices. Phones, PDAs, MP3 players, portable gaming consoles—they all make life more convenient for consumers, and that's why the mobile market is skyrocketing. By the end of 2007, there will be 2,713 million mobile devices in use worldwide (Gartner Dataquest July 2007) compared to 755 million PCs (Forrester July 2007).
Unlike the open environment of the web—where anyone can create and upload content—the mobile world is still, in many ways, a closed world with a very specific content ecosystem:
The world of mobile devices is also different from the web world in other respects. In the mobile world, device diversity and frequent releases are the norm, network speeds can fluctuate from spot to spot, screen sizes and form factors vary greatly from device to device, device firmware can't always be updated, and each geographical region has unique characteristics.
To enter the mobile ecosystem, designers and developers need the right tools and resources. Adobe Flash Lite paves the way for mobile content development and distribution.
Get inspired: View the new Flash Mobile Gallery for engaging mobile experiences created by designers and developers around the world, all powered by Adobe Flash.
If you have cool, compelling, or innovative Flash Lite content that you would like to submit as a candidate to be showcased on this page, send an email to flcontent@adobe.com with your name, SWF or FLV file, and a brief description of the content. We will contact you if you have been selected.
Based on the Adobe Flash Platform, Flash Lite is the runtime specifically optimized for mobile phones and consumer electronic devices. "Lite" means that it has a light footprint in all ways: file size, memory usage and CPU requirements. Using the same Flash skills and tools you already have, you can take mobile design to new levels of creativity and interactivity.
Flash Lite supports many different content types—including wallpapers, screensavers, games and applications—so there's no limit to the kinds of applications you can create (see above for more examples):
There are a lot of factors to take into account when developing mobile content, including the device and operating system you're developing for, as well as which content types and versions of Flash Lite they support. In the Adobe Mobile & Devices Developer Center, you'll find detailed information about Flash Lite-supported handsets. In Adobe Device Central CS3—a new component in all Adobe Creative Suite 3 editions and several point products such as Flash CS3 Professional—you can view device profiles to access detailed information on capabilities and Flash Lite functionality per device.
Today, over 400 different models of Flash Lite-enabled devices are available, and you can create content directly for more than 150 models. Over 500 million Flash Lite-enabled devices have shipped around the world. According to Strategy Analytics, the number of Flash Lite shipped devices will reach more than 1 billion by the end of 2010. That means there's a significant opportunity to make waves in the world of mobile content as an early innovator and put your work in the hands of millions of users around the world—and generate incremental revenue by selling that content through Adobe's global partner network or through client-contracted work.
Today, many of these devices are pre-installed with Flash Lite 1.1, while some support Flash Lite 2.0. With the release of the Flash Lite 3.0 player in Q4 2007—including Flash Video support—you will have more opportunities to create and distribute content. The penetration of Flash Lite 3.0 devices will grow over time as more device OEMs and operators adopt this new technology.
If you already develop using Flash, there's little learning curve for Flash Lite. That means lower development costs and a faster time to market to create richer interactive mobile content with engaging interfaces.
After you develop, you can sell your apps to Adobe's network of aggregators or directly to partner operators like Verizon Wireless. You can also develop Flash Lite content for contracted client work.
With the Adobe software you already use, together with the new Adobe Device Central CS3, you can quickly design, develop, preview, test and distribute mobile content.
The first step is to create and prepare. Brainstorm and sketch out your ideas, identify your target devices, Flash Lite versions and content types.
Next design and prototype. Consider important design elements such as branding, fonts, UI, and navigational flow. Create the look of your application and mockups using Photoshop CS3, Illustrator CS3 or Fireworks CS3
After that, you should develop or repurpose your project. Build your application and add interactivity using Flash CS3, together with Photoshop CS3, Adobe Premier Pro CS3 or After Effects CS3. Repurpose existing web or print assets for mobile devices as appropriate.
The next step is to test and publish your work. Publish your work as a Flash Lite application from Flash CS3 or Flash Professional 8. Use Device Central to preview your designs and test your content on the desktop. Test your application on a Flash Lite-supported device by transferring the SWF file from the desktop to the device. Conduct quality assurance to ensure an optimal user experience and identify bugs. Make any changes or optimize the content in the Flash authoring environment (the "Test and publish" part of the workflow is an iterative process).
Now you will be ready to distribute what you have created. Package your content to .SIS (for Nokia Series 60 and Symbian) or .MOD/.MIF (for BREW devices) depending on the appropriate platform.
The final step is to generate revenue. Sell your content to a content aggregator or operator. Receive a check each month as consumers download your content or get paid through client-contracted work.
The Getting Started with Flash Lite Guide provides more detail on each of the steps in the workflow.

Determine which CS3 products you want to use to design and develop. Check for Flash Lite player updates to your Adobe tools – especially for Flash CS3 and Device Central CS3, as well as Flash Pro 8. Also check for the latest device profile updates on Adobe Device Central Online.
The Adobe Mobile Developer Program gives you free access to the services, information and technical support you might need as you design and develop mobile content.
Check out the latest articles, tutorials, product updates, and archived newsletters, as well as find out about Flash Lite training opportunities on the Mobile and Devices Developer Center.
You will need to test your application on the Flash Lite supported device or devices that your application targets.
These resources are a great place to start learning best practices:
Participate in mobile user groups, Adobe Mobile & Devices discussion groups, monthly webinars, and the Flash Lite Exchange.
Straight from the Mobile & Devices team and community, these samples show you how to create new content or migrated existing content to mobile devices using Flash Player and Flash Lite. View and download the source code for most applications by browsing, right-clicking, and selecting View Source or select a link to view the sample on a community member’s site.
Mariam Dholkawala (July 31, 2006)
Use Flash Lite shared objects so your games remember user information across gaming sessions.
Alessandro Pace (July 17, 2006)
Use a server-side PHP parser and Flash Lite 1.1 to display RSS feeds on Flash Lite–enabled devices.
Delve into the code of this site-specific art piece that uses global positioning system (GPS) technology on handheld PCs.
Connected or not—keep user-entered data intact. Learn how a cookie can enable devices that aren't always online.
Eung Kim (June 12, 2006)
Create a game for the iRiver U10 with only a basic understanding of Macromedia Flash and ActionScript.
Sung-Hee Park (June 5, 2006)
Understand the process of migrating Flash desktop content to iRiver U10 devices using Flash Lite 1.1.
David Brown (May 5, 2008)
Create a great experience for device users by building apps that react to environment changes and have built-in orientation switching.
Download authoring tool updates, device profiles, content development kits (CDKs), players for various platforms and related software and downloads from Adobe Labs and take your design and development to the next level.
Device Profile Update #5 (Mar 26, 2007)
Flash Lite 2.1 for Flash Professional 8
(Dec. 4, 2006)
The distributable player solution enables developers to create rich applications for the latest version of Flash Lite and directly distribute their content to millions of open OS smartphones providing a better on-device user experience. The solution mimics the successful Flash Player desktop model of content-triggered downloads for applications (rather than web-browsing). Developers and content providers no longer need to worry about whether the device has the latest Flash Lite runtime. To deliver your application using the distributable player solution:
A private beta of the distributable player solution is available now for developers. A consumer-ready public beta is planned for release in the US, Spain, and Italy in the first half of 2009. More countries will be added over time.
Flash Lite 3.1 Distributable Player
The Flash Lite 3.1 Distributable Player is the first runtime provided by Adobe to developers for over-the-air distribution together with applications. Flash Lite 3.1 has the same functionalities as Flash Lite 3.0, such as support for Flash Player compatible video, with some enhancements including improved security model for SWF file access. Please note that at this time h.264 video is not supported. Adobe’s goal is always to provide the latest version of Flash Lite for over-the-air (OTA) download through the distributable player solution. Flash Lite 3.1 Distributable Player will work on supported S60 and Windows Mobile devices. The Distributable Player is integrated with Adobe AppZone.
Adobe AppZone
Adobe AppZone is the on-device catalog where consumers can discover Flash Lite applications from a Featured Application category and from aggregator partners, such as Thumbplay and Zed. Consumers can browse and launch downloaded Flash Lite apps in a visual and user-friendly way.
Adobe AppZone has a unique icon to distinguish it from any embedded Flash Lite player on the phone. AppZone is downloaded if the application requires the latest version of the Flash Lite player provided that version is not already installed on the smartphone. The download occurs only the first time an app that requires the over-the-air version of the player. Applications will use the on-device player if no upgrade is required.
Adobe Mobile Packager
The Adobe Mobile Packager is a desktop application to combine SWFs, a player version checker, an icon, and metadata into one installable file for user-friendly discovery on S60 and Windows Mobile devices. The resulting output file is recognizable by Symbian (.SIS) and Windows Mobile (.CAB) operating systems. Consumers who download Flash Lite applications using a supported device will see a user-friendly icon and name in their Applications folder (can also be the Games folder, for Windows Mobile devices), instead of having to open the Flash Player application and find the SWF file within the device folder structure.
Important: The Mobile Packager requires installation of SDKs for S60 and Windows Mobile development in order to work (Since these SDKs only support Windows, the Packager is currently available for this operating system. Adobe’s intent is to add support for Mac OS users over time.
The distributable player solution provides new distribution opportunities, including direct-to-consumer and off-deck (or off-portal) options through aggregators for both free and paid content. Expose your application through Adobe AppZone and benefit from the marketing reach and billing services provided by new off-deck aggregator partners such as Thumbplay and Zed. A “Publish to Aggregators” button in the Adobe Mobile Packager integrates with aggregators’ content submission websites for an easer creation-to-publish workflow. Developers also have the choice to distribute their apps through any other aggregator or channel that delivers Symbian or Windows Mobile applications to consumers.
An update to Adobe Device Central CS4 and an update to Adobe Flash CS4 provide authoring support for the distributable player solution. These include a Flash Lite 3.1 publishing profile in Flash CS4, a new generic device profiles, the ability to create new Flash Lite 3.1 documents, as well as emulation support in Device Central CS4. To create content targeting the Flash Lite 3.1 distributable player in Flash CS3 Professional, developers should publish their content as Flash Lite 3.0 and use Adobe Device Central CS3 to test it on the desktop. In both cases, the resulting SWF file should be packaged using the Adobe Mobile Packager, selecting the latest player (at the time of writing, Flash Lite 3.1) as the Flash Lite version to enable content-triggered downloads of the distributable player.
The distributable player solution supports devices based on S60 3rd Edition, 3rd Edition feature pack 1, 3rd Edition feature pack 2, Windows Mobile 5 for Smartphones, WM6 Standard and Professional platforms. Here is a list of supported phones:
While the initial public beta release will be in the US, Spain and Italy, Adobe plans to continue rolling out the solution in more countries. Until that happens we encourage you to work with the content aggregators in your respective markets. Click here for a list of distribution options in markets not currently covered by the Distributable Player solution.
To learn more about the distributable player solution, read the FAQ.
Click here to sign up for the private beta.
Engage with and learn from the Adobe mobile developer community:
Australia Adobe mobile and devices user group (OZMAD)
Focused on Flash Lite and the mobile and devices industry. Local and international speakers, presentations and demonstrations. Meets monthly (usually the last Monday of the month) in Toowong, Brisbane. Check www.ozmadgroup.com for details, or contact ozmad@moket.com.au.
Boston Adobe mobile and devices user group
First user group in the world completely dedicated to Flash Lite for mobile devices. There are some 190 members from all over the world who are part of this user group. Local and international speakers, presentations and demonstrations. Meet monthly and has a private mailing list for announcements and discussions. Check www.flashmobilegroup.org for details, or contact flashmobilegroup@gmail.com.
Dallas Adobe mobile and devices user group
This group focuses on showcasing and discussing the latest advancements in mobile technology. Developers from just about every mobile platform available attend to share their knowledge and passion for mobile. The group normally meets the first monday of each month. Check www.momodallas.com or contact kirk.ballou@flash-widgets.com for more info.
India Adobe mobile and devices user group (IndiMAD)
The IndiMaD User Group aims to bring Flash Lite enthusiasts together. This group is based in India, and wants to bring developers and professionals from all over the globe to come together and promote one technology—Flash on mobiles. Although the group discussions will revolve around Flash Lite, we will also be open to discussing other mobile technologies. The group will hold monthly meetings either on physical ground or remotely inviting guest speakers. To know more about the group please visit www.indimadgroup.com/blog/ or send an email to flashliteindia@gmail.com.
Italy Adobe mobile and device user group
Our group is dedicated to all aspects of mobile and focuses on different mobile technologies, from Flash Lite to J2ME and C++. We have 20 founding staff members of different professional levels, ages, and nationalities, with one common passion for mobile. We have a private mailing list for announcements and discussions, and meet as much as possible. For details visit http://mobile.actionscript.it , or contact mobile@actionscript.it.
Poland Adobe mobile and device user group
FlashLite.com.pl is the first Polish Mobile and Device Adobe User Group. The group has a private mailing list for announcements and discussions. The group normally meets the last Monday of each month. Check www.flashlite.com.pl for details, or contact admin@flashlite.com.pl
Spain Adobe mobile and devices user group
BlocketPc.com is the Spanish Mobile Adobe User Group. Managed by Marcos González and Raúl Jiménez, at our site we publish tutorials, code, reviews of software, tests of mobile devices, online meetings, live conferences, news, etc...all focused on development on mobile devices.Check www.blocketpc.com for details, or contact info@blocketpc.com.
UK Adobe mobile and devices user group
This site will be dedicated to Flashlite, other mobile development software and news from Adobe, and the user group community. The group has monthly meetings and a private mailing list for announcements and discussions. Check www.flashmobilegroup-uk.org for details, post at
http://groups.google.com/group/flashmobilegroup-uk, or contact UKMaD@flashmobilegroup-uk.org.
Read the most recent blog posts about Adobe mobile and devices from the community
Register your application today for your chance to win up to 15K Euros in cash prizes and an opportunity to showcase your winning application at the S60 Summit in Barcelona, Spain. The Forum Nokia Code Camp Competition is on and we are looking for the next developer rock star! Registration begins March 18th, so get ready to code your application and enter.
Submit your Flash Lite game to one of the three regional categories (Americas, EMEA, Asia) by February 15th, 2008. Prizes include $5,000 dollars, an Adobe Creative Suite 3 software license, and three O'Reilly books. Entries will be judged by a panel of Adobe, Playyoo, and Flash Lite game developers worldwide based on innovation in concept, game play, graphics, as well as an evaluation of the technical merits of the game, such as memory optimization and loading times. This contest is over! And the winners are?
Enter to win money and have a chance to be evaluated for distribution through the Moket Content Network. The Mobile and Devices User Group of Boston, Australia, and Brazil are the sole sponsors of this Flash Lite application contest. Adobe is not responsible for and shall not be liable for any and all losses, damages, rights, claims, and actions of any kind in connection with the contest. Learn more about the contest in this recorded presentation. This contest is over! And the winners are?
By popular demand, Mobile.Actionscript.it is pleased to announce the 2nd annual Mobile Game contest. This year Mobile.Actionscript.it has decided to bring the contest to an other level—it will not be exclusively Flashlite oriented, but J2ME games will be accepted as well. The prizes are an Adobe Studio 8 complete license for the winner of the Flashlite category, an N93 Nokia smartphone for the J2ME winner, and iRivers and O'Reilly books for second and third placements. Mobile.Actionscript.it is the sole sponsor of this contest. Adobe is not responsible for and shall not be liable for any and all losses, damages, rights, claims, and actions of any kind in connection with the contest. The contest is over! And the winners are?
Visit the mobile and devices community discussion forums.
Visit the Flash Mobile Gallery, the Flash Lite exchange and/or the Pocket PC exchange to see and download Flash Lite applications created by the community.
There are no events scheduled at this time.
Watch or listen to this podcast series aimed at creative professionals new to mobile, as Adobe host John Agger walks you through tutorials on mobile content creation. The Adobe Mobile Podcast series is created in partnership with Terry White's Creative Suite Video podcast and includes the following episodes:
Use the Mobile and Devices cookbook to share knowledge and find answers to common coding problems—or post comments and rate contributions.
If you're new to the Mobile and Devices cookbook and would like to contribute:
Post your solution to the cookbook:
Share your knowledge. We're looking for new and original solutions and work-arounds to common coding problems related to building Flash, or HTML/Ajax-based apps on Adobe Mobile and Devices.
Copyright © 2008 Adobe Systems Incorporated. All rights reserved.
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