I just installed Flash Builder 4.6. You can get it here You’ll need to uninstall you’re current version of Flash Builder and then install this one. If you have this app as part of a bundle like Adobe Web Premium, you can click the ‘Trial’ mode and the app will auto-detect the serial number from the other products and plug it in.

It took me a second to find out how to get rid of this Adobe Welcome screen popup up each time I started Flash Builder. Just so you know it’s under Preference -> Flash Builder -> ‘Show welcome screen on launch’

Here’s a screenshot:

Yeah, I’m mostly posting this so that I can personally find it the next time I forget.

Yesterday, Adobe issued layoffs. Today, Adobe made a stunning announcement, their new mobile strategy will no longer include flash for the mobile browser.

Here is their wording:

We will no longer continue to develop Flash Player in the browser to work with new mobile device configurations (chipset, browser, OS version, etc.) following the upcoming release of Flash Player 11.1 for Android and BlackBerry PlayBook

link

This follows, what I would describe as, 2 years of the worst PR given to any software or platform that I can remember.

My question to Adobe is:
How would you think this little announcement would be received by the already bitter tech community?

Here’s a few headlines:
– Apple’s Steve Jobs vindicated as Adobe kills mobile Flash‎
– Adobe kills Flash on mobile devices
– Adobe kills Flash Player for mobile browsers
– Why Adobe Failed and Where Startups Can Swoop In

When Adobe makes strategic decisions like this, I’m guessing they do it for the following reasons:
1. Reassure their investors and
2. Increase share prices

It is my opinion that Adobe’s PR ninjas failed at both of these tasks today.

Adobe is now shipping Flash Player 11 and the AIR 3 runtimes. Hop on over to check them out:

Flash Player 11

AIR 3

There are tons of new feature in each but I’d like to highlight one on each runtime.

Adobe Flash Player 11 has a new API called Stage 3D. Now Flash has had 3D for a while. Projects like Away 3D and Papervision 3D having been doing 3D within the Flash player for years. However these projects relied on computer’s CPU to do the 100% of the 3D rendering.

With Flash Player 11 projects like these can now take advantage the GPU’s 3D rendering capabilities. This allows for 3D performance on the flash platform with an order of magnitude greater performance and complexity.

OK, here’s a fun multitouch demo:

Adobe AIR 3 has added a fun new feature called ANE. ANE stands for Adobe Native Extensions and allows users to used the Adobe Air runtime in conjunction with natively executing code. This allows Adobe AIR to do fun things like integrate with phones that have NFC capabilities or view compass data (these aren’t available by default to Adobe AIR)

Here’s a round up of helpful links to follow up with up with:

List of features
Stage 3D devnet article
Developing native extensions for Adobe AIR
Extensions for AIR
Press Release About Flash 11 and AIR 3
You’ll also need the new AIR 3 SDK

I’m a Flex developer. I get paid to use the Flex SDK to build rich internet applications. I woke up feeling guilty about how much our community complains about the Flex framework.

Yes there are issues with Flex and we complain because we love it and want it to be perfect. And I don’t think we focus on that last part nearly as much as we should. Many of us love the Flex framework.

I’m posting a picture of my family below because the Flex team should know that their work has directly affected my ability to provide for them.

Flex work has paid for a lot of trips to the grocery store. Flex has paid for a lot of diapers. Adobe Flex has paid for a number of amazing vacations. Flex has enabled me to meet some of the most amazing developers and friends that I have in my life.

We’re finally looking for a home and we’ve been able to save up a sizable down payment, mostly, from working on Adobe Flex projects. When I say I owe the Adobe Flex team a big thanks you, I’m not being sarcastic or exaggerating.

My little family on our summer vacation:

Now I know that the Flex team gets paid, but I’ve noticed many of them going above and beyond their 9-5. I’ve seen team members hanging out online responding to FlexCoder mailing list in the middle of the night. I’ve seen team members showing up at user group meetings to ‘learn’ about some Flex 101 topic. Just generally being supportive of the Flex community.

I simply want to reminding the Flex team that their work makes a direct difference in many families like mine. Thanks and keep up the good work!