Adobe AIR or the Adobe Integrated Runtime, is a RIA building tool that offers a cross-platform runtime environment. It has brought together Adobe software such as Adobe Flex, Adobe Flash, Ajax and HTML on one common platform.
The core purpose of this runtime environment is to help a developer create engaging content, applications and videos that can be accessed by the widest possible audience. With AIR, developers can build standalone applications that are compatible with diverse devices, as they can run outside the browser environment.
AIR is turning out to be a bonanza for developers because of its features.
Media Measurement
A common complaint of developers was that it was only the Adobe Flash Player that offered integrated support for media measurement. They weren’t able to track how content was distributed and viewed by users, if it was developed using other Adobe environments. But, the new Adobe AIR has taken care of this problem. It directly supports media measurement and that too with very little code. So, the implementation of video analytics pertinent to native and legacy video players can be accomplished quickly and easily.
It’s important to note that this feature is only applicable for desktop applications.
Improved Navigation
Seamless intra-application navigation has also been made possible with AIR. Adobe AIR takes desktop interactivity to a whole new level. Rich Internet Application can now be built that help users navigate between two applications through web links. This has bettered the functional aspects of applications such as eBook readers, magazine viewers amongst various others.
Apps for iOS Have Better Performance
Improved rendering for iOS means that that AIR apps for iOS perform four times faster in the CPU mode. This has helped developers improve the performance of rich internet applications that have been developed for the iOS platform. What many developers have also appreciated is the fact that the improved performance is not only seen in the apps developed in the Flash framework but also in those developed in the Flex Framework.
Faster iOS Application Development Cycle
The new and improved AIR Developer Tool enables the faster development of iOS application. What the tool has done is that it has reduced the time taken to debug an application. This time reduction is a result of streamlining the two most time consuming phases of the application development life cycle – Testing and Debugging.
AIR has enabled developers to build compelling rich internet applications that facilitate a closer connect with customers. Development with the Adobe Integrated Run Time environment is a low risk venture and something that doesn’t take a lot of time.
These days businesses, both big and small, need to have an RIA strategy in place that improves productivity, promotes efficiency, reduces operating costs, and ensures customer satisfaction. The Adobe AIR promises all this and a whole lot more. At the end of the day, each business wants its web investments to offer the very best returns on investment - Adobe AIR helps them derive the maximum value out of their investment.