Adobe’s AIR 2.5 Is Out

Adobe launched AIR2.5 on October 26th. Adobe AIR 2.5 not only provides new features for desktop developers, it also introduces support for the Android operating system and TVs, transforming the way designers and developers create multiscreen applications.

With AIR 2.5, developers are now able to package their ActionScript applications into Android Packages (APK files) to distribute to Android devices. In the AIR 2.5 mobile device profile, developers could create awesome mobile applications that take advantage of mobile device features, including access to the device camera for still image capture, video capture, microphone, and StageWebView. Besides there are many enhancements in Air 2.5, including enhancements to the Keyboard APIs, the new StageVideo API, new Native Extension capabilities for hardware manufactures, and new content protection solution called Flash Access 2.0. Flash Access enables content creators to deliver high value content right to the living room by having a protected delivery path from source to playback, including hardware security on the device using the device's hardware accelerated AES and RSA cores and secure key stores. By providing this high level of security, content creators and studios can have the comfort they need to delivery the highest-value Hollywood content directly over the Internet to a living room device.

Samsung is planning ship its line of SmartTV devices with AIR 2.5 embedded in them. Other companies incorporating the runtime in their devices are Motorola, Acer, RIM and HTC. There are currently more than three million Flash developers around and Air 2.5 is likely to help them in creating apps for different platforms and devices.

Adobe Air 2.5 and Adobe AIR 2.5 SDK for desktop OS and Android is now available for download. It supports various desktop apps such as Windows, Linux and Macintosh. AIR 2.5 for Samsung Smart TV platform and BlackBerry Tablet OS is expected to be available for download in early 2011
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