Adobes Apollo project has been provided a new breath of life, which so conveniently is named AIR (Adobe Integrated Runtime). Yes, the AIR project is the same as Apollo just with a few new (advanced) features.
The key feature to Apollo/AIR is the runtime enviorment as it allows you to take your Javascript, HTML, Flash, or Flex application and turn it into a light desktop application.
Why do I say “light”? Frankly, the AIR runtime does not handle its resources and memory access very well - hence any large system seems clunky, and slow to response.
Now, what can a light application do? What is the Runtime useful for at this stage in the game?
Lets take a real world example - Pownce.com…
“You can access all of your Pownce notes just on our website or you can download a small program for your computer.
The software is available right now for Windows and Mac users and will be available for Linux soon too. It takes advantage of a new technology from Adobe called AIR, which is super useful.”
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Yes… Pownce has created a very simple IM type application and integrated it to work directly with their website.
Now, however cool this might be - Is it really practical to have another system like this? I personally believe not, Pownce will not steal any facebookers just because they have a cool AIR application.
In my opinion the largest contribution this runtime offers is the ability to instantly update your users / members of new content on your website. Imagine your user having an instant notification sent right to their desktop when a user has posted a reply to their topic? Many of you will say… so… thats email? Not exactly, when it comes to automated responses email has some flaws.
Over all AIR is not fully operational, its real world examples and applications are more experiments / cool toys instead of practical applications.
I do however believe this will be quite revolutionary and will more then likely become an effective way to deliver fresh content to your users as well as communicate your users content with your website(Instant desktop updates without c++!).
More to come as I am now developing a few “Practical” applications for my employers.
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