Why is choosing Adobe Flex?

Are you still struggling to find out which RIA solution is best for you? With so many frameworks to choose – AJAX, Adobe Flash, Adobe Flex, Microsoft SilverLight, OpenLaszlo, Curl, JavaFX, do you feel lost somehow?

You have seen all kinds of comparisons or reviews online, such as:

AJAX vs. Flex vs. SilverLight
10 reasons to love AJAX (or Flex, or SilverLight, or …)
10 reasons to hate AJAX (or Flex, or SilverLight, or …)
At the end of the day, you may wonder: “Now What?”

The good news is, life can be much simpler! You are not here to select the best movie for OSCAR. Your job is to simply find the most suitable RIA framework for YOU!

As an example, I’d like to share with you why Flex is good for me. My top 5 reasons are:

1. Easy to Learn and Use

Before Flex, I was a Java developer. Before Java, I was a C++ and COBOL guy on IBM Mainframe. So I know exactly how painful it is to learn a new programming language. Just like switching from a manual transmission to an automatic one, it takes time for you to get used to that.

Surprisingly, the first time I saw Flex code, I thought it was Java. Considering the similar syntax, structure, and style, it is like the same coffee with different cream. With no time, I built my first fully functional application in Flex and Wow my colleagues.

Another beauty of Flex is its development tool – Flex Builder 3. It is built on the same platform – Eclipse as my J2EE IDE. So I don’t have to learn a new set of settings, shortcuts, or tricks. Plus Flex Builder 3 provides many useful features, such as design editor, build tools, integrated debugger. It makes your job so much easier! You can get your copy of Flex Builder 3 here.

2. Mature Language and Framework

Unlike JavaScript Based AJAX, Adobe Flex is built on a strongly typed Objected-Oriented programming language. I believe the Flex development team extends a lot of goodies from Java, making it suitable for developing enterprise level applications.

In addition,there are some mature frameworks to support Flex at the architecture level. Like Struts and Spring for Java, command-driven Cairngorm and event-driven Mate are two frameworks to implement the MVC (Model-View-Control) design pattern for Flex. And they both are open sourced projects.

3. Cross Browser Support

XBMC 9.11 Alpha has been released

One of eyecatching computer media player for video, music, picture, and so on is XBMC. Free and open source media player that really observe in its improvement ti satisfy users. XBMC is an award-winning free and open source (GPL) software media player and entertainment hub for digital media. XBMC is available for Linux, OSX, Windows, and the original Xbox. Created in 2003 by a group of like minded programmers, XBMC is a non-profit project run and developed by volunteers located around the world. More than 50 software developers have contributed to XBMC, and 100-plus translators have worked to expand its reach, making it available in more than 30 languages.

The so-called Camelot build is now available for download on Windows, OS X and Linux, with the most notable changes including a revamped user interface. In this newest version, some of improvement has been done such as :
* DirectX has replaced OpenGL for Windows
* Numerous skinning engine updates which allow for use of some fancy new skins
* Many improvements to the video player which allow for much smoother playback
* Switch to Core Audio on OSX
* Many VDPAU improvements under linux
* Many platform-specific customizations

Currently XBMC can be used to play almost all popular audio and video formats around. It was designed for network playback, so you can stream your multimedia from anywhere in the house or directly from the internet using practically any protocol available. Use your media as-is: XBMC can play CDs and DVDs directly from the disk or image file, almost all popular archive formats from your hard drive, and even files inside ZIP and RAR archives. It will even scan all of your media and automatically create a personalized library complete with box covers, descriptions, and fanart. There are playlist and slideshow functions, a weather forecast feature and many audio visualizations. Once installed, your computer will become a fully functional multimedia jukebox.

Nokia N900, first Nokia’s phone with Linux inside

The Nokia N900 is a mobile Internet device and phone, from Nokia based on the Maemo platform, superseding the N810. It was launched at Nokia World on 2 September 2009 and was expected to be released on 27 September 2009 (but this date has slipped to November 2009) in the United States and 9 European countries. It runs Maemo 5 Linux as its operating system and is the first Nokia device based upon the TI OMAP3 microprocessor with ARM Cortex-A8 core. Unlike the Internet Tablets preceding it, the Nokia N900 will be the first Maemo device to include phone functionality (quad-band GSM and 3G UMTS). It functions as a 5 mega pixel camera, a portable media player, and a mobile Internet device with email and web browsing.

The N900 is being launched alongside Maemo 5, giving the device an overall more touch-friendly interface and a customizable home screen which mixes application icons with shortcuts and widgets. Maemo 5 supports Adobe Flash Player 9.4, and includes many applications designed specifically for the mobile platform such as a new touch-friendly media player.

Meanwhile Reuters said…
Nokia CEO says starts delivery of top model N900

HELSINKI, Nov 10 (Reuters) – Nokia has started deliveries of its new top-of-the-range model N900, a key product for the world’s top phone maker in its battle against rivals iPhone and Blackberry.

Nokia Chief Executive Olli-Pekka Kallasvuo said in a speech the company started deliveries of the phone on Tuesday.

The N900 model is Nokia’s first phone running the Linux Maemo operating system, which analysts see as a key for Nokia to regain ground in the coming years.

Nokia has kept its overall market share stable, close to 40 percent, but it has lost share among more expensive models to the likes of Apple and RIM.

High-end products are important for Nokia because the company has not only lost market share there, but its average selling prices have declined faster than the industry average.

Goldman Sachs has said it expects Nokia’s value share — a measure reflecting average prices and underlying market share — for phones costing more than $350 to decline to 13 percent this year from 33 percent just two years before.

Google Wave, new innovation in communication

The developing of HTML nowaday is already be HTML 5. HTML 5 always be followed by many developers in the world. Google team who is usually famous because of their amazing idea also using this new innovation in using HTML 5 by relese their new product. It’s called Google Wave. Google Wave is a new communication service previewed today at Google I/O. “A wave is equal parts conversation and document, where people can communicate and work together with richly formatted text, photos, videos, maps, and more.”

A selected 100,000 people were invited by Google to use this new tool during it’s testing phase, and then to supply feedback and suggestions.
The Wave is set up in a real time format allowing conversations to transition from email to live conversation such as instant messaging. According to wave.google.com, the definition of a Wave is as follows:
A wave is equal parts conversation and document. People can communicate and work together with richly formatted text, photos, videos, maps, and more.
A Wave is shared. Any participant can reply anywhere in the message, edit the content and add participants at any point in the process. Then playback lets anyone rewind the wave to see who said what and when.
A Wave is live. With live transmission as you type, participants on a Wave can have faster conversations, see edits and interact with extensions in real-time.

Google made the big revelation in a blog post on the Google Wave developer’s blog. The post is part of an update on the Google Wave Hackathon, which allows developers to come to the Googleplex and work with the Google Wave API to build extensions such as Wave in WordPress, a bot that allows you to easily place Waves in WordPress posts.

It looks as if the testing in the Google Wave sandbox is going well though – it opened up the sandbox to 6,000 new developers and up to 20,000 more will get access before the end of August. But this pales in comparison to the 100,000 users that will get access on starting September 30th.

Facebook, Twitter, & Last.fm in Xbox ?

Microsoft Xbox, one of some popular game console in the world would add new feature on Xbox Live. They aware the technology trend nowadays that tends to social network. Like Wedbush Morgan analyst Michael Pachter said when he writes in his E3 2009 preview that the video game trade show should be “full of news and useful information for video game fans.” Microsoft want to create a social gaming console. Because of many user who really need more information and communication with their friends, not just play game. It marked a definitive expansion into social networking for the console and a strategy of broadening the Xbox brand into a wider entertainment realm beyond gaming.

As promised in early June at the E3 event, 360 Live users will see Twitter, Facebook and streaming radio service Last.fm available to their community as downloadable apps. Additionally, the existing Netflix application is expected to be updated to allow users to browse through titles directly from Live. With the promise of on-demand games, streaming videos, music and a new social media component, the Xbox community is about to look a lot like open source media center Boxee. Jennifer Puzio-Brooks an Entertainment Manager for Xbox has mentioned that the public beta for Xbox’s latest update that will include Facebook, Twitter and Last.fm integration will be going public this month. No solid date has been set for beta except it should go public sometime later this month. It doesn’t look like this beta will run like the last beta Microsoft had for their Dashboard update, it looks like you will not have the chance to sign up, but rather invites will be sent out to the community and to the press.

Facebook Integration
The Facebook integration may even have improved on the photo album browsing interface of the actual Facebook.com site, with snappy loading times and full-screen images making it even easier to browse through you or your friends’ photo galleries.
There’s also a very nice feature coming with the Facebook implementation as well: the ability to see which of your Facebook friends have Xbox Live accounts. Of course, you may already be Xbox Live friends with some of them, but what about the folks you might not have had the chance to exchange gamertags with, or even the friends you don’t even know are gamers? The new Dashboard update will solve that problem by identifying your Facebook friends on XBLA that haven’t friended you there yet.

Twitter and Last.fm
The Twitter implementation is a bit more bare bones, but nevertheless provides a way to update your status, see updates from those you’re following, and also see trending topics and perform searches. As Joystiq notes, without an on-board web browser with which to follow links and view Twitpics though, it almost calls to attention the glaring omission of web browsing on the Xbox 360.
The Last.fm implementation also gets high marks for user interface design, with most of the functionality users are familiar with brought into the Xbox Live integration. You can listen to your various stations, create new ones, skip tracks, add favorites, and get more information about individual tracks and artists.

Apple just Released New iTunes 9 !

Apple has released their new product of iTunes. That is iTunes version 9, the latest version of the world’s most popular software application to purchase, manage and play media, packed with innovative features such as iTunes LP, Home Sharing and Genius Mixes, as well as a redesigned store and improved syncing.

Lots of people really loved this music player software, because of its simplicity, look and feel, and also good quality of sounds output. MOreover the new fetaure like iTunes LP, it can make new experience of hearing music !! I’m sure that people will loved it!

“iTunes 9 is a great iTunes release, with innovative features that make using iTunes better than ever and iTunes content richer than ever,” said Steve Jobs, Apple’s CEO. “iTunes LP, for example, lets artists share more of their creativity with fans and gives music lovers the feeling of being immersed in an entire album with art, lyrics, liner notes, photos and videos.”
iTunes LP is the next evolution of the music album delivering a rich, immersive experience for select albums on the iTunes Store by combining beautiful design with expanded visual features like live performance videos, lyrics, artwork, liner notes, interviews, photos, album credits and more. iTunes LP debuts today with albums including Bob Dylan’s “Highway 61 Revisited,” Norah Jones’ “Come Away With Me,” The Grateful Dead’s “American Beauty” and Dave Matthews Band’s “Big Whiskey and the GrooGrux King: iTunes Pass.” The new iTunes Extras provides a similar experience for movies on iTunes with features including documentaries, deleted scenes, interviews and interactive galleries. iTunes Extras is now available for select movies including “Twilight,” “Batman Begins,” “WALL-E,” “Iron Man” and “The Da Vinci Code.” Customers can enjoy iTunes LP and iTunes Extras on a Mac® or PC.

They claim that the new version of iTunes could include Blu-ray support, give users the ability to visually organize and arrange iPhone apps within iTunes and some kind of integration with social networking sites such as Twitter, Facebook and possibly Last.fm.

Here is the updates:
Update 1: It’s more or less official now, complete with a non-working “Download iTunes 9″ button and everything. Apple’s mainly touting the new interface for the store in this blurb, but we know it’s just a front for taking more of our hard-earned cash and putting it in the hands of starving musicians. The nerve.

New features mentioned:
* Improved store navigation, including persistent navigation menu.
* Full window iTunes store. For times when that sidebar is just too much.
* Previews from anywhere in the store — don’t have to drill down to preview.
* iTunes LP includes lyrics, liner notes, video, photos and “more.”
* iTunes Extras. It’s like DVD extras, but with iTunes. Not clear if it includes director’s commentaries, but let’s hope.

Update 2: It’s now official, and Apple has fleshed out some more functionality.
* Genius Mixes. It’s like Genius Playlists, but it plays forever like a radio station.
* App management, letting you set up and arrange your home screens on the iPhone and iPod touch. You can drag and drop to move certain apps or whole pages of apps.
* Home sharing enables file transfers between up to five local computers of songs, videos and even apps.
* You can send items in the iTunes Store as gifts, add them to a wishlist, and publish them to Facebook and Twitter — look who’s getting all social all of a sudden!
* It’s available today.

See the detail of iTunes new feature ? Click Here . . Want to Download iTunes ? Click Here . .
Some people also talking about this on Twitter.

BPPT has made Meetings Resume Notes(tracter) software

Jakarta, Kominfo Newsroom – Badan Pengkajian dan Pengimplementasian Teeknologi (BPPT) or Indonesia Research and Implemantation of Technology Institution has developed an application to the meeting minutes automatically by utilizing a speech detector technology with made tracter.

With this “tracter”, each word is pronounced the meeting participants will be any posts is tracnscipted automatically, according runut hour, minute and second, so easily known when, and who speak what is realtime,’’said Resource Center Coordinator Open Source BPPT Oskar Riandi, M. Sc on the broadcast voice Iptek in Kemeneg RISTEK, Jakarta, Friday (5 / 6).

He is also the Information Technology practitioner that explains, perisalah is a software system as one of the speech a first language in the world that are used to conduct the meeting transcript automatically.

The tracter have some features (the ability to do the application) so that the participants display a simple greeting in mind when, who and what to speak in the meeting. Edit features on the fly allows notulis perform editing / correction when meeting transcript or by the system are berlansung so that they can increase the speed and accuracy of meeting minutes.

The main problem in making meeting monograph / notulen is the length of the transcript made by notulen. One way to be a regular problem solving as it is recording a meeting with the split into several parts and assigned to several notulis to be that transcript.

The problem will be more complex when there are meetings conducted simultaneously in several different rooms, and must soon be made that tract. It will impact on the decrease of speed and size of the tract of making the cost of which must be issued to pay notulen.

Problem that does not lose too serious is note man difficult to write a detail when, who and what to speak during the transcript. By using this tracter, will be able to reduce costs and facilitate notulis archive storage form of digital voice recording and text in the electronic database, he said.

Perisa it has 4 main functions, namely as a system speech language, as the system automatically meeting tracter, as sorter tool documents automatically, and as meeting records.

Tracter new research is starting in January 2009, and currently live prototype already completed development of what later.