Adobe Systems announced the availability of the Adobe Flex 2-product line with free Adobe Flex 2 SDK offers. Adobe is preparing developers for the next generation of the Web and rich Internet applications solutions.

Under the Adobe System’s new vision ‘Engagement Platform’, the newly offered Flex 2 provides simplified unified framework that allows next generation of information development and management in creating multimedia contents and applications. It is the most complete development solution for rich Internet applications.

Adobe’s product marketing manager Dave Gruber came to Korea to announce its latest release said, “The release of Flex 2 is more meaningful since it represents not just one product but collaboration of multi Adobe products.”

Improvements in Expression, data management, application development
Flex 2 has much improved expressing, creating and delivering cross-platform and more powerful application development.

First, in expression part, it has dramatically enhanced vector graphics, API drawing, rich media, realtime messaging to help create more flashy presentations.

Second, in cross-platform, it adds data management and data push capabilities that provide utilization of features in enterprise environment. New Flash Player 9 has the virtual machine that makes flash player ten times more faster than previous version.
And ‘Flex Data Service 2’ which has data management service and messaging service, provides realtime data update to parallel features found in Enterprise.

Developers can build better applications with Flex Builder 2 with Charting for developers who need visualization along with free Flex 2 SDK developer tool. Flex Builder with Eclipse based architecture, which employs simple development language, MXML (Machine-oriented extensible markup language) and Action Script 3.0 provide improved programming model, and various pre made components to bring up better developers.

Adobe Korea’s President Wonjin Lee said, “Flex 2 is a web 2.0 solution that gives support to RIA (Rich Internet Application). Ever since its first release in 2003, we made improvements using feedbacks from users. In never requires additional management tool and with the release of 10 times faster Flash Player 9, it will take big portion out of the next Internet market.”

Against major internet portals, Pilot PJT in progress
The eventual goal of the Adobe’s announcement of Flex 2 is in reaching business and corporations. Up to now, unlike domestic X-Internet businesses ‘Shift information communications’ and ‘TobeSoft’, Adobe was criticized for having lack of components what business companies seek; Adobe is trying to trying to turn around the situation with the much improved product.

Presently, Samsung Electronics Corp. picked the Flex 2 as their next standard internet solution and Sinhan bank developed its banking application system using it also, showing acceptance from financial industry as well.

Online shopping, portals and other internet industry are also planning their businesses. ‘CJ Mall’ already completed theirs and 2 to 3 others are constructing the shopping malls. Google (US) also utilized combination of Flex 2 and AJAX (Asynchronous JavaScript and XML)on their sites and major portals are also running pilot projects in domestic Korea.

In other areas, around ten companies are working with OEM method to develop UI against ISV and SAP is working with Flex 2 to develop next UI product for release this coming fall.

Strategy to gain corporate market is in winning developers mind
The heart of main strategy lies in gaining developers using the Flex. Dave Gruber said, “Existing Flex 1 only used the source code but Our strategy is to get us into the enterprise and get a million developers using Flex in three years by giving supports to the developers.”

The key approach in spreading Flex is in getting many developers in the platform. By offering free Adobe Flex 2 SDK, Adobe is focusing on reaching Flex developers and Java developers together to bring balance in its users.

In other words, providing graphic power to the Java developers for their weakness in UI and Flash developers with weakness in programming can utilize the Flex 2 to give them the opportunities to reach mobile and next internet applications.

Adobe Korea has already gained decent amount of royal users in Flex 2 beta test period and plans to up bring training classes and trainers to increase its user to more than 10,000 within this year. Adobe Korea’s director Min-Hyung Park explained, “We activated the Flex related programs from beginning of the year. To increase users we offer free beginner courses every week and for the power users we are running the Mania Club too. We also publish periodic magazine to provide information and same time offering paid seminar classes too.”