Flash Lite / FlashCast alternative???
March 15th, 2006
Everypoint is a company I’ve been aware of for a little while now and I’ve been waiting until they released more information on their site before blogging about them. They have some very interesting technology which allows companies to deploy real-time mobile content to a wide range of java enabled phones. In addition they’ve developed their own vector rendering engine which from some of the screenshots and demos, looks to offer some great looking graphics.
Yahoo looks to be one of the first customers using this technology with an upcoming World Cup soccer application called Matchcast. There’s also a demo of an application using the technology here.
I think many people are still trying to write off J2ME and companies like Everypoint are interesting in that they are providing viable solutions for real time mobile content delivery. I think it also requires us to revisit some Flash Lite vs J2ME comparisons.
What’s this mean for FlashLite and FlashCast? Hopefully companies like Everypoint push Adobe harder to make the best product they can. I’m all for having choices and alternatives when it comes to making a decision on the best technology to use. I’m by no means biased towards using Flash Lite over J2ME just because of my Flash background and experience. Personally I want to use the best technology for the job and if one allows me to offer my application now to existing java enabled phones vs later to upcoming, Flash Lite enabled phones, my decision is going to be strongly influenced by the now option.
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March 15th, 2006 at 5:13 pm
Hey Tim.
I think you are just stating facts, but your post did sound a bit pessimistic …
Yeah, EveryPoint … they were at that MIT mobile event I went to last year…
http://www.scottjanousek-NOSPAM-.com/blog/?p=161
At that stage, they really had no product what-so-ever. Now, it looks like they are a lot further along … what they have on their site is compelling, but is it good/bad? I dunno.
I wonder if Justin E knows more about this yahoo deal and their product??? Perhaps he can chime in?
I also have to agree that I would probably never “use a hammer to drive in a screw” … so to speak. But, personally, I think Flash Cast has a lot of potential as a product/service. Too bad they aren’t pushing it more “geographically” (maybe they are but it’s probably behind a lot of closed doors! To us, Flash Cast very much remains a “skunkworks” type product) …
Since you bring it up … who’s deployed right now?! Ok, it’s not quite global *yet*, but it’s out there, isn’t it.
Maybe you’re just cranky like I am because there’s no real Flash Cast deployment here in the States (that we know of)?? … and the preinstalled FL phones are still scarce in these here parts?
When it comes to mobile … we (US bound folks) are geographically mobile challenged and we all know it sucks!
All in all, I think your posting is a general warning to Adobe, that they might want to get (more) serious about Flash Cast this year.
But, I think you’d agree, that competition in the end run, is usually a good thing … especially for people investing in (new) technology.
But again, if I’m guessing right, that’s probably the reason for your post in the first place!
March 15th, 2006 at 6:11 pm
I know Adobe is already in talks with carriers regarding Flash Cast, so while for developers it still seems a little ways off, or at least not instantly accessible like developing for Flash Lite, the ball is rolling.
June 21st, 2006 at 9:17 pm
Tim, I tend to agree with you. There are other options to Flash Lite popping up almost every month. Not every day, and I don’t know how solid they are, but there are alternatives. And I believe the J2ME ball is continuing to roll farther away from the “impending” Flash Lite market deployment. Your “now” option is starting to become of more and more value every day.