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Archive for February, 2007

02 28th, 2007

forums captcha plugin installed

Author: sjanousek

I recently added a custom captcha plugin to the forums section because it was starting to get spammed.

You'll need to pick from 20 or so images right now in order to gain access to the content. Basically, it's pick all the Flash enabled devices and handsets from the list.

Also, you needn't worry about your email being seen by spammers ... we're being fairly strict on who has access to the site, and the members directory shouldn't be available to non-registrants.

If you noticed any problems you can email me at: sjanousek ATTY flashmobilebook DOTTY com (replace ATTY with @ and DOTTY with . of course).

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02 27th, 2007

A Briefing on the Flash Lite for Application Development Book by the 3 Authors

Author: sjanousek

Reminder:
Tomorrow, Feburary 28th @ 3:00 PM, GMT-05:00 Eastern Time (US and Canada) ... Richard Leggett, Weyert de Boer, and I will be giving a brief online seminar entitled: "A Briefing on the Flash Lite for Application Development Book by the 3 Authors".

If you missed the initial announcement last month, you can register here (think there are a few more slots). Here is the info:

"A Briefing on the Flash Lite for Application Development Book by the 3 Authors" - This webinar will be broken into 3 parts (15 minutes a piece). It will be presented by the 3 authors of the Friends of Ed - Flash Applications for Mobile Development book, Weyert de Boer, Scott Janousek, and Richard Leggett. Here is the agenda:

Part 1: Cool Flash Lite™ Wallpaper and Screen saver content - Scott Janousek
Join me as we do a quick overview on how to design, develop, and deploy cool wallpaper and screen savers for the latest devices supporting these Flash Lite multimedia content types. Note: We'll cover Nokia Series 40 and Series 60 devices in particular.

Part 2: Rapid Game Creation - Richard Leggett
In this part of the session we will examine creating a multi-player game using the new XMLSocket feature of Flash Lite 2.1 development with a simple example. This game will quiz users simultaneously head to head in a "brain training" exercise and then let them know how their competitor did. We will make use of Java for the backend and ActionScript 2 to power the game logic.

Part 3: Creating your own installers for the phone - Weyert de Boer
After you have created your cool Flash Lite wallpaper, screen saver, or game, you'll need to get it distributed to the mobile device. In this session we will examine how to create installers for Symbian mobile phones and for Windows Mobile/PocketPC-enabled PDAs. Learn how to create sis and cab files as well as how to create icons on the phone's main menu.

Part 1: "Cool Flash Lite™ Wallpaper and Screen saver content"
For the 1st part of this session, I'll be talking about wallpaper and screen savers for Nokia series devices supporting these Flash Lite content types. The presentation is geared towards working with Flash Lite 2 content.

If you want to know more about wallpaper or screen saver generation for Nokia devices supporting 1.1, you should check out my triology: "Working with Nokia Series 40 Flash Lite Content" over on devnet.

Since time is limited for this session, I've created something relatively simple to walkthrough quickly (see below).

Flash Lite 2.0 screen saver

It's a wallpaper/screen saver that utilizes the Flash Lite API to report back battery strength and signal strength in a more animated manner.

It also features a one-time promotion feature that uses a Flash Lite 2 MSO (Mobile Shared Object) bit to display an ad before execution.

The target platform for this content is a Nokia 5300 Series 40 handset (240x320 is the resolution for this unit). However, it is fairly easy to retro fit it for other Flash Lite 2.x Nokia devices or an entirely different platform (assuming it supports Flash Lite 2.x, API, and content types).


Some miscellanous states the candle takes on depending on device properties such as battery life, signal strength, power, etc

Features:
The wallpaper/screen saver animations change based on the following properties of the device:

▪ Battery Life:
If the battery life is low then the candle stick and corresponding flame are corresponding represented. If the battery is high, then the flame and stick are also high. If you're battery is particuarly low, the candle starts to extiguish and finally goes out. The brightness of the mirror is also affected by the amount of juice left in the device.

▪ Signal Strength:
In regards to signal strength; weak signal means a less bright flame, stronger signal means a brighter flame.

▪ Power Charging:
If the user plugs the device in, a "magic spell" is cast when charging.

▪ 1-time promotion
User is presented with ad content on running the content (1st time only).

Anways, that's the idea ... lots more could be done with this particular example, and really once you start imagining all the possibilities, it's only a matter of determining if a particular device supports the API to tap and then the production time needed to design, develop, test, and deploy it.

Compared to other tools available, Flash Lite offers a quick, simple, and elegant solution to generating these content types. Depending on your target device, it also can lead to much more interactive content. I'll cover some of this tomorrow. As part of this event, I'm throwing the source out there for people to learn from.

Download the source (v1):
▪ NokiaS40_candle_240x320.zip

You can install the Nokia UI theme as well. Since this is merely an example, it's designed for the Nokia 5300 running at 240x320. You'll need that device, or one similar to it. I'll do a brief overview of the Nokia S40 Theme Studio generator I used to create it in the brief tomorrow.

Download the UI theme:
▪ DontWakeTheDragon.nth
Note: It will reset your wallpaper and screen saver only to those contained assets in the theme package.

Adobe Flash Home
Also, if you haven't heard Adobe announced Flash Home ™ at 3GSM. This product is going to allow for highly personalized and customizable data enabled wallpapers and "home screens" when it is released sometime in the near future.

Flash Lite (casual) games and applications are popular and on their way to becoming more mainstream ... but I think Flash home ™ is going to be another huge potential win for Adobe ... one might even say, a potential "killer app" for Flash Lite.

See you at the event!
Hope to see a lot of you there ... both for the actual event content, then for the raffle giveaway (don't think you can just sneak in at the end to get them though!).

That is all for now.

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02 10th, 2007

23% off RSP on the book over at Bookpool.com!

Author: flashmobilebook

Greetings and Salutations,

We've just now been made aware that Bookpool.com is doing 23% RSP off our book. A great discount!

23% of at Bookpool.com!

If you've been putting off buying the printed book ... Get it now at a discount price while it lasts!

Alternatively, if you'd prefer to go the e-book route, then order through the friends of ED site!

Also, check out the ad by foED.

Note: foED is having a bit of clever fun with their current ad banner (overcoming screen-size) (smile) ... or are they? Rollable EDP (electronic display paper) devices are potentially on their way to becoming mainstream ... so this isn't *too* far fetched, in say 5 years time! But, of course by then, who knows what (Nokia) devices will look like! The current device in the ad is just plain hilarious, but certainly future one's won't be!