My principal interest in mobile applications is to push the boundaries of innovation to create uniquely mobile experiences. I hope my blogs excite and challenge developers to think 'outside the box'.
Football in a Flash (Lite)
coultonp | 13 September, 2006 14:18
I thought I would share our experience of a recently completed project where we were looking into development using Flashlite. We recreated a favourite application mfooty that we first developed about four years ago that provides a live football results service (goals, cards, etc) to your phone over GPRS. We have developed it in Symbian, J2ME and BREW in the past as a technology comparison, so trying it in Flashlite seemed a logical progression.
Although Flashlite 2.0 is closer to what web based developers would know (Flash 7), Flashlite 1.1 is more widely available in the current handsets but with reduced capabilities .
In particular features in 2.0 not supported in 1.1 that may have been useful were: XML parsing, Persistent Data storage, and 3D graphics support. However, you do get HTTP, expanded access to phone capabilities, vector graphics, and full navigation support which was enough to produce the application shown.
Despite the limitations we found Flashlite 1.1 easy to use and any restrictions (as we found) can be worked around. In terms of look and feel it was equal to what had been produced previously and was produced much quicker. Although I have heard developers bemoaning the limitations of 1.1, I think (as the project has shown us) it is well worth developing applications with 1.1 until more phones support version 2.0.
Business Opportunities/Services, Entertainment, Flash |
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Re: Football in a Flash (Lite)
coultonp | 13/09/2006, 22:34
AlessandroI can send you a copy of the file. Unfortunately I havent got a live feed this year but we tested the J2ME app with a live feed last year. I think I have your email at work so will send it tomorrow when I get back.
cheers
Re: Football in a Flash (Lite)
mladen_milev | 18/10/2006, 16:39
I just want to add to the discussion that "The Market Reach" depends a lot of Operators politics. In Japan it is popular due to the handsets sold by the operators. In Europe, global reach of the technology is to come but inevitable with the time. We just have to take advantage of that.
Re: Football in a Flash (Lite)
kheekien | 14/09/2006, 05:19
I believe the most important factors that preventing developers from making Flash Lite 1.1 games/applications over J2ME are:
(1) Market reach - you can only make it work on the newer S60/SE devices out there.
(2) there existing established channels to market for Java games.
(3) when you download jar/jads over the browser, they get installed; when you click on the link on a swf file on the browser, it gets loaded on the browser; so how do customers purchase flash games/apps for download?
Re: Football in a Flash (Lite)
coultonp | 14/09/2006, 10:42
KelvinWhilst your points are indeed valid they are not unique to FlashLite as with many mobile platforms you face problems with device compatability. Many compatibility problems also exist for J2ME as even the most simple app will throw up problems on different devices whether they are from the same manufacturer or not, and that is not even considering the variability of the different JSR provision. From my personal experience S60 throws up less compatibility issues but again you are limited to certain devices. We work in a fragmented market and developers need to consider the particular consumers they are targeting which is likely to mean a large range of solutions are required.
As for the download pay once model, this is but one such model and from a developers point of view a highly variable revenue stream. Other models based on subscription or adverts may be much more attractive and indeed it is the one I would propose for the commercialisation of this application. This means you circumvent donload issues.
Given also that one of the expectations for Web 2.0 is personal and communal space I can see Flashlite appealing to a wider cross section of people much as we have seen in its se with imode in Japan.
Overall there is a place for FlashLite in mobile development as there is for S60 and J2ME it comes down to making an appropriate engineering choice about what you are trying to achieve with the application and what benefits each environment brings
Re: Football in a Flash (Lite)
biskero | 14/09/2006, 16:32
Ciao Kelvin,just wanted to point it out that I would not compare Flash Lite to J2ME. Flahs Lite is proprietary and J2ME follows standards, so different concepts.
Market wise Flash Lite does not exist yet! Also Flash Lite has limitations but you cannot have everything at the beginning of the release of a new technology!!
What I see benefits from Flash Lite is mostly on the fast development cycle and the great UI experience. Also content just works in any devices running the Flash Lite player. I tested content in Series 60, Brew and Windows Mobile and it just worked, no code changes required. To me this is a winning point.
For distribution, you do not link to a swf directly, you use DRM for Flash Lite such as forward lock, separate delivery and so on, tested and it works. When you download the Flash Lite app which has DRM it will ask you to view it or to save and if you save it it will place it in the Flash Lite player folder.
What is missing is the icon, but we already solve the issue with an exe which launch the swf (need to go throguh signing process). Als oyou can package Flash Lite apps in sis files.
So all the Series 60 and DRM processes apply to Flash Lite content.
As Paul said it's an engineering choice.
Alessandro
Re: Football in a Flash (Lite)
rahul7star | 01/10/2007, 20:00
I need to knw about this DRM technique and how forward locking can be achieved
can we implements this with series 40- 2nd edition or this one is limited to series-40 3rd edition.
Re: Football in a Flash (Lite)
coultonp | 01/10/2007, 20:23
RaulAs its the information not the application thats important we used a subscription model and distributed the application for free
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My principal interest in mobile applications is to push the boundaries of innovation to create uniquely mobile experiences. I hope my blogs excite and challenge developers to think 'outside the box'.
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Re: Football in a Flash (Lite)
biskero | 13/09/2006, 16:43
looks a really cool application. Any chance for download?
Alessandro