Adobe Systems released the beta version of Adobe Integrated Runtime (AIR), formerly code named Apollo. Adobe AIR is a cross-operating system application runtime that allows developers to use HTML/CSS, Ajax, Adobe Flash and Adobe Flex to extend rich Internet applications (RIAs) to the desktop. New features in the Adobe AIR beta include an embedded local database, PDF support, enhanced capabilities for JavaScript developers, and deeper integration with Adobe Flex. The beta version of Adobe AIR and the Adobe AIR Software Developer’s Kit (SDK) can be downloaded for free from www.adobe.com/go/air .

Adobe AIR along with Adobe Flex (see separate press release for Adobe Flex 3 public beta, also available today) are cornerstones of Adobe’s comprehensive RIA platform, which enables developers and designers to create and deliver rich, dynamic, branded content and applications across all major operating systems. Key elements of Adobe AIR are open source, including the WebKit HTML engine, the ActionScript™ Virtual Machine (Tamarin project) and SQLite local database functionality. Additionally, Adobe recently announced its intention to release Adobe Flex as open source. By embracing open source technologies and offering pre-release versions of software, Adobe enables developers worldwide to participate in the growth of the industry’s most advanced platform for building cross-operating system RIAs.

“Adobe AIR represents a new medium, as the best of the Web and the best of the desktop come together,” said Kevin Lynch, senior vice president and chief software architect at Adobe. “Adobe AIR expands the universe of possibilities for Web developers who can now deliver a new generation of applications that work across operating systems and both inside and outside the browser, bridging the gap between the Web and the personal computer.”

The new beta version of Adobe AIR allows developers to incorporate PDF by leveraging Adobe Reader® 8.1 functionality. Users will be able to view and interact with PDF documents within Adobe AIR applications similarly to how they interact with a PDF in the browser today. New capabilities such as support for transparent HTML windows, drag and drop support, and complete access to Adobe AIR and Flash APIs allow Ajax developers to create truly engaging desktop applications. Developers building Adobe AIR applications can use the Ajax frameworks of their choice, and the latest version of WebKit incorporated into Adobe AIR beta provides more components than were previously available in Apollo alpha. The embedded, cross-platform, open source SQLite local database was one of the most requested features from the Apollo alpha release. It requires no extra setup while providing large data capacity and full text search, enabling Web developers who traditionally rely on a database for storage to easily build desktop applications without changing existing techniques. Additionally, a tool is now available on Adobe Labs for Dreamweaver® CS3 that enables Dreamweaver projects to be delivered as Adobe AIR applications.

“Ajax developers have helped define Web 2.0 by making Web applications more interactive and usable,” said Ben Galbraith, co-founder of Ajaxian. “Adobe AIR allows Ajax developers to use their skills to take Web 2.0 to the desktop--without requiring them to learn a whole new set of skills. By exposing rich desktop and Flash functionality to Ajax developers as another set of JavaScript APIs, Adobe AIR opens up a whole new world of possibilities.”

“Salesforce.com is excited about the promise Adobe AIR shows for our developer community,” said Parker Harris, co-founder and EVP, Technology, salesforce.com. “Developers who build on-demand business applications with the Salesforce Platform can already use Adobe Flex to add rich user interfaces to their solutions, and now with Adobe AIR they can be further extended with the persistent desktop functionality and interactivity AIR enables, making on-demand business applications more compelling than ever.”

AIR Developer Programs

Adobe officially opens the Adobe AIR Developer Derby today, a contest to showcase creative applications. Adobe will award prizes in five categories and a grand prize for the best overall application. Winners will be announced at Adobe MAX 2007, the premier developer/designer event to inspire, discover and connect around the creation of rich and engaging experiences. To learn more about the Adobe AIR Developer Derby, visit www.adobe.com/go/airderby , and for more information on Adobe MAX, visit www.adobemax2007.com/ .

Adobe is also launching the “On AIR” bus tour with 18 North American stops for developers to jumpstart their work with Adobe AIR. The tour kicks off in Seattle on July 10, culminating with the final stop at the Adobe MAX conference in Chicago on September 30. Adobe Flex and Adobe AIR team members, as well as developers from the Flash and JavaScript communities, will be onboard to talk one-on-one with developers, provide assistance and answer questions about Adobe AIR.

Pricing and Availability

The beta version of the Adobe AIR application runtime and the Adobe AIR SDK are available immediately as free downloads from Adobe Labs at www.adobe.com/go/air . Adobe AIR and the Adobe AIR SDK are available in English and offered for both Windows and Macintosh operating systems, and future versions will be available for Linux as well as other languages. To learn more about Adobe AIR, please visit www.adobe.com/go/air.