This week Microsoft will make a number of announcements in the RIA space. The rumor has it that Silverlight 3 is going to be out. The rumor has it that it'll start competing with Adobe AIR. Let's take a quick look at the Adobe's progress report  in the RIA space.

· With Adobe Flash technology on over 98 percent of connected computers, nearly 1 billion devices, and currently the No. 1  platform for delivering Web video, content developers can be sure their creative contributions are presented consistently in the format that users want and can use. In less than 6 months, Flash Player 10 got installed in 55% computers connected  to the Internet.

· Last month, Adobe announced three Time Warner Inc. companies – Turner Broadcasting System, Inc., Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc., and Home Box Office, Inc. – are all using the Flash Platform to build next generation video and rich media experiences.

· The BBC recently unveiled its iPlayer, powered by Adobe AIR, which extends its use of browser-based Flash Platform video technologies to the desktop.

· MLB.com has moved from Microsoft Silverlight to Flash for fans to stream this season’s MLB games online.

· Major broadcaster and media companies utilize the Flash Platform to deliver video on the Web including Disney.com, the BBC and Hulu—and it is used by the NFL and MLB.com to stream live games. The technology also powers social media websites such as YouTube and MySpace.

· Adobe continues to see record adoption rates for Flash Player. The latest version (Flash Player 10) was installed on more than 55 percent of computers worldwide in just the first two months of its release, and is expected to surpass 80 percent by the second quarter of 2009, far outpacing the installation rate of past versions.

· Since the launch of Microsoft Silverlight, Adobe has seen faster adoption of its runtimes and an increased level of Flash partnership activity.

· One billion Flash-enabled devices will have shipped by end of Q1 2009 accumulatively, one year ahead of Adobe’s 2007 schedule. (Source: Strategy Analytics)

· Close to 40 percent of all new mobile devices worldwide shipped with Flash in 2008. (Source: SA report in Jan. 2009)

· Seven of the top 10 ISVs are developing applications with the Flash Platform using Flex.

· SAP, salesforce.com, Oracle, Business Objects, and Intuit leverage the Flash Platform for their enterprise rich applications.

· Adobe AIR, a key part of the Flash Platform, was installed on more than 100 million desktops less than a year after its initial release. Recent customers include the BBC, Comedy Central and RED(WIRE).

Go Adobe, Go!

Update. Apparently, Silverlight 3 is not ready to compete with AIR yet. Details at Ryan Stewart's blog.