Today Adobe PhoneGap was named a 2012 Technology of the Year Award recipient by IDG’s InfoWorld Test Center!  Selected by editors and reviewers from the InfoWorld Test Center, the annual awards identify the best and most innovative products on the IT landscape that were tested in the past year and PhoneGap was selected for being the leading open source mobile framework for cross-platform app development. 

We are immensely proud of our team and community for haven been recognized by InfoWorld with this award. According to Andre Charland, Adobe’s director of engineering for PhoneGap, “We have a hardworking community contributing to PhoneGap and this award is a great recognition of their efforts.” Great work all!

PhoneGap is an open source development tool for building fast, easy, cross-platform mobile apps with HTML5 and JavaScript. PhoneGap has been downloaded more than 600,000 times to date and thousands of applications built using PhoneGap are available in mobile app stores that span devices based on Android, iOS, BlackBerry and other operating systems.

Check out John Nack’s blog where there is a video of Adobe VP Paul Gubbay showing off early looks at some technology that will help designers and developers create better HTML5 animations:

Included are demos of:
- Animating in the new Adobe Edge app (on Adobe Labs)
- Turning that output into an app using PhoneGap
- Using Flash Professional to export animation as HTML
- Running CSS Shaders in WebKit
- Enabling “liquid layout” from InDesign

Go to John’s blog now and watch.

Also, check out a recording of last week’s Financial Analyst meeting to see where these demos were intially shown and to understand how they fit into Adobe strategy moving forward.

At our recent MAX conference, we announced the Adobe Creative Cloud – a groundbreaking initative that we believe will radically redefine the creative process. We’re excited about this new offering – it brings immense value to our customers allowing them to continue creating amazing things in whatever environment they choose.

The Adobe Creative Cloud consists of:

• Desktop Applications — Every tool that is currently in Adobe Creative Suite Master Collection, such as Photoshop®, InDesign®, Illustrator®, Dreamweaver®, Premiere® Pro, After Effects®, as well as innovative new tools that are currently in beta, such as Adobe Edge and Muse.
• Touch Apps – Starting with the six Adobe Touch Apps announced at MAX , 2011 – Adobe Collage, Adobe Kuler, Photoshop Touch, Adobe Debut, Adobe Proto and Adobe Ideas.
• Services – A version of Adobe’s Digital Publishing Suite for delivering interactive publications on tablets, a tier of Adobe Business Catalyst for building and managing websites, and access to cloud-based fonts for website design from our acquisition of Typekit.
• Community –Collaboration features that allow members to share their creative work with other Creative Cloud members and forums to discuss and inspire new ideas.

We are excited to announce that membership to the Adobe Creative Cloud will be available in the first half of 2012 at a price of $49.99 per month for individuals and $69.99 per month per seat for workgroups, both for an annual plan.

Our move to this membership model allows us to keep our customers up to date with the latest Adobe innovations in our tools and related services. Creative Cloud will provide maximum flexibility, offer lower cost of entry, and add cutting-edge innovation on an on-going basis to keep our customers ahead of the changing technology and device landscape.

For customers who prefer to remain on the current licensing model, we will continue to offer our individual point products and Adobe Creative Suite editions as perpetual licenses. With regards to upgrades, we are changing our policy for perpetual license customers. In order to qualify for upgrade pricing when CS6 releases, customers will need to be on the latest version of our software (either CS5 or CS5.5 editions). If our customers are not yet on those versions, we’re offering a 20% discount through December 31, 2011 which will qualify them for upgrade pricing when we release CS6.

There is a tremendous shift happening around content creation, distribution and monetization. The Adobe Creative Cloud initiative has the potential to transform creativity as designers and developers look to create the best experiences across devices and platforms, while integrating tablet devices and cloud-based services into their workflows. I’m very excited about what this means for Adobe and our customers and look forward to providing the latest tools and services that enable them to express their creativity in new ways.

David

Adobe is all about enabling designers and developers to create the most expressive content possible, regardless of platform or technology. For more than a decade, Flash has enabled the richest content to be created and deployed on the web by reaching beyond what browsers could do. It has repeatedly served as a blueprint for standardizing new technologies in HTML.  Over the past two years, we’ve delivered Flash Player for mobile browsers and brought the full expressiveness of the web to many mobile devices.

However, HTML5 is now universally supported on major mobile devices, in some cases exclusively.  This makes HTML5 the best solution for creating and deploying content in the browser across mobile platforms. We are excited about this, and will continue our work with key players in the HTML community, including Google, Apple, Microsoft and RIM, to drive HTML5 innovation they can use to advance their mobile browsers.

Our future work with Flash on mobile devices will be focused on enabling Flash developers to package native apps with Adobe AIR for all the major app stores.  We will no longer continue to develop Flash Player in the browser to work with new mobile device configurations (chipset, browser, OS version, etc.) following the upcoming release of Flash Player 11.1 for Android and BlackBerry PlayBook.  We will of course continue to provide critical bug fixes and security updates for existing device configurations.  We will also allow our source code licensees to continue working on and release their own implementations.

These changes will allow us to increase investment in HTML5 and innovate with Flash where it can have most impact for the industry, including advanced gaming and premium video.  Flash Player 11 for PC browsers just introduced dozens of new features, including hardware accelerated 3D graphics for console-quality gaming and premium HD video with content protection.  Flash developers can take advantage of these features, and all that our Flash tooling has to offer, to reach more than a billion PCs through their browsers and to package native apps with AIR that run on hundreds of millions of mobile devices through all the popular app stores, including the iTunes App Store, Android Market, Amazon Appstore for Android and BlackBerry App World.

We are already working on Flash Player 12 and a new round of exciting features which we expect to again advance what is possible for delivering high definition entertainment experiences.  We will continue to leverage our experience with Flash to accelerate our work with the W3C and WebKit to bring similar capabilities to HTML5 as quickly as possible, just as we have done with CSS Shaders.  And, we will design new features in Flash for a smooth transition to HTML5 as the standards evolve so developers can confidently invest knowing their skills will continue to be leveraged.

We are super excited about the next generations of HTML5 and Flash.  Together they offer developers and content publishers great options for delivering compelling web and application experiences across PCs and devices.  There is already amazing work being done that is pushing the newest boundaries, and we can’t wait to see what is still yet to come!

(We have closed comments on this blog post. Please feel free to leave comments and questions about this post on the Flash Platform blog:)

We’re pleased to announce that Adobe’s acquisition of Nitobi closed yesterday. We’re very excited for the team at Nitobi to join Adobe and continue their work simplifying cross-platform mobile development via the PhoneGap project. That includes both stewardship of the open source project as well as bringing PhoneGap Build to a much broader set of customers than use PhoneGap today.

As part of that process, Nitobi has contributed the PhoneGap code to the Apache Software Foundation (ASF) under the name Apache Callback, where it will remain free and open source. That project has now been approved for incubation at the ASF, on its way to becoming a full Apache project. Meanwhile, Adobe will continue to host the PhoneGap online community as well as the PhoneGap Build service, which is now in open beta. Further details below:

What does Nitobi do?
Nitobi is the creator and primary contributor to the open source PhoneGap framework, which allows developers to create device native mobile applications using HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. You can find out more at the Nitobi and PhoneGap sites.

Why did Adobe acquire Nitobi?
Adobe is committed to enabling efficient, expressive design and development across devices. PhoneGap is a leading solution for cross-platform mobile development using web standards, and we’re excited to support PhoneGap’s growth by committing resources to the development of the open source project. We integrated support for PhoneGap in Dreamweaver CS5.5, and with this acquisition we will also be bringing PhoneGap’s capabilities to a much broader range of customers though a paid hosted service, PhoneGap Build, which is currently in open beta.

This investment also reinforces Adobe’s commitment to helping its customers be more expressive, regardless of underlying technology. Recent innovative product releases such as Adobe Edge and Adobe Muse, as well as contributions to the jQuery mobile UI framework and Webkit for layout and typography functionality, are all evidence of Adobe’s strong belief in moving the web forward.

What underlying technology did Adobe acquire?
While the PhoneGap framework continues to be open source, PhoneGap Build incorporates additional proprietary code allowing developers to build their apps from anywhere without installing mobile platform SDKs.

Why did Nitobi contribute the PhoneGap code to the ASF?
Nitobi contributed the PhoneGap code to the ASF to ensure open stewardship of the project over the long term. Adobe fully supports this contribution and will continue to host the PhoneGap community site with full participation from its contributors, as well as the PhoneGap Build service.

Today on Adobe TV we are providing technology “sneak peek” videos that were showcased this year at MAX 2011. Included in the videos is the complete demo of the image deblurring technology, which has received loads of attention already.

The Sneaks, as the program is commonly called by MAX-goers, is where Adobe engineers give a first-look at potential future technologies, which may or may not make it into upcoming versions of Adobe products. For the first time, we’re making them available for everyone to watch. Visit the Adobe MAX blog to see them all embedded in the page for quick scrolling.

Adobe MAX 2011 kicked off in Los Angeles today with seven announcements. Below are the highlights:

• Adobe Creative Cloud, a major new initiative, redefines the content creation process. It will become the focal point for the worldwide creative community, where creative professionals can access desktop and tablet applications, creative services, and share their best work with peers.
• Adobe Touch Apps, a family of six intuitive touch screen applications, designed for Android and iOS tablets, enables creative professionals to explore ideas and present their work anytime, anywhere. The apps include:

• Adobe Photoshop Touch allows users to transform images with core Photoshop features and create new images by combining photos, choosing elements to edit, and applying filters and other effects.
• Adobe Collage helps creatives capture and refine ideas and concepts by allowing them to combine inspirational images, drawings, text and Creative Suite files into modern, conceptual mood boards.
• Adobe Debut allows creative professionals to present designs to clients and stakeholders virtually anywhere, opening tablet-compatible versions of Creative Suite files for convenient and beautiful viewing on the tablet.
• Adobe Ideas is an easy-to-master, vector-based tool for drawing, using either a stylus or a finger.
• Adobe Kuler makes it easy to generate color themes that can inspire any design project.
• Adobe Proto enables the development of interactive wireframes and prototypes for websites and mobile apps on a tablet using gestures and a touch-based interface.

Catch the apps in action

• Adobe entered into a definitive agreement to acquire privately held Nitobi Software, the creator of PhoneGap and PhoneGap Build. An open source development tool for building fast, easy, cross-platform mobile applications with HTML5 and JavaScript, PhoneGap will eventually become an integral part of Adobe’s HTML5 tooling and Web standards strategy.
• Adobe acquires privately held Typekit Inc.,  a leader in the delivery of hosted, high-quality fonts for use on websites. Available as a subscription-based cloud service, Typekit’s vast font library gives designers and developers creative license to deliver beautiful type that enhances the web experience.
• Adobe Digital Publishing Suite, Single Edition allows freelance designers and small design firms to publish interactive content created with Adobe InDesign CS5.5 on the Apple iPad tablet device. Additionally, WoodWing Software will now offer Adobe Digital Publishing Suite as its sole tablet publishing solution.
• LG and TiVo become the latest partners to bring Adobe Flash based applications via Adobe AIR to connected TVs and digital home devices.
• Adobe announced the availability of Flash Player 11 and AIR 3, a milestone release that will enable the next generation of immersive application experiences across devices and platforms.

Tune in tomorrow, 10/4 at 10:00 a.m. PT for Day Two keynote as we explore the best solutions for delivering highly expressive and usable experiences, both in the browsers and as apps. We’ll look at a variety of technologies and products such as Flash and HTML, highlighting current opportunities, and peering into the not-so-distant future: max.adobe.com/online.

I’m writing this post 37,000’ above Iowa, heading back to San Francisco for the final MAX prep work. Yep, MAX 2011 is less than a week away and if you’re joining us in Los Angeles next week, you’re in for all the fun and excitement you’ve come to expect, and more. And if you’re not attending, well, fortunately there are ways for you to join in the fun.

Of course, our MAX announcements are highly guarded secrets. And usually we hold back on announcing our celebrity guests until they get on stage but with musical guest Weezer (!) at the MAX Bash and…Rainn Wilson (!) as emcee of the MAX Awards and Sneaks – we just couldn’t hold back!

The MAX keynotes are always inspiring, exciting, and entertaining. And if you think the last few years were cool, wait until you see what we have planned this year. The stage is 180’ wide and hosts an absolutely gigantic screen, the venue boasts 11,000 amps of power and 548,500 watts of lighting; the side screens themselves are almost 500 square feet each! You won’t believe what all that is capable of, and so we are going to … oops, sorry, I got carried away there. Look, I’ve been part of the keynote team for 13 consecutive years now, so you can trust me when I say that you won’t want to arrive late for the opening keynote. Really. Once again, Adobe CTO Kevin Lynch hosts, and we’ll be broadcasting it all live, so not being present in person is no excuse for not taking part. The Day One keynote is on Monday Oct 3 at 9.30am PT and the Day Two keynote (which I’ll be a part of) is Tuesday Oct 4 beginning at 10am PT.

Oh and speaking of “taking part,” make sure you vote in the 2011 MAX Awards. The nominees this year showcase the best uses of Adobe software in ads and branding, digital publishing, entertainment and the enterprise. The winners are chosen by you, so vote online at the MAX Awards Finalist Gallery starting Tuesday, September 27 through Tuesday, October 4.

After the MAX Awards we’ll host one of the most popular MAX events, The Sneaks. This is where 10 members of Adobe engineering teams will get to show off some of the most amazing ideas they are cooking up. Hey, you know that Content-Aware Fill feature we added to Photoshop CS5? That was first seen by MAX attendees as a sneak long before it was in Photoshop. Yep, MAX attendees get to see potential future features (and register their approval or disapproval) long before the rest of the planet. With Rainn Wilson hosting, both programs promise to be highly entertaining.

And then it’s the MAX Bash featuring the aforementioned Weezer. And yes, I’ve seen all the plans, and this party is shaping up to be one of the best ever (perhaps topping Mardi Gras World in New Orleans, the theme parks in Orlando, and the Olympic Oval in Salt Lake City).

So, if you’ll be in L.A., come by and say “hi”. (Actually doing so will be worth something this year, 50 points to be exact when you scan my QR code for the “MAXme game” to win cool prizes. Stay tuned for more on that…). And for those of you unable to join us, don’t make the same mistake next year!

And with that, I really do need to get back to finalizing my demos …

Today, we’re excited to announce that Adobe Flash Player 11 and AIR 3 will be launching in early October to enable the next generation of immersive application experiences across devices and platforms including Android, Apple iOS (via AIR), BlackBerry Tablet OS, Mac OS, Windows, connected TVs and other platforms. As the game console for the Web, Flash Player 11 and AIR 3 allow game publishers to instantly deliver console-quality 2D and 3D games over the Internet to nearly all PCs and many other devices. Media companies can take advantage of new features to seamlessly deliver protected feature-length, cinema-quality HD video through the Web, in mobile apps, and even with surround sound for connected TVs. Flash Player 11 and AIR 3 provide a cross-device entertainment platform, enabling the best in online gaming and premium video while helping content publishers to reach the broadest possible audience with highly-leveraged development investments.

Dozens of new features in Flash Player 11 and AIR 3 allow developers to deliver a new class of gaming and premium video experiences, as well as sophisticated, data-driven applications with back-end systems integration across devices, including the iPhone and iPad via AIR. Native extensions in AIR add support for unique device features and native code libraries, empowering developers to freely choose the right mix of Flash, HTML5 and native code to provide powerful user experiences across PCs and devices.

Check out our full post on the Flash Platform Blog post for more info, some demo videos and app examples of what’s possible with the latest versions of Flash Player and AIR. We look forward to delivering the final release versions soon, and if you want to get your hands on them now, you can download the release candidate versions from Adobe Labs today. With Flash Player 11 and AIR 3, we’re providing some amazing new building blocks and we’re thrilled to see what you create with them!

It’s that time again, when SXSW asks the public to vote for their favorite panel topics for the next SXSW Interactive event in San Antonio, Texas. Adobe has three panel topics selected for the SXSW PanelPicker this year and we need your votes to convince SXSW to put our panels on the schedule.

Please show us your support by selecting our panel topics, which range from interaction design to digital advertising on tablets to the accessibility of digital broadcast video.

A complete listing of Adobe’s proposed topics for SXSW can be found here, but here’s a quick look at the titles:

• Mickey’s 10 Commandments of Interaction Design
• How Tablet Magazine Advertising Engages Readers
• The Future of Access to Digital Broadcast Video