Nokia have begun to open up the API Bridge used by WRT widgets to Flash Lite developers, giving them native ActionScript classes to access hardware APIs for the camera, sound recording, and file upload. In this episode we dive into a demo of how to access the camera using ActionScript and Nokia’s API Bridge.
The two APIs that are available to Flash Lite developers (the rest apply to Web Runtime widgets) are:
File Upload: This function allows for the upload of a file to a web server using a multipart/form-data POST request.
New File Service: This function allows Flash Lite applications to embed native applications in order to capture images, videos, and audio.
You’re probably thinking, “Isn’t this what KuneriLite has been doing all this time?”, and the answer would be – basically yes. I’m hoping to get some more info around this solution and post some more feedback shortly, but from looking at it right now and not having tested it out yet, I’d say it’s not a bad way to go for ActionScript guys who don’t want to get into using plug-ins, etc. That being said, I don’t know the road-map for how many more features APIBridge might include in the future. Starting with these two, they have a fair way to go before they match the features that Kuneri offer. But going on what they’ve done with Platform Services (and this is basically following in a very similar model to that solution), Nokia will be following this initial launch up with more features in the future.
Via Mark: Adobe Mobile Packager 1.1 is now ready for download. This version includes some big improvements in workflow and functionality, and makes life a lot easier for Flash mobile developers wanting to package their content for the FL3.1 Distributable Player on selected S60 and Windows Mobile devices.
Liz Meyers has produced an updated series of video tutorials for AMP1.1 which you’ll fund useful in getting started, or updating yourself, with what’s in the tool and how to use it. The video topics are:
For those that know Alessandro, you’ll know that he’s been a man on a mission when it comes to Flash Lite and OMA DRM! Well he seems to have cracked the nut he’s been working on for some time now – protecting a SWF file with DRM inside a SIS file.
SIS files are installation packages for Symbian devices, and used by Flash mobile developers to wrap their Flash content in a way that allows it to be installed onto a Flash-compatible Symbian S60 device using the expected Symbian installation process. However, it can sometimes leave the actual SWF content that is loaded onto the device exposed to file browsing, copying and further distribution of the file.
Forward locking a file with OMA (Open Mobile Alliance) DRM 1.0 disables the ability to forward or copy the file, and so beign able to add this to your SWF content that resides inside a SIS installer file is a very useful tool to have up your sleeve.
I'm currently the Team Lead for "Appland" at Vodafone Hutchison Australia, based in Sydney. Views on this blog are my own and not that of my employer. More about me.
