I started on Tuesday with another BYOL session (Bring Your Own Laptop). This one focused on building mobile applications with jQuery. The session began with an overview of what features of a mobile phone can be accessed via the browser (and which can not). Various technologies which can speed up the creation of mobile applications were discussed (with an emphasis on jQuery). jQuery recently released mobile components and we were able to use these components as part of the class. We also used additional addons (such as jQTouch). During the session we started with a blank screen in our browser and gradually developed an application which used the SQLLite capabilities of modern browsers to store persistent information. I plan to expand on this to demonstrate a number of applications to students in classes (both this semester and in the spring).
The general session focused on user experiences – the next generation. A number of examples of multi-screen applications were demonstrated. There was significant coverage of Google TV and the implications of that technology on the digital living room.
I also participated in the following sessions after the general session:
- How to make your application able to use social networks – this presentation focused on the use of Gigya as an aggregating service for social applications (such as Twitter and Facebook). I learned how to use Gigya to create a custom site (Domain Name associated with their API – essentially a C Name which forwards to the Gigya servers). I also learned how to use OpenID authentication within this environment (so a visitor does not need to authenticate more than once across various social feeds). Most of our work was done using Flash Builder.
- Fusing Art and Technology with Flash Professional CS5 – this session focused on a review of that part of the keynote which contained a fusion of Flash with the audio streams and gestures being generated on stage. In addition to obtaining code examples, we were able to better understand the though processes involved in creating this form of art. The individual who developed these applications is highly skilled in Flash and incredibly creative. Some of his clients include Wired Magazine, Nike, and Hard Rock Cafe. I have a number of photos and examples I can share with students to inspire them.
- Introduction to Adobe AIR for mobile – this session focused on a review of the enhancements since last year in this technology. Different form factors and functionality across numerous devices was discussed along with how AIR helps reduce the amount of necessary changes per platform. Along with a number of demonstrations, there was an emphasis on debugging and packaging AIR applications for mobile. This was a great overview of what can be accomplished today with this technology.
- The AdobeMAX awards and sneak peeks this year were hosted by William Shatner. A number of possible technologies were presented (of course the disclaimer was that none of these may ever be developed as commercial products).
- I also participated in the MAX Bash on Tuesday night and had the opportunity to meet and network with a number of individuals. It was great to see so many familiar faces and catch up on what is happening in other colleges and universities. In addition to the vast amount of information and training received during this conference, I believe the networking with peers is as important and this venue was great for many of the necessary discussions.
As I also did for my previous post, I have included a link to a number of photos I took on Tuesday. It is probably best to view these as a slideshow at Flickr.
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