Adobe updates Flash Builder, Flex; unveils LiveCycle-CQ integration

InfoWorld - Adobe today is releasing its Flash Builder 4.5.1 development tool and Flex 4.5.1 framework, boosting mobile application development support.

The updated products support development of applications for Android, BlackBerry, RIM PlayBook, and Apple iOS devices. The upgrades to Flash Builder and Flex mean all the major mobile OSes are now covered for the first time with Flash Builder 4.5.1 and Flex 4.5.1, Adobe said. "Using Flash Builder and Flex, enterprises can now use one tool, one framework and one code base to create high-performance applications that run on the Web and desktops as well as smartphones and tablets," Adobe said in a statement. Flex Builder is Eclipse-based, while Flex is an open source framework.

Adobe is also rolling out its Adobe Digital Enterprise Platform, which is geared to "customer experience management" and leverages Adobe tools and runtimes for HTML5, Flash, Flex, AIR, and PDF. The cost of the platform's various major components typically start in the $100,000 range.

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Adobe's rollout provides "one unified platform for developing customer experience applications," said Rob Pinkerton, Adobe senior director of product marketing for customer experience management. Solutions can be provided across social, Web, mobile, and print channels. Adobe Digital Enterprise Platform integrates the Adobe LiveCycle business process management suite with the Day Software CQ Web content management product acquired by Adobe last year. With technology acquired via Day Software, enterprises can provision content across mobile devices.

Specific products enabled by the platform can assist digital marketers in driving personalized experiences for multichannel marketing communications and campaigns online and offline. Content for use with Adobe Digital Enterprise Platform can be created with Adobe Creative Suite, while analytics can be provided via Adobe Online Marketing Suite.

Products in the Digital Enterprise Platform -- some of which were previously announced -- include:

• Integrated Content Review, for marketing campaigns and customer experiences
• Web Experience Management, for developing and publishing rich content across Web, social, mobile, and email channels
• Social Brand Engagement, for enterprises to engage with customers
• Selection and Enrollment, intended to reduce online abandonment and time-to-market by offering engaging offline and online product enrollment experiences
• Unified Workspace, empowering customer-facing agents to span information sources for fast access to critical information
• Customer Communications, intended to improve customer loyalty by centralizing and managing the development and delivery of interactive correspondence and interactive statements

The Integrated Content Review, Customer Communications, and Web Experience Management modules are available Monday, while the other three ship later this year. The LiveCycle name goes away as part of the new product rollout.