New among the tools for building rich internet applications (RIA) is JavaFX 1.0,just released by Sun and which extends the capabilities of the Java platform to rich applications on screens from the desktop to the mobile device. Design Lead Tony Wyant discusses the release elsewhere in this issue [20971].

"The Internet marketplace has evolved within and well beyond the traditional Web browser, fueled by an explosion of Java-powered smart phones and consumer electronic devices from RIM's Blackberry to Amazon's Kindle." said Jonathan Schwartz, chief executive officer and president of Sun Microsystems. "Sun's newest JavaFX platform unifies Java technology across billions of such devices, with an easy to use, open source platform now enabled with high quality video and audio, targeting consumers and content owners across the world -- and across the Internet."

The numerous innovations in JavaFX include the Java platform's Drag-to-Install feature, which allows end users for the first time ever to simply drag-and-drop JavaFX applications from their browsers onto their desktops. This enables end users to move applets that are running in their browser directly onto their desktop, making for a simple install experience for Internet applications and content.

Both Java developers and web designers will welcome the dramatically shortened production cycle made possible by JavaFX, which makes it easy to create applications integrating graphics, video, audio, animation and rich text. What makes JavaFX unique is that it provides a unified development and deployment model for building expressive RIAs across desktop, browser and mobile. What is more, using the new JavaFX mobile emulator, developers can also preview their applications on the forthcoming JavaFX mobile platform, which is scheduled to be available to Sun's mobile partners in spring 2009.

Powerful Features of JavaFX 1.0

The JavaFX 1.0 release includes video support and three key components: the JavaFX Development Environment, the JavaFX Production Suite and the JavaFX Desktop. Full product details, more than 80 code samples and applications, tutorials, articles and documentation for the JavaFX platform are available at: http://www.javafx.com. JavaFX Desktop leverages the major features of Java Platform Standard Edition (Java SE) 6 Update 10, such as the new implementation of the Java plug-in.

Also new is JavaFX Video Support, with JavaFX 1.0 software introducing comprehensive, cross-platform video capabilities, using On2 Technologies' video codecs. On2 Technologies, Inc., a leader in video compression solutions, is also announcing that support for JavaFX video has been integrated into its On2 Flix encoder line of products. For more information visit http://www.flix.on2.com or see related press release "ON2 Adds Support for Sun Microsystems' JavaFX Video to Flix Product Line of Encoders."

The comprehensive nature of JavaFX 1.0 is illustrated in its inclusion in The JavaFX Development Environment of the compiler and runtime tools, graphics, media, Web services, and rich text libraries, along with the NetBeans Integrated Development Environment(IDE) 6.5. It also includes JavaFX plug-ins for both NetBeans and Eclipse IDEs, as well as a mobile emulator for developers to preview building mobile applications for the JavaFX platform.

New Workshop for Web Developers and Java Programmers

In support of the JavaFX platform, Sun is offering a new seminar and workshop for Web developers and Java programmers that teaches how to use JavaFX software for developing RIA. The training shows how to use JavaFX technology to create animations and effects, add multimedia to applications, and incorporate Java software into JavaFX applications. For more information: http://www.sun.com/training/catalog/courses/DTJ-2500.xml.

Additional courseware on creating a JavaFX GUI for Swing developers is planned for mid-winter and formal training for graphic designers is expected in spring 2009.

Read the full text of the announcement here.

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