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Adobe Mobile Experience Suite FAQ

Overview information

What is the Adobe® Mobile Experience Suite?
The Adobe Mobile Experience Suite includes a set of solutions that enable operators to deliver engaging mobile experiences across handsets. The solutions, Adobe Flash® Cast™ and Adobe Flash Home, include a client-server platform, applications, and fully integrated content creation and development tools. In order to accelerate time to market, Adobe also offers professional services for the customization and deployment of these solutions.
Why choose the Adobe Mobile Experience Suite?
The Adobe Mobile Experience Suite enables operators and aggregators to deliver branded home screens and engaging mobile data services that are easy to discover, navigate, and enjoy. Two reference applications are available to rapidly deliver solutions that drive differentiation, revenue, and customer satisfaction. More reference applications are being developed, plus customers can use the suite to rapidly create their own solutions that will wow end users.
What solutions are available within the Adobe Mobile Experience Suite?
The first two mobile solutions within the Adobe Mobile Experience Suite are Adobe Flash Cast and Adobe Flash Home, designed to help operators and OEMs quickly increase data revenue and differentiation.
More solutions are under development and will be announced as they become available. In addition, operators and OEMs can build their own solutions using the Adobe Mobile Experience Suite.
What is Flash Cast and who is it for?
Flash Cast is a complete offline portal solution that enables mobile operators to deliver interactive content and branded data services that are highly personalized, as well as easy to discover and use.
Sold as a white-label solution to mobile operators, Flash Cast combines lightweight client and robust server capabilities to provide subscribers instant access to the latest news and information, games, video, and other multimedia content and services. It allows operators to both reinforce their brand and generate recurring revenue opportunities.
Why choose Flash Cast?
Flash Cast has been designed to solve many of the limitations of today’s mobile data services. Flash Cast is a proven, scalable carrier-grade solution that has numerous features and benefits including:
 
Key features Benefits
Proven Flash runtime Deliver rich and high-quality experiences consistently across handsets
Highly flexible solution Protect and extend brand equity
Automatic delivery and intuitive navigation Simplify content discovery
Content caching on device Create an always-on experience
Differential updates Increase network efficiencies
Powerful scripting language Leverage existing handset features including messaging (SMS, MMS, e-mail), voice, and third-party applications (browsers, media players)
Sophisticated administration, monitoring, and reporting Offer personalized and targeted services
Strong integration framework Integrate with existing infrastructure including billing, reporting, and databases
What is Flash Home and who is it for?
Flash Home is a solution for the creation, discovery, and delivery of rich, Flash based home screens across multiple devices. The solution benefits mobile operators and OEMs alike.
Sold as a white-label solution to mobile operators, Flash Home combines customizable home screens with live data services to provide subscribers with a personalized, engaging experience. Flash Home is easy to promote, discover, and use and provides operators with an opportunity to both extend their brand and generate new revenue opportunities.
Why choose Flash Home?

Mobile operators

  • Differentiate and protect brands across devices
  • Effectively promote existing data services
  • Introduce new revenue opportunities

OEMs

  • Offer active home screens and menus
  • Integrate with existing device capabilities (audio, video, messaging)
  • Develop Flash based user interfaces
How do Flash Cast and Flash Home work with Adobe Flash Lite™?
Both Flash Cast and Flash Home use the Adobe mobile platform client, a new version of the Adobe mobile rendering engine, to render rich Flash based content on mobile devices.
Which mobile devices can run Flash Cast and Flash Home?
The mobile platform client can run on all open platforms including S60 v.2 and v.3, BREW, and Windows® Mobile. In addition, device support is expanding to other platforms through Adobe’s operator/handset manufacturer-specific porting efforts.
Due to the significant variations within possible use cases, the list of supported models is operator specific in all Flash Cast and Flash Home deployments.

Technology details

What are the components of the Adobe Mobile Experience Suite?
  • Adobe mobile authoring tools
  • Adobe mobile solutions such as Flash Cast and Flash Home
  • Adobe mobile platform consisting of the Adobe mobile server and the Adobe mobile client
What is the Adobe mobile platform?
The Adobe mobile platform is an extensible client-server platform designed to help manage and deploy innovative applications across a diverse range of devices. It provides instant access to data-enabled applications that deliver engaging mobile experiences, even in areas where reception is spotty.
What is the Adobe mobile client?
The Adobe mobile client is the foundation of Adobe’s next-generation mobile platform on mobile devices. It includes a high-performance Flash based rendering engine, data store, and device application programming interfaces (APIs). The Adobe mobile client is a key component to Flash Cast and Flash Home.
What is the Adobe mobile server?
The mobile server consists of a set of carrier-grade J2EE servers that serve as an intermediary between the mobile client and third-party content providers. The main functions of the server are to:
  • Aggregate, normalize, and deliver content to various devices
  • Manage subscribers and preferences
  • Support a flexible billing model with optional integration
  • Offer optimized network performance by delivering differential updates
The server is designed to provide optimal network performance, reduce costs, and ultimately support tens of millions of users. By decoupling the communications between third-party content feeds and consumer devices, service providers gain unprecedented flexibility and management capabilities.
How does the Adobe mobile client integrate with phone functionalities including browsing?
The Adobe mobile client includes extensions to integrate content with phone-specific features such as monitoring battery life or sending SMS messages, as well as invoking browsing or initiating a voice call.

Developer information

How do developers create Flash Cast and Flash Home content?
In order to create Flash Cast channels and Flash Home home screens, designers and developers worldwide will use a plug in to Flash CS3 Professional, the most advanced authoring environment for creating rich, interactive content for digital, web, and mobile platforms. The plug-in will be made available later this year. Learn more about Adobe's mobile authoring tools.
How many developers use Flash technology worldwide?
There are more than one million experienced Flash developers and designers worldwide, and the community continues to grow.

Availability

Which customers have launched Flash Cast and Flash Home?
NTT DoCoMo, the largest mobile operator in Japan, is currently using Flash Cast to power the i-channel service, aimed at leveraging existing i-mode sites and content and bringing those services to subscribers who currently have limited or no mobile data use. This group accounts for roughly 40% of i-mode subscribers, and thus i-channel taps into a huge potential additional revenue source for NTT DoCoMo. Since its launch in early September 2005, i-channel has steadily gained increasing numbers of users, currently accounting for roughly one-third of those subscribers who have purchased i-channel–enabled mobile phones. Outside Japan, Adobe is working with several other tier-one operators worldwide. Reference customers for Flash Home have not been announced.
Are Flash Cast and Flash Home available for my mobile phone?
Operators choose when and which phones to enable with Flash Cast or Flash Home. Both solutions will be uniquely branded to fit into specific service offerings. Check with your operator regarding Flash Cast and Flash Home availability in your market.
How can I find more information about the Adobe Mobile Experience Suite, as well as the Flash Cast and the Flash Home solutions?
For more information, send your inquires to Flash_Castinfo@adobe.com. We will direct your questions to the appropriate sales representative in your region.

Customer support

Will downloads for Flash Cast and Flash Home be available from the Adobe website?
No. Flash Cast and Flash Home are licensed directly to operators and OEMs. Adobe works with these companies to implement the Flash Cast and Flash Home solutions to support innovative mobile experiences. Check with your operator regarding the availability of Flash Cast and Flash Home in your market and how to obtain the service.

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