Now part of the Adobe family, this release of Flash 9 is already starting to take on more of an Adobe feel. Depending upon who you speak with this is either a good thing or the the coming of the Armageddon. FWIW, we are optimistic about this union and hopeful Adobe will streamline the rough spots that Macromedia was never able to fix.

We are also very aware of the downward spiral of all other web based applications that have passed into Adobe’s hands over the years and assume this will be different. One such application was their own LiveMotion, intended as the Flash slayer, but it barely got past version 1.5 before evaporating. LM had an After Effects style timeline which many of us liked and still think is a possible option for future Adobe Flash versions. Other Flash users love the timeline the way it has always been and hope that never happens.

Regardless, in the short time Adobe has had the program they have accomplished a few things:

The tools and palettes have been updated to reflect the new Adobe interface. Flash has been made to play well with its siblings like never before, so it now shares files back and forth with Photoshop and Illustrator in a more fluid manner. For example you can now import PSD files with their layers intact and text layers still editable.

Flash has inherited a number of Illustrator-like drawing tools and capabilities which we are all very glad to see. This is especially the case with the Illustrator style drawing pen tool, Flash’s version left much to be desired for many. But if you preferred the Flash way of drawing it is still available. A new “advanced” QuickTime export that generates QT files which support nested content, Actionscript events and runtime effects such as drop shadows and and blur.

There are also a number of new items that were obviously in development before Adobe took the reins, including the release of the new Actionscript 3.0 development tools, with a range of new AC3 interface components (Hint:  AS3 keeps getting more and more complex, and further beyond the capabilities of the casual programmer). There is a new ability to convert keyframe animations into Actionscript code for re-usability with other sprites and in other projects.

Other added capabilities include new ways to add closed captioned and foreign language texts. This is something we are very excited about and feel is quite overdue.

Finally, Flash comes bundled with two extra applications, its Encoder and the new Adobe Device Central (which is also used with other suite programs). Both are capable in what they do, and do it well. Flash also now integrates with Encore, see that section of the review for more.

Bottom Line:

This is an early review out of the gate. far too soon to tell you which Actionscript 3 code breaks. What we can say is that everything we have seen thus far in the upgrade is quite to our liking and we applaud the direction Adobe is guiding this important program in.