Earlier this week Adobe released a new beta phase bit of software that will eventually replace the haggard old beast Flash.
This shiny new software application comes with the cool, sharp name EDGE, but what is it and why is it going to change the way we view the Internet on home and mobile computers?
What is Adobe EDGE
Adobe EDGE is the latest step in animation for the web. It is a web animation tool that allows developers to create cool and interactive (in later phase) that will create Flash like animations, games and more but will export the files as HTML5, Javascript and CSS3 rather than Flash's own .swf file extension.
The EDGE development studio is set up to be like a cross between Flash and After Effects, with an easy to use timeline and powerful editing tools.
It is currently only in beta testing, but is looking for a general release in early 2012.
How is EDGE going to change the web
EDGE is going to be a huge player in web animation as it means that once a file is exported from EDGE and uploaded to a website, anyone on the web will be able to see the animation, play the game and fully interact with the EDGE creation without the need for any additional plug-in's, like Flash Player.
This is going to be particularly important for mobile web browsing, as it will banish the need for Flash support, and will enable all mobile internet users to view your creation how it should be.
Currently, Flash can be run on Google's Android mobile devices, Blackberry and some other phone manufacturer hardware, but not on Apple mobile products. Apple has a staunch dislike of Flash and has not allowed it to be installed on their iPhone, iPad or iPod products as it is known to be one of the main reasons for web browser crashes and instability. With the invention of EDGE, Adobe has found a way to get Flash-like animations onto these devices using an open-source system such as HTML5 and CSS3.
What we think of EDGE so far
At the time of writing we have only had a couple of days to play with EDGE but we are pleased with what we have seen so far. It is fairly restricted with regards as to what you can currently create with it, but this is simply due to it being in beta testing and not being a fully fledged product.
Once EDGE is out in the wild as a complete software solution we will delve further into what EDGE can do, but for now, the future seems very promising.