Adobe AIR for Android now available

By Phil Nickinson
last updated

We showed you video last month of what Adobe has in store for Android with Adobe AIR apps. And AIR is now available for Android, downloadable in the Android Market. This opens up a whole new segment of apps for Android users, folks. And cross-platform apps, at that, as we saw in another recent demo.

The download is just the runtime (and, yeah, you need Froyo), so most of us non-coding types can't really do anything with it just yet. But be on the lookout for AIR apps soon, we hope. And for sure we'll have some demos when they hit.

Update: We've mentioned it before, and it bears repeating: AIR apps will be available in the Android Market and install just like any other app. For you dev types, Adobe platform evangelist Ryan Stewart explains in a blog post.

27 Comments
  • Not coming up for me via Sprint, Galaxy S Epic. Is this for Froyo only?
  • Yep.
  • Yes you need froyo
  • So it would be nice to get that Froyo update now.
  • Yeah, I'd just gotten it off the market and was looking for some kool stuff to run on it. Works fine on G2.
  • lets see that video conference app they demoed!!!
  • Its about time, good job adobe!
  • 16.30MB !! Hell no, not on my Desire!
  • Totally agree. Coming off the back of Skype this week, I simply don't have room for it (after already creating carnage with my installed apps this week). Google need to re-examine Apps to SD as it does not seem to be providing the flexibility users need. Really don't want to root this phone to gain the flexibility, as it is mission critical. The limited user memory on the HTC Desire is it's only real Achilles Heal.
  • Yeah... My top five: Navigon 26.10MB, Google Maps(!) 9.28, Facebook for HTC Sense 5.34, Handcent Sms 4.57 and Gmail(!) 3.69MB...
  • I am not really clear on the what adobe air does
  • Okay, so first this app requires froyo. Doesn't froyo allow installation of aps to the sd card? If so the size seems irrelevant to me. Now just give me some froyo for my Epic.
  • Apps to sd needs to be enabled by the developer of the application and in this case (and many others) it is not enabled. The other thing to note is that many developers are not moving much of their App to sd when it is enabled. I have one app which is circa 12MB, which only moves 3.5MB over to the sd when the feature is enabled. That still leaves a huge 8.5MB on the phone. That is why I think Google need to rethink how they deal with app storage.
  • For those of you who want apps to go with adobe air to try out here's a link
    http://db.tt/X1w7Haz
  • what's adobe air do??
  • Adobe Air basically allows you to run Flash programs as if they were normal desktop applications. The big deal about it is that it allows easy portability between platforms...so instead of making a game for iphone and one for Android, they can make a game for AIR and port it to both iPhone and Android immediately. Well, they could if Apple didnt hate Adobe so much. Thats just an example. Any platform that supports AIR could immediately get the game, without the game having to be coded specifically for that platform.
  • Call me when we see some apps that use Adobe AIR.
  • We uploaded an AIR app this morning called 'Darcel vs Pigeons'!
  • I am not seeing it in the market. Adobe's site has only mac, windows & linux os listed.
  • Only says its 5 mb! Where'd u get 16 from??
  • Install it and then look in 'Settings, Applications, Manage applications'. The install size is different from the Market file size (although I would like to see a break down of resources required for apps in the Market).
  • Not seeing it on Sprint HTC Hero running Cyanogenmod6 which is Froyo.
  • Don’t see it on market droid 2. Also flash is gone what's going on here? Anyone having the same problem? Ok had to clear my data. Got air now!!
  • FAIL! This is simply too big. It does not allow install-to-SD so I won't bother until it does. Sorry, my Evo is a great phone but the memory free is terrible.
  • what apps are out for this yet i dont see any???
  • There's an Adobe AIR powered Netflix app called Queue Manager which isn't bad although it is a tad slow (Droid X).
  • Saw it in the market, noticed it was 5 megs. Thought "Wow, that's quite a bit, but it might be worth it." Then I installed and saw that it took up 16 megs. Even tried moving it manually to SD via the application manager. After moving it, 12 megs still remained on board. FAIL. Uninstalled. I would rather do without Flash or Air, and retain my precious memory on my Moto Droid. No way am I going to take up an additional 16 megs just to *enable* OTHER applications. Bloatware!