Adobe Flash Platform Debuts With Catalyst And Flex Builder

Branded the Adobe Flash Platform, the new message being rolled out by the company aims to make it clear that Flash exists in a supported ecosystem of products that allow designers to create applications, content and video to customers.

Flash already commands about 80 percent of Web video and is hoping to expand that strangle hold while fending off Microsoft's Silverlight -- not to mention other emerging Web tools like Ajax. To continue fighting those battles the company will release Adobe Flash Catalyst at the conference this week.

Adobe Flash Catalyst, previously code named Thermo, takes files previously published in Adobe Creative Suite 4 and allows them to be published in either Flash or AIR. Flash Catalyst is also notable because it allows designers to create content without using code.

Adobe is also expected to show off a public beta version of Flex Builder, code name Gumbo, at the conference on Monday. Flex Builder is an Eclipse-based development tool enabling intelligent coding, interactive step-through debugging, and visual design of the user interface layout, appearance, and behavior of rich Internet applications (RIAs), according to the Web site.