This document discusses developing mobile applications using Adobe AIR, including tools like ADL, ADT, and PFI. It covers targeting different mobile platforms like iOS and Android, and considerations for each like screen densities, gestures, and device capabilities. Testing on actual devices is recommended over emulators. Stage3D API support is now available in AIR for 3D graphics. Frameworks can help with development. Piracy and interruptions are issues to watch for on mobile.

1. Going Mobile
By Nate Beck

2. ADL, PFI... WTF?
ADL - AIR Debug Launcher - Using ADL, you can run an application
without first packaging and installing it.
ADT - AIR Developer Tool - ADT is a multi-purpose, command-line
tool for developing AIR applications.
PFI - Packager For iPhone - Completely replaced by ADT.
iOS - The OS for iPads, iPod Touch and iPhones

3. The Markets
... that support Adobe Flash

4. Membership Fee
$99 / year
$25
$99 / year ¹
$0
$0
Revenue Split
30%
30%
30%
30%
30%
Overall Difficulty 5
1
3
2
11
1(easy) to 10 (hard)
Number of Apps
~570,000
~395,000
~30,400
~3,030
~4,000
¹ At the moment, first year is free
Source - Apple App Store - http://148apps.biz/app-store-metrics/
Source - Android Market - http://www.appbrain.com/stats/

5. Case Study – Word Wars

11. Build Process
APK
Executable
ADT
IPA
Assets
BAR

12. Application Descriptor
Id
Version Number
Render Mode
Auto Orientation
Aspect Ratio
Full Screen
Onscreen Keyboard Behavior
Icons Paths
Device Profile
Permissions
iPhone Settings

13. DEVICES SUCK

14. Your finger is not transparent
THIS
NOT THIS

15. Devices do not have
roll over or roll out

16. TouchEvents are different
than MouseEvents
flash.ui.Multitouchflash.ui.MultitouchInputMode

17. Let’s not forget about gestures
flash.events.TransformGestureEvent

18. Use Enter Frame
not Mouse Move

19. Screen Density
!=
Screen Resolution

20. Screen Density != Screen Resolution
150 x 40 pixel button
Desktop monitor
Galaxy Tab
Droid 2
iPhone 4
@100 dpi
@160 dpi
@240 dpi
@320 dpi
= 1.5” x 0.4”
= 0.9” x 0.25”
= 0.6” x 0.17”
= 0.46” x 0.13”
Same pixel count, different physical sizes
(Minimum recommended size: 0.25” x 0.25”)

21. Screen Density != Screen Resolution
3.5 inch diagonal screen
Same physical size, different pixel counts

22. Screen Density != Screen Resolution
Classification
160 DPI
240 DPI
320 DPI
Devices
Most tablets
Most Android phones
iPhone 4
iPhone 3GS
Motorola Droid Pro
Mapped range
< 200 DPI
>= 200 DPI
> 280 DPI
<= 280 DPI
Typical range
132 DPI (iPad)
217 DPI (HTC Evo)
326 DPI (iPhone 4)
to
to
181 DPI (HTC Hero)
254 DPI (NexusOne)

23. Devices have differing aspect ratios

24. Some devices have
additional stuff...

25. Capabilities
flash.system.Capabilities

26. Devices have orientations
StageOrientationEvent.ORIENTATION_CHANGING
stage.setOrientation( StageOrientation.UPSIDE_DOWN );

27. Accelerometers
Get your tilt on.

28. Emulators

29. Testing on the Device
!FAIL
WiFi Debug Only
WiFi and USB Debug
WiFi Debug Only
Long Build Times
Faster Build Times
Debug Tokens
Mobile Provisions
Signing
Certificates

30. Full Screen

31. Permissions
(Android / Playbook)
android.permission.INTERNET
android.permission.WRITE_EXTERNAL_STORAGE
android.permission.READ_PHONE_STATE
android.permission.ACCESS_FINE_LOCATION
android.permission.DISABLE_KEYGUARD
android.permission.WAKE_LOCK
android.permission.CAMERA
android.permission.RECORD_AUDIO
android.permission.ACCESS_NETWORK_STATE
android.permission.ACCESS_WIFI_STATE

32. CPU vs GPU
CPU - blitting
GPU - DisplayObject
iOS - 20 FPS
iOS - 34 FPS
Droid - 24 FPS
Droid - 32 FPS

33. Playbook is wicked fast

34. Molehill, Stage3D?
“Stage3D for mobile is planned for middle of next year,
but we are working hard on it to make it more like beginning of next year”
- Thibault Imbert, Flash Player Product Manager
October 31, 2011

35. “Adobe AIR 3.2 release candidate is now available for download. This build
introduces the Stage3D API to iOS and Android devices, enabling full
hardware accelerated 2D and 3D graphics for mobile apps.”
- Adobe Labs, compliments of Thibault
February 27, 2012

36. Hugs For Thibault

37. Use a Framework
www.smash.io

38. ANT is your friend
(or maven if you’re a cool kid)

39. Build servers are awesome
+

40. Hosting your build servers

41. Your game can (and will)
be interrupted, at any time
stage.addEventListener(Event.DEACTIVATE, onDeactivate);
stage.addEventListener(Event.ACTIVATE, onActive);

42. Piracy can be a problem

43. Please use Version
Control... please

44. Questions?

45. Thanks!
Nate Beck
Principal Architect
@jnbeck
nate@zaalabs.com
blog.natebeck.net