Engadget writes that Adobe has released demo software labelled "FlashTime", a peer-to-peer video calling solution for Google Android, and any other Adobe Air equipped device.
The release obviously mocks FaceTime for iPhone by Apple, and enables calls between various different camera equipped devices. The video below shows two Android devices using the software, as well as a desktop based client running on top of OS X. Currently, Android has no built in support for video calling, over the air, or even over WiFi -- only using third-party applications such as Fring or Qik. "FlashTime" could be a seamless competitor to these as it is multi-platform and based on the AIR framework.
The build that the demo software runs on top is a beta version of Adobe Air 2.5, and is a very early version. Adobe Air 2.5 offers "all the features of Flash 10.1 along with multi-touch/gestures, support for bitmap matrix caching and Geolocation APIs." According to Hexus, Mark Doherty, Flash Platform Evangelist said that certain features "may not make it into the v1 product."
On the FlashMobileBlog, Mark also said that "'FlashTime' is obviously a working title, and the code isn’t exactly stable so I don’t want to release it just yet. I hope I can finish it by next week, by which time it will have a name – suggestions welcome."
Image Credit: Engadget
Note: As of writing the video was taken offline, we'll re-add it when it becomes available again.
Comments (15)
ReplyWhat an original name!
Sounds a bit pervy.
That's what I thought!
I saw the video on the adobe blog, it looked really simple, but still pretty impressive.
It's things like this that make me glad to be on Android :]
Nothing strange about it. It is logical as both Android an OSX are "Linux/unix" and easy development platform compared to Windows.
Meh can't say I'm that interested, I got over video calling/chatting on a mobile many years ago (back when it was actually new
). Even so, my HTC Desire doesn't even have a forward facing camera so this would be useless on that handset anyway.
Does anyone actually use Video calling?
Excuse my language but with this "FlashTime" name selection, all they do is to birch at Apple. FaceTime was not a unique piece of invention, neither FlashTime will be. They all rely on 3rd party hardware / software. Mobile devices (particularly the iPhone) has a major advantage here because simply they come all built-in.
Carry a mirror.
Like the name "Flashtime"
Like the name "Flashtime"
Update: Just for clarification's sake, Adobe's Mark Doherty got in touch with us to say there are no plans to release this little mockup client and that indeed the FlashTime moniker is a mere placeholder. Ah well.
FlashTime. Please keep this codename as the final product name. In fact, I thought FaceTime was open source - does that include the name as well?
PS SOME Android phones have a forward facing camera e.g. Evo and Samsung Galaxy S (Sorry Samsung Vibrant users in the US) -oh and some netbooks running GoogleOS
I must say it took awhile for flash to hit android, but its been on nokia phones for years. Thename does sound a little perv, lol
FaceTime & FlashTime are both stupid names...