AIR 1.0 was recently released and great AIR applications have been hitting the market prior to that. For those not familiar with AIR, this innovative runtime lets developers use proven web technologies to build rich Internet applications that deploy to the desktop and run across operating systems.
One of most ambitious projects being implemented right now with AIR is Aviary. Aviary is a suite of web-based applications (RIAs) for people who create. From image editing to typography to music to 3D to video, these is a tool for artists of all genres. All of these tools are based right out of the browser or as downloadable AIR applications.
the suite of AIR applications goes as follows:
- Phoenix: Image editor
- Toucan: Color swatches and palette creator
- Peacock: Computer algorithm-based pattern generator
- Raven: Vector editor
- Hummingbird: 3D Modeller and skinner
- Myna: Audio editor
- Roc: Music generator
- Starling: Video editor
- Owl: Desktop publishing layout editor
- Penguin: Word processing software geared towards creative
- Pigeon: Painting simulator
- Tern: Terrain generator (minitool)
- Horus: Font editor
- Woodpecker: Smart image resizer using seam carving (minitool)
- Rookery: A free, unlimited distributed file system network that anyone can connect to and store data in. It also powers our file search engine.
- Hawk: Digital content marketplace
- Crane: Custom image product creator
- Eagle: A smart online application that can identify complex data about an image based on the pixel patterns (i.e. which specific camera an image originally came from)
As you can see, this is a very extensible suite and I believe it’ll be great for the industry and the AIR community. I tip my hat to the co-creators of this project, Alessandro Crugnola at www.sephiroth.it and Mario Klingemann at quasimondo.com. Taking on a project like this is huge.
Invitations to this innovative suite are now being taken at a.viary.com/.
