Adobe will release on Feb. 1 the beta version of Adobe Flex 2.0 and Adobe Flash Player 8.5. The software was released in alpha in January.
In addition to Flash Player 8.5, the beta version of Flex 2.0 will contain Flex Framework 2.0, Flex Builder 2.0, Flex Enterprise Services 2.0 and Flex Charting Components 2.0.
Flex 2.0 is marketed at developers of rich Internet content. While sharing some similarities with Flash, Flex 2.0 is a more developer-centric platform for building everything from interactive Web sites to enterprise applications.
Flex is built around a service-oriented environment,” said Phil Costa, group product manager for Flex. “Its built to interact with a variety of backend data structures.”
The beta versions will be available after 12:01 a.m. Wednesday, Feb. 1, at labs.adobe.com.
The Flex 2.0 product line will be commercially available in the first half of 2006, according to Adobe.
With Flex 2.0, Adobe will also introduce a new tiered licensing model that is aimed at speeding adoption within the enterprise.
The Flex Framework will be made available free of charge through the Flex Software Development Kit, which will include the command line compiler and documentation required to develop, compile and deploy Flex applications that connect to XML and SOAP web services, according to Adobe.