Adobe HTML5 Tool, Edge: What You Need to Know

An in-depth interview with Paul Gubbay, VP of, Design Web and Interactive at Adobe Systems

The move to HTML5 is one of the most exciting developments I have seen in tech as it ties together cloud, mobile and the concept that programmers should be able to write once and have their programs run anywhere. Moreover, the hundreds of millions of Apple iOS devices that do not support Adobe Flash do/will support HTML5 and as websites slowly begin the transition to this new web standard, every tablet should for the first time be able to view most every webpage.

It’s no wonder HTML5 is being credited with allowing a 15-year post Internet boom mega-cycle.

A few potential casualties of the HTML5 revolution are app stores who have a lock on the real innovation taking place on their platforms and of course Adobe – the company behind the Flash standard which has made the web a much more robust and creative place.

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In response, Adobe has embraced the latest HTML variation with its new Edge solution designed to to allow more efficient programming to this new standard as well as JavaScript and CSS. As you may expect, the specific target of this announcement is to allow the creation of more interactive web pages which have traditionally been delivered through Flash. Simply stated, Edge allows interactive designers to create motion and interactivity in HTML5. To learn more I had an in-depth interview with Paul Gubbay, VP of, Design Web and Interactive at Adobe Systems.

Gubbay explained that his company can’t dictate to customers which programming tools they will use. So instead, what Adobe is doing is optimizing its tools and technologies to help developers create across platforms.  One interesting point he made is that Flash has always been the blueprint of where HTML should be going.

In the future we can expect Flash and Air to allow development of very complex user interfaces like those used in gaming. HTML5 he says isn’t quite there yet – and as a result we can expect Webkit improvements and jQuery mobile frameworks advances.

One of the greatest inconsistencies on the web is how video is played and we will continue to see Adobe concentrate on making premium video better. Think about applications provided by companies like Netflix and HBO. Moreover, we can expect Edge to support video in the future – sorry, it doesn’t right now.

The bottom line is Adobe hopes to be a major player in the HTML5 tool world and if the market is even a fraction as large as the analysts believe, the company has a great opportunity ahead of it.

To learn more about HTML5 development be sure to come to HTML5 Summit, DevCon5 in Austin Texas, Sept 13-15, 2011.

Disclosure – TMC is a co-host of this event and I am the CEO of TMC.

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