Use OpenSocial and the Google Application Engine to take your Flash game to the next level.

With the proliferation of Rich Interactive Application (RIA) platform choices out there, you no longer have to take a one-size-fits-all approach to developing your next RIA application. Knowing the strengths (and weaknesses) of each platform can help you to decide the best RIA for your next application.

Discover the options for implementing bidirectional communications between browser-based Flash forms and server-side PHP code.

You're not giving up Flash any time soon (and we don't blame you.) But if you could get your Flash application working in Silverlight, why wouldn't you? We show you the tools and techniques required to have your rockin' Flash application rolled for Silverlight.

Take a look at Adobe's AIR, and see how this cross-platform, run-time engine can help you apply your skills to create and distribute Internet-enabled desktop applications.

Weigh the pros and cons of streaming vs. progressive downloads for FLV content, and learn how to deliver video on demand without breaking the bank.

Metadata is essential to making your Flash videos display properly and professionally. But when it comes to telling it like it is, not all FLVs are created equal. Find out about our favorite no-cost options for inserting metadata with ease.

Adobe is taking Flash content delivery on mobile devices very seriously. Whether you get started today with the somewhat limited capabilities of Flash Lite 1.1 or wait for the much enhanced features promised in version 2, the first step is to get acquainted with the model for delivering Flash apps to phones and PDAs.

Making a database connection in Flash is not the straightforward process enjoyed by Java and .NET developers. And while it may be a black art, it needn't be avoided, for the XMLSocket class is there to help.

Initiate reliable, stable communication between SWFs and the containers that love them using Flash 8's new ExternalInterface class.

When it comes to Flash 8's scale9grid feature, it really does depend on how you slice it.

Using Flash's Drawing API to keep MovieClips connected at runtime isn't only easy—it has additional benefits. In addition to commonly used rigid lines, you can connect clips with rubber bands.

Learn how to use Flash 8's dynamic filter effects, making it possible to add drop shadows, glows, bevels, blurs, and more to Movie Clips at runtime.

Finally! The newly released Flash 8 includes one feature that designers have wanted for years—the ability to use an alpha gradient as a mask.

Flash 8 may have just been announced but you don't have to rummage endlessly for the juicy details. This extensive review gives you a preview of all the great new features—for designers and coders alike—plus Studio pricing and more, all in one place.

Bringing some degree of realism to a simulation of planetary orbits requires elliptical, not circular, paths. This article will show you how to create them. Also included is a major execution order "gotcha" that you may not be aware of!

I know we said there would be no math, but this is way easier than it sounds. This practical article uses basic trigonometry in ActionScript to improve the flexibility and creativity of your animations. After this down-to-earth tutorial, you may never shy away from math again.

Is it possible to combine the expressive and analytical power of Office with the display slickness of Flash? Yes, and it's quite easy, even for a person with limited Flash abilities (a category including your author).

When using MovieClips, smooth transitions are often preferred over abrupt starts and stops. This article discusses how to load and unload external content with an accompanying alpha-fade transition.

Macromedia executives say 'yes' to a merger with competitor Adobe Systems, leaving developers to ponder the landscape ahead for Flash, RIAs, and the PDF format.