Adobe Integrated Runtime (AIR) lets you use scripting languages you already know and frees you from the dull parts of development—so you can focus on creating exciting and cost-saving application user interfaces using Flash, Flex, and JavaScript. Find all the tips, techniques, and best practices you need to succeed in this comprehensive reference, including installing AIR across Windows, Mac, or Linux; learning AIR programming, development, and debugging essentials; and much more.

Amazon.com® Reader Reviews (Ranked by Helpfulness)

Average Amazon.com® Rating:  Based on 6 Ratings

Excellent guide - 2008-12-16
Reviewer Rating:
Indispensable Book for building desktop applications because it shows you like to create your projects so easy and understandable.

High on AIR - 2009-11-04
Reviewer Rating:
This book was an invaluable reference for me while I was building my first AIR applications, like my Web Video Bitrate Starter app (see [...]). I've since learned how to build bigger and better AIR applications, like a large source file uploader for [...]. Thanks to Ryan, Ben, and Jeff for writing the definitive resource on the matter!

Frustrating Examples, Not for Flash - 2009-10-01
Reviewer Rating:
The book provides a good overview of the Air framework and some helpful advice in how to structure and think about developing a complicated application in Air. There are however several large shortcomings. As someone else stated, the book is described as being for both flash and flex, however all of the major coding examples are done in flex and not in flash, so if you are not familiar with both you will have a hard time figuring out the examples if you are a flash user. Also there are problems with the examples in the book. There are mistakes in the sample code, and the sample code in the descriptions does not match up with the full code when they pull it all together (example in chapter 8 there is a simple text editor which instructs you on the use of accessing the file system. You go through step by step with a description of the code you are writing, in step 8.15 it tells you to type in one thing, then at the end of the chapter in 8.23 you get the full code as it is supposed to be when done, and the code is different.). I even went to the website to download the sample files, so I could see which one was correct, but the sample files for this chapter were not there, all the other ones were though. There is nothing more frustrating than when you are trying to learn a new aspect of programming, then being given examples that don't work in the first place. Since accessing the file system is the major reason for using air, instead of just flash or flex on its own, the book really is lacking. I would not recommend purchasing it if you are planning on using it for flash, if you are using it for flex, you will probably be fine, but be aware up front, that there are mistakes in some of the example code.

Problems with examples, Flex mainly... - 2009-07-31
Reviewer Rating:
First of all I know how difficult it is to write a book. Therefore, thanks to the authors for writing this book. It is a good intro to AIR and as pointed out in other reviews it educates to program using Design patterns. As stated in the book it is not for beginners, and one needs to be familiar with AS. However, it was not stated anywhere that the main focus of this book is Flex. Although I am familiar with Flex, I usually prefer Flash and expected good Flash examples. The only example in the book is a "Hello World" text Flash example. Sure, I can download/buy Flex 3 or the SDK but there should have been a balance of the examples with more Flash applications or how to convert the Flex to Flash examples. If the authors did not want to do that, it should have been stated that the examples are mainly for Flex 3.
Another problem of the book are some of the examples. Only very few examples are actually available in the downloadable source code. The SimpleTextEditor example turns into a nightmere. It just starts somewhere without explaining names and folders of the files. There are a number of mistakes in the files. I don't think it should be the user's task to do the author's job. On their companion website I did not find any corrections. I had the impression that this book was written to get published fast. Allover the book is useful but should get a makeover by adding up corrections and examples on the companion website.

Kindle? - 2009-05-16
Reviewer Rating:
Why is the Kindle version so expensive? It seems like you would want a paper copy for an intense usage like learning a new language, and for the better diagrams, etc. You'd accept the Kindle version for something you wanted to skim or you might be willing to keep an e-copy for less if it wasn't your main reference on the topic, or if it was a really good deal by e-book. Am I missing something? Maybe I just don't understand. Can someone who's tried the Kindle version pipe up about why it's better or why one would pay almost as much as for paper to get a Kindle version of this book. Someone who's actually bought the Kindle version and is using it? (Thanks)

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