Adobe optimises Flash for the home

Adobe Systems today made a major move to extend its popular Flash platform into the home with an optimised version that delivers rich applications and high definition video to internet-connected televisions, set-top boxes, Blu-ray players and other devices.

The Adobe Flash Platform for the Digital Home will enable content providers to extend their reach to customers beyond the office environment to reach millions of homes, said Adobe.

Users will be able to view HD web videos on home devices via the FLV file format, and switch between television and web content virtually seamlessly, the firm said.

“Adobe Flash Platform for the Digital Home will dramatically change the way we view content on televisions,” said David Wadhwani, Adobe's general manager and vice president, Platform Business Unit.

“Consumers are looking to access their favorite Flash technology-based videos, applications, services and other rich web content across screens."

Adobe has already signed up major system on a chip (SoC) vendors, OEMs, cable operators and content providers, including Intel, Broadcom and the New York Times Company.

The Adobe Flash Platform for the Digital Home is available immediately to OEMs and the first devices and SoC platforms supporting the new Flash technology will ship in the second half of this year, said Adobe.