Archive for October, 2008

Great Example of a Mass Customization RIA Application

Monday, October 20th, 2008

More and more, rich Internet applications (RIAs) are being used as a way to customize mass production projects and give items a “personal flair”. A great example of this is the new customization module for the Flip Mino that was announced last week by our good friends at Pure Digital Technologies. This module allows buyers of the popular Flip Mino, a pocket-sized camcorder, to personalize the front cover of the camera with photos, logos, or graphic designs. Users can choose from thousands of designs that include celebrity photos, original artwork, and iconic brands, or they can upload their own graphics or photos. There is also an exclusive design engine – the Pattern Generator that buyers can use to whip a unique pattern if they want a truly custom design.

Mino Flip with custom designs – great example of mass customization using a rich Internet application

Customized Mino Flip

As another twist, the company has also created a Marketplace where artistic consumers can upload their designs for others to purchase, earning a commission each time their design sells, or they can elect to have their design sales earn money for non-profit causes.

This is a great example of using RIAs for mass customization. Kudos to Pure Digital, and its partner Café Press on this project.

Microsoft Releases Silverlight 2.0

Wednesday, October 15th, 2008

Earlier this week, Microsoft finally rolled out version 2.0 of Silverlight, its competitor to Adobe Flash. This version has been over a year in the making and was promised to be the “one” that made Silverlight a true contender with Flash Player.

Version 2.0 supports:

  • Powerful built-in controls: DataGrid, ListBox, Slider, ScrollViewer, Calendar controls and more.
  • Deep zoom: For ultra high resolution imagery.
  • Advanced skinning and templating support: For easy customization of applications.
  • Cross-platform and cross-browser support: Support for Mac, Windows, and Linux in Firefox, Safari, and Windows Internet Explorer.
  • And many more….

One of the most interesting points around the announcement was the install base that Microsoft quoted in its press release. The company claims that one in four consumers worldwide has access to a computer with Silverlight installed. Besides being an unusual way to present install number, this figure seems a bit high, given the relatively low developer adoption of the technology. However, with Silverlight used for both the Olympics and the Democratic National Convention this year, it may be feasible.

What does the release of Silverlight 2.0 mean? Well, it’s a very positive step toward broader penetration of rich Internet applications (RIAs) and it provides developers with a real choice in technology outside of Adobe. However, Silverlight has a long way to go to catch up with Adobe’s 99 percent install base with Flash.