Chapter 12. Flash For Handhelds and Cd-rom

In addition to playback over the Web on PCs, Flash content can be delivered on handheld computers or CD-ROM. This chapter explores issues and opportunities for deployment via these alternative methods.

Believe it or not, not everyone has Internet access. I know, I know—it’s crazy. And even when your audience does have access, desktop PCs aren’t always the final answer with regard to the deployment of multimedia content.

In today’s gadget-filled world, mobile devices have begun to see the dawn of the Flash age. Mobile devices can be used to keep employees in the know and deliver up-to-the-minute stock reports and news. That’s right—mobile connectivity is the wave of the future. And Flash is already one of the most prevalent technologies connecting you and your valuable data.

The catch to publishing Flash content for mobile devices is that they tend to lag behind the Flash Player version for desktop PCs. While PC-based users can easily upgrade to Flash Player 7, PDA and handheld users have only Flash Player 5 or Flash Player 6. Even some cell phones can run Flash (albeit usually a scaled-down version). Nokia sells about a million Flash-enabled phones each month in Japan, and other markets can’t be far behind. Your Pocket PC can get you the latest sports scores while the CD-ROM in your laptop bag can help get you certified and ready for your next career move.

CD-ROMs are still a serious contender for multimedia distribution. Companies use CD-ROMs ...

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