I’ve been playing around with Photoshop Express again, now that it supports importing from my Flickr feed. What an awesome application! It was built with Flex and ActionScript 3.0 and it’s extremely impressive.

One of it’s features is the ability to create a really cool slideshow gallery that you can embed on your blog, like so…

Flex.org has a “Showcase” section that lists a variety of public-facing Flex apps. This is a very handy resource.

This download is very hard to find and doesn’t seem to be in the Flex 3 SDK – so here’s the direct link:http://www.adobe.com/cfusion/entitlement/index.cfm?e=flex%5Fskins 

We’ve been having a discussion internally about our program for Flex training in higher education. As I posted earlier, we recently started providing Flex Builder to students and faculty for free. What else can we do to get more students around the world learning Flex? Please share your thoughts and suggestions.

I’ve had several conversations over the last few weeks with customers who have advised me that Adobe should be giving away Flex Builder to students around the world. Well, last October we announced that we were doing this.

SAN JOSE, Calif. — October 24, 2007 — Adobe Systems Incorporated (Nasdaq:ADBE) today announced that it is offering Adobe® Flex™ Builder™ 2 software at no cost to students and faculty at educational institutions worldwide. The Flex Builder 2 integrated development environment (IDE) is part of a powerful toolset for designing and developing rich Internet applications (RIAs), an essential part of Web 2.0.

Details here…

Want to learn more about Flex 3 and AIR – for free? Check it out:

Flex and AIR User Group Pre-release Tour

Flex 3 and AIR are getting close to launch and in preparation, the Adobe Platform Evangelist team is traveling to select cities to show off the great new features and some brand new demos.

Flex 3 is a feature-packed release, adding new UI components like the advanced datagrid and improved CSS capabilities; powerful tooling additions like refactoring; and extensive testing tools including memory and performance profiling, plus the addition of the automated testing framework to Flex Builder.

Adobe AIR is game-changing in so many ways, extending rich applications to the desktop, enabling access to the local file system, system tray, notifications and much more. Now you can write desktop applications using the same skills that you’ve been already using to create great web apps including both Flex and AJAX.

Don’t miss out on the opportunity to see and hear about this highly anticipated release of Flex 3 and AIR during this special pre-release tour. Plus, in addition to giving away some one of a kind Flex/AIR branded schwag, we will also be raffling off a copy of Flex Builder 3 Professional (pending availability) and a full commercial copy of CS3 Web Premium at this event!

Check out the comprehensive listing of dates at flex.org/tour to see if the tour is coming to your city!

Flex is hot! Tim O’Reilly points out that the newly released Programming Flex 2, written by Chafic Kazoun and Joey Lott, is his company’s strongest product release on Amazon in years. The new book, now shipping, provides in-depth coverage of Flex 2 and ActionScript 3.0. Programming Flex 2 offers you plenty of practical and useful examples that reveal how and why to use a particular feature of Flex 2, and when and when not to.

Topics include:

• Managing Layout
• Working with Components
• Working with Media
• Managing State
• Using Transitions and Effects
• Working with Data
• Customizing Application Appearance
• Client Data Communication and Remote Data Communication
• Debugging Flex Framework Applications
• Creating Custom Components

Get the book on Amazon.

Chafic Kazoun, a good friend of mine and a brilliant developer, has been working on a new book about Flex 2 from O’Reilly with another great developer, Joey Lott. O’Reilly has just posted some of the “rough cuts” from the book (which isn’t done yet). If you want to learn more about Programming Flex 2, go check it out here.

I just noticed this sweet contest. It looks like the Flex team wants you to build a great Flex app – and they’re going to reward the top six entries with some fantastic prizes!

Information:

Build the coolest Flex app and win more than just bragging rights.

Flex your developer skills, showcase your killer apps, and you might win great prizes by entering the Flex Developer Derby. Enter now through May 1, 2006.

Prizes:
Six winners will each receive:

* A 42-inch Samsung plasma TV plus a Microsoft Xbox 360. See TV specs.
* Your application showcased on Adobe’s website, along with an application name and description and a link to your personal website or blog (if applicable)
* Your application showcased in Adobe’s booth at the JavaOne Conference, May 16–19, 2006, in San Francisco

Early bird submission prizes

In addition, the first 25 developers who submit applications that are chosen to be posted in our online showcase gallery will receive a US$50 electronic gift certificate to Amazon.com. Applications must meet eligibility requirements set by the Terms and Conditions.

http://labs.macromedia.com/showcase/special/flexderby/