asacco
Managing Editor

BlackBerry developers to get new tools in Adobe’s CS5

news
Nov 10, 20092 mins

Graphics created using a number of popular Adobe tools can be imported into existing BlackBerry development tools

Research In Motion (RIM) along with Adobe Systems announced an expanded partnership in which the two companies will bring new software development tools to BlackBerry mobile application developers as part of Adobe’s Creative Suite 5 (CS5).

Adobe’s CS5, currently rumored to be released this coming spring, and future versions of the software package will include new utilities that allow designers to create various graphics, such as images and video, using a number of popular Adobe tools, including Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator and Adobe After Effects, for use in BlackBerry apps.

Graphics created using these Adobe tools can be imported into existing BlackBerry development tools like the BlackBerry JDE Plug-in for Eclipse and the BlackBerry Web Plug-in for Eclipse for use in applications and user interfaces. Graphics created with utilities like Adobe Photoshop will also work with RIM’s new BlackBerry Theme Studio, which will be used by developers to create high-quality BlackBerry “themes” or software “skins.”

The companies will also enable Adobe’s Dreamweaver, Adobe Fireworks and Adobe Device Central software to support the creation and vetting of “BlackBerry Widgets” and other online content optimized for the BlackBerry Web browser. And BlackBerry users will be able to import and employ photos and video taken via smartphone and then edit them using Adobe’s Photoshop Elements and Photoshop.com.

RIM and Adobe showed off a glimpse of the new capabilities during the 2009 BlackBerry Developer Conference keynote address, in which the company also announced the new BlackBerry Academic Program, which will bring BlackBerry development- and support-training classes to colleges and universities across North America.

The two companies also recently announced their collaboration on the Open Screen Project, under which the companies aim to bring Adobe Flash support to the ailing BlackBerry Browser.

Additional information on the news is available on both RIM and Adobe’s Web sites.

asacco

Al Sacco was a journalist, blogger and editor who covers the fast-paced mobile beat for CIO.com and IDG Enterprise, with a focus on wearable tech, smartphones and tablet PCs. Al managed CIO.com writers and contributors, covered news, and shared insightful expert analysis of key industry happenings. He also wrote a wide variety of tutorials and how-tos to help readers get the most out of their gadgets, and regularly offered up recommendations on software for a number of mobile platforms. Al resides in Boston and is a passionate reader, traveler, beer lover, film buff and Red Sox fan.

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