RIAs that Rock

While it may seem that I’ve focused on Adobe AIR for iOS applications quite a bit recently, statistics show that AIR offers the biggest payback for developers. Adobe Flash Platform developers have been capitalizing on AIR ever since version 2.7 was released with major speed improvements for the iOS packager. This month, I examine three applications that demonstrate how AIR applications can coexist with native applications in the Apple App Store.

Tweet Hunt
Technology: AIR (packaged for iOS)
Platforms: iOS

Tweet Hunt is a popular iOS application built with the packager for iOS devices. The entire application was created using Adobe Photoshop, Flash Professional, and Flash Builder. The gameplay is two parts Duck Hunt and one part Angry Birds. You manipulate a slingshot to hit a bird that is associated with a specific tweet. When the bird hits the ground, it reveals the content of the given tweet.

The game’s unique concept is part of what has made it so popular. While people generally wouldn’t use this app as their primary Twitter application, it is one of the more unique ways to combine Twitter data with a compelling game. Tweet Hunt was recently listed in the New and Noteworthy section of the App Store.

Adobe Evangelist Lee Brimelow interviewed Tweet Hunt creator Jared Kroff. You can check out the interview and gain even more insight into how this game was created.

Tweet Hunt is available from the App Store for $0.99.

Sissy’s Magical Ponycorn Adventure
Technology: AIR (packaged for iOS), Flash Player
Platforms: iOS, Web

Sissy’s Magical Ponycorn Adventure is one of the more unique games I’ve ever covered in this column. In short, all of the game’s core concepts, graphics, and voices were created by a five-year-old girl named Cassie. She and her dad created the world of Ponycorns first on the web and later on mobile devices. The game is a traditional point-to-go adventure that exists in a world of Cassie’s drawings. There are simple tasks you perform with the main character. The game is narrated by none other than Cassie herself.

The initial web version of this game has received quite a bit of press from newspapers, blogs, radio shows, and podcasts. The mobile version recently shot up to the New and Noteworthy section of the App Store, so it looks like the iOS version will share the same kind of popularity as the web version.

Sissy’s Magical Ponycorn Adventure is available from the App Store for $2.99.

Red Bull Illume HD
Technology: AIR (packaged for iOS)
Platforms: iOS

The Red Bull Illume HD application is designed to highlight some of the best photographs from the Red Bull Illume Image Quest 2010 contest. The application itself is a digital representation of an amazing coffee table book. Viewers quickly become immersed in the action portrayed in these images. However, unlike a coffee table book, with a quick swipe up you can see the person behind the photograph, check out the gear they were using, and even save the photo as your iPad background image. This immersive experience is nothing but enjoyable.

One of the highlights of this game is the speed at which it performs. In my testing (on my iPad 2), the application maintains the speed you would expect from a native application for almost all the interactions. The scrolling lists glide effortlessly across the screen with a simple gesture.

Red Bull Illume HD is available today on the App Store for free.

Conclusion

So many Flash Platform developers have applications or games that would be great additions to the App Store. Take some time to experiment with packaging applications for Apple iOS devices, and get your application in the App Store just as these three developers already have. It’s a great way to grow your technical expertise and potentially your bottom line.