iPhone app development with Flash CS5.5

In this post I am going to post links to resources on how to develop iPhone apps using cs5.5 - I have a couple of apps planned and will also post on how they are going.

http://urbanemedia.co/2012/02/easy-iphone-and-ipad-app-creation-with-flash-cs-5-5.html

The Thank You Economy

I am currently reading 'The Thank You Economy' by Gary Vaynerchuk.

This book is a refreshing perspective on the role of social media in today's economy. Written in an easy to read, conversational tone Gary manages to cover how and why social media is such a powerful tool for any business and with his examples and experience manages to put into perspective not only the massive gains social media delivers for business but the detriment business puts itself up against if they refuse to acknowledge the inevitable.

5 stars.

www.thankyoueconomybook.com/


I heard about this book from the guys at www.livingoutrageously.com. Check them out.

Note: There is also an audiobook available at www.audible.com

Adidas France - 3D Mapping Projection

I have been following 3D Mapping Projection technology the last couple of years and this video by Adidas, looks to be the most compelling so far. Check it out.

Adidas France - 3D Mapping Projection from The Cool Hunter on Vimeo.

Corporations blocking social media

An interesting phenomenon is the blocking of social media sites by employers. In certain industries i can see why this would be a good strategic move, e.g call centres where the micro-management of staff by supervisors is one of the ways to increase productivity and allowing unskilled workers access to another distraction would increase the workload of these managers.

However in other office jobs I think that applying company wide rules in regards to social media is a more mature and respectful way to deal with employees. In much the same way that companies in the past tried to limit employees interactions with the internet - companies need to contemporise and adapt to these new technologies in a mature manner.

In a recent study many Gen Y employees stated they would leave a workplace if they were denied access to social media sites at work.

The sites I am thinking of are Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.

PROTECT IP / SOPA Breaks The Internet

Here is a video that outlines the USA's Protect IP/ Sopa laws that look to have a major negative impact on the way the internet is governed worldwide.

PROTECT IP / SOPA Breaks The Internet from Fight for the Future on Vimeo.

Create Gradient text in Flash (cs5)

I need to create gradient filled text on a regular basis in Flash - here is a way to create this in the Flash IDE without the need for any Actionscript.

*Create 2 layers

*One called "gradient" and above this one called "text mask"

*On the "text mask" layer create your text and in the "gradient" create a rectangle covering the text area and fill it with the gradient you would like to use.

*Right Click on the "text mask" layer and select "Mask" from the drop down menu

Your gradient is now masked by the text, your layers will now look like this:

and your text will look like this.

Note: I have changed the Background colour to grey for this demo

Cut the Rope - HTML5

This is the best execution of HTML 5 use for the web I have seen. It looks to be funded by Microsoft to try and show off capabilities and also soup up developer interest as the Windows 8 app store goes online in February.
Interestingly the .ie domain is for Ireland - cheeky.

http://www.cuttherope.ie/

and the dev center
http://www.cuttherope.ie/dev