Flash For Mobile: Sencha Animator
When a client requested an iPhone/iPad compatible version of a Michael Bublé promo site for the Beringer Winery, we needed an efficient way to implement a base animation without getting into jQuery hell. Implementing the existing flash animations in a javascript framework would be time-consuming and put us over budget.
Enter Sencha Animator
Sencha Animator is a desktop application that creates CSS3 animations for WebKit browsers and touchscreen mobile devices. Not all platforms are supported, but those with the largest current market share are iPad, iPhone, iPod touch, Safari, BlackBerry Torch, Android, and Chrome. The platform question comes up a lot and it seems like the bigger the client, the more out of date their technology (can you say Home Depot in IE6?) But with WebKit controlling about 70% of the US mobile market, and its share of the mobile market growing, it is a good base line.
The Sencha Animator timeline interface will be familiar to anyone with Flash experience. Using the same assets that were generated to produce the original Flash introduction, we were able to create a functional prototype in hours as opposed to days. The final results were predictable and easy to integrate into the mobile view of TYPO3 and Magento.
Still in beta (regular beta, not Google-beta) Animator is already solid performer. Developed with hooks for advanced interaction by the group that has brought us ExtJS & Sencha Touch, Animator's future is bright. We're looking forward to the fit and finish the production release will bring.
