Oh, change is most certainly in the air. In fact, that’s apparently what the Mayan calendar debacle was all about – not the end of the world but a shift or change in consciousness. Beyond the metaphysical, businesses should expect a few tangible changes in the new year that may shift the way they run and…
Now that the boss is not looking, you might as well play a game or two to let out some tension. And you might do it at a website like RocketGames.com. This new gaming site focuses on quality offerings online. Unlike most of its competitors (which focus on nothing but volume), the guys who’ve created Rocket Games emphasize quality. So, they might have a shorter selection of titles for you to play. Yet, these games are all of really good quality. They’re all excellent in terms of GFX and SFX, and they’re also very challenging. You’ll find them grouped by category on the homepage: “Action”, “Arcade”, “Adventure”, “Strategy”, “Flight”…
And all of the games featured on this site can be played for free. Plus, there’s no need to sign up for an account in order to start playing any of the titles featured on RocketGames.com. Everything can be played in just one click.
You can, however, sign up for an account in order to get access to some exclusive titles. If you enjoy the ones that can be played without having to register first, then you can but love these exclusive titles. And signing up for the site also lets you favourite any game that you play, and interact with other registered users.
What if you could create an online course with something as simple to use as PowerPoint, and then be able to sell it to whomever you want? That sounds like an interesting proposition, right? Well, that is exactly what this new web service is going to let you do. Named SideBlender, it will let you take different disparate elements and pierce them together in order to come up with a course that others will be able to buy and sit through. You can record your own speech and have it featured along with all the kind of visual media that you deem as necessary as to put your knowledge across.
This is a service that runs entirely on the browser, and the same can be said about the presentations that you create – these are converted from PowerPoint to Flash, and everybody is enabled to watch them right on the Web browser he habitually uses.
SideBlender accounts come at no cost, so you will be able to try the service for yourself and see whether it is what you need in order to market your knowledge, or whether you will have to keep on looking.
Read more on SlideBlender.com – Create Courses With PowerPoint…
As a kid of the 80s I am naturally attracted to Flash games – they bring back so many memories that I can but give all the ones whose screenshots make me think of any classic a good look. Which is often the case, the truth be said. Most Flash games reference a Spectrum or Commodore classic in one way or the other – Manic Miner, Jet Set Willy, Dynamite Dan… the list is endless, and I suppose some of these names mean nothing to many of you. And I am not sure if there is a way to change that. What I know for sure, though, is that people who are roughly my age and who want to do more than just playing back such games are going to love Stencyl.
You see, Stencyl is a browser-based platform that lets you create your very own Flash games on both PC and Mac. It is all done using a web interface that will let you edit the graphics and the landscape of what you are creating without needing to be a technically-minded person.
In this way, lovers of games that emphasize playability above everything else will have a ready chance not just to play such titles – they will actually be able to create their very own, and bring their very best recollections to life. And soon, people will also be able to create apps through the site, too.
Apple not supporting Flash effectively means that iPad owners are deprived of playing the vast majority of online games. And as far as Apple is concerned, that is never going to change. It is up to iSwifter to save the day, and let those who have an iPad have a chance to play such games.
Defined as a streaming service, what iSwifter does is to take Flash-based games and convert them into browser-friendly titles that iPads will be able to render in a smooth way. The way everything works, a client app takes care of connecting to the gaming servers in the cloud and downloading content live to the mobile.
In actuality, support for mobile devices other than the iPad is provided, as all the games that are optimized via iSwifter can be played on other mobile devices such as Android phones.
iSwifter is a free application. Just head to the iTunes store, have your own copy downloaded into your mobile and get ready to start playing all these games that you habitually play on your desktop.
Taking a break from work every now and then and doing something like playing a game is nothing short of essential. When you come back to what you were doing before, you will feel yourself reenergized, and you will be able to tackle something that you had been struggling with before taking the break in the blink of an eye.
What? Do you find that hard to believe? Well, I invite you to stop by Gametator.com and try any of the many, many titles that are available. These are all grouped by category, actually, so that finding a suitable one to play could hardly be any quicker. Puzzles, sports games and action titles are all featured along with dress-up games for the littler ones.
Note, though, that all of the games that can be played here are actually Flash titles – do not visit Gametator looking for something to beat Mortal Kombat 9 in technical terms because you are walking away from the site moaning and groaning. What you are getting here are titles that are simple, unadulterated fun to play.
Facebook has redefined the world of online gaming, with companies like Zynga almost having carved their names on stone. And mobile phones have also changed the way in which games are approached and consumed. As of this date, there are about 35,000 games on Facebook and no less than 50,000 games on the App Store. And separating the wheat from the chaff can be done, but it is something that can take much longer than most of us could afford.
And that is why a site like Teepee Games is around. Here, you can read reviews of the latest (and best) games that have been released for Facebook and mobile phones. These are reviewed, rated and commented by other players, so that you are getting a very good idea of what people like you and me think of them in addition to getting an objective assessment.
And terming the site a Pandora for games is not taking it too far – not at all. The participation of users is key to determining what will gain prominence and notoriety, and those who like the popular music discovery service will feel instantly at home here.
Bwello is a social gaming website where people can play free Flash games, and interact with each other based on what they are playing. The idea is that members of the Bwello network earn points for their gaming activity, and they compete against each other for supremacy. The ones who do best are featured on the provided leaderboard, with the best player obviously sitting on top.
The Flash games that can be played on the site come in all shapes and colors. Shooting games, adventures, puzzlers and sports games are all featured, and accessible through the main navigation menu.
Also, the newest games are highlighted along with the ones that people have rated best, and the ones that are played more frequently. Finding something to play on Bwello, then, is anything but difficult. And no less than three new games are added to the database daily.
Registration comes at no cost. If you are looking for some good fun, why not head to the site now and sign up for an account of your very own?
Alert Fox is a new monitoring service that will let you know instantly if something is wrong with your site so that you can sort that out before things get out of hand.
Alert Fox can monitor much more than mere uptime and downtime – it can actually keep an eye on any navigation issue that might be preventing your users from getting the best from your site.
As a service, Alert Fox is able to keep tabs on the function and performance of websites (and applications) of every nature, and that includes those that use AJAX, Flash and Silverlight. That is something very interesting, because the problems originated by using Flash, Java or Silverlight applets are not detected that easily.
Two main monitoring services are provided: “Classic Website Monitoring” and “Transaction Web Monitoring”. Four packages are available in each and every case, of which one is absolutely free. Which paid service you will choose is going to depend on how complex your site is, the number of sensors that you want to be used and the frequency at which you want to have it checked.
Read more on AlertFox.com – Monitor Your Site From Front To Back…
A new marketplace that will be of interest to designers only, FlashDo will let them buy and sell Flash and Flex files and get 60 – 70 % commission for each sale that is actually made.
Accounts can be created at no cost, and all that you are asked to disclose is your full name and an email address for contact purposes.
(You are also asked to pick a username, of course.) Once you have taken care of that, you have to add some money to your account by making a deposit. You will there and then become able to start buying and selling all the files you want through the site. Some of the most popular ones include templates, buttons, menus, icons and preloaders. And games are also bought and sold actively.
Besides, those who sign up for the service are able to use the provided forums and take part of competitions. And it is important to mention that if you refer a new member you will earn 50 % from the first deposit that is made.
Read more on FlashDo.com – A Marketplace For Flash & Flex Files…
Flash Vs. HTML 5.
That battle is one to watch out for sure, as both sides have more than enough valid points to make. But while we all wait for a winner to step forward, you (as a webmaster or a blogger) might be losing visitors because they are not being able to visualize the videos you have posted on their iPads. But you needn’t worry. That is what Handroll is here for.
To put it in simple words, Handroll will allow you to create and embed a video player that will let those wielding a shiny iPad (or any other mobile device that creates a conflict with Flash files) play the clips in question.
Of course, this service is also useful in the sense that there are browsers which don’t support Flash. Internet Explorer is a typical example. Well, using a service like this one you will let people who reach your site using one such browser consume your media as naturally and thoroughly as anybody else.
And if you already host (or plan to host) a lot of videos on your site/blog, then you can simply use the provided API to create players for all your videos in a snap.
Read more on Handroll.tv – A HTML 5 Video Player For Your Site…
Are you looking for a solution to covert PDF files into Flash files? Would you like to create a digital magazine? Axmag.com offers software for PDF to Flash conversion you can use for your online publication. On this site you will be informed about this PDF converter specialized in 3D interactive online publications.
In case you need to convert PDF files into Flash, you can stop by Axmag.com and find out more information about this software. The site also lets you download a free trial of aXmag, so you can test the program before buying it. This PDF to Flash converter is used for those who work on digital magazine publications.
To sum up, if you are interested in converting PDF files into Flash files, feel free to pay Axmag.com a visit. Apart from all the software details, on this site you can also buy this PDF converter online you can use to create interactive online magazines.
Frobee is a flash slideshow maker that places all the emphasis on being eminently usable. If you decide to give it a try you will find out it supports a very good range of transitions and smart streaming, and that everything is kept in one place.
That is, the slideshow that you create will not have Frobee looking up for the files anywhere else – it will all become part of the same file. You don’t need to worry about any of the images that you have chosen going missing at a later point. This also has another clear advantage: it makes sharing the slideshow something entirely effortless and safe in the sense that you won’t ever be sharing something that has become incomplete or obsolete.
Further features include the ability to add captions to the files that are displayed, and the option to actually use semitransparent captions gives everything a further touch of refinement.
Using this site costs nothing – simply choose the pictures that you want featured as part of your slideshow, and a .ZIP file including the finished piece will be put your merry way.
Read more on Frobee.com – Create Flash Slideshow On The Spot…
Does your company need quality flash and php charts? If that is so, Am Charts custom maps, graphs and charts among other products. Besides, if you need charting solutions this site might be of help to you.
This website will let you choose among different options according to your needs ranging from united states maps, business organizational charts and many other javascript and flash graphics. You can customize and download the specific charts you need. Besides, if you need a flash banner creator, or other sort of interactive chart, Amcharts.com might be a good option for you.
Therefore, if you are looking for flash designed charts, on this site you will find maps similar to the Yahoo ones, or in case you want to buy an interactive flash chart Amcharts.com can create a product depending on your needs. Simply enter into Amcharts.com and choose the kind of chart or javascript graphic that meet your needs.
Read more on AmMap.com – A Tool For Building Interactive Flash Maps…
Slideshow Box is an application that can be used in order to create Flash and HTML photo slideshow galleries. The whole system revolves around different templates that effectively turn the whole process into something that requires no coding or programming experience at all.
That is, Slideshow Box outputs Flash AS3.0 and Javascript galleries notwithstanding the fact you don’t need to know a single line of code. It is all arranged by clicking your mouse here and there – you choose the files to be displayed, the order in which they will be featured, the intervals…
There are different packages and configurations of this application for you to try out. There is the ever-present free version (for non-commercial uses only) as well as a premium pack that comes with 24 templates. For its part, there is also a premium plus license that will let you fully customize the templates themselves. This is the ultimate version, of course, and while I think that it will be usable in very specific cases only (for example, people who have been professional photographers all their lives and who are just getting acquainted with computers) it is a very worthy addition to the basic range of services that are provided on the site.
Read more on SlideshowBox.com – Creating Elegant Slideshows…
Wonderfl is a new service that will let you create and build Flash projects in your browser, and at no cost whatsoever. The way that is achieved is pretty direct: you just type in your ActionsScript3 in html code form, and then the server will proceed to compile the code.
Any error that has been found on the code will be displayed in real time, so that the process is quite an action-packed one.
The site also makes for communicating and collaborating with other users, and in that way you can not only get feedback but also provide others with your very own insight. The way that is implemented is also quite smooth, since you can post code snippets and tag them with a “question” label. Others will (hopefully) be able to fix it for you.
And if what you have developed is actually a Flash game, you will have an excellent excuse to get down to playing while you are working, and also inviting others to try your games out. I mean, you are testing what you have come up with. It is all part of your job, isn’t it?
Read more on Wonderfl.net – Building Up Flash Projects Online…
This is quite an interesting service if only because it can broaden any web designer’s horizons considerably. Named Fuzzle, we can define it as a tool for building a Flash website without actually needing the help of a programmer.
The way it all is implemented, a content-rich website can be created by any designer who has no technical knowledge at all.
That is so because Fuzzle stands as a true content management system which combines Flash and HTML, bringing advanced features into the hands of mostly anybody. Having high-quality animations and related graphical content on any site is made a very immediate task using the many widgets and templates that are offered. These are edited and restructured in a drag and drop fashion, so that the whole process is kept utterly intuitive from start to finish.
The fact remains that static sites have become a thing of the past. It is not a matter of having a livelier site. Rather, if you present who you are and what you do dynamically you are projecting a more proactive image. Fuzzle aims to let you do that, and in a cost-effective fashion. Check the site out to see if it all clicks with you or not.
Self-defined as “the business tool for creative professionals”, Vyoopoint streamlines the design/review process that any design agency, boutique or individual undergoes when creating an online presentation. The way it all works involves capturing the client’s feedback in a centralized (and safe) location along with all the relevant files.
In practice, that means you (as the design professional) can dispense with emailing files (such as images), not to mention physically sending disks with the finished video to the client. It is all handled though the site – a mere upload and the sending out of a notification is all it takes to have your work displayed in a professional and concise fashion.
The actual media that you can display like this includes not only images and videos but also Flash files and PDFs. The way that these are presented is also a suitable one, as an unobtrusive and minimal interface is provided for the client to focus on the work, and not the tool that is used to showcase it. Besides, you (as the designer) can enable visual markups for the client to offer his feedback in a dynamic way.
FlashMoto is a young startup that specializes in the creation of Flash websites. It has just released an advanced Flash CMS that makes for the edition of Flash content in a very versatile way.
It goes by the name of FlashMoto CMS and it stands as a powerful development platform that aims to combine functionality with presentation in a seamless package.
The one advantage of Flash Moto is that it will let you power up any website with Flash, without actually requiring you to be an expert – far from it. Besides, the provided Content Management System will let you add and edit as many pages within your site as you wish.
Technically speaking, Flash CMS is based on ActionScript 3 and realized as RIA on Flex. Any website that is powered by it will be controlled just like a standard CMS, but with all the extras that Flash offers – the inherent advantages we associate with animation as far as Flash is concerned are fully unlocked.
In addition to that, FlashMoto provides a full set of SEO tools in order to make the sites that are created though as crawlable and visible by search engines as any proud webmaster would want.
Read more on FlashMoto.com – Power Up Your Site With A Flash CMS…
As its name suggests, GameFriend.net is a destination for those who are keen on playing online games and making new friends in the process.
Those who interact through the site will earn prize tickets for every game they play (and win), and these can eventually be redeemed for prizes.
The games that can be played through the site are all Flash-based, and they fall in the prototypical categories – “Action”, “Driving”, “Adventure”, “Shooting”, “Puzzle”… there will be something for everybody right here, as long as he keeps in mind that Flash games are purely about the fun, not about graphics and sound effects to blow you away.
GameFriend.net also offers a challenge section. There, users can bet the tickets they have against each other and play any particular game they fancy. The high score winner of that bout will acquire the winnings of the current challenge. You can then proceed to tease the loser until you run out of steam.
Prize tickets can be redeemed at the Prize Store for online gift cards, official GameFriend Gear (such as mugs), and also some tech gadgets such as a retro NES/SNES game system.
