Adobe Looking for the Edge in HTML5

Adobe has released a limited preview of its latest product, Adobe Edge, an HTML5 web motion and interaction design tool.

Adobe will adhere to an early stage, open development methodology for the new product allowing feedback from designers before the final product hits the stores. The company said web designers are encouraged to check out the preview for Adobe Edge by downloading the software at www.labs.adobe.com.

The release of Adobe Edge marks a change for Adobe, which could be shifting from Flash to HTML5. The company was spurned by Apple when Flash was not included in versions of the iPhone and iPad. HTML5 appeals to designers because it can create the same effect as Flash without the user having to download a plug-in.

"Over the last year Adobe has delivered on several significant HTML5 milestones including contributions to jQuery, submitting code to WebKit, and enhanced HTML5 output in Creative Suite 5.5," said Paul Gubbay, vice president of Design and Web Engineering, Adobe.

"Now, with Adobe Edge, we're taking our HTML5 tooling to a whole new level and look forward to getting some really useful feedback from the community over the next few months as we refine the product."

The product will be able to natively work with HTML, and will enable users to add motion to existing HTML documents without hampering the design integrity of CSS-based layouts. Furthermore, it will allow users to easily create visually rich content from scratch with familiar drawing tools that produce HTML elements styled with CSS3.

Apple will probably like the fact Adobe has focused Edge on the mobile web. The company's WebKit allows developers to work on such operating system browsers as Android, iOS, Blackberry Playbook, HP webOS and other smartphone mobile devices.

Adobe hasn't set up an exact release date or price. Until then, people can check out the new product at http://beta.theexpressiveweb.com.