I love xkcd.com and wanted to try out the new Adobe Air SDK for BlackBerry Tablet OS!  I am very excited about the new AIR SDK for BlackBerry Tablet OS because I already know actionscript and flex and own a license for Flash Builder 4 (what are the odds!?).    XKCD is an MXML/ActionScript 3 hybrid app using a mixture of new QNX, spark, and good ol’ mx components.  Still waiting on RIM for a way to submit my app to App World, so stay tuned for more!  I am also hoping that this makes me eligible to receive a free BlackBerry PlayBook .

My first app for the new BlackBerry tablet  :

I also wanted to share some about the experience of creating the app.   More after the jump…

Sooo  much better experience using AIR rather than Java or BlackBerry Widget SDK (html,css,javascript)!   Adobe Flash Builder 4 has it all,  very great and straightforward development experience from start to (almost) finish.  I say ‘almost’ here because the sdk is missing a piece intentionally by RIM, that is, signing the AIR application and submitting it to App World.

More specifically:

By using mxml as the “starting” point for the application, gave me the ability to use the “Design” components in Flash Builder.  I was able to add an ApplicationBar, some buttons, a few images, and assign id’s and other properties to each one so they can be referenced from the ActionScript.

The main logic of the application lies in an ActionScript class that is defined in <fx:Declarations> within the main MXML.  Then using some interesting techniques, I could add spark, qnx, and mx components to the main stage of the application from the ActionScript.

I have never developed anything in Windows and using VMWare player as a “simulator”.   Some of the “usual” similator features that I am used to, are not available.   I am referring to:  simulate multi-touch, rotate device, saving device screenshots, simulate geolocation, etc.   I found this a bit frustrating, but I am guessing (hoping?) that this will be resolved in the future.