Adobe Introduces New Flash Player And Media Server Software

Not too long ago, we castigated Adobe somewhat for signing onto a creepy PDF overlay advertising plan with the Yahoo! Mail folks. Now we will celebrate the company for doing something rather wonderful.

No, we haven’t gone bipolar. We’re still well in control of our senses. We just really, really like what we heard yesterday coming out of the San Jose-based company’s PR department.

If you’re familiar with Adobe and its Microsoft-like aversion to providing most any piece of software at anything short of a financial premium – willingly, at least – and you have even an trace of an inkling that you want to get into the service of streaming your own video content (or that which is produced by others) over the Web reliably and headache-free, you’ll be thrilled to know that Adobe just released Flash Player 9 and Flash Media Server 3; the first of which provides high-definition H.264 support, and the latter of which is now far more attainable, economically speaking, for a much larger group of digital content creators and distributors.

How attainable? Adobe Flash Media Interactive Server 3, a product that allows for Web businesses to deliver “customized scalable video streaming services, plus multi-way social media applications”, has now hit the market at a flat cost of $4,500. Previously, depending on a company’s needs, the software could command up to $45,000. And a pared down, “basic essentials” sort of solution, dubbed Flash Media Streaming Server 3, carries a tag of just $995. Tasty, eh?

There’s no denying that these releases and price drops have come about in order for Adobe to maintain momentum and keep safe its current hold on the Net-based media market. With Microsoft having joined the fray this year, it’s now got competition. But the effect of these changes made by Adobe are in kind a fantastic benefit for anyone with video looking spread it far and wide without breaking the bank.

Three cheers for price cuts! Hear, hear!

Happy about the news? Going to nab Flash Media Server 3 for yourself? Indifferent? Share your thoughts in the comments below.

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to profy RSS feed!