"The Internet marketplace has evolved within and well beyond the traditional Web browser, fueled by an explosion of Java-powered smart phones and consumer electronic devices from RIM's Blackberry to Amazon's Kindle," said Jonathan Schwartz, CEO & President of Sun, as JavaFX 1.0 was unveiled today. "Sun's newest JavaFX platform unifies Java technology across billions of such devices," he added.

JavaFX 1.0 aims to merge form and functionality for building RIAs with immersive media and content for Web browsers and desktops. It "marks the next big innovation for the Java platform," according to Sun's official anouncement this morning, "extending its capabilities to include rich applications for all the screens of life, from desktops and browsers to mobile devices and TVs."

The announcement continues:

"Sun's JavaFX 1.0 platform opens a vast global market for developers and content authors who want to deploy their content, services and experiences across all the screens of their customers' lives. Worldwide industry estimates show that Java technology is already on more than 90 percent of desktops and laptops, 85 percent of mobile devices and is a technology leader in next-generation televisions, Blu-ray disc players and TV set-top boxes."

The JavaFX 1.0 release includes video support and three key components, the JavaFX Development Environment, the JavaFX Production Suite and the JavaFX Desktop.

The JavaFX Development Environment includes the compiler and runtime tools, graphics, media, Web services, and rich text libraries, along with the NetBeans(TM) Integrated Development Environment(IDE) 6.5. It also includes JavaFX plug-ins for both NetBeans and Eclipse IDEs. In addition, the JavaFX Development Environment includes a mobile emulator for developers to preview building mobile applications for the JavaFX platform.

The JavaFX Production Suite is a set of tools and plug-ins that allows Web designers to dramatically reduce production times. Single-click conversion for media formats, allows graphics assets from design programs, such as Adobe Photoshop and Adobe Illustrator, to be easily incorporated into JavaFX applications. Using the JavaFX Production Suite, developers can collaborate more efficiently with graphics designers through a simple exchange of media assets. In addition, the resulting applications will maintain a consistent look and feel across all browsers on multiple platforms.

JavaFX Desktop leverages the major features of Java Platform Standard Edition (Java SE) 6 Update 10, such as the new implementation of the Java plug-in, which enables end users to drag applets that are running in their browser and drop them directly onto their desktop, providing users the most simple install experience for Internet applications and content. Consumers, developers, and partners can download Java SE 6 Update 10 at: http://java.com.

JavaFX Video Support is new, with JavaFX 1.0 software introducing cross-platform video capabilities, using On2 Technologies' video codecs. Full product details, more than 80 code samples and applications, tutorials, articles and documentation for the JavaFX platform are available at: http://www.javafx.com.

It should be possible to download the NetBeans 6.5 + JavaFX SDK bundle - which also includes the preview for mobile - and within minutes have a cross-platform RIA application running on your desktop, in a browser, and on your MSA-compliant mobile phone - according to Terrence Barr, a Senior Technologist at Sun and Ambassador of the Java Mobile & Embedded Community.

"As you can see JavaFX is a whole new ball game with many new exciting features and possibilities," notes Barr, adding in his Sun blog:

"JavaFX, as Josh Marinacci puts it, is not just RIA ("Rich Internet Application") for Java - it is the application environment for the Java platform."