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Prototypes

Aorta

[Made by BBC Staff]

Since the BBC (and everyone else) have a huge and readily updated array of RSS feeds, we should create more Macromedia Flash-based products which can read these feeds very easily. (BBC updated to RSS 2.0 on 14/03/05) these can be desktop products, embedded on webpages, or run on PocketPC devices.

There are many potential ways in which these could be presented. Here are just a few (see url). Also included there is a small application which searches Yahoo! via the Yahoo! Developers API

These products can also be simply turned into desktop applications with increased functionality, for such things as 'enclosure' downloading (a la 'podcatching') and potential for offline consumption of News too (like AvantGo - which has got worse)

http://blugg.com/bbc

SO: I propose a system incorporating ALL the USEFUL feeds/tools available to us from EVERYONE (not just BBC)
but presented in a Flash inteface. This will be available on the web (a la bloglines) and on the desktop (acting as a desktop aggregator)
Also a version would be made available for mobile platforms, primarily the PocketPC (supported by BBC)

ContentAggregation + Content 'organisation' + FEEDBACK TOOLS for live events + content creation/publishing/casting + search + sharing + community/citizen tools. Outlining/notetaking. Chat/shoutboxes etc.

News. Radio. TV. Trails. Shows. Blogs, Podcasts. EPG, ( http://blugg.com/epg ) all in a lovely nice brabded flashy interface, which many people LOVE.

Infotainment, News, Stories, Audio , Video, all in one place..
Customisable for all compatible feeds from external providers/apis

Internal functionality between the web and desktop version do not have to be that different in the Flash file.
It's possible to have the whole shebang in one Flash file, serving both situations (with the desktop version only responding to the desktop specific functions - ie: downloading / syncing to portable players / recording av (though this is possible with Macromedia's FlashCommunication Server over the web)

And lets not forget that we would expose an API for users and developers OF this system, promoting development, thought, understanding, 'system appreciation' with XML/RSS at the heart of the whole system.

Shall I draw a picture? ;)

here's another example of feeds and flash in 'harmony' :
http://www.blugg.com/bbc/LCD1/WSHTON7.html

  • 15 Mar 2005 08:07 PM

Comments  Post a comment

Love the examples - great for plasma displays or websites. Not seen RSS feeds used with flash many places before but it seems to work really well.

I love the work you are doing with the Flash RSS reader. Have you seen the large media displays at London Liverpool Street Station? They appears to be similar to the BBC NewsScreen demo, but nowhere near as good as your software.

Are you considering offering these Flash screens out to other webmasters... if so our institution may be interested in using them.

  • 3.
  • On 13 May 2005 11:00 AM,
  • Andy said:

Excellent use of Flash and XML real user directed stuff. Great work

  • 4.
  • On 06 Jun 2005 05:53 PM,
  • Mark said:

Good idea, I like the idea of this, maybe you could move it so that it could be used as a screen saver that could be clicked so that it could take you through to the news article in question, or even customise where the feeds come from.

Looking good, has alot of ptential

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