There is no doubt about it, Macromedia Flash is the industry standard
for Internet animation. It's utilized by over half a million Web
authors worldwide to create animated vector-based Web sites.
Macromedia just announced revenues of $94.8 million for the first
quarter ended June 30, 2000, an 85% increase over a year ago. With
these results, the company has achieved record revenue results for
the tenth consecutive quarter. During the quarter, Macromedia
released its newest product, Macromedia Dreamweaver UltraDev, a
visual solution for rapid Web application development -- the first
application to allow visual creation of data-driven Web applications
across industry leading server technologies. Also in the quarter,
Macromedia shipped Macromedia Dreamweaver Objects for Aria and
Macromedia LikeMinds eMail. Macromedia Shockwave and Flash player
downloads continued to increase. During the quarter, more than 180
million downloads were recorded, compared to 146 million downloads in
the March quarter and shockwave.com has registered more than 21
million members. At the same time, Macromedia, Inc. and Intel
Corporation have partnered to bring Intel's 3D graphics software
technology to Macromedia's Shockwave Player. Intel's technology will
provide a richer look to the Shockwave Player with multiple
resolution settings depending on the users' computing power. The
Intel technology allows providers to create smooth, photo-realistic
surfaces, cartoon rendering and effects that include smoke, fire,
water and vapor. The compressed Macromedia Shockwave's format will
allow narrow bandwidth users easier access to 3D content. No doubt
this new partnership will boost Macromedia's revenues and reinforce
its position as a leader.
AWN is expanding its coverage of this new, ever-growing branch of the
animation industry. The upcoming August issue of Animation World
Magazine will feature a number of special articles on Internet
Animation. Plus, in AWN's Headline News,
Guide" now reports weekly on what's new at the major sites such as
AtomFilms, Cartoon Network On-line, Entertaindom, Eruptor, Honkworm,
Icebox, Jib Jab, MediaTrip, Othervision, Oxygen, Romp, Shockwave,
Rumpus, and more! Each week in "Toon In" AWN will list other toons in
cyberspace that have hit our radar like this week's RenegadeCartoons'
"Elmo Aardvark: Outer Space Detective," Urban Entertainment's new
toon, and much, much more! "Rick's Picks!" for this week is Episode 2
of Exit 109 on Jibjab.com and it is hilarious! The Webisode finds the
Hassidic pup, Moishe, ascending into heaven after being locked in a
hot car. The humor is just right, edgy but smart, something some of
the other sites should take note of. Rick's new pick will be on-line
tomorrow in the headline News. Stay tuned!
In
Fun and Games on a High-Flying Hub," Lee Dannacher
goes behind the scenes at shockwave.com, Macromedia's spin-off
entertainment destination, which is now defining the pinnacle of
Internet content with seriously fun Web animation and interactive
fare.
