"Only the Java platform is pervasive enough to allow developers to build and deploy RIAs across desktops and browsers on more than 800 million PCs, as well as billions of mobile phones and devices," said Ken Wallich (pictured), VP of JavaFX at Sun. "JavaFX builds upon this foundation to deliver immersive and rich presentation capabilities to the existing Java platform,” he declared.

Wallich was making his comments in connection with the availability of the JavaFX Preview release at: http://www.javafx.com.

The JavaFX Preview release provides web scripters, designers and Java developers with a preview of the runtime and tools needed to create amazing Rich Internet Applications (RIAs) on the Java platform. Developers can download the JavaFX Preview release, exp

JavaFX is a runtime with supporting tools and technologies that enable content authors and developers to create new content that combines the best capabilities of the existing Java platform with new immersive media services, which can be securely accessed from mobile phones, desktop browsers, TV and other consumer devices.

The JavaFX Preview release is designed to help early adopters become familiar with JavaFX and is not yet being offered for commercial applications. The JavaFX Preview release consists of the following components:

• JavaFX Preview SDK: Provides the JavaFX compiler and runtime tools, 2D graphics and media libraries to create highly interactive applications for desktop and browser, as well as tutorials, API documentation and sample code.
• NetBeans(TM) 6.1 IDE with integrated JavaFX plug-in: Provides a sophisticated development environment to build, preview, and debug JavaFX applications.
• Project Nile: An easy to use tool that exports creative assets from Adobe Photoshop and Adobe Illustrator to JavaFX applications.
• Java(TM) Runtime Environment 6 Update 10 Beta: Delivers a high performance runtime with a new browser plug-in that provides the ability to drag a live running applet out of a web browser and dynamically transform it into an application running on the desktop.

Sun will deliver the first version of JavaFX for Desktop in the fall of 2008 and plans to deliver the first version of JavaFX for Mobile in spring 2009.