Sun Microsystems Unveils JavaFX 1.0 with Immersive Media Capabilities Targeted at Market’s 800 Million Java Powered Desktops

JavaFX 1.0 Simplifies Building Expressive, Rich Internet Applications With High Fidelity Audio and Video, Rich Text, Vector Graphics, Animation and Web Services

SANTA CLARA, CALIF. - Sun Microsystems, Inc. (NASDAQ: JAVA) today unveiled one of the most significant advancements to the Java platform with the release of JavaFX 1.0, a new platform that merges form and functionality for building rich internet applications (RIA) with immersive media and content for Web browsers and desktops. The announcement signals a broad expansion of Java software’s ubiquitous reach to a wide range of Web developers, content authors and visual designers, and marks the next big innovation for the Java platform, extending its capabilities to include rich applications for all the screens of life, from desktops and browsers to mobile devices and TVs. Developers can download JavaFX 1.0 at: http://www.javafx.com.

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 Internet marketplace has evolved within and well beyond the traditional Web browser, fueled by an explosion of Java-powered smart phones and consumer electronics devices, from RIM’s Blackberry to Amazon’s Kindle" said Jonathan Schwartz, chief executive officer and president of Sun Microsystems. "Sun’s newest JavaFX platform unifies Java technology across billions of such devices, with an easy to use, open source platform now enabled with high quality video and audio, targeting consumers and content owners across the world - and across the Internet"

Among the many innovations in JavaFX is the Java platform’s Drag-to-Install feature, allowing end users for the first time ever to simply drag-and-drop JavaFX applications from their browsers onto their desktops. End users will now be able to move applets that are running in their browser directly onto their desktop, providing users the most simple install experience for Internet applications and content.

JavaFX offers a dramatically shortened production cycle for both Java developers and Web designers and makes it easy to create applications integrating graphics, video, audio, animation and rich text. JavaFX is unique in that it provides a unified development and deployment model for building expressive RIAs across desktop, browser and mobile. In addition, using the new JavaFX mobile emulator, developers can also preview their applications on the forthcoming JavaFX mobile platform, which will be available to Sun’s mobile partners in spring 2009.

One of the World’s Most Popular Platforms

JavaFX’s rich functionality broadens Java technology’s reach to more developers and provide a volume of new services and new applications across the screens of life. With more than 6.5 million software developers around the globe, Java is one of the world’s most popular software platforms and is present on more than 800 million desktop computers and over 6 billion Internet connected devices. JavaFX software extends the capabilities of the Java platform with graphics, animation and high fidelity audio and video. In addition, the JavaFX platform enables developers to build powerful, more capable and secure RIAs and easily integrate them with new or existing enterprise back-end systems and online Web services. Web services support also allows rapid development of both mash-ups and enterprise applications.

Powerful Features of JavaFX 1.0

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

JavaFX Video Support is new, with JavaFX 1.0 software introducing comprehensive, cross-platform video capabilities, using On2 Technologies’ video codecs. On2 Technologies, Inc., a leader in video compression solutions, is also announcing support for JavaFX video has been integrated into its On2 Flix encoder line of products. For more information visit http://www.flix.on2.com or see related press release "ON2 Adds Support for Sun Microsystems’ JavaFX Video to Flix Product Line of Encoders"

The JavaFX Development Environment includes the compiler and runtime tools, graphics, media, Web services, and rich text libraries, along with the NetBeans 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.

New Workshop for Web Developers and Java Programmers

In support of the JavaFX platform, Sun is also offering a new seminar and workshop for Web developers and Java programmers that teaches how to use JavaFX software for developing RIA. It shows how to use JavaFX technology to create animations and effects, add multimedia to applications, and incorporate Java software into JavaFX applications. For more information: http://www.sun.com/training/catalog/courses/DTJ-2500.xml Additional courseware on creating a JavaFX GUI for Swing developers is planned for mid-winter and formal training for graphic designers is expected in spring 2009.

About JavaFX

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. Sun will continue to evolve JavaFX for desktop and browser in future releases of the platform and plans to deliver the first version of JavaFX for Mobile in spring 2009. Sun also plans to deliver JavaFX versions for other devices and screens including TV.

Sun Microsystems develops the technologies that power the global marketplace. Guided by a singular vision -- "The Network is the Computer" -- Sun drives network participation through shared innovation, community development and open source leadership. Sun can be found in more than 100 countries and on the Web at http://sun.com.

Sun, Sun Microsystems, the Sun logo, Java, JavaFX, NetBeans and The Network Is The Computer are trademarks or registered trademarks of Sun Microsystems, Inc. or its subsidiaries in the United States and other countries.