• built in iOS purchasing (can use for micropayments)
• access to native alerts and loading screens
• compass integration
• built-in, C optimized Box2D engine w/ physics
• cryptography libraries running on C vs. JIT’d ActionScript
• bones/joints in line with the physics engine
• Sprite sheets, a more efficient MovieClip

These are helpful for building games, and other interactive apps. This gives you a broader perspective as what is possible, and makes you ask questions. Why does Adobe not have these features? Do we need them? Who are our clients and why are we building what we do the way we do? Answering these questions helps you learn about technology, about the industry, and generally improve your skills overall.

It’s like saying, “America is the greatest country in the world!” and yet never leaving the United States. How can one say that without actually having been to other countries to make that statement with context and an informed opinion. There are countries who give free shit away EVERY DAY! Canada… they have free health insurance! — Lewis Black

Additionally, it helps me advise clients. I like AIR. I can confidently explain that it’s compiled to C++, whereas on Android it’s an optimized Flash Player for mobile. Whereas Corona compiles Lua to C/C++ for Android and iPhone, no interpreter like Flash Player has. Also, the speed of development for smaller apps with a light weight language such as Lua is faster, and has a lower learning curve.

I couldn’t say any of the above unless I knew both, or even a passing familiarity, know what I mean?

Yes, I’ll probably be sticking to AIR still based on Corona not having the bitmap functionality I need, but it still was a rewarding experience to play and learn.

You can develop Adobe AIR apps for free. You don’t need Flash or Burrito. I’m using AXDT a lot nowadays, and Adobe’s amxmlc and adt are free.

I get Helmut’s point about Corona’s price tag. A cheaper Lua (on top of C++) alternative is AirplaySDK. Free for iPhone, or $99 for all other platforms.

@Mistersuits Yeah, you can definitely do “imports”. For example here is the Stats equivalent for Corona. Notice the line:

local fps = require("fps")

And how you can treat that as an object, and access it’s properties. That’s just one way to create reusable objects, they have classes too, and a variety of ways to create them. I show you 3 class examples in the classes section in my previous blog entry and Ted Patrick showed me some more info on how to “cheat at Lua”.

This is great and inspiring stuff!