Dashboard Channel Development Frequently Asked Questions

• What is Dashboard?
• What is Dashboard's target market?
• When will Dashboard launch?
• What is the overall process for developing a channel?
• What resources are available to help me develop a channel?
• What does a typical Flash Cast™ development team look like?
• I already have content that I've developed for a different Flash Cast™ implementation. Will my existing content work with Dashboard?
• How do I get started?

What is Dashboard?
Dashboard is the Verizon Wireless implementation of the Adobe Flash Cast™ platform. It represents a new, Flash® based, graphically rich front end to all of Verizon Wireless' data services.
A Dashboard 'channel' is a Flash® based application and an associated data feed that you can develop to generate revenue and extend your brand.
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What is Dashboard's target market?
Dashboard is targeted to those consumers who want the latest information easily accessible at their fingertips.

• Young adults (age 18-29)
• Singles/couples (age 30-54)

Some additional characteristics:

• Buzz hungry techies
• Early adopters of the latest technology
• Multimedia consumers
• Heavy users of high-tech products

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When will Dashboard launch?
Dashboard is scheduled for a mid-2008 launch.
The specific details of the handsets are not publically available yet. The launch devices will share the same screen dimensions and general characteristics of the LG VX8700, which is being used as a reference device for development purposes.
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What is the overall process for developing a channel?
The channel provider refers generally to both the channel developer (who develops the channel assets) and the feed provider (who provides the channel's data source e.g. weather information).
The channel provider must:

1. Submit a channel concept to Verizon Wireless
2. Secure Verizon Wireless approval on the channel concept
3. gain access to the Adobe Mobile AppBuilder Program and attent Flash Cast™ training.
4. Develop a channel using the Flash® CS3 Professional, Adobe Mobile AppBuilder and Adobe-hosted test server.
5. Develop the channel data source.
6. Complete the Dashboard Channel Submission document.
7. Work with Verizon Wireless to determine how often channel content is updated.
8. Complete an initial channel validation.
9. Submit a final channel for deployment into production.
10. Maintain the data source.

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What resources are available to help me develop a channel?

• Adobe Mobile AppBuilder Program Site
  The Mobile AppBuilder Program Site is available on an invitation-only basis and gives you access to the tools, support and resources needed for developing channels.

There are several types of resources available on this site to help you develop a channel:
Tools:

• Adobe Mobile AppBuilder
  Mobile AppBuilder is the new PC-based tool created to streamline the workflow for channel development. Use Flash® CS3 Professional, together with Mobile AppBuilder, to create, assemble, test, and preview channels locally on your desktop. Mobile AppBuilder includes a Flash Cast™ client emulator that runs on your desktop as well as Flash Cast™ device profiles.

Documents:

• Mobile AppBuilder Application Development Guide
  This Beta version guide provides information about using the Adobe Mobile AppBuilder to develop engaging mobile applications. The Mobile AppBuilder Application Development Guide is available on the Mobile AppBuilder Program site.
• Feed Developer Guide
  This Beta version document explains how you go about developing the data feed portion of your channel.
• Verizon Wireless Channel Developer Guide
  This soon to be released document details the steps necessary to build a channel for Verizon Wireless.

Training:

• Adobe training
  Every quarter Adobe offers training on the Mobile AppBuilder and developing channels for Flash Cast™.
  For more information on Adobe training please contact Suzanne Nguyen at sunguyen@adobe.com.

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What does a typical Flash Cast™ development team look like?
A Flash Cast™ channel development team generally consists of one Flash® Developer familiar with Flash Lite 1.1, one QA Engineer and one Project Manager. Depending of the format of the content feed, there may also be a need for someone to write and debug a content transform module using XSLT.
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I already have content that I've developed for a different Flash Cast™ implementation. Will my existing content work with Dashboard?
No. Dashboard uses a different rendering engine than any existing Flash Cast™ deployment.
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How do I get started?
Contact Todd Murphy at Verizon Wireless and he'll set you up:
Todd.Murphy@VerizonWireless.com
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