Adobe has announced the Open Screen Project http://www.openscreenproject.org/, an initiative dedicated to driving consistent experiences across all devices including mobile phones, personal computers, and consumer devices.
This is pure oxygen if you are looking for a way to get your application built and out to market. Grants are given around the $40K mark with a 3month turn around.
The progam provides

• Removing restrictions on use of the SWF and FLV/F4V specifications
• Publishing the device porting layer APIs for Adobe Flash Player
• Publishing the Adobe Flash® Castâ„¢ protocol and the AMF protocol for robust data services
• Removing licensing fees – making next major releases of Adobe Flash Player and Adobe AIR for devices free

More info here http://www.adobe.com/openscreenproject/

Universal Sports has switched to Flash Streaming (from Windows Media) for many of its online live video feeds starting with the 2009 Giro d’Italia professional bike race.

This is the Giro’s 100th anniversary running and the three-week race covering all of Italy is considered on par with the Tour de France.

This year it also hosts Lance Armstrong’s return to the road in European cycling. The premium (aka pay-per-view) “Race Tracker” application being provided by Universal is using Flex and Flash Video to stream multiple bitrates to their viewers. The Race Tracker is also providing live commentary, GPS tracking of the race, a chat room for fans and more. Exciting stuff that you can check out at http://live.theracetracker.com throughout May.

A one-day pass is only $3.95 so if you like cycling it might be worth just seeing what Flash and Flex are bringing to online sports.

Watch out for the TDF on SBS

The Dungog Film Festival was a huge hit screening local movies over 3 days in the NSW country town of Dungog.

Here is a trailer i made at the festival made from comments posted in the Adobe booth. Awesome crowds, great event well done Allanah.

http://www.dungogfilmfestival.org/

Australia vs New Zealand, live at the CeBIT 09 conference in Sydney, 12-13 May.

An Australian web team will take on the CodeBlacks from New Zealand to build a complete website in 24 hours. Two non-profit organisations will be selected to receive a complete website at the end of the 24 hours. Results will be announced at the WebForward conference at CeBIT, 13 May 2009.