One of many buzzwords peppering the Web 2.0 blogosphere is actually a mneumonic, “AJAX.”  AJAX stands for “Asynchronous Javascript and XML.”  One of the most notable features of AJAX, which is basically an extension of Javascript, is the XMLHttpRequest object.  This object can talk to other pages on the server, written in PHP, ASP, and other languages to retrieve data and display it dynamically on a page.  AJAX has opened many doors to web developers, allowing data to be easily refreshed without refreshing a page itself.

Additionally, Flash-like effects such as certain animations or drag-and-drop can be implemented on pages using AJAX.  This comes in handy, as a small but significant percentage of Internet users do not have the Flash browser plugin or have an out-of-date version of the player.  This can also help with certain less Flash-friendly mobile apps. (more…)

Sun has announced a new Java platform aimed at programming for mobile devices, JavaFX.  Among those said to be supporting this new language and pledging to use it are the likes of Sony, Sprint, and MobiTV.

Adobe and Microsoft are also developing new and better ways to integrate their famous technologies into programming for mobile apps.  While there are already an estimated 2.6 billion mobile devices already use Java regularly, with over 6 billion developers worldwide already writing in the language specifically for mobile devices.  GPSs, bluetooth devices, and address books are some examples of what the new JavaFX platform will be able to do quickly, easily, and perhaps most importantly, very securely.

Full details can be found at TechNewsWorld, here: Sun Brews New Java Platform to Go.