Eases rapid app development for desktops, mobile

Embarcadero Technology has launched a "CPU and GPU powered" rapid application development environment called FireMonkey aimed at business developers who need video and 3D, animation, interactive data visualization and enterprise-level database connectivity with native performance for Mac, Windows and iOS. By being able to leverage the native GPU, the program creates apps with scalable vector graphics, UI components and powerful image effects.

FireMonkey supports cloud services such as Amazon and Azure, and also connects to popular databases, web services, internet protocols and mobile devices. It employs the native CPU to handle app responsiveness and database calculations and management, while letting the native GPU do the visuals -- a combination the company says out-performs virtual machine runtimes, RIA platforms and dynamic languages.

The program is especially well-suited to rapid prototype program creation, including as it does a library of reusable components -- including data access routines, animation, 3D user interfaces, image effects and more. Users can program in a variant of C++ or Delphi, including re-using existing C++ code in an object-oriented environment.

FileMonkey itself is free of charge, with no deployment, runtime or distributed royalty fees. Users will need, however to use the company's Delphi XE2, C++ Builder XE2 or RAD Studio XE2 to work with it. A trial version of any of these programs is available.

by MacNN Staff