Real Software, creator of object-oriented, cross-platform software development tools for Mac OS X, Windows, Linux and the web, today announced the latest version of its flagship product, Real Studio. The new Real Studio 2011 Release 2 – updating both the Web and Desktop Editions – contains 42 new features and 184 improvements, giving developers the ability to create more scalable and responsive cross-platform applications with ease, while improving development and application performance. Here is a quick video demonstrating some of the key new features.
 
With new HTML5 features like WebSockets, GeoLocation and WebMoviePlayer as well as JSON support, Real Studio 2011 Release 2 gives developers the essential tools to communicate with online services like Google, Flickr and Twitter. “We are continuing to improve our web framework with HTML5 GeoLocation and video features, giving Real Studio developers more capabilities for richer, and increasingly dynamic, solutions,” said Geoff Perlman, Founder and CEO of Real Software. “These, combined with WebSockets and JSON support, give Real Studio users the tools they need for faster, more powerful software development.”
 
Real Studio 2011 Release 2 Features
 
Web Edition Enhancements
WebSockets: WebSockets allow for a direct connection between the browser and the app in a way that is more efficient than HTTP/AJAX. Apps should scale better and be more responsive (especially on iOS and Android). Because WebSockets are only supported by Safari and Chrome, Real Studio created apps will still work with other browsers using HTTP/AJAX as they do today. Currently, WebSockets are only supported for stand-alone web apps, not CGI web apps.
 
WebMapViewer control: The WebMapViewer control allows developers to create interactive mapping applications using Google Maps.
 
GeoLocation: The WebDeviceLocation class accesses the HTML5 GeoLocation capabilities in compatible browsers. It allows a user to request a device’s location and, if the user agrees, an event fires that returns the latitude and longitude of the device. The WebMapViewer control works great with the new GeoLocation feature.
 
HTML5 Video: WebMoviePlayer is a control that will attempt to play a video file from a web server; the ability to do so is entirely up to the browser. Using the WebMoviePlayer, users can specify a H.264 video or a Mobile WIFI .M4V and the browser will choose which format is compatible and play it. If nothing is compatible, it will use Adobe Flash Player to play the video (version 9.0.32 or later).
 
Web Edition and Desktop Enhancements
JSON: Javascript Object Notation (JSON) is an essential tool in making external, online services work. The protocol is a way to represent objects as a string so they can be transmitted across the internet.

Cocoa Support: Though still a beta feature, support for Cocoa is nearly complete. Users can now choose to compile their applications with the Cocoa build option. Many users find their apps compile with few if any issues.
 
“I’m happy to say that for me, Cocoa has arrived. The look and capabilities of Cocoa are important to many of my users, and the fact that Real Studio has implemented Cocoa while keeping the Carbon option is a significant advantage,” said Robert R. Birge, Professor of Chemistry, University of Connecticut.
 
Availability
Real Studio 2011 Release 2 is currently available to all current and new Real Software customers.