First you may ask what is Adobe Air? We don’t want to confuse you with Adobe flash player so we will explain. Adobe AIR allows one to publish ActionScript 3 projects and run them as native applications (.apk) for the Android OS. These AIR applications can now be delivered to Android devices through Android application stores such as the Android Market.

Developers can write new code or reuse existing web content, either way. The source code and assets are reusable across the Flash Platform runtimes, Adobe AIR and Flash Player, giving developers a way to easily target other mobile and desktop environments. Click (here) to see video examples.

Reporters at Androidpolice.com have shared a snap shot of this program straight from the Android Market. See image below. Sources from twitter also shared that there aren’t many applications available that are compatible with Adobe AIR but to see a list of the 23 that currently are available, click (here).

Adobe also announced that a beta of Flash Player 10.1 was made available to content providers and mobile developers worldwide. With the general availability expected in the first half of 2010, Flash Player 10.1 is the first consistent runtime release of the Open Screen Project enabling uncompromised Web browsing of expressive applications, content and high definition (HD) videos across screens including new tablet devices, smartphones, netbooks, smartbooks, desktops and other consumer electronics. According to a Strategy Analytics analysis from January 2010, more than 250 million smartphones are expected to support the full Flash Player by the end 2012. Mobile platforms that will support the full Flash Player include Android, the BlackBerry® platform, Symbian® OS, Palm® webOS and Windows Mobile®. Partners from across the ecosystem commented on the progress of Flash Player 10.1 today.