PCs and Internet Are Merging

The line between the Internet and PCs is blurring with the release today of Adobe AIR, a software development system for creating applications that can merge data between the two. AIR applications will have Web browser functionality without launching a browser, and users’ files will be "in the cloud," accessible from anywhere, reports the New York Times.

Applications could exist partially online and partially on the user’s PC or other Internet-enabled device, like a smartphone. AIR will be free, like Adobe’s Flash software, and the company will make money by selling development kits. AIR will go head to head with cloud computing products in development by numerous other companies, including Microsoft, Google and Mozilla. (More Adobe stories.)