Not a new topic you say? Microcontrollers with web / socket interfaces have been around for a while - but I haven't seen anyone connecting the dots in a a way that makes sense for general consumption by Flash, Flex, and AIR developers.

What do I mean by "connecting the dots in a way that makes sense for general consumption" you ask? That's a good question...

Have you read through the instructions for setting up a policy server or attended a conference presentation on connecting Flash to an Arduino? It's time to embrace the truth - most developers don't like worrying about low level details or complex setups... not to mention how delicate those bits and pieces really are.

Don't get me wrong - the prospect of hooking up Flash, Flex, and AIR apps to sensors galore is exciting! The reality, is that these technical details seriously hamper the ability to package up one of these solutions for general sale/use. Once this fact settles in... you'll probably get through a tutorial to blink an LED and then put all the bits back into the box and shelve it so you can get back to development that pays bills. Know what I mean?

I'm not going to go into more detail here... since I cover the topic in the video. Suffice it to say, things are changing; don't 'blink' or you'll miss it!

If you're interested in the hardware... Async Labs: Black Widow