Fotolia has announced the launch of an Adobe AIR application that offers desktop access to the company’s collection.
Adobe AIR is a technology from the maker of the venerable Photoshop and the broader Creative Suite. AIR enables developers to use HTML, JavaScript, Flash and ActionScript to build Web applications that run without an Internet browser.
Fotolia Desktop is compatible with Mac OSX and Windows and is available for a free download. It enables one-click image buy and download and offers drag-and-drop lightboxes, shopping carts, bulk download capabilities—and pretty much all of the other features available at fotolia.com.
Fotolia said the application took months to develop and is the first of its kind in the microstock industry. It is indeed the first to market. iStockphoto’s Dexter, first announced at the January 2009 Macworld Expo, was a similar application that never materialized.
Industry insiders often point out that desktop apps have been tried before and have failed to gain traction with image buyers. Still, Fotolia says its app will enhance user experience and attract new buyers, as well as business partners. In 2010, Fotolia announced partnerships with Adobe and Microsoft.