Macromedia Flash 8 Makes Beta Debut

Macromedia has publicly released the first public beta of its Flash 8 player, code-named "Maelstrom," hoping to ensure that the program is stable and doesn't break currently existing Flash content. The newest version of the player boasts better performance and more artistic freedom in creating Flash images.

Also, FlashCast, a content distribution platform, and Flash Lite, a version of Flash for mobile devices are a major part of the new software. The company has said it already has at least two wireless carriers interested in the technology. In April, Macromedia previewed some features of Flash 8 at a conference in San Francisco.