Intel Corp has begun supplying a new version of its Media Framework for Java optimized to take advantage of specific multimedia extensions in the company’s processors. The newly optimized framework will let independent software vendors create decent quality video, 3D surround sound and animation Java applications on Wintel platforms, claimed officials at the chip giant. We’ve changed the framework so that it now allows you to take advantage of MMX, said Andrew Roscoe a desktop product group business marketing manager at Intel. You can still write to the Java Media Framework so that applications can run anywhere but now it will allow you to get the highest performance with Intel processors. Roscoe admitted that write once, run anywhere Java was painfully slow when it came to running multimedia applications. He hinted that uptake of the Java Media Framework amongst software vendors up until now has been poor. You don’t develop with a system that gives you poor performance, he said. Intel’s Media Framework for Java includes Javabeans components for video, 3D surround sound, and animation. The Javabeans are available in two configurations, as a software developer’s kit and as a run-time version. Currently, licensing the technology is free. More information can be found at developer.intel.com/ial/jmedia/.
