There’s a new Flash CMS on the block and it’s called FlashMoto. The concept sounds fantastic and the interface design is extremely well done. But what’s actually under the hood? Let’s take a closer look!
What is FlashMoto and what does it do?
FlashMoto allows users to create and manage a Flash Web site very quickly and very easily using a purpose-built back-end system developed in Flex. This is commonly referred to as a Content Management System or CMS. The site is currently in beta and open to the public.
Special Features
- CMS Wizard:
A simple and understandable step-by-step guide for creating a fully-functional dynamic Flash website.
- Advanced WYSIWYG editor:
Drag and drop objects and enter data for any part of your website.
- Quick Content Editing:
Quick access to separate content elements, like News, Galleries, Contact Forms, Music Players, and edit them without digging through the entire website structure.
- SEO-friendly & Deep Linking:
Easily establish Web site meta data, link pages and add Google Analytics. Deep linking methods and well-organized architecture guarantee the right indexing of your content across search engines.
- Rich Media Library:
Upload, edit and maintain all your images, photos, video and audio files.
- Font Manager:
Easily add any kind of fonts and symbols. You can even make your site multilingual very easily.
Control Panel
Once you’ve created your account and log in for the first time, you’re presented with the control panel with the following choices:
- Content Wizard
- WYSIWIG Editor
- Quick Content Editing
- Website Preferences
- Help & Support
Although there’s an option to switch off the control panel when you next log on, the control panel options are a really nice way to give new users an overview of all the options. Each icon has an attractive, 3D animated rollover which, when clicked, takes the user to the corresponding section.
What’s nice about these choices is that FlashMoto caters for users of all abilities. If you’re a complete novice with very little Flash experience, you can using the Content Wizard that breaks down site maintenance into Editing Website Content, Editing Site Structure & Layout, Changing Website or Control Panel Settings and Help & Support. If you’re more comfortable with Flash however, you can jump straight into site design and start adding content and special modules such as an image gallery and audio player.
Forthcoming Help & Support
No matter what your level of expertise, the prospect of the Help & Support features are really nice. There are lessons and tutorials, a user guide for the Control Panel and a Frequently Asked Questions section. Admittedly, because the site is still in beta, no tutorials or user guides have been added yet, but it’s nice to see that a help and support system has been integrated well into the app and are prominently accessible for any moments of frustration.
Building a Site
This is where the fun begins. 
There’s so much you can do to develop your own site with FlashMoto, it’s knowing where to begin that might cause some problems for anyone who has not created a Flash Web site before. One of the simplest places to start is by looking down the tool panel on the left hand site. It’s here you see icons/options for adding text, an image, a shape, a Flash file, video, a “slot” (basically interactive buttons) and a module. The modules really help speed-up the addition of interactive content by allowing you to insert a news block, an image gallery, a video player or an audio player.
Resizeable Modules
One of the killer features of FlashMoto is the way each module can be resized by the user to whatever dimensions you want. You can drag items around the screen to reposition or you can even use x and y co-ordinates in the module properties sidebar to the right of the screen for more precise positioning. Here’s a screenshot showing some of the options available to the user regarding how modules can be manipulated:
Customizing Modules
It wasn’t until I started customizing modules with FlashMoto that it dawned on me how effective this kind of application really is. There are no XML files or ActionScript files for the user to update to populate an image gallery with images for example. Instead, the user simply double-clicks on a module to access a configuration screen where you can add images, thumbnails, access a media library, and add text via a beautiful text editor as show below:
Extra Features
Other nice touches I really liked about FlashMoto were, the familiar use of a top, horizontal menu bar we’re accustomed to with our desktop apps that allow us to open, save and edit files. I found the undo and redo tools particularly useful, so if something doesn’t quite work out right, users always have undo to fall back on.
I also liked the ability to move around open windows just like a regular operating system, so you could keep configuration screens open and place them where you wanted so you could still see your site design underneath. The fullscreen feature was also very useful, which obviously takes advantage of your entire monitor real estate.
Finally, previewing your Flash site has never been easier. No compiling, no annoying error messages, just one click of a button, and the site you just built is immediately visible. Talk about efficiency! You can even grab the URL of your preview and share it with friends or clients.
Conclusion
Although this review is not exhaustive, it should give you a very clear idea about how solid FlashMoto is. You really need to see for yourself to understand how useful a tool like this can be.
Everything about FlashMoto has been well thought out. The design, the features, but above all else, the usability and the way the interface and experience is totally focused on the user. When you can marry usefulness with well designed applications (both from an aesthetic and usability perspective), then you can’t go far wrong.
FlashMoto is an incredible demonstration of how Rich Internet Applications should be developed. This kind of CMS really underlines how powerful Flex is. The dawn of extremely attractive, functional, and useful applications is already upon us because of apps like FlashMoto, and the line between desktop applications and online applications is starting to blur. Much, may I add, to the benefit of the end user.
For more information, visit FlashMoto.com.
