Actuate adds rich media to reporting tools

Actuate 10 is designed to let companies present data in a very rich format

Actuate has announced details of its latest flagship release, which uses Flash content and JavaScript to help developers create reporting tools and add highly interactive functionality to end-user applications.

The business intelligence software provider claimed that Actuate 10 will let firms present data in very rich formats, and enable the building of rich applications that can be used internally and for dealing with customers.

Actuate 10 is built on the Eclipse Business Intelligence and Reporting Tools (BIRT) open source platform.

The platform will enable companies to present structured data as Flash content or in dashboard views, and other dynamic pages in a scalable, reliable and secure manner, Actuate said.

Because BIRT is open source, it is developer-centric and uses open APIs to improve the design experience, offering a much faster time to market for new applications, according to Actuate.

"Actuate 10 is the foundation for increasing our BIRT-based business in 2009, " said Pete Cittadini, president and chief executive of Actuate.

"The product line assures deployment success from open source BIRT right up to rich, highly interactive customer-facing information applications, and everything in between. This is the essence of 'rich internet applications without limits'."

The BIRT development environment uses JavaScript APIs, meaning that firms can quickly add relevant content to applications, web sites, dashboards and mashups. Actuate said that version 10 contains around 250 Flash visualisations and geographic maps.

User profiles are tightly controlled by additional security, which provides each sign-on with a personalised secure view.

Actuate 10 Beta is already available, and the full release is promised before the end of 2008.