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Interaction Design, Technology, Visual Design, Web Development, Flash, Full-screen mode
Flash Full-Screen Mode April 7th, 2010
The release of Flash Player 9 has given Flash Developers the ability to view the Flash in full-screen mode, whether it be a movie or the Flash Animation itself. Here are two great examples of Web sites utilizing the full-screen mode to display something other than a movie: Nicola Walbeck and Waterlife. On a large monitor, the experience of a full-screen mode is something very engaging and eye-catching, at a quick glance, people can easily mistake it as a screen saver.
There are pros and cons when considering full-screen mode:
Pros:
• Immersive experience – by going full-screen, the user gets more of a cinematic experience by not having to see the browser.
• Focused Attention – since it is full-screen mode, the user is forced to interact with just the Flash, thus reducing the opportunity for the visitor to be distracted and click away onto a another website or application.
• Taller canvas – There is more room to work with since the top tool bar and chrome of the browser is not viewable.
Cons:
• Visitors have to remember that they need to hit ‘escape’ or create a button to exit the full-screen mode that is fairly obvious
• The design has to be thought through more thoroughly since the dimensions for the full-screen mode could vary extensively.
• It would definitely take a little longer to develop to ensure that the design and experience is consistent across differing monitor resolutions and aspect ratios.
In the future, when touch-screens become more prevalent, the full-screen mode and touch screen together makes the perfect recipe for an immersive experience.

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