I've been watching Tumult's Hype, Adobe's Edge Animate^R and other HTML/CSS animation builder software for some time, especially looking for a way to create app-like widgets for iBooks. With the latest release this year, Hype Pro just might have what I need.

A few years ago, I created two book apps and always wanted to make an iBooks version for each. But the iBooks Author widgets couldn't create the app-like animation and interaction I wanted in my iBook and neither could the HTML 5 animation editors. But now it's a few years later and maybe it's time to give it a try. Let's talk about a few of the new features in the Hype Pro app?

Timeline and Keyframes

Hype Pro supports all browsers and devices and requires no coding. It's a timeline/keyframe based WebKit WYSIWYG editor that generates the HTML5/CSS behind the scenes. It also has a Record Mode much like the one in Apple^R Motion^R, which creates keyframes based on the parameter changes you make in the editor.

Ease of Testing

Tumult also has a free app called Hype Reflect for testing in iOS devices. Your Mac^R (and Hype) must be connected to the same WiFi network as your testing device. In the Mirror Mode, you can see changes made in Hype in real time.

Flexible Layouts

But Hype 3 and Hype Pro aren't only for iBooks animations. It's just as good for creating responsive layouts. Hype generates the code for each layout and automatically switches from one layout to another as needed based on the width parameters you have set.

Interactive

If you've worked with Flash^R or Motion, you are familiar with the concept of Actions or Behaviors. These are builtin responses to mouse and touch user input. Creating this interactivity requires no coding. Just select the image or text that will become the "button" and use the WYSIWYG editor to attach an action (behavior) to that button.

Physics

The new physics engine in Hype Pro allows for creating animation that simulates gravity, friction and density. With this feature you can create realistic animations such as collisions.

If you already have Hype 2, the upgrade to Hype 3 is free. You can purchase Hype Pro as an in-app purchase from within Hype 3. If I had to mention one thing that needs improvement it would be the documentation. As with most software that matures as quickly as Hype has, the documentation is online only. Personally, I like the structure of a User Guide, as it's easier to navigate than a bunch of web pages. It would be nice if Tumult offered a PDF download of the latest documentation.