AIR Apps Bring the Web to Your Desktop.

AS IF THE line between desktop applications and Web services weren’t fuzzy enough already, Adobe has introduced a technology called Adobe Integrated Runtime (AIR) that promises to blur the difference further—for the good. The technology enables Web site owners to build services—anything from a media player to a backup service to an auction watchdog— that Web surfers can access easily and quickly, whether online, offline, or via a cellphone or other mobile device.

Video Viewer

AOL hopes to make browsing and viewing videos easier with a free AIR application called AOL Top 100 Music Videos. This convenient add-on lets you browse and play popular music videos. And taking advantage of local system resources, the software can integrate features such as bookmarking favorite videos, personalizing content with feedback, and sharing videos with other AOL Top 100 Music Videos users.

Auction Watch

EBay Desktop is a free Adobe AIR app that allows you to keep tabs on your eBay auctions or to browse new gear without having to launch a Web browser. EBay Desktop can send you product availability notifications and auction updates in real time, too, according to eBay.

Backup Buddy

Xdrive, a long-standing online storage service, has undergone a major Adobe AIR face-lift. The results of the makeover are visible in the free Xdrive Desktop Lite beta. Once you’ve set up the program and got it running, AOL says, you’ll find that grabbing data from your Xdrive account on the Web is as easy as grabbing it from your computer’s local C: drive.