Flash Web builder tool, Rambla, demos at Web Expo
Attractive product builds too-flat pages.
The Web 2.0 Expo is really a show for developers. Most of the exhibits are developer tools and platforms, and the pitches I'm hearing in the hallways are for tools, not applications. Case in point: Rambla, by Piria, a Flash-based Web site builder that president Bob Lang is building to sell to hosting sites, so they can rebrand it and sell it to their customers.
In this very early stage, it looks like a very usable tool for building flat sites. The templates are attractive and flexible, and it's easy to select and move text and art around. Like most modern Flash-based tools, it's intuitive, attractive, and enjoyable to use. My favorite feature is the flexible menu builder system that lets you change the look of your navigation menu or move its location.
The current site is just a demo, though. You can't publish the sites you build. You can't even add or delete pages.
I also don't see a way to integrate Web 2.0 media types, nor any indication that it will be added. Where's the blog module or RSS import? YouTube or Flickr embeds? Building a flashy site is one thing, but static pages are so Web 1.0, no matter how 2.0 the tool used to build them.
Try it now at rambla.piria.com. Using the invite code, "Webware."