Adobe just launched AMP or Adobe Media Player 1.0 yesterday, along with online programming instructional video content on how to use the company’s products. Adobe’s Media Player is a standalone Video Jukebox application that runs under their AIR platform. The Media Player is compatible with both PCs and Macs. Take a took at Adobe’s Media Player.

While the emphasis here is on free content, there ain’t no such this as a free lunch, as the saying goes. Adobe is working with content owners and publishers to generate advertising opportunities and targeted marketing campaigns based around AMP. The software itself measures content usage, and Adobe provides options such as “protected” streaming, DRM and advertising protection (to keep users from arbitrarily blocking ads).

So why does iTunes users want to shift to AMP? What this represents more than just another media player is the first effective cross-platform Digital Rights Management (DRM) video platform alternative. As much as end users dislike DRM, the lack of an additional cross-platform video DRM has hindered some features on Mac.

“AMP is an interesting way for Adobe to leverage Flash video away from its “traditional” place on Web pages. The technology works reasonably well on the Mac. For now, there’s a relative paucity of compelling content, and nothing unique to AIR to make it a “must have” product. If Adobe’s able to convince content providers that this is the way to share their material with the public, then AMP could be an important player in the burgeoning digital video delivery market. And the fact that it’s cross-platform compatible is a boon for Mac users, who won’t be left out of the mix.” says MacWorld