In my opinion, one of the best programs to be produced recently is the Adobe AIR platform which is being used to make some really visually powerful desktop applications. I was first introduced to Adobe AIR when I downloaded the desktop Pownce application and ever since then, I have heard nothing but praise from other bloggers about what fantastic software development opportunities Adobe has opened up.

In our recent roudnup of desktop apps for bloggers there was one Adobe AIR powered tool too. Called Google Analytics AIR Beta, this one shows you (as the name of the app suggests) your Google Analytics statistics and takes away the need to visit the Analytics website. You can just load up this small desktop app and it very quickly collects the information for you enclosed within an aesthetically-pleasing interface.

But as always with programs like this, you have to give the software app your Google account password and some people may find this unacceptable. I on the other hand am inclined to trust the application. I find it tedious to go to the Analytics website and continually type in my password every time. This program keeps your password in a website profile and all you have to do is click on the profile for the website you want to analyse. The stats will then instantly load up.

You get all the features that you would normally expect to find on the regular Analytics site and all of the information is exportable as a downloadable PDF / Excel / XML file :

I get the feeling that I will be checking my Analytics data a lot more in the future.