[opendtv] Flash support still elusive on iPad

  • From: "Manfredi, Albert E" <albert.e.manfredi@xxxxxxxxxx>
  • To: "opendtv@xxxxxxxxxxxxx" <opendtv@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
  • Date: Mon, 1 Feb 2010 14:26:53 -0600

Kon had mentioned this recently.

Bert

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http://www.rethink-wireless.com/article.asp?article_id=2562

Flash support still elusive on iPad
By CAROLINE GABRIEL

Published: 1 February, 2010

Among various criticisms of the Apple iPad, one of the loudest is the 
continuing spurning of Adobe Flash. The stand-off between Apple and Adobe on 
the iPhone is well documented, but with the new tablet being touted as a video 
optimized product, the omission of the standard that underpins YouTube is more 
glaring.

Apple has argued that the mobile version of Flash is inadequate for the 
advanced multimedia usage encouraged by its iPhone, but this viewpoint has been 
undermined by the appearance of Flash 10, a mobile implementation of the fully 
fledged platform. There was high excitement that Flash support was imminent, 
when some promotional materials for the new device appeared to show it 
displaying Flash-based content including images from the web site of the New 
York Times, an iPad media partner. This material has since been withdrawn, 
noted blog AppleInsider.

Apple has not officially ruled out Flash support but Adobe and its supporters 
were increasingly vocal over the weekend about being left in the cold. Writing 
on the Adobe Flash Platform Blog, marketing group manager Adrian Ludwig said: 
"There's something important missing from Apple's approach to connecting 
consumers to content... Without Flash support, iPad users will not be able to 
access the full range of web content, including over 70% of games and 75% of 
video on the web. If I want to use the iPad to connect to Disney, Hulu, 
Miniclip, Farmville, ESPN, Kongregate or JibJab - not to mention the millions 
of other sites on the web - I'll be out of luck."

Developers can only get round the Flash stand-off by creating and exporting 
iPhone, iPod Touch and now iPad apps via the Flash Professional CS5 programming 
tool, which leverages the same source code used to deliver applications across 
desktops and devices.

Meanwhile, Macworld reports that the iPad will have its worldwide launch on 
March 26 and the Wi-Fi version will then be released at the end of April. It 
has also done some pricing calculations for the UK, based on the same US-UK 
differentials seen in the iPhone and other products. It came up with a range of 
£388 for the 16Gb Wi-Fi only model, to £693 for the 64Gb Wi-Fi plus 3G version.

Whatever the international pricing, the charging model is another area where 
Apple has been heavily criticized, for the $130 premium paid for a version 
including 3G connectivity. This subsidizes the lower than expected price tag 
for the Wi-Fi systems, claims observers, allowing Apple to make the iPad far 
more cost competitive than was widely expected. But the cost of including 3G is 
low with the 3G baseband itself coming in well below $10. Most analysts expect 
the bulk of sales to be for the Wi-Fi models, which come below the important 
psychological barrier of $500 and will be available earlier.
 
 
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