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Adobe Flash 10.3 beta on the HP TouchPad
Boasting a “full web” experience, the TouchPad is capable of playing Adobe Flash content on the 10.3 beta version of Flash Player. And just like our past experiences with Flash on tablets, it’s nowhere near perfection. It took me forever to load content on PopCapGames.com, a popular Flash gaming web site. When I finally did get a game up and running, performance was choppy at best, a gaming experience punctuated with pauses and stuttering. YouTube videos ran somewhat better, but it wasn’t exactly what I’d call reliable.
Better Flash performance is coming "soon", I'm sure.
Tablet Haikus
The key word is "theoretically"
The iPad, despite its enormous popularity, has one particular flaw that theoretically keeps its sales from being even gaudier than the numbers we've seen in the last year: it doesn't support Adobe Flash.
They keep repeating this, yet I've seen no proof that lack of Flash has hindered iPad (or iPhone or iPod touch) sales in any way. Further, there's no indiction that allegedly supporting Flash—there's still no legitimate mobile version, 10.2 having just reached beta—is helping sales.
Supporting Adobe Flash has become the new replaceable battery or FM radio from the iPod days. The competition touts features supposedly lacking in Apple's hardware, but that the buying public clearly has no issue with.
Someone thinks Microsoft buying Adobe would be a good thing
The most obvious, immediate thing that the two companies can do is to get Flash ported to Windows Phone 7.
The article is too long to be link-bait, so here we have one of the very few opinions of the Microsoft/Adobe rumor—a rumor I think is mainly BS—that's positive.
But I can't agree with many of the articles assumptions, starting with the quote above.
The most obvious thing they need to do is port Flash to WP7? Why? Flash mobile is still a disaster that garners almost universal derision. There is zero proof that adding Flash to a mobile device will help it in the market place. Meanwhile, there's a boatload of proof that not having Flash on a mobile device does not hinder sales. And here I'm not just discussing the iPhone, but the multitude of other smartphones sold without Flash as well.
The article also tends to ignore what Microsoft does to companies it purchases. It may seem obvious that Adobe's products would remain and some Microsoft software would be killed, but politics at Microsoft are very strong. The digital imaging group at Microsoft is not just going to let go, nor will they be compelled to. As likely as not Microsoft will still sell both as they struggle to fit Adobe technology into the Microsoft portfolio and tout it as the best of both. Watch the smart Adobe people leave as a result.
Personally, I see nothing good for Adobe from this purchase except a temporary stock bump.
Do We Finally Have a Consensus On Android Flash Performance?
So with that in mind, how did Flash video actually perform on the Nexus One?
Shockingly bad.
Another site tries Flash on an Android device and is disappointed.
Looks like Laptop magazine was right. So was Steve Jobs. So was I. Heck, so was Adobe.
Laptop Magazine: Adobe's Weak Android Flash Player Proves Jobs Right
After spending time playing with Flash Player 10.1 on the new Droid 2, the first Android 2.2 phone to come with the player pre-installed, I’m sad to admit that Steve Jobs was right. Adobe’s offering seems like it’s too little, too late.
The only thing that bothers me about this is that he's "sad" to admit it. What is it with some tech writers that make them hate to admit Jobs is right about anything? His track record is better than most tech pundits and analysts put together. (Update: See first comments from Scott below for an alternate take.)
Anyway, the article is an interesting read, with lots of crashing, sluggishness, and just plain non-functioning examples. The high points (if you want to call them that) are very few, leading to this conclusion:
Adobe needs to have a better answer to whether or not Flash is still relevant in a world where other technologies have rapidly started displacing it. Based on my early experience with Flash Player 10.1 for mobile, it could soon join the floppy drive in the tech graveyard, something else Steve Jobs helped kill.
As I said a couple days ago, Flash is just not practical for 20 out of 20 handset companies.
Adobe Flash Still Not Practical For 20 Out Of 20 Handset Companies
Adobe is working with "19 out of 20" handset companies to get Flash working on their devices
Still.
At what point do tech writers call Adobe out on their failure to get Flash working worth a damn on mobile devices, instead of just repeating the standard Adobe line? And at what point will Adobe be embarrassed about it?
It's been years, people, can't we call it like everybody sees it?
The iPad Isn't Perfect: Only Three Million Sold in 80 Days
Apple® today announced that it sold its three millionth iPad™ yesterday, just 80 days after its introduction in the US.
Yeah, but if it had an SD card slot, USB port, camera, and Adobe Flash it would have sold 3,000,001.
