Slashdot Mirror
Flash Ported To iOS and iPhone 4
An anonymous reader noted that there is a simple HOWTO explaining how to install flash on an iPhone4. Mad props for using Strong Bad as the demo. Of course, step one is to use the JailBreakMe. Once installed, Flash inside Safari loads in a stopped state so it won't even hurt performance unless you decide to actually execute the program.
"Would everyone please rise for the presentation of our national colors"
Oh!
Oh I like that!
Oh yeah!
Come to the place where the tropical breezes blow
Come to the coolest place I know
The people are so great
But really there's only me
And that means I'm so great
And also there's The Cheat
Oh there's The Cheat!
The place where the tropical breezes blow
The Cheat!
In the coolest place I know
The one's are always cold
And parties last all night
And probably lots of chocolate
And population tire
POPULATION TIREEEE!!!
Living With a Nerd
Based on the way Apple has talked about flash, I guess people's iPhones are just going to explode.
Living With a Nerd
...all the people who want to develop applications for sale through the App store, for whom Apple is still the gatekeeper who can enforce whatever rules any way they choose.
Hard to believe this behaviour in the wake of the Microsoft cases heard in Europe and elsewhere, but I suppose Apple can still argue that they don't control enough of the market with the iPhone to be considered a monopolist, and so can impose any conditions on developers that they choose.
Salocin.com
Kudos for the achievement, but I am not going to clap too hard.
[rant]
I am not a big fan of Flash at the best of times. I have seen more cases of sloppy web design, UI design and lack of CPU optimisations in Flash than in other things I have used. Some of this can be attributed to people developing the Flash applications and some of this can be attributed to Adobe, but in the end we all suffer. If some of these issues were addressed I might change my mind about Flash, but at this point I have Flash block on my PC and I am not really missing it on my hand-held devices. Also, the lack of evidence that Adobe is actually trying to address these concerns is not helping. As for web sites using it as their only UI: sorry I'll find out what you were trying to sell when you use web standards.
[/rant]
Jumpstart the tartan drive.
I'm sure this will only improve the iPhone's awesome battery life! (iphone owner)
Yes, if you jailbreak the phone, its antenna stops working.
No, you're just jailbreaking it wrong... try the right hand...
Liberal? Conservative? Compare perspectives at Left-Right
It's... um... a GIGANTIC security hole that's trivial to exploit. It's more shameful that they have NOT yet closed them.
Actually I hope it's really soon. I not against jail breaking, but I don't like the idea that PDFs can be used to exploit iOS4. http://secunia.com/advisories/40807/
These comments are my own and do not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of my employer or colleagues...
I'm convinced that Apple has put out iOS4 with at least one bug that users find mildly annoying (like failing to send emails with photos). That way once an exploit is discovered in the new OS release they have reasons for users to upgrade.
Um, there should be no quotes around "fixes". While JailBreakMe uses the exploit for honest purposes, we need to keep in mind that the exploit is a huge security hole that needs to get fixed ASAP.
The exploit is patched, Apple is just sitting on the release for some reason.
http://www.usatoday.com/tech/products/software/2010-08-09-apple09_ST_N.htm
I wonder how many people actually want Flash on their phones. I mean, Adobe have had more than a few years to optimise their player for the biggest sector of their market: the desktop, and they've failed completely. Even on my fairly beefy (Windows 7) desktop with gigs of ram and an abundance of free CPU cycles (read: 99% idle, only Chrome with flash running), the latest flash player chews up CPU like no man's business. (And yes, I've tried the betas and pre-releases, and they're just as bad...)
Perhaps I'm wrong in thinking that only a minority of people would want flash on their phones, or perhaps Adobe has stepped it up a gear and actually optimised flash player enough so that it won't drain down a handset's battery in a very short space of time. But considering that they often refuse to even comment on bug reports regarding performance (or a complete lack thereof), I'd be surprised if they have.
cat:
I have yet to find a single iPhone user who needs / wants flash, why are these people actually trying to make it work? Flash is a battery drain, awkward UI, etc etc. Why would anyone want to run it on an iPhone?
is the iPhone's main feature for me. But if you like it, nice to have the choice.
Why don't you use a rock or a jellybean, then?
Not having the choice to use Flash is a very stupid motivator in choosing a phone. It's like saying that you'd rather be unable to run because running can wear you out faster than walking, or that you don't want to be allowed to freely express yourself because that can be embarrassing.
Why give up the choice just because most of the time you would stick with one option? But the real question for me is this: why take such joy in giving up that choice? Why thank Apple for disallowing a feature that wouldn't hurt you at all, though it might only rarely help?
"I zero-index my hamsters" - Willtor (147206)
I'm a bit skeptic about the entire "antenna problem". I have not been able to reproduce the leftie-bug in any iphone4 i have held. I think it indeed just weakens signal a bit in places where signal already was bad.
If you live in an area with good AT&T coverage you wont notice a problem. Go out into the boonies.
I see your anecdotal evidence and match with my own. Out here in the midwest ive seen it happen on every iphone4 ive had the opportunity of trying it on. Including the display model at the AT&T store.
You are entitled to your own opinions, not your own facts.
I know he's the reason everyone goes to the site, but, unfortunately, Strong Bad didn't appear in this Flash demo at all. They only showed the speech-impeded athlete, Homestar Runner.
Dell Steak? Don't post on Slashdot when you're hungry!
It sounds like someone is uptight...
Hydraulic pizza oven!! Guided missile! Herring sandwich! Styrofoam! Jayne Mansfield! Aluminum siding! Borax!
If you live in an area with good AT&T coverage you wont notice a problem. Go out into the boonies.
I see your anecdotal evidence and match with my own. Out here in the midwest ive seen it happen on every iphone4 ive had the opportunity of trying it on. Including the display model at the AT&T store.
My issue, though, is I have not found an area that does not jump from good to so-bad-i-just-need-to-stare-at-it-for-the-iphone-to-fail. There does not seem to be any in-betweens around where I live. Either ATT just plainly sucks, or they work great.
With new software updates, it will ask you if you want to download and install, just download, or ignore (and you can tell it not to ask you again), so you don't have to update. It's separate from the syncing process itself - I have kept my 3G on the old software, since I really don't need the features offered by the iOS4 update and the performance is reportedly not great on the 3G. iTunes doesn't mind at all that I'm not up to date with the very latest stuff when syncing all my music, calendars etc.
Only 0.5% of users have complained about this security risk - therefore, it's really no problem.
Huh? Flash Lite ships with Desire running 2.1, and the genuine Froyo HTC ROM with full flash is out now. Community ROMs from XDA have had Froyo for the Desire for a couple of months.
Which is why I bought a Desire (for running a custom Froyo ROM) about a week before Froyo was officially released for it.
Flash Lite is, however, not Flash.
Funny because if they didn't fix such an exploit the people like you would be whining and crying about how long these exploits continue to exist without being fixed.
Updates are technically voluntary, but if you sync to Windows rather than OS X it is ALL TOO EASY to accidentally upgrade the phone's OS due to focus stealing if you're touch typing.
So, voluntary it may be, but sometimes some involuntarily update due to focus stealing. Microsoft may consider that type of call a feature, but I consider it a bug. At least X window managers allow me to allow or disallow focus stealing, and on OS X it hasn't been a problem for me either.
The Christian Right is Neither (Christian nor right). See: Matthew 23, Matthew 25, Ezekiel 16:48-50
Come on mods, this isn't off-topic - it's the Strongbadia national anthem, which is on-topic as Strong Bad was mentioned in the original post as the demo flash thing that they used.
I am TheRaven on Soylent News
But the real question for me is this: why take such joy in giving up that choice? Why thank Apple for disallowing a feature that wouldn't hurt you at all, though it might only rarely help?
If iOS users could access Flash then those website owners would have the option to ignore mobile users. "The current Flash website works" would be their response to requests for an optimized one. As it stands, without Flash support, website owners are given the choice to ignore all iOS users, create a dedicated app, or create a website version optimized for mobile devices.
Apple would prefer that website owners took the latter of the three choices. Forget Flash - just create a version that works well with mobile devices. Small screen, no mouse - it really requires a different design. When designing future websites be sure to "think mobile" during the design process. This is beneficial to users of all mobile web devices.
So by taking away "choice" in regards to Flash, Apple is pushing the industry to accommodate small mobile devices. This is good for everyone. I am glad Apple made this decision. But if I personally owned an iOS device I would want the option to use Flash. Guess I would have to jailbreak or purchase an Android device - but that is my choice. I am not mad at Apple for making theirs.
between you clicking "update" and the update beginning, iTunes has to download a 230MB+ firmware file. this is adequate time to unplug your phone.