War Between Flash and HTML5 is Over: HTML5 Has Won

The debate over whether supporting the Adobe Flash plug-in on mobile devices is a better way to support content apps, instead of using HTML5, seems to be over. Adobe is abandoning its work on Flash for mobile.


"Our future work with Flash on mobile devices will be focused on enabling Flash developers to package native apps with Adobe AIR for all the major app stores. We will no longer adapt Flash Player for mobile devices to new browser, OS version or device configurations," Adobe says. Flash, HTML5 war is over

Instead, the company will refocus its efforts on mobile apps and desktop content, and “aggressively contribute to HTML5.” It’s not just that HTML5 is a great opportunity for Adobe. There are some very basic reasons why the company changed course on its mobile Flash.


In particular, Flash suffers a performance hit as video resolution grows. 

"Go Screw Yourself, Apple" Flash Evangelist Says

Apple doesn't support "Flash"-authored applications, favoring HTML5, a move that obviously harms Adobe's efforts to maintain an "open" standard for authoring Web video. Apple prefers HTML5 at least in part for technical reasons: it makes easier the task of inserting video-based advertising into video content.

Lee Brimelow is a Platform Evangelist at Adobe focusing on the Flash, Flex, and AIR developer communities, and has a succinct comment on what he thinks of Apple's position: "Go screw yourself Apple."

That's one way of assessing the threat Apple's approach to video applications causes in some quarters.

"Any real developer would not in good conscience be able to support this," Brimelow argues, calling the Apple move "hostile and despicable."

A move like this clearly shows the difference between our two companies, he says. "All we want is to provide creative professionals an avenue to deploy their work to as many devices as possible," he says. "We are not looking to kill anything or anyone."

The clear implication is that Apple is trying to "kill" Adobe's Flash business.

"This is equivalent to me walking into Macy’s to buy a new wallet and the salesperson spits in my face," says Brimelow. "Chances are I won’t be buying my wallets at Macy’s anymore, no matter how much I like them."

Lee's post

AOL Enhances BlueString, XDrive: More Cloud Computing

AOL announced major enhancements to its leading personal media products with new features in BlueString (www.bluestring.com), a free Website that enables users to easily upload, store, consume, manage and share digital media. Both are examples of a growing move to Web-based apps, storage and social networking.

AOL also says it will release a new beta version of Xdrive (www.xdrive.com), a "personal hard drive on the Internet" allowing consumers to store, access, share and backup their files. Both products are scheduled for general release in the first quarter of 2008.

Also, a series of embedded applications called, "My Memory Gallery," which allow consumers to access and use BlueString on Facebook can be found at http://apps.facebook.com/mymemorygallery.

Generic versions of these applications will soon be available for inclusion on blogs, other Websites and personal homepages.

BlueString will include an enhanced user interface based on Adobe Flex and Adobe AIR enabling simple drag-and-drop of photos, videos, and music across online and offline storage, and eliminating the need for consumers to explicitly upload files before they create with or share their digital media.

BlueString also will offer consumers the ability to access personal photos, videos and music from a variety of third-party media sites and popular photo, video and music-sharing sites.

The new Xdrive beta will feature a simplified and easier-to-use design. Also built on Adobe AIR, this version of Xdrive will integrate the consumer's desktop directly into the online application, giving users the ability to simply drag and drop files directly from the desktop into Xdrive.

The updated version of Xdrive will also be fully integrated into AOL Mail, allowing users to send attachments larger than the current 16 MB limit, creating a seamless email experience for people sending files up to 5 GB.