Why don’t iPhone and iPad have Flash? Apple boss Steve Jobs explains why

Steve Jobs has used an open letter to defend Apple’s decision not to allow Flash on many of the firm’s products.

Neither the iPod, iPhone nor iPad can run the software despite the widespread use of Flash technology on websites for video and animations.

He said Flash was made for an era of “PCs and mice” and performed poorly when translated to run on touchscreen smartphones and handheld devices.

The head of Adobe called the highlighted problems “a smokescreen”.

‘Restrictive practices’

The letter comes soon after Flash creator Adobe announced it would stop making tools that allow developers to quickly translate Flash code to run on Apple gadgets.

These allowed developers to make applications once and then distribute them for use on various phones and operating systems, including Apple’s iPhone.

Adobe’s announcement followed a change to the terms and conditions of the licence that software developers must sign when writing code to run on Apple products.

That change banned developers from using automatic translation tools, effectively forcing them to develop two applications – one for Apple products and one for everything else.

Adobe CEO Shantanu Narayen told the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) that “when you resort to licensing language” to restrict development, it has “nothing to do with technology.”

He said it was now “cumbersome” for developers who were forced to have “two workflows”.

Crashing Macs

In his lengthy open letter titled Thoughts on Flash, Mr Jobs said the reason Apple did not want people to use Adobe’s automatic translation tools was because experience had shown it results in “sub-standard apps”.

He described Flash as a closed system and said that it was bad for the smartphone era because it did not support multi-touch systems and helped drain battery power unnecessarily.

He also pointed out that there were now alternatives to flash technology, particularly for web video.

The Apple boss added that Flash fell short on security and was “the number one reason Macs crash”.

But Mr Narayen said that if Flash crashed Apple products it was something “to do with the Apple operating system.”

He said he found it “amusing” that Mr Jobs thought that Flash was a closed platform.

“We have different views of the world,” Mr. Narayan told the Wall Street Journal. “Our view of the world is multi-platform.

The letter provoked an avalanche of comments online, with many saying Apple’s restrictions on what can be done with its software go far beyond those on Flash.

Source: BBC News

What Are iPad Owners Downloading?

Apple has already sold 450,000 iPads. So what are people downloading as apps? An interesting article by Jenna Wortham from The New York Times:

“Although it remains to be seen whether or not mainstream consumers will latch onto the iPad with the same ferocity as they did the iPhone, it’s clear that there’s no lack of appetite for apps. On Monday, Apple revealed that iPad owners were voraciously consuming applications. More than one million were downloaded before the weekend was over.

So what’s capturing the eyes and fingertips of those owners?

A quick spin through the charts of the best-selling applications available in iTunes illuminates the most popular selections.

Currently, the top three paid iPad applications belong to a suite of applications intended to give the iPad more heft as a machine for productivity. They are adaptations of Apple’s iWork tools and include Pages, a word processing application, Keynote, which allows users to create visually rich presentations, and Numbers, a spreadsheet application. Each sells for $9.99.

But perhaps the most interesting application on the top 10 list is one called Star Walk, a $2.99 astronomy application that morphs the iPad into a star chart. Pointing the tablet at the sky activates an internal digital compass, instantly locating stars, planets and other celestial bodies. Tapping on an object reveals more information about it.

GoodReader, which costs 99 cents and is hovering in the fourth most downloaded slot, is a documents reader for the iPad that can handle a range of formats, including PDF files and high-resolution images. SketchBookPro, $8.99, a sophisticated drawing application that lets users craft paintings with their hands, is also on the list.

Games, of course, have been a big draw. Real Racing HD ($9.99), a driving game that transforms the iPad into a steering wheel, and Flight Control ($4.99), an air traffic simulator that includes a level in 3-D, are both on the top 10 list. Scrabble ($9.99) turns the iPad’s glossy screen into a vivid playing board where multiple players can use their iPhones as their letter trays and “flick” tiles down to the main board for game play.

Like the iPhone, the iPad is a chameleon, ready to be transformed by the software running on it. Readers, what iPad applications have you downloaded? Feel free to share the hits, the misses and ones you can’t live without in the comments below.”

Source

To iPAD or not to iPAD? First reviews: 10minus vs. 10plus!

“TOP 10 IPAD DISAPPOINTMENTS:

1. The keyboard
The iPad’s lack of a tactile keyboard was always going to be an issue, but typing on the iPad is not as easy as you might hope. To be used for email and short messages only.

2. No camera
An odd oversight, this is one that has many fans stumped. The iPad could have been great for video calling.

3. No Flash support
So many good websites use Adobe Flash that Apple’s ongoing stoush with the technology is becoming a big issue. This gadget screens websites in full size, but some still won’t show due to this omission.

4. Weighty
Heavier than the biggest Kindle, the iPad could be hard to hold with one hand for an extended period.

5. No memory card slot
The iPad is so good with photos, but they must be side-loaded from a computer as this tablet computer has no space for memory cards adding an adapter.

6. No GPS chip in Wi-Fi model
It can still guess your location from your WiFi connection, but the lack of a GPS chip is disappointing.

7. No HD video output
You can connect the iPad to a television but videos won’t play in high-definition. The best it can muster is a resolution of 576p.

8. No multi-tasking
You can only do one thing at a time on the iPad, just as with the iPhone. Sadly, this is one thing that netbooks have over the device.

9. No iBooks in Australia
They’re coming, according to a job ad, but the iPad won’t live up until its full potential until they arrive.

10. Delayed accessories
The keyboard and memory card adapter will make up for some important omissions, but are not yet available.

TOP 10 IPAD MAGIC MOMENTS:

1. Great screen
It’s large, it’s bright and it’s colourful. There’s lots to like about the iPad’s screen that has LED-backlighting for brightness, and IPS (in-plane switching) for good viewing on an angle. It’s not E Ink, like the Kindle, but it looks flashy.

2. Speedy
Apple’s 1GHz processor keeps the iPad screening at a great pace. Though this processor is slower than those in most netbooks, it’s clearly competent.

3. iPad apps
Plenty of developers joined the “second gold rush” by creating iPad apps, and users should be grateful. Games, in particular, benefit a lot from the bigger screen.

4. Photo shows
The iPad does look like a digital photo frame but, arguably, it does a better job with slideshows. The iPhoto-like app included on the iPad lets you group photos and makes them easy to show off.

5. iWork
Apple’s document, spreadsheet and presentation apps have been reworked for the iPad launch and they’re available as $US10 downloads. Not bad.

6. Long battery life
Admittedly, the Amazon Kindle’s battery lasts longer, but how many portable DVD players offer 10 hours of video playback? The iPad has real staying power.

7. Screen lock
Ever tried to use an app while laying down? Automatic screen orientation can be a real pain. To address this, Apple has replaced the mute switch with a screen lock switch.

8. Accessories
The iPad has even more accessories than the iPod, it seems. You will be able to add a physical keyboard, USB or memory card port, or a case that acts as a stand… just as soon as they’re available.

9. Rugged body
The iPad is sturdy and was designed to withstand everyday knocks. That’s not to say you should drop it or use it as a coaster, but it shouldn’t fall apart by itself.

10. The price
While the Aussie price is still unknown, $US499 is a great ballpark for such an entertaining gadget.”

Source: News.com.au