Flash player for Ipad

Julian Wright wrote:

When I bought my iPad used last year from Craigslist, no one listed it can not play flash.

That's no surprise. If you were selling a used car, for instance, would you list all the features it doesn't have? For example:

Does not have passenger airbags
Does not have ABS
Does not have heated seats
Does not have tinted windows
Does not have power assisted steering
Does not have Blue paint
Does not have tow bar

Or would you list what it does?

Electric Windows
CD Radio Player
Alarm
Drivers Airbag

Or maybe you would expect someone looking to buy a used item would at least know the specifications of the thing they're buying or could look them up easily.

I did not expect it either and thank you for re-affirming that! However, the person who replied to my earlier message was expecting a description on the list stating the reason selling was because it does not do flash.

Having said that, I merely wanted to buy an iPad with the least use and abuse. I bought one from a lady who thought the iPad provides the same net experience as her Windows laptop including flash. As it turned out, she was using more the PC and less the iPad. She treated the iPad as a tool and when it can not fulfill her needs, she had to sell it. As it turned out, the iPad was indeed in pristine condition. She also sold it for much less than others were asking as well!

So based on your sample, you stated many people on Craigslist are selling their iPads because of the Flash issue.

I get it now.

deggie wrote:
So based on your sample, you stated many people on Craigslist are selling their iPads because of the Flash issue.

I get it now.

Your point being? Again like the previous poster. You are implying that flash is the main reason. I said, it is one of the main reasons people sell. What is it in the language of one of the main reasons (plural) that a lot of Apple people seemed to have difficulty understanding?

So you think Apple products are so perfect that people will never ever sell for any reason? I think that is your point!

No, I just noticed your original statement was that a big reason people sold their iPads on craigslist was because of the lack of Flash, Michael checked Craigslist in Seattle and said he couldn't find anything that would back such a statement (I also checked D/FW with the same findings), you then went on to say when you bought yours on Craigslist they said they were selling it because of the lack of Flash. A sample of one. So you actually have nothing to back up the statement than that, hence my comment.

No, I've sold Apple products I wasn't pleased with. After all, I bought a Cube.

deggie wrote:
No, I just noticed your original statement was that a big reason people sold their iPads on craigslist was because of the lack of Flash, Michael checked Craigslist in Seattle and said he couldn't find anything that would back such a statement (I also checked D/FW with the same findings), you then went on to say when you bought yours on Craigslist they said they were selling it because of the lack of Flash. A sample of one. So you actually have nothing to back up the statement than that, hence my comment.

No, I've sold Apple products I wasn't pleased with. After all, I bought a Cube.

If you had read my earlier post again (seemed to be a problem with Apple people here), I contacted a few people on the list and actually talked to them to negotiate a price. Which was how I got to know the eLocity A7 which is what I am typing on right now, sitting next to my iPad.

And besides, I think you would agree with me that the iPad is the only tablet product that had sold a lot to a lot of people, so it is not unconceivable that people bought it over hype and did not realize that it does not do flash. If it were an iPad 2 however, if it ever exists, then yes absolutely that will not be a reason anymore. Why? Because the product has already been well established, much like an iPhone or an iPod Touch and people know what to expect. Unless ofcourse Steve Jobs changed his mind.

Despite what a lot of people have thought, Flash is important to some people. I agree it is not a great platform, but this is not an economy where companies want to spend money doing big changes to align to Jobs' vision.

Best,

I don't disagree with your statement that Flash is important to some people. But it really doesn't take that long to discover the iPad doesn't do Flash and I would think if it was that important they would return it, not wait a couple of months and sell it on craigslist or eBay. And the return rate is about 2%.

I agree with you, if Flash is important get something that does Flash. Get the right tool for your needs. But I think it is an insignificant number of people that are selling theirs because it does not have Flash. And sales have not slowed down very much.

I can read B of A mail fine on my iPad using the Safari browser. Although I will admit to hardly ever having to do so.

deggie wrote:
... sales have not slowed down very much.

Neither has the creation of Flash content. In fact since the first iPhone nearly 4 years ago which also didn't support it, I'd say the amount of Flash content on the web has tripled.

Flash not effecting iDevice sales != iDevice sales killing flash.

I suppose their is a way to measure that Flash content has tripled? Can you share that with us?

Where did I ever say iOS devices would kill Flash? Do I even care if it does so? No.

If Flash use is soaring, the market has decided they want a proprietary approach to video, etc., and Apple still doesn't accept Flash on iOS devices what is YOUR issue? Why are you here posting this? Devices exist that can that can access Flash, people can buy those devices. Those that think they don't need Flash can buy iOS devices if they want. Websites can decide to go open source, go Flash or both. Then the marketplace can decide if it wants to support both (Betamax or VHS anyone) or, as happened, one wins out. If Mr. Jobs is wrong about Flash then Apple can change their mind and work with Adobe to put Flash on iOS or they can watch their sales dwindle, drop iOS devices and move on. It's their money and their gamble.

On the other hand if HTML5 et al wins out the Flash installs and software sales recede until it becomes the equivalent of Real Player. Then Adobe can find some other software to buy and move on.

Neither of us knows how it will turn out. But your screeds here certainly won't change anything.

This stupid thread is a waste of time and space.

Apple, please delete this thread. (he says rhetorically).

I'd say the amount of Flash content on the web has tripled.

So? I'd say the amount of non-Flash content on the web has way more than just "tripled". Probably closer to 100 times more non-Flash content in the same time scale.

Also, the amount of video in a format iOS devices can play (i.e. H.264 not Flash) has increased, while the amount of video in .flv format has decreased. And unlike, some people I can backup my statements with hard evidence from respected websites:

http://techcrunch.com/2010/05/01/h-264-66-percent-web-video/

randomManFromTheStands wrote:

Neither has the creation of Flash content. In fact since the first iPhone nearly 4 years ago which also didn't support it, I'd say the amount of Flash content on the web has tripled.

You would, would you? A totally unsupported statement which, even if true, is meaningless.

Flash not effecting iDevice sales != iDevice sales killing flash.

< +best greeted by confused shrugs+ >

Julian Wright wrote:

I'd say the amount of Flash content on the web has tripled.

So? I'd say the amount of non-Flash content on the web has way more than just "tripled". Probably closer to 100 times more non-Flash content in the same time scale.

Also, the amount of video in a format iOS devices can play (i.e. H.264 not Flash) has increased, while the amount of video in .flv format has decreased. And unlike, some people I can backup my statements with hard evidence from respected websites:

http://techcrunch.com/2010/05/01/h-264-66-percent-web-video/

Julian,

Why haven't all the companies abandon Flash completely on their websites? Why am I seeing companies paying to maintain 2 sites; flash and non-flash based (simple or HTML 5 based) for iOS devices? Or keep the flash websites and then create apps to help iOS devices access their sites? Would there be more economic sense to just keep a HTML 5 site and be done with it, especially in this current economic recession?
And flash sites do not all have to be for videos only. There are sometimes sites that offer online form filling, ordering, monitoring, editing and photo access that need a flash capable browser.

Message was edited by: Coolmax

Why haven't all the companies abandon Flash completely on their websites?

Because, as I've said many times before, there are still instances where Flash is the best or only option for a particular type of site. However, as time goes on and other technologies and techniques come along, JavaScript engines get faster, there are less times where Flash is the only option.

I've been building websites for a living for over 10 years and we use Flash far less now than we did 5 years ago. That's partly because you can do some things more easily in jQuery etc. now, and partly because many of our clients specifically request a site without Flash elements.

Long before iOS devices existed, lots of companies maintained separate Flash and HTML sites. That's nothing new. Thankfully the "Flash Intro" fad has passed and you no longer have to click the "Skip" button to enter a site anymore.

And flash sites do not all have to be for videos only.

I know. But in the context of iOS devices (which is what we are discussing here), by far the most common complaint from users on these forums is that they cannot view some online videos without Flash installed.

I realize this is an Apple site but I'm curious what planet you guys live on? More than half the websites I go to on the iPad don't display them correctly, or at all, because of Flash.

Also just because a video is encoded in H264 doesn't mean it will play on an iPad.

I like my iPad and I think HTML5 will be great in about 2 years, but I enjoy the view from above the sand much better...

There are lots of cool things about the iPad, but the fact that it doesn't support Flash isn't one of them.