Linked List: October 5, 2009

Monday, 5 October 2009

There doesn’t seem to have been any mention of it at Adobe’s MAX conference, but the best Flash-related technology in recent years continues to improve. ClickToFlash is an open source web content plugin for Mac OS X that blocks all Flash content on web pages by default. As the name implies, if you do want to load a Flash element, just click it. I give ClickToFlash my highest recommendation — everyone should install it.

Palm’s WebOS Developer Announcements ★

MG Siegler, reporting from Palm’s developer event:

The first is that they’re allowing developers to fully distribute their apps via the web. What this means is that developers can simply submit their apps to Palm, and Palm will return to them a URL that they can then blog, tweet, do whatever they want to share it. When a person then clicks on that URL they can easily install the app. And while Palm is providing the URL, it is not going to be reviewing the apps in any way — a clear dig at Apple’s approval process.

This is a good opportunity for Palm. Perhaps being more open than Apple isn’t going to help them, but it certainly isn’t going to hurt.

Update: Extensive follow-up from Siegler here.

Adobe Promoting Flash for Mobile Platforms ★

Marin Perez, reporting for InformationWeek:

Flash technology is nearly ubiquitous around the Web and it is used by popular sites such as YouTube, Hulu, and MLB.com. But one of the main criticisms of Flash on smartphones is that it is too resource-intensive and can slow down a device or drain its battery.

This is actually one of the main criticisms of Flash on Mac OS X, too. The other, of course, is that it’s crashy. Other than poor performance, memory consumption, and crashiness, though, Flash is well-regarded.

Adobe will be releasing a public developer beta for Windows Mobile, Palm webOS, Windows, Macintosh, and Linux later this year. The company also said public betas for Android, BlackBerry, and Symbian mobile devices will hit in early 2010. Adobe expects mobile devices to be released with full Flash support in the first half of next year.

The only major smartphone platform missing from Adobe’s roadmap is the iPhone.

Missing it will remain, I think. I don’t see how anything has changed since I wrote “Flash on iPhone Political Calculus” back in February 2008.

BlackBerry Desktop Software Syncs With iTunes ★

Someone should send this link to Palm.

What an Apple Job Offer Looks Like ★

Glyph:

When the real, physical offer letter and associated paperwork arrived, I was highly amused to see that it has the same graceful design, fit and finish that they devote to many of their products. So I thought it deserved the same sort of review that their other products might get.

I’m surprised that anyone is surprised by this.

Adobe’s Flash for iPhone Developer FAQ ★

From the FAQ:

Can I run content created with Flash in the iPhone simulator on Mac?
No. Flash content created for the iPhone will not run within the iPhone simulator on Mac.

That’s because the Simulator runs x86 binaries, but Adobe’s compiler only produces ARM code.

Can I use native iPhone OS Controls in my Flash based iPhone content?
No.

Not surprising. I’m guessing this will mostly be used to make games anyway.

Adobe MythHackers ★

Be warned: Microsoft-level of corniness.

Overview of How the Flash iPhone Compiler Works ★

If you guessed “LLVM”, you get a point:

We created a new compiler front end that allowed LLVM to understand ActionScript 3 and used its existing ARM back end to output native ARM assembly code. We call this Ahead of Time (AOT) compilation—in contrast to the way Adobe Flash Player and Adobe AIR function on the desktop using Just in Time (JIT) compilation. Since we are able to compile ActionScript to ARM ahead of time, the application gets all the performance benefits that the JIT would offer and the license compliance of not requiring a runtime in the final application.

Flash CS5 Will Build Native iPhone Apps ★

John Nack:

Today at Adobe MAX, the company announced that Flash tools will be able to build applications for iPhone that can be distributed through Apple’s App Store. A beta version of Flash Professional CS5 with this new capability is planned for release later this year. These aren’t Flash SWF files, they’re native iPhone apps.

This is not a port of the Flash runtime. You can’t use this to load Flash content over the web. What it means is that Flash developers can export native iPhone apps — compiled ARM binaries in .ipa packages — which can then be submitted to Apple through the normal App Store process. There are already seven such apps (built using beta versions of the new Flash developer tools) available in the App Store.

This is very interesting technology. But that Adobe would go to this length suggests that they suspect that Apple will never allow the Flash runtime on the iPhone.

Reaping What You Sow ★

Joan Biskupic, reporting for USA Today:

Retired Supreme Court justice Sandra Day O’Connor says she regrets that some of her decisions “are being dismantled” by the current Supreme Court.

That’s rich, considering which way she voted on Bush v. Gore.

Apple Resigns From Chamber of Commerce Over Emission Regulations ★

Kate Galbraith, for the NYT’s Green Inc. weblog:

Apple has become the latest company to resign from the United States Chamber of Commerce over climate policy.

“We strongly object to the chamber’s recent comments opposing the E.P.A.’s effort to limit greenhouse gases,” wrote Catherine A. Novelli, the vice president of worldwide government affairs at Apple, in a letter dated today and addressed to Thomas J. Donohue, president and chief executive of the chamber. Click here to read the letter.

Good for them.

Vonage Releases Calling Apps for iPhone and BlackBerry ★

Jenna Wortham:

On Monday, Vonage, the Internet telephony company, is releasing a mobile application for BlackBerrys, iPhones and iPod Touches. The application, which is free, will allow users to place low-cost international calls over Wi-Fi and cellular voice networks.

Wait a minute, I thought VOIP was only allowed over Wi-Fi for iPhone apps?

Update: Looks like it’s not VOIP over the cellular network. From MacRumors:

iPhone users calling international numbers via the Vonage Mobile application on a cellular network are automatically connected to Vonage’s network and utilize only domestic airtime minutes on their carrier while paying Vonage’s international rates for the calls from a prepaid, automatically refillable account.

So when not on Wi-Fi, you have to place a regular voice call.

CNet Asks: Is the iPhone Hurting AT&T’s Brand? ★

You can’t make this shit up:

While a recent survey by the consulting firm CFI Group found that iPhone users are the most loyal smartphone users with 90 percent saying they’d recommend the device to a friend, half of all iPhone owners surveyed said they would like to jump ship to another provider if given the chance.

So it makes sense to ask if it’s the iPhone hurting AT&T’s brand… how?

Closed Border, Closed Economy, Closing Opportunities ★

David Eaves on the “harrowing experience” of entering the United States as a tourist or visitor.

iSinglePayer App Now in App Store ★

Remember iSinglePayer, the app promoting U.S. healthcare reform which was rejected by Apple for being “politically charged”? It’s now available in the App Store.

Adam Lisagor on Harman Kardon Soundsticks ★

I use a set of Soundsticks of similar vintage here at my desk. I too adore them.

New York Times on the Quest for a Tablet Computer ★

Brad Stone and Ashlee Vance survey the history and future of the tablet form factor. Some great stuff, including a rare on-the-record statement from a former Apple engineer who’d worked on prototypes back to 2003:

“It couldn’t be built. The battery life wasn’t long enough, the graphics performance was not enough to do anything and the components themselves cost more than $500,” said Joshua A. Strickon, a former Apple engineer whose name is on several of the company’s patents for multitouch technology.

And this gem:

Another former Apple executive who was there at the time said the tablets kept getting shelved at Apple because Mr. Jobs, whose incisive critiques are often memorable, asked, in essence, what they were good for besides surfing the Web in the bathroom.

Stanley Kubrick’s Napoleon: The Greatest Movie Never Made ★

And on the other side of the pond, Jeff Dawson writes for the Sunday Times of London on Taschen’s imminent set of books on Kubrick’s unrealized Napoleon epic. Not sure why they put a question mark in the headline.

In the man’s own words:

“It has everything a good story should have. A towering hero, powerful enemies, armed combat, a tragic love story, loyal and treacherous friends, and plenty of bravery, cruelty and sex.”

(Thanks to DF reader Joe Soave.)

‘Nothing if Not Meticulous’ ★

On our side of the pond, Alice Rawsthorn writes for the Sunday New York Times fall design magazine on Arne Jacobsen’s timeless 1957 flatware, chosen by Stanley Kubrick for use by the astronauts in 2001. (Via Jim Coudal.)

Canabalt ★

Fantastic new $3 iPhone game. Super-simple, pixel-perfect, great music and sound. It’s an official port of this free Flash version. (I find the iPhone version, with a narrower aspect ratio and therefore less look-ahead, more challenging.)

Apple Files Suit Over Australian Retailer Woolworths Logo ★

Not that similar to my eyes, but this might be one of those things where Apple is obligated to fight just to protect their own trademark.