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Flash for Android hacked into iPad

updated 06:25 pm EDT, Sun July 4, 2010

Frash brings unofficial Flash to iPad


Well-known iOS jailbreaker Comex has proven Flash can run on the iPad through Frash. The unofficial mod converts Flash 10 for Android through a translation layer that lets a jailbroken iPad use Adobe's plugin through Safari. From a hands-on video (below), it not only appears to run smoothly but includes audio and keeps working properly even after resizing the view.

The demo somewhat disproves Apple's claims about Flash not running well on iOS devices, although Comex admits the plugin needs further work before it's stable. Battery life also wasn't tested, and interface issues are evident in the demo when Comex loads the game Alien Hominid; without a hardware keyboard, the game isn't playable.

Frash should be available in a more polished form once it's been rendered stable. A version has already been shown in the past for the iPhone, but whether it too will get a port would depend on how well Frash can work inside iOS 4. Apple hasn't completely ruled out the prospect of an official Flash implementation but has said it would either have to wait until it runs efficiently or if there was significant demand. [via Redmond Pie]


By Electronista Staff

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TAGS :  

iPhone, software, Adobe, Flash, mobile phones, Apple, iPad, iOS

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  1. wrenchy

    Fresh-Faced Recruit

    Joined: Nov 2009

    -34
    07/04, 06:51pm | report spam | (2 replies) | reply

    Whaaaaaa


    "Flash will never work on iOS"... TOO SLOW, TOO BUGGY, TOO RESOURCE DEMANDING.... WHAAAAAA.
    HTML 5 IS THE WAY OF THE FUTURE.... WHHHAAAAA..... STEVE JOBS SAYS SO.... WHAAAAAA.

    Is that so?

    Looks smooth to me.

    Looks like Stevie-Boy has a personal vendetta against Adobe. All the iFanbois are standing behind their cult leader, foaming at the mouth and ready defend him to the death.


  1. facebook_Kevin

    Via Facebook

    Joined: Jul 2010

    -9
    07/04, 06:54pm | report spam | reply

    It's quite simple, competition will make Apple do

    The fact is Apple will release Flash for the iPad and iPhone as competition builds.

    Until Droid/Google released their phones there really wasn't much in the way of true competition for Apple and they could live in their little universe.

    But as we can see with the new additions to the iPhone 4, and other nods of possible future changes, Apple is finally having to make these changes to stay competitive. I think that's awesome. This is why, as an Apple user, I love the Droid. It has the power to keep pushing Apple.


  1. Geoduck

    Fresh-Faced Recruit

    Joined: Jan 2010

    +27
    07/04, 07:45pm | report spam | reply

    Proves the point

    Comex admits the plugin needs further work before it's stable. Battery life also wasn't tested, and interface issues are evident in the demo when Comex loads the game Alien Hominid; without a hardware keyboard, the game isn't playable.
    >
    Battery life, instabilities, and Flash assumes a keyboard. That's what Apple was saying. This proves Apple is right. They never said it WOULDN'T play. They said it would not give a good user experience which is EXACTLY what this report shows.

    As far as Apple having to give in to the competition and adopt Flash, have you been reading the news? Nearly every week some major site announces they will be offering HTML5 either as an alternative or just moving completely that direction. In a few years Flash will only be used for what it was intended for: a few animations and some web games. It won't be such a absolute necessity for surfing the web. I won't mourn the change at all. I'm not a coder, I do and have run web servers for a long time. All I know of Flash was the problems it caused.

    BTW why does the video title sat Frash instead of Flash?


  1. facebook_Thomas

    Via Facebook

    Joined: Jul 2010

    +19
    07/04, 08:05pm | report spam | reply

    This ran way better

    Then the demo google had for flash on their nexus one. Its funniny that a hack of the plugin runs better on the iPad then the true effort of its intended platform which if i remember was the latest greatest Android software on the latest greatest Andrpid hardware which the 1Ghz snapdragon CPU. So how is it Apples hardware runs flash better?

    There is still way to many issues to implement full flash on a touch device but at least this little tid bit shows us that Apples hardware is faster with graphics then Android phones.


  1. tightzeit

    Fresh-Faced Recruit

    Joined: Jul 2006

    0
    07/04, 09:26pm | report spam | reply

    Re: Proves the point

    http://github.com/comex/frash


  1. JeffHarris

    Fresh-Faced Recruit

    Joined: Oct 1999

    +8
    07/05, 02:38am | report spam | reply

    Hax Prove Nothing

    The whole point is to move beyond having to rely upon third party add-ons & plug-ins for rich media content online. While praying that those things are kept current and updated in a timely manner.

    Adobe has proven to Apple over and over and over again that they cannot be trusted to deliver timely updates that support the latest technologies and hardware. It's a poor track record of over 10 years!

    Adobe isn't the only culprit, just the one with highest visibility... AND the one that cries the loudest!

    Since I got my iPad on Day One, I've noticed more and more sites, if not completely switching, then adding HTML5 compliant pages for Safari and iOS devices... Like the Versus Tour de France Tour Tracker page, with live streaming video, etc..(yes, it's a paid service, but for someone who cut cable TV service nearly a year ago, it's a nice thing to have available)

    Over all, It's an excellent sign that users really can make a difference.

    Sent from my iPad


  1. chas_m

    Fresh-Faced Recruit

    Joined: Aug 2001

    +13
    07/05, 02:42am | report spam | reply

    Not Sure

    Not sure what the point of this article is. I think anyone with half a brain could figure out that Flash *could* run on an iOS device; Apple has never said its impossible at all, and of course the iOS is very flexible so this was never what was keeping Flash off iOS devices.

    As Jobs and Apple have stated numerous times, what's keeping Flash off iOS devices is: stability, efficiency, and battery life. If anything, Frash proves that Apple was right to keep it off -- Frash uses a hack of a more advanced "mobile version of Flash" than anything out there right now, and it still isn't stable. And battery life wasn't tested (but I'll give you a hint). And while we're at it, let's find out how efficient it is (again, guess).

    Apple and Jobs have both said -- repeatedly -- that WHEN Adobe produces a quality, efficient, stable Flash, they'd be happy to have it. So far, I've seen NOTHING that "disproves Apple's claims."


    Comment buried. Show
  1. nomadman

    Fresh-Faced Recruit

    Joined: Aug 2008

    -18
    07/05, 02:58am | report spam | (1 reply) | reply

    No, the point is

    that Apple has been lying to us. If the plugin can run decently on the device, then the whole performance excuse is bogus. This is a hack mind you, with Apple's cooperation, this could have been a stable plugin, long, long time ago. For instance, Adobe has only been able to work hardware acceleration into the technology for the last couple of months--a reason the Windows version is faster. The market should decide when a technology is done with, and flash is still a huge chunk of the market. Apple's decision has nothing to do with performance and lots to do with platform control. No company should try to change a competitive market arbitrarily to its own gain. Consumers should decide what is and what is not acceptable. Stevie's little caprice is costing a lot of companies a lot of money and even a lot of people their jobs. I hope the flash issue is Stevie's achilles heel finally. BTW, I only own and use Apple computers and devices as I have for a decade, but unreasonable and authoritarian is unreasonable and authoritarian no matter where it comes from.


  1. facebook_Jane

    Via Facebook

    Joined: Jul 2010

    +2
    07/05, 04:53am | report spam | reply

    Flash in iPad

    Good hack. Wish Adobe can do a similar accomplishment when managing Flash interfaces with other platforms. The way they are handling things now with Win 7 64bit platform is simply unacceptable.

    From: http://www.best-buy-ipad.com


  1. iphonerulez

    Fresh-Faced Recruit

    Joined: Nov 2008

    +4
    07/05, 07:59am | report spam | reply

    "Runs decently" is a personal opinion

    Some people will settle for anything. To me "runs decently" may be translated as "barely adequate". It doesn't matter what I think. Apple is calling the shots for their tens of millions of iDevices and the hapless consumers. Apple is the one that's going to have the headaches if there are problems. And after hearing from all the pricks out there on the iPhone 4 antenna issue, I can gather that any small problem will be escalated into a disaster of biblical proportions. Any jackasses that want to hack their iDevices are welcome to do it at their own risk. I don't want Apple putting any marginal Flash software on any iOS device if they can possibly help it. I don't care what reason Apple is keeping Flash off its mobile platform is. I've already determined that I can do without it as long as the larger sites make provisions to use alternative solutions to Flash. I've plenty of patience and if HTML5 adoption takes time, then that's how it will have to be.


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