Thread: Poor Flash Player(10.1) performance on Droid 2 raises concerns, Apple remains committed on the issue    

http://images.macrumors.com/article/...flash_fail.jpg

LAPTOP has been evaluating the performance of Adobe's Flash Player 10.1 on a number of different mobile devices, specifically focusing on how the multimedia player handles various content sources on the new Droid 2. With Apple CEO Steve Jobs' open letter published in late April claiming that Adobe had yet to deliver a Flash Player running well on a mobile platform, there has been considerable interest now that Adobe's much-hyped Flash Player 10.1 is finally making its way to platforms such as Google's Android. Based on LAPTOP's experience on the Droid 2, however, much still seems to be lacking.

I'm the last person on earth who wanted to believe Steve Jobs when he told Walt Mossberg at D8 that "Flash has had its day." I took it as nothing more than showmanship when Jobs shared his thoughts on Flash and wrote that "Flash is closed and proprietary, has major technical drawbacks, and doesn't support touch based devices." After spending time playing with Flash Player 10.1 on the new Droid 2, the first Android 2.2 phone to come with the player pre-installed, I'm sad to admit that Steve Jobs was right. Adobe's offering seems like it's too little, too late.
The report notes that some Flash content, particularly sites featured in Adobe's Flash showcase for mobile devices such as the Sony Pictures movie trailers site, does perform very well. But many others, including ABC.com and FOX.com, deliver jerky video and severe system lag and unresponsiveness.

The difference between the smooth Flash trailers on Sony.com, the jerky episode of CSI, and the system-stalling Flash video on Fox.com is that the smoother ones were optimized specifically for phone playback. But if content providers have to go back and optimize their videos for mobile platforms, one of the key benefits of mobile Flash - backward compatibility with millions of existing videos - is lost. If you're modifying your videos anyway, why not go the full monty and use an HTML 5 player instead of Flash?
When it comes to Flash-based games, LAPTOP found that many of the games are still designed for non-touch input, requiring keyboard presses and other actions that are simply not possible in the Flash Player mobile experience as currently implemented. Furthermore, simply attempting to load websites with Flash content resulted in slower loading speeds and even hangs that would make high-profile sites like The New York Times refuse to load.

Over three years after the launch of the original iPhone, it appears that Adobe has yet to find a way to deliver a quality Flash experience on mobile platforms. While the partial functionality Flash Player is currently capable of offering might be of use to some, the numerous performance issues and incompatibilities are certainly unlikely to convince Apple to embrace the technology. And it seems reasonable to assume that the longer it takes Adobe to develop a smoothly-functioning Flash Player for mobile, the more sites will make the transition to HTML5 and other accessible standards, reducing demand for the player.

Not even surprised to be honest. So, will the industry finally realize the future in HTML5 or are they going to keep struggling with Flash?

Did people really expect to be able to run 480p and up videos smoothly via Flash on a mobile device?

Also, go figure @ Maya making the thread.

Originally Posted by Kaisha

Did people really expect to be able to run 480p and up videos smoothly via Flash on a mobile device?

Also, go figure @ Maya making the thread.

I have zero problems with flash on my droid x which is exactly identical to the droid 2 hardware wise. This is strictly a droid 2 issue. Not a flash on a mobile device issue. Especially considering the droid one with an overclocked kernal and cpu has no issue with flash nor does the droid incredible.

Sent from my DROID X.

Originally Posted by Kaisha

Also, go figure @ Maya making the thread.

Keep in mind this wouldn't even be a thread without him involved, since no one cares.

So, will the industry finally realize the future in HTML5 or are they going to keep struggling with Flash?

fu·ture –noun
1.
time that is to be or come hereafter.
2.
something that will exist or happen in time to come: The future is rooted in the past.
3.
a condition, esp. of success or failure, to come: Some people believe a gypsy can tell you your future.
4.
Grammar.
a.
the future tense.
b.
another future formation or construction.
c.
a form in the future, as He will come.
5.
Usually, futures. speculative purchases or sales of commodities for future receipt or delivery.

Protip - We live in the present, and at last check Flash is still a major part of the internet in the present.

And for reference sake, New York Times (w/ Flash) loads just fine on my phone.

Even better than that is the fact that more often than not, my phone renders non mobile optmized sites just fine with 10.1 on my phone. Megavideo comes to mind. This isn't a flash issue, this isn't an android issue. Its I'm a motorola developer and decided to leave stock android for a software patent.

I did the whole wipe and install for froyo yesterday for my DX in all of 15min. I did the majority of it in my phone without even having to pull up more than my device as mass storage.

The fact that the droid 2 is failing is just a droid issue. And mobile issue is with shitty developers that have no clue about what they're doing only and only care that they get paid, rather than doing their job right. I'm sure I'd have no problem making a shitty HTML5 site that doesnt work either.

I took it as nothing more than showmanship when Jobs shared his thoughts on Flash and wrote that "Flash is closed and proprietary

lolololololol

tsk tsk tsk man you guys are like those fox news watchers at mcdonalds down here at AL.

Let go of the aging flash already.

Originally Posted by Mayareira

tsk tsk tsk man you guys are like those fox news watchers at mcdonalds down here at AL.

Let go of the aging flash already.

I've always wondered, what do Steve Jobs nuts taste like? They obviously have a permanent fixture in your mouth.

Originally Posted by Mayareira

tsk tsk tsk man you guys are like those fox news watchers at mcdonalds down here at AL.

Let go of the aging flash already.

I'll let go of Flash when something else comes along that can do everything Flash can, while still maintaining market penetration and being nice and compact in a single file.

Only thing HTML5 is good for atm is being a video player, and that's it. Everything else for it would rely on javascript.

Originally Posted by Kylewhataru

Flash still runs like shit on OSX and Linux desktops so I have very little confidence that they'll get it right on mobiles.

Obviously you need to stop living in the past and just start using HTML5 instead of Flash on Macs.

Originally Posted by Mayareira

tsk tsk tsk man you guys are like those fox news watchers at mcdonalds down here at AL.

Let go of the aging flash already.

You should probably stop gargling Steve Job's cock.

Originally Posted by Kylewhataru

I wouldn't have to if they learned to code. I can understand it taking time to work on mobiles but on fucking desktops? It's like they code for windows and send their stepchildren to code for everyone else.

So you're saying that they optimize the software for the largest marketshare and then poorly port it over to another OS?

Which is what probably 90% of developers the world over do, be it software or games.

The Market share on Macs is shit, and Adobe doesn't make money off of Flash. Given that Steve Jobs is ripping into Adobe, why should they give a flying fuck about making it run well?

Can't you just poach it the interwebs? I'm running the final release version of 10.1 that at last check is still only for the Nexus One on my Evo.

Originally Posted by Mayareira

http://images.macrumors.com/article/...flash_fail.jpg



Not even surprised to be honest. So, will the industry finally realize the future in HTML5 or are they going to keep struggling with Flash?

Why am I not surprised that YOU made this thread?

Originally Posted by Kylewhataru

I wouldn't have to if they learned to code. I can understand it taking time to work on mobiles but on fucking desktops? It's like they code for windows and send their stepchildren to code for everyone else.

It doesn't work well on OpenGL period. Plenty of that blame sits squarely on the support that's actually out of OpenGL, and within OSX and most linux distros.

Its not entirely Adobe's fault.