Browsers and Flash

[MagicCottage]

On my desktop I love Chrome and Firefox equally.

So, what is the thinking behind the fact that in both cases for the Xoom both browsers do not support Flash? Firefox seem to be moving in that direction and Flash support is offered on some devices, but not tablets. Unfortunately, Flash is far from dead. I encounter many sites daily containing Flash and of course the biggest of these is probably the BBC iPlayer (hence putting this thread in non-us).

I would love to use Chrome particularly because it does whizz along on ICS and because of the syncing of bookmarks etc. but I am one of those people who find it so annoying to have to swap browsers to view any website containing Flash.

So what gives?

[Ads]

[robbage]

Firefox is still very much beta. According to Mozilla, the current version on the market isn't available for tablets.. it's definitely not available for my Xoom.
I find it annoying that websites use flash.

[zigackly]

Flash is dead. Long live HTML5. | ZDNet

An article from last November, but it explains what is going on now with Flash, Jelly Bean, Chrome and Firefox.

The same thing will happen on the desktop in the next six months.

[MagicCottage]

Now eight months into the twelve month prediction in that article and as far as I can see Flash is still very much here and no signs yet of the BBC letting go for the iPlayer or many websites that still use it.

[tedster]

Micro$oft tried it with that Silverlight junk too, that would have been "out of the frying pan and into the fire"!

The sooner we get rid of flash tho the better, for me.

[wooly]

I recently GEDified and did a factory reset before installing my apps, but before installing flash I tried the youtube app and was surprised that it ran perfectly well.
I had assumed youtube on the Xoom would use flash as it does on my PC.

I guess that means the youtube app uses HTML5 - correct?

[zigackly]

Now eight months into the twelve month prediction in that article and as far as I can see Flash is still very much here and no signs yet of the BBC letting go for the iPlayer or many websites that still use it.

It's in the post. When you have a desire for change from the major operating system and browser companies and also the owner of the format then it can only be a matter of time. For now though, flash works fine on Jelly Bean in the Android Browser or Dolphin, if you side load it.

I recently GEDified and did a factory reset before installing my apps, but before installing flash I tried the youtube app and was surprised that it ran perfectly well.
I had assumed youtube on the Xoom would use flash as it does on my PC.

I guess that means the youtube app uses HTML5 - correct?

YouTube mobile is HTML5 already, yes.

[huyi82]

Now eight months into the twelve month prediction in that article and as far as I can see Flash is still very much here and no signs yet of the BBC letting go for the iPlayer or many websites that still use it.

hence why android will be doomed when flash support is stopped, most websites still use flash, it will be a while before html 5 is used on all websites.

[zigackly]

hence why android will be doomed when flash support is stopped, most websites still use flash, it will be a while before html 5 is used on all websites.

I think it's more likely that websites will want to be compatible with more traffic actually, and flash support for desktops won't be around much longer either!

[MarkyPancake]

I would love to use Chrome particularly because it does whizz along on ICS and because of the syncing of bookmarks etc. but I am one of those people who find it so annoying to have to swap browsers to view any website containing Flash.

I can suggest two things that might help:

1) Try using ICS Browser+, it's a great browser based on stock but with some enhanced features, such as persistent user agent selection, and has bookmarks sync and Flash support.

2) When using a non-Flash supported brower, install an app called Flashify, which makes it a bit quicker to launch Flash content in an alternate browser.

I recently GEDified and did a factory reset before installing my apps, but before installing flash I tried the youtube app and was surprised that it ran perfectly well.
I had assumed youtube on the Xoom would use flash as it does on my PC.

I guess that means the youtube app uses HTML5 - correct?

YouTube has been delivering videos in alternate formats to Flash for quite some time, especially since YouTube has appeard on iOS.