Regarding the Necessity of Flash

post from Daring Fireball on 15 January 2011 07:03:42 PM. © Daring Fireball

Haavard, of Opera Software, on the question of whether Chrome’s removal of H.264 support for HTML5 video is a step backward for “openness”:

One important thing to keep in mind is that Flash is alreadyubiquitous. If you want to do any kind of video on the web, you don’thave a choice. Flash is needed. However, the “battle” over HTML5 videois still raging. There is no clear winner, but with Google droppingthe closed H.264, it is much more likely that an open format willprevail in the end.
So the question of Google’s bundling of Flash is a red herring whichtakes away the focus from the real issue: Whether native video supportin browsers is based on open or closed technologies.

Regarding the “red herring” bit, MG Siegler responds:

The problem is that it isn?t a red herring. It?s just another, actually larger, issue which he?s sidestepping.

What I see as the glaring flaw in Haavard’s argument is this: “If you want to do any kind of video on the web, you don’t have a choice. Flash is needed.” iOS is existence proof that this is not true. It has no Flash, but plays plenty of video on the web. The reason it doesn’t need Flash, though, is because it supports H.264 in HTML5 video.

I.e., to be useful today, a web browser needs either (a) Flash or (b) H.264 with HTML5 video. Some browsers support both, but every browser needs at least one. In the name of “openness”, Opera, Mozilla, and now Chrome have chosen Flash.

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Read The Full Article:
http://my.opera.com/haavard/blog/2011/01/13/openness

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Speed PRO 1.3 released for iPhone - Adds
Pause/Resume Tracking

post from prMac on 15 January 2011 01:30:00 PM. © prMac

Austin based Mother Tucker, LLC announces Speed PRO 1.3, an update to their popular digital GPS speedometer for iPhones. Speed PRO is a GPS-based speedometer that allows users to track their current speed, average speed, top speed, distance traveled and elapsed time. Presenting information in an easy to read digital format, Speed PRO allows users to share speedometer images with friends as well as customize the colors of the interface. Version 1.3 introduces Pause/Resume tracking support.

Read The Full Article:
http://prmac.com/release-id-20618.htm

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Engadget on the iPad 2, iPhone 5, and Apple TV

post from Daring Fireball on 15 January 2011 12:04:33 PM. © Daring Fireball

Lots of interesting info here, including a purported SD card slot in the next iPad. If true, I’d think it’s so you can directly import photos and video from a camera, not for use as additional storage for the iPad itself:

From what we’ve been told, the thinner, sleeker tablet will sporta new screen technology that is akin to (though not the same as)the iPhone 4’s Retina Display and will be “super high resolution”(unlike reports to the contrary). The device will remain at 10inches but will now feature both front and rear cameras (not ahuge surprise), and… there’s an SD slot.

If the screen is higher resolution, my money is on the same physical size, at 2096 × 1536 resolution. It’s not about reaching some arbitrary pixels-per-inch resolution, but about being exactly double the pixel dimensions of the existing iPad, so that the math for scaling the UI works out. Just like the iPhone 4 — double the pixels in the same physical space. That many pixels on an iPad, though, would require a ton of RAM and one hell of a mobile video card. I hope it’s true, because it’d be beautiful, but I’ll believe it when I see it.

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Read The Full Article:
http://www.engadget.com/2011/01/14/exclusive-the-future-of-the-ipad-2-iphone-5-an
d-apple-tv-and/

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Read the Good News Bible on your iPhone and iPad

post from prMac on 15 January 2011 09:40:00 AM. © prMac

The Good News Bible has sold over 150 million copies worldwide, standing out as the first Bible translation to be both easy to read and authoritative. In this graphically rich interactive app you can easily select verses or search by keywords, as well as add notes and bookmark favourite passages within the Old and New Testament. The Good News Bible app is also packed with incredible added extras, including a scrolling illustrated Timeline of the Bible and much more.

Read The Full Article:
http://prmac.com/release-id-20617.htm

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Make Way for iPad - New Line Drawing Game

post from prMac on 15 January 2011 09:25:00 AM. © prMac

Dumadu Games, leading mobile game development company, launched Make Way for iPad on App Store around the world. Make Way is a new line draw game with interesting features for iPad. Make Way is an exciting line drawing game which is suitable for all age groups, all you need to do is apply your presence of mind and little bit logic.

Read The Full Article:
http://prmac.com/release-id-20634.htm

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iber4 releases Magnetball 1.1 - New Addictive
Game for iOS

post from prMac on 15 January 2011 09:00:00 AM. © prMac

Madrid based enterprise developer iber4 today announces Magnetball 1.1 for iOS devices. MagnetBall is played by bouncing iron balls straight at red magnets to get points. Each ball falls from above by gravitational force. As the player, you must bounce the ball using a steel bar. The bar is controlled by your finger sliding over the iPhone/iPod screen. Control can also be done easily by using a multi-touch interface, and serve to give enhanced angle and speed control.

Read The Full Article:
http://prmac.com/release-id-20611.htm

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CAZE announces Zero 5 Slim Matte Case for iPhone
4

post from prMac on 15 January 2011 08:25:00 AM. © prMac

CAZE today announced their Zero 5 UltraThin Matte case, a new addition to its World's Thinnest transparent case for iPhone 4. Zero 5 Matte for iPhone 4 has a soft matte finish coating which gives a good grip and nice feel for your hands. It's sleek, slim and form-fitting. It features a 0.5mm thinness and is made of lightweight, ultra strong and durable GRILAMID TR-90 material. It protects the sides of the iPhone by protruding slightly above the front screen.

Read The Full Article:
http://prmac.com/release-id-20616.htm

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TouchArcade rates GeoSpin Fast-Paced, Colorful
and Original

Lazrhog Games today announces GeoSpin 1.0, a fast, intuitive, tactile, and incredibly original puzzle game for iOS. An innovative mix of 2D and 3D, you control the orientation of an Archimedean solid geometric shape in 3D, and must grab the surrounding colored shapes to slot into their correct places. Race against your OpenFeint friends' times, shown each game, and see your worldwide ranking, per level, in-game.

Read The Full Article:
http://prmac.com/release-id-20615.htm

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Ringer goes on sale in the Mac App Store through
1/17/2011

Minneapolis based Pixel Research Labs has announced that Ringer, their iPhone ringtone creation tool, is on sale in the Mac App Store through 1/17/2011. Ringer allows users to choose any non-protected file from their iTunes library or any media file that can be opened by QuickTime and turn it into a unique ringtone. Press the create button, and Ringer will make the ringtone and automatically import it into iTunes where it will be ready to sync to the iPhone.

Read The Full Article:
http://prmac.com/release-id-20610.htm

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Animal Stickers for iPad Roars into App Store

Vancouver based Mind Juice Media today announces Animal Stickers 1.1 for iPad. "Animal Stickers" provides a virtual sticker book for kids that lets them create and share pictures with their friends and family. Kids can drag and drop cute stickers into the picture and move, rotate, flip and resize them easily. "Animal Stickers" is hours of fun and helps make that long car ride or that wait at the doctor's office more enjoyable for both parent and child.

Read The Full Article:
http://prmac.com/release-id-20612.htm

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