iPhone News Updated

Smokescreen brings Flash to the iPhone

Smokescreen brings Flash to the iPhone

A new software bundle called Smokescreen promises to bring Flash
animations and interactivity to the iPad and iPhone by converting them
into JavaScript on the fly.

Smokescreen is entirely written in JavaScript, and once running it
downloads the Flash SWF file, decompresses and interprets it, then
renders without recourse to any plug-in or Adobe product. The execution
speed is slow and the existing demonstrations are restricted to basic
animations, but it does work.

All that’s available right now is a
selection of animated
advertisements, including ones for Microsoft and the Batman
computer game, which demonstrate that the concept works but aren’t
exactly pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in Flash.

But then such advertisements make up the bulk of Flash content on the
internet, and if Smokesceen can’t replicate the interactivity of
Farmville then everyone could be a winner: Apple preserves its
application revenue stream while advertisers get to show animated
adverts without mucking about with HTML. But that’s forgetting that
Apple has plans for its own advertising revenue stream compete with
interactive animations, so even making basic animations work risks
annoying Cupertino.

Not that Smokescreen cares - its technology is entirely in
JavaScript, so it’s beyond the control of even Steve Jobs. The company
promises to open source the whole thing at some point soon, making money
from technical support and related services.

With basic animated content the technology works, but success will
depend on how well it performs with more complicated applications, and
on how Adobe feels about the whole thing. ®

[Thanks: http://www.theregister.co.uk]

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