How-to: Install Flash on your jailbroken iPad (for real)
By Nilay Patel 
posted July 7th 2010 12:18PM
posted July 7th 2010 12:18PM
0. Make sure your iPad is jailbroken. It's pretty easy -- just run Spirit and you're done.
1. Download Frash.deb and keep it nearby. [Update: We've been advised against hosting this ourselves, but it's not hard to find out there.]
2. Decide how you're going to get files onto your iPad. For Mac users, it's dead simple -- just install Netatalk, which will automatically pop up your iPad in the Finder's Sharing list. Windows users can try out this guide at iClarified to get OpenSSH installed and running and use WinSCP -- it's just as easy. Either way, the login is "root" and the password is "alpine." Remember, you can seriously screw things up while you're in there, so be careful!
3. Once you've got access to the iPad's filesystem, navigate to /var/root/Media as shown here:
5. Open the new Cydia folder and create another new folder called "AutoInstall"
6. Upload Frash to your new folder.
7. Restart your iPad a couple times.
8. You're set! Now just navigate to a page in Safari with non-video Flash content and hit the F logo to play it. Again, no video for now, but games and other simple content works. We did have a few crashes here and there, but it's early code, and things are bound to get better.
So there you have it -- Flash on the iPad (sans fluid video playback for now, of course). Try it out and let us know how it goes -- if you're having trouble, our tipster suggests using SBSettings or the respring app to restart the Springboard, but we didn't have too many problems without it. Just remember, you're doing this at your own risk, and you might well end up bricking your iPad and blowing up the universe with this stuff. If you're not feeling brave enough to muck around, here it is on video:
Thanks to Mike for sending along the info, and huge ups to Comex for developing Frash!
Hey,
thx for the really good news.
actually did someone tested smart.fm? if yes how is it running? i would be really happy if someone could test it,
thx!
I'm beginning to think that Apple not wanting Flash on iOS is just because they're butthurt that THEY didn't develop a worldwide web-standard plugin installed on 97% of all personal computers.
@n00neimp0rtant
Or, you know, cause it didn't exist when they wrote iOS.
@grahamj fck off and die alone
@Atro
The truth hurts huh? lol
@n00neimp0rtant
Calling Flash a web standard is pure blasphemy and should be punished with sending that person back to the dark ages.
Now if only I can jailbrake my iPad to walk and express love...
twitter @abefromthegrave
Works ok, not very touch sensitive, and once installed all videos are default to flash, even though they can't play yet. You have to uninstall frash through cydia to get youtube videos to work again...for now I guess.
"... what do you mean it has a bigger screen than an EVO 4g nothing has a bigger screen than an EVO running froyo. besides i are hazing more meggapicksells. did you see, mine is white too!"
Nice one....could anyone tell whats on Steve's mind..........
at last! hope its gonna be availible soon for the iphone
Any word on the battery life?
I'm surprised this didn't happen earlier... As in, soon after the first iPhone was released.
i dont want this abomination (flash) on my iPad ... ever
Right on.
@subtleinspiration
Alright, I take it back, perhaps the issue is comprehension.
1. What do bugs have to do with cross-platform development? You can't even keep track of what you're talking about over the course of a few messages, unbelievable!
2. You haven't expounded on anything, all you've done is fail to understand the concepts I've clearly explained to you. If you're incapable of that then I'll just stop wasting my time now.
3. You are continuously avoiding the point that mobile Flash didn't exist when iOS 1-3 (at least) were being developed. You can make up all the illusory reasons all you want but none of them change the fact that Apple cannot integrate technology that doesn't exist. What world is it you live in where this is possible? Yes it's out now so it remains to be seen what Apple does next but seeing as you can barely comprehend the present I find it unlikely that you can see the future.
4. I'm sure much of the world seems like nonsense to a child.
@grahamj I'm confident that your posts have so far spoken for themselves to people who know how to use their brain, so I have nothing more to say on the issue to you. You're obviously in lock-step with Apple's marching orders and nothing can be said to make any difference.
@subtleinspiration
I've been in tech almost as long as Jobs so I'm perfectly capable of coming to my own conclusions. My comment on page 8 about disagreeing with Apple's decision to ban apps using the Flash compiler is just one piece of evidence to that effect.
Anyone with a brain can see that you were simply unable to counter my challenge to your original assertions, instead trying to put words in my mouth and resorting to feeble name calling. Come back when you have the knowledge necessary to back up your claims.
It could always run Flash. Apple simply refuses to let the Flash player run on iOS because they believe it takes too much battery life. i say that doesn't matter, I'm the one buying that $500 thing and I want Flash!
I'd love to do this, but I can't get my iPad to show up after installing Netatalk! Any suggestions? Installed it on my iPad, is there one I install on my Mac as well?
Great so now thanks to Steve we run the risk of messing up our toy by implementing somewhat pirate-like tactics... instead of just having a real release by Adobe.. GOOD JOB STEVE... Maybe you need to eat more to get some sugar to your brain and think more clearly. I'm not sure why Apple did not just include something in the line of: ClickToFlash... instead of banishing it.. for that very reason it sure appears this dictatorial decision is more political than technical concerns for people's battery life and so on... As end users we are punished all the time, just like the situation of many years of no cam support for MSN on Mac (without a single explanation to be found anywhere). If you're going to fight wars tech.corps, try and spare the end users somewhat !!! This is getting old !!! Remember WE PAY YOU not the other way around.
...as for Apple and open standards lol GIMME A FREAKIN' BREAK.. the company that dominates the mp3 world with its iTunes dictatorship... the company that brings us iPhone apps.. that only work on iPhones.. the company that spread Quicktime far and wide.. is going to give the world lessons about openness ?!? There never will be truly open standards, or rather they will never really completely take over... for a very simple reason.. the human (monkey) psyche does not work that way... the day it does we stop incarnating on this plane...
You had to go on Homestar Runner?
just installed. works great! and i like that you have the option.
can someone PLEASE tell me where to find the correct frash.deb file???