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Google Swiffy extension exports Flash to HTML5, ActionScript fans rejoice
If you were bummed that you'd have to pick up some new coding skills when Adobe announced that Flash for mobile was finito, cheer up friends. Harken back to the summer months when Google unveiled its Swiffy conversion tool that turns those aging SWF files into browser friendly HTML5 animations. Now the folks in Mountain View have created an extension for the Flash desktop app that allows you to export your working files to something a little more up to date with a single click -- or a combination of keystrokes for you pros. So if you're worried you'd have to brush up on your coding wizardry, it seems you're safe... for now. If you're sporting Flash CS4 or newer, hit that source link to download the goods.
Google unveils Swiffy: turns high maintenance Flash animations into HTML5
Still hanging on to those sweet site loaders hoping they'd be of use again someday? Perhaps the time has come -- for some ads and animations, that is. Google Labs has cooked up Swiffy, which takes an antediluvian SWF file and creates an HTML5 version that will run in most current browsers (Chrome and Safari, for example). The converted file is pretty close in size to the original; however, the company warns that the project is fresh out of the oven, so it won't convert your entire Flash library just yet. Even still, software that makes existing animations useful without starting from scratch? Sign us up! Check out the source link for the FAQs and some of Swiffy's handiwork, then test drive this bad boy yourself.
Smokescreen makes Flash content visible on iPhone and iPad (video)
Mind you, it's just a preview release, but Chris Smoak's Smokescreen does exactly what it promises: enable Flash content to play on Apple's iPod touch, iPhone, and iPad. Kind of. Here's how Smokescreen gets around using a Flash plugin as described by Simon Willison: "It runs entirely in the browser, reads in SWF binaries, unzips them (in native JS), extracts images and embedded audio and turns them in to base64 encoded data:uris, then stitches the vector graphics back together as animated SVG." While it works fine with simple animated banner ads (uh, huzzah!?), we found that Smokescreened Flash content like video and games was impossibly slow when tested on our iPhone 3G. Still, it's a start for this soon to be open sourced Flash player written in JavaScript. Check the video after the break for a demonstration or give it a go for yourselves by browsing over to the appropriate source link below.
iriver's Spinn hits the FCC, means nothing
Sure, it doesn't look like much thanks to the FCC's staunch aversion to photo glam, but that's iriver's Spinn PMP, a product which had us at a full, rigid swoon back at CES. While this would generally be good news, the model approved features a DAB radio and DMB television tuner -- in other words, it's not intended for US consumption. The user manual also confirms a FM radio, Mini SD slot, Bluetooth, D-Click System interface, 27 hours of audio and 5 hours of video, and support for SWF (Flash), TXT, MP3, WMA, OGG, JPG, AVI, MWV file formats. With FCC approval out of the way, the rumored UK August release date is presumably in the bag.
Tongfang PMC-V800 PMP plays Flash video
Like a thousand monkeys producing Shakespeare, eventually the endless tidal wave of generic PMPs from China had to result in something interesting, like Tsinghua Tongfang's PMC-V800. Not only does this 2.4-inch PMP sport FLV and SWF support, enabling it to play downloaded YouTube videos and Flash animations directly, it's also got mapping software, a karaoke mode, and USB On-The-Go -- all hiding behind a pretty slick "widgetized" interface. Sadly, additional video support is limited to AVI, MP4 and "HDTV," but all in all, it looks like a fairly decent player -- now if only we'd ever see it in the States.[Via PMP Today]
