AS2 blues?

Handy little class converter for AS2 to AS3... 5etdemi

Google Map generator thingy...

http://www.map-generator.net/

Is Flash dead?

Since Apple refused to allow the Flash plug-in on their Safari browser for the iPhone and now iPad, suddenly everyone is questioning what Flash is good for. For the most part, these people are programmers who don't currently use Flash anyway. Their message is that Flash will die soon and everyone will be using HTML5 cause it is the new standard and it can do everything Flash can do.

At Milk Digital we have already been replacing Flash with jQuery for some elements that two years ago we would have built in Flash. However, these are simple things like an image carousel or a navigation device. (Example: Sydney Town Hall)

That said, whatever the future may bring when these HTML5 standards finally get sorted out (video in particular), it's irrelevant really for user in the here and now. Right now there are stacks of cool websites still using Flash video, tools and animation... and they are not just ad agencies or Nike websites. So thank goodness for all the tablets coming out that are sensibly using an Android OS. These products allow the use of Flash and other 3rd party plugins. Most have great hardware features as well, that are not restrictive and limiting.

Flash still has a place on the web today and it's future may well be more inclined toward offline applications - but in my humble opinion, as long as Adobe keep developing it, nothing beats the 'immersive' qualities for promotional or product driven websites of Flash, or the highly interactive games, applications and tools that have fast, cost effective development time.

>>>

For the skeptics, why not just checkout the Webby Award Winners. If you look at the list, over 70% of the award winning websites use Flash. The rest are essentially blogs! Or for some of the more arty farty amazing Flash websites, check out The FWA.

Here is my top 10 list of cool sites for Australian users (Not suitable for iPad's or iPhone's)

1. iView *
http://www.abc.net.au/iview/

2. Foxtel Programming Guide
http://www.foxtel.com.au/whats-on/tv-guide

3. Channel 10
http://ten.com.au/watch-tv-episodes-online.htm

 4. Sony Pictures
http://www.sonypictures.com/

5. Yahoo TV
http://au.tv.yahoo.com/plus7

6. Evony
http://www.evony.com

7. Wallace & Grommit
http://www.wallaceandgromit.com/

8. TED
http://www.ted.com/

9. SMH - Video Stories
http://www.smh.com.au

10. Rolex Sydney - Hobart Yacht Tracker
http://rolexsydneyhobart.com/yacht_tracker.asp


> What are your top Flash websites?


* I believe ABC are launching or have launched a non Flash version of streaming content.

UPDATE: Apple caves in and allows Flash developed games to be ported as apps to be sold via iTunes App store.

Way Back When?

I kept forgetting this link... so, this is for my bad memory. :-)
Check out how bad your clients websites looked in 2003!
> http://www.archive.org/web/web.php

iPad... not so good Al?

OK, so Nick in our office got an iPad today. It has potential... but not for me personally. After 5 minutes it stopped getting data from our wireless network? Perhaps fix needed there.

So anyway,  I jumped on the Apple website to check out the iPad specs and costs. Then noticed they were promoting the "New York Times" newspaper on the screen. Funny thing is, that paper uses Flash video! Oh!

But seriously, it does have some great business uses. It's just a shame a device with a screen this big does not allow the use of Flash!

Cool CSS Menu Examples

It is what it says... thanks to NOUPE!

Multilevel drop down menus
13 Javascript examples
7 advanced menus

Not all of these are that great... use for inspiration!

CS5 and iPhone... we knew it was too good to be true!

I had a few older posts about CS5 and the iPhone publish feature...

But it seems this is all off!

Very sad indeed! For as much as Flash may be able to be replaced in most websites with jQuery or HTML5... Flash will always have it uses. The fact that it can instantly publish a standalone exe for PC or MAC so easily makes touchscreens for events a dream. And there is some animation you just can't do with HTML5. We were really hoping we could easily port existing Flash jobs for the iPhone or iPad. Ah well... now do we really want to learn C?

Latest rumour is a court case between Adobe and Apple. Is Apple the new Microsoft??