Backpedaling has begun - Thanks to Netflix & ABC

Huh? Hasn't Netflix "Watch Instantly" been non-Flash for a couple years now?

miles01110 said:

Huh? Hasn't Netflix "Watch Instantly" been non-Flash for a couple years now?

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Yes, but Netflix and ABC being on the iPad goes another step in debunking the overall theory that you can't watch video on the iPad unless it's from iTunes.

It's the main complaint about not having Flash.

miles01110 said:

Huh? Hasn't Netflix "Watch Instantly" been non-Flash for a couple years now?

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Correct. They're Silverlight now.

I'll be interested to see how they implement the app. Since it won't be Silverlight you can bet there will be a lot of people trying to figure out how to hack and capture the stream.

What do you guys think of Silverlight?

I have never had any particular problems with it, but really don't understand what exactly it is.

Apple allows Silverlight but not Flash?

Dont forget...even though its not an app, CBS TV Shows will be viewable through Safari now also as they have shifted to HTML5

wrxdrunkie said:

What do you guys think of silverlight?

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I have had no problems with it, in fact, it seems to be quite good. I would prefer Apple to support it over Flash!

I do love that they approved the netflix app so the idiots that comment on engadget with comments like "It'll never be on the iphone cause then people wouldnt spend money in itunes and apples greedy" have nothing to say or will look even more ignorant when they dont even know that and still say it.

wrxdrunkie said:

What do you guys think of Silverlight?

I have never had any particular problems with it, but really don't understand what exactly it is.

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Silverlight on the PC has issues. PCs with higher end Nvidia cards experience video tearing. It's VERY annoying. I have a HTPC and fast moving scenes have lines through them. The problem has existed for quite a long time and they still haven't resolved it.

Apple allows Silverlight but not Flash?

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It won't be Silverlight. Silverlight is a product of Microsoft. They're be using some other method that the OS supports.

avaloncourt said:

It won't be Silverlight. Silverlight is a product of Microsoft. They're be using some other method that the OS supports.

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You do know that there is a very good chance that Apple is going to replace Google with Bing in the iphone/Safari ecosystem...They do work with each other from time to time.

glowrider said:

You do know that there is a very good chance that Apple is going to replace Google with Bing in the iphone/Safari ecosystem...They do work with each other from time to time.

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That's a rumor that has kicked around for some time and it's never been tied to any real indication of truth. I think Steve's public show sitting outside with Eric Schmidt was a PR event to show that they don't completely hate each other.

I can't see them parting ways. It's closely integrated to the OS so much so that they have their own rules about how Google data is to be used. Developers would scream bloody murder if they lost their Maps API tie to Google.

There are already apps that use Bing maps.

If Apple sees Android as a major threat (and by all accounts it is already a thorn in the side), they surely can pull the plug.

The fact that it is even rumored and Apple and MSFT have been playing pretty well together lately should show you that relationships are mercurial. This is business, they will do what makes sense for the shareholders in the end, and if that means making deals with Microsoft over Google, so be it. But to out and out say that they won't deal with Microsoft because, well, they're MSFT, is shortsighted and misinformed.

Yeah, post here in a year when nothing has changed.

There will be enough people banging away at the iPad stream to figure it out. They'll know very quickly if it's Silverlight or not.

LadyHoneyBabe said:

So is Netflix and ABC using HTML5?

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If you are referring to their apps, there is no need to use HTML at all, they can just stream the movies directly using whatever format they want (that the iPad can play).

Keep in mind that HTML5 is not a video format; it is just the new web markup language that has tags to support certain video formats (currently h.264 and Ogg).

Silverlight http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microsoft_Silverlight

TLDR: its a .net framwork application development platform. The new windows phone 7 will use it as do a few web based applications. It was originally used for video but is now a bit more full featured like XNA also based on .net aka Microsoft development platform.

Chances are Netflix is streaming video in some other format, probably not html5 since that is more appropriate for a browser (though they could just be plugging into safari but then why bother with the app).

admanimal said:

If you are referring to their apps, there is no need to use HTML at all, they can just stream the movies directly using whatever format they want (that the iPad can play).

Keep in mind that HTML5 is not a video format; it is just the new web markup language that has tags to support certain video formats (currently h.264 and Ogg).

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Likewise, Silverlight is not a video format, it is just an application framework (like Flash) that runs inside a browser. The actual content of the Netflix streams is described here: http://blog.netflix.com/2008/11/encoding-for-streaming.html

Netflix has quite a few differently encoded streams that they could send to the iPad, perhaps they will discuss it in their blog at some point.

CoreyMac said:

Dont forget...even though its not an app, CBS TV Shows will be viewable through Safari now also as they have shifted to HTML5

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NBC.com also works on the iPhone now too btw...

LadyHoneyBabe said:

One of the biggest complaints for the iPad is the lack of flash. To many people, no flash means, no movies and now that Netflix and ABC have apps for the iPad, news articles are starting to say...



Maybe more people will start to realize what many of us already know...the iPad is changing mobile computing. And yes, SJ knows what he's doing.

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They realize it, but they won't admit to it. They have jumping on the "you can't view 75% of the web without flash" bandwagon for so long they don't know anything else to say. They are lemmings that bitch about Apple's "closed garden" policies all the while supporting one of the most closed web based delivery systems on the web. (Flash)

Clueless people don't "understand" they follow whatever the mob is ranting about.

As to the changes for NBC, CBS and ABC app, along with Netflix app, very promising. Also proving Apple isn't keeping all these media outlets off of iTunes so they can make more money off selling movies and TV shows. These types of apps SELL MORE iPads. If anyone pays attention to Apple's financial reports HARDWARE is nearly 90% of Apple revenue and profit. iTunes is simply a means to an end. The better quality apps the more people will check out iPod touches, iPhones and iPads.

Flash isn't just for ads or youtube like people like to think. I am in the Marine Corps and we have online training classes that use flash for their content presentations. The DOD uses flash for a lot of their online training.

If the iPad had flash support I could ditch my netbook for on the go training. Don't get me wrong, I have bought one but flash would have been nice to have.

CylonGlitch said:

I have had no problems with it, in fact, it seems to be quite good. I would prefer Apple to support it over Flash!

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Support a product? GASP!

I wish it had flash, I think it's a mistake not to support it as it's going to put a damper on the web experience. Just because ABC and a few others are adding html5 content doesn't help with the other million or so websites out there...You will realize just how many things on the internet use flash once you don't have it.

I am really happy about the netflix app though never thought i'd see that. So that is at least a step in the right direction and I don't really think the flash thing is over yet, once enough people realize how much they are missing without flash compared to their desktop browsing their will be alot of people complaining and I think Apple will have alot of pressure to allow flash on the device otherwise they will lose customers to other devices that support flash as they become available much like they have been losing alot of customers to Android on their phones.

Definitely going to enjoy the ipad for now though even without flash, have been waiting for a device like this for a long time will be awesome to see what the competition brings in the future as well.

bluehaze013 said:

I wish it had flash, I think it's a mistake not to support it as it's going to put a damper on the web experience. Just because ABC and a few others are adding html5 content doesn't help with the other million or so websites out there...You will realize just how many things on the internet use flash once you don't have it.

I am really happy about the netflix app though never thought i'd see that. So that is at least a step in the right direction and I don't really think the flash thing is over yet, once enough people realize how much they are missing without flash compared to their desktop browsing their will be alot of people complaining and I think Apple will have alot of pressure to allow flash on the device otherwise they will lose customers to other devices that support flash as they become available much like they have been losing alot of customers to Android on their phones.

Definitely going to enjoy the ipad for now though even without flash, have been waiting for a device like this for a long time will be awesome to see what the competition brings in the future as well.

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Can you tell me exactly what you're referring to? YouTube (has dedicated app replacement), Hulu (impending app development/release, possibly subscription based), flash games (app store with 150K apps.. I'm sure there's something comparable), adverts (nothing needs to be said here), what exactly am I missing here?

bossxii said:

They realize it, but they won't admit to it. They have jumping on the "you can't view 75% of the web without flash" bandwagon for so long they don't know anything else to say. They are lemmings that bitch about Apple's "closed garden" policies all the while supporting one of the most closed web based delivery systems on the web. (Flash)

Clueless people don't "understand" they follow whatever the mob is ranting about.

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Blah - overgeneralization. You could easily say that the apple supporters who believe steve can do not wrong all use groupthink (sorry - your word was lemmings) and regurgitate this mantra "YouTube (has dedicated app replacement), Hulu (impending app development/release, possibly subscription based), flash games (app store with 150K apps) etc to justify why flash isn't needed.

If flash were available on the iPad and there was an option to turn it off - I don't think a SINGLE person would have a complaint.

People aren't clueless, my friend. Don't make sweeping generalizations unless it helps you sleep at night. A lot of people - and well educated people understand the situation very well. That doesn't mean they have to like it anymore than those that do. You're not special because you hate flash or don't need it. And those that do wish it was on the device to play their games, visit movie sites or whatever reason aren't stupid or LEMMINGS for wanting to do so.

But enjoy your bubble.

bluehaze013 said:

You will realize just how many things on the internet use flash once you don't have it.

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I've been using ClickToFlash for months, and I couldn't be happier.
I don't miss Flash at all.