Google launches tool to convert Flash into iPhone-friendly HTML5

By Aemon Malone June 28, 2011

Google Labs on Tuesday launched an experimental product that promises to convert .SWF files into HMTL5, making formerly-Flash files compatible with mobile devices that include Apple’s iPad and iPhone. The web-based tool, dubbed Swiffy, won’t convert pages that have .SWF embedded, rather individual Flash files must be uploaded to the site and Swiffy then spits out the HTML5 code. That makes the Swiffy more suited for developers rather than for anyone with an iPhone trying to watch a flash animation.

Swiffy, as the story goes, is the result of a Google intern “hacking around” last summer in an attempt to make Flash animations playable on mobile devices that don’t support Adobe’s Flash Player (Google didn’t explicitly say it, but we guess that Apple devices were targeted devices).

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In March, Adobe unveiled its own Flash-to-HTML5 conversion program called Wallaby. Wallaby, unlike Swiffy, which is web-based, required users to download a piece of software before they could run conversions. Google also notes that Wallaby’s converted product is able to be edited and reused whereas Swiffy produces a compressed format that can’t be easily edited. But that also means that Swiffy’s output file is only about 10 percent larger than the original .SWF file.

What does Adobe think of a third-party tool to convert its Flash files into HTML5? Google answered that very question:

“Adobe is pleased to see the Flash platform extended to devices which don’t support the Flash player. The result is that anyone creating rich or interactive ads can continue to get all the authoring benefits of Flash Pro and have the flexibility to run the ad in the Flash Player or HTML depending on what’s available on the system. Google and Adobe look forward to close collaboration around efforts like these.”

Google notes that Swiffy is still in its early stages and won’t necessarily work with all .SWF content, but should work nicely on Flash ads and animations. Swiffy is currently compatible with Webkit-based browsers: Safari, Mobile Safari and Chrome.

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Reddit acquires Alien Blue, relaunches iOS app with free upgrade

reddit acquires alien blue relaunches ios app free upgrade

Rather than developing an iOS application internally, Reddit purchased the most popular third party application for iPhone and iPad, Alien Blue. Branding and relaunching the application as the official Reddit client, Alien Blue’s sole developer, Jason Morrissey, will now work internally for the company. The previous version of the Alien Blue application has been removed from the App Store and the new version of Alien Blue is now available for download on both iPhone and iPad.

When speaking about the acquisition, Reddit Head of Strategic Partnerships Ellen Pao said "Our whole philosophy has been to give our users choice. We've got the reddit AMA app, and Alien Blue coming out… but we really want users to use whatever they want. We think Alien Blue is great, and it’s the most popular reddit app on iOS. We wanted to be able to offer it as a reddit app, and we wanted to help Jase with additional resources to do everything he wanted to do with it." Reddit representatives did not disclose any financial information related to the acquisition of the application.

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Wanna get humiliated on Tumblr? Steal this guy’s iPhone

What would you do if someone stole your phone? Well, you could report it to the police and take the proper precautions of disabling it remotely, as we strongly advise - you know, be responsible ... or you could get really mad and seek revenge over the Internet. This guy (or gal?) who started Ricardotheiphonethief.com has decided that humiliation is the best form of punishment.
Are these iPhone thieves?
The site's creator, who claims he was taking a "peaceful nap in a field whilst clutching" his iPhone 5 at Coachella earlier this year, woke up to find his phone was stolen. Some time later, iCloud notified him that his old iPhone "had been reconnected" and was now called "Ricardo y Reyna iPhone." Instead of getting worried about a stolen iPhone having access to his account, or notifying authorities, he decided to create a Tumblr and make fun of them.
So far, he's posted pictures of a couple apparently named Ricardo and Reyna, who appear to own the phone – and, of course, made fun of what they look like and where they go.
"These assholes must be the kingpins of the southern california black market iPhone racket, because apparently they can swing hawaiian vacations. DON’T GET THAT HAIR WET, REYNA!" he wrote on Oct. 22.
Are Ricardo and Reyna the actual phone thieves the victim is after? If so, they aren't too bright because they didn't even reset the phone they stole. However, it's more likely that they bought the phone from someone without knowing it was stolen. And if that's the case, this guy just made himself just about as much of an asshole as someone who would steal a phone. Redditors have spent some time debating the finer points of all this, as well.
Smartphone thievery is on the rise. In some cities, like New York and San Francisco, one third to one half of all crime is related to cell phone theft. I'm not sure starting a Tumblr really solves much. But hey, everyone needs to blow off steam, right?
What do you think? Is this right or wrong?

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Hands on: Zite has already created a Google Reader alternative

Ever since news of Google Reader’s impending destruction hit the Web, people who’ve made the RSS service a part of their everyday routine are making sure they’re taking all measures available to try and save it. Other companies are capable of designing a similar product, and Digg already stepped up to the plate with the announcement of intent to build its own Reader. Zite, on the other hand, decided to do more than just appeal to the Internet public by asking them what they want in an RSS reader - it decided it’s best to show disappointed Google Reader loyalists that it’s very easy to find a replacement; it only took them six hours to build one.
As a company that champions better news content discovery, it is probably in Zite’s wheelhouse to design a new RSS service that can take over the reigns for Google Reader. In an announcement on its blog, Zite offered short condolences for the exiting reader and hoped to keep the ball rolling by providing a simple guide for setting up its alternate solution. “Zite was able to pull this together so quickly because of how our backend works,” the blog post read.
Those who’ve used the Zite app before can attest to how easy it is to compile the most-read news all over the Web into one simple source, and adding your Google Reader account has always been an option that ultimately improves the quality of your news sources. The reader Zite built, however, is not heavily reliant on Google’s infrastructure.
Hands on: zitereader
I remember being a Google Reader user once, but I haven’t used it in months (okay, maybe more than a year). However, I would like to try and save the feeds I used to keep tabs on, so I decided to give the new Zite reader a whirl.

Upon installing and booting the Zite app, you are immediately asked to link some of your social media accounts to improve the content the app collects for you. In case you didn’t know, Zite takes pride in using algorithms that enhance your news browsing experience the more you use and interact with the app.