Two of the ten things we hate about BlackBerrys are the BlackBerry Browser and the fact that you cannot play YouTube videos on the device. If Research in Motion were to add Adobe’s Flash Lite to the BlackBerry you would be able to play YouTube videos and the BlackBerry Browser wouldn’t be as horrible as it is today.
I bring this question up because Adobe and Microsoft are expected to announce today that MS has signed a license deal to use Flash Lite in Windows Mobile.
The bigger question for the BlackBerry, however, is could the BlackBerry even run Flash Lite? I remember back when I first started getting into the BlackBerry one of the biggest knocks was that it just didn’t have enough processing power to run some of the cooler apps that you saw on Windows Mobile and Palm devices.
Today, the BlackBerry’s horse power really isn’t the question, but, the BlackBerry OS. I’ll leave that, however, to another post.
If the BlackBerry is capable of running Flash Lite should it be something that RIM looks to add?
It seems to me like it wouldn’t as simple as just adding Flash to the BlackBerry. The browser would have to be totally rewritten. I don’t think that you will see anything like this for some time to come.
It would be cool to see Flash in the BBies… but I’m thinking that Treo Hater is right. It would take awhile for them to re-write the browser.
nah… blackberry will very quickly be left in the dust. It is a shame really
I have no idea how this would work technically, but it really needs to happen!
I agree with Treo Hater, I’d think that they need to redo the browser in order to make it flash compliant. No time soon on it’s capability, at least with the current browser. Security may also come into play here as well…
As to Keith’s post, not sure how it would be left in the dust? By the iPhone? Apple already announced that they will not support it on the iPhone. Their relationship with Adobe is already a rocky one to begin with. And I’m not sure why Flash would be a major issue anyway…
Technically, I don’t think you need Flash to run YouTube on the device (I could be wrong…need to check it further), but some of the other issues I’d think that could come into play is Flash Lite loading and running and hitting the memory on the BB. Got enough memory leaks on the BB to crash it. I think BB need to add more internal storage or allow mail to be stored on the card along with the calendar and contacts in order to run certain apps effecitvely on the device.
I think adding flash would be the best thing that happened to Blackberry. I almost went with iPhone because I could watch video on it but went with the curve instead for email. Its my 4th BB but if iPhone comes down it might be all over.
I just bought the new 8830 and I am hoping an software update will make this happen. iPhone is very close to taking over if they get a bit more functionality (imo).
We need flash if bbies to last in this life
I keep hearing the argument that Flash isn’t a web standard, or it’s just used to make banner ads and useless games. The latest version is installed on 96+% of internet connected computers. Flash is a web standard. I don’t care what anyone wants to say about performance issues or Apple’s relationship with Adobe. I just want to see Flash Lite, or better yet, a full version of the plugin available the Blackberry Bold and Storm. If a BB user doesn’t visit sites that use Flash elements, there should be an option to disable the feature like you can do now with Java Script.
I’ve had a BB Curve for a year. I love it, but I would trade it in a second for the first phone with a browser that supports Flash. RIM or Apple.
You can watch youtube videos on a Blackberry. Go to m.youtube.com and it will work. I have been using it for over 6 months now!
The problem with flash isn’t a blackberry problem it is an Adobe issue because they are the owners of flash technology. Hope that Adobe will support Blackberry and make flash available soon.
Well I must agree that it does kind of suck that the BB has no flash player yet, BUT the good thing is that they have come up with many alternatives to access websites with these limitations we all have. For instance the program VuClips is basically a youtube and totally compatiable with a BB. I have a BB 8320 did my upgrades and so forth and yes I too am waiting for the flash but NO WAY will the BB be left in the dust because of an Iphone. Its like comparing black to white!