Improving the flash experience

[lingenfr]

I thought I would share a little information in hopes that a developer might take a look at this. Google no longer offers flash via Google Play for the latest Jelly Bean and the Chrome available for JB also does not support it. The solution, install a flash package available outside Play and install Firefox Beta which does support flash. Sound familiar. However, one fellow has an interesting app that makes it easier to run a faster browser (Chrome, etc.) and only switch to FF when needed for flash. The app is called Flashify. You can read about it here:

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.nightshadelabs.anotherbrowser&hl=en

and of note, the code is open source and available at github here:

https://github.com/GodsMoon/Flashify

So, in practice you could use Arora, Qupzilla or whatever and when you click on a link for a flash object, FF would open and display it. I have no idea how difficult it would be to build Flashify for the P, but thought I would share in case others aren't familiar with it.

 

[Askarus]

What about the RAM?

Will it open the whole FireFox or only the flash part?

If it opens the whole FF then it will need even more RAM as 2 browser are open.

As far as I can get out of the video it opens up 2 browser.

Maybe it would be better to put effort into Flash for Qupzilla instead of this.

I'm concerned about games more than videos. So this is just my 2 cents.

 

[lingenfr]

No magic, it just opens FF so you can play the flash. Yes it will use some RAM. It is mainly a convenience to prevent opening/closing/cutting/pasting. I am in complete agreement that it would be better to add flash to Qupzilla. FF has always been a hog and likely always will be. I'm less concerned with games, but until flash is much less prevalent, a solution is needed.

 

[Askarus]

but until flash is much less prevalent, a solution is needed.

Of course you're totally right.

 

[lingenfr]

One of my favorite flash sites is USTVNOW. A search here doesn't bring up any references. If one of you folks outside the US is set up for flash, I would appreciate your trying it out http://www.ustvnow.com

It is free and you might find it handy if you don't already use it. It works on all my devices I've tried it on (including my Nexus 7 and my Roku) but they are all a bit beefier than the P. I imagine it would have some similarities to the requirements of games.

 

[comradekingu]

The best flash experience is no flash. Kill it with fire.

 

[mcobit]

The best flash experience is no flash. Kill it with fire.

I agree, but unfortunately html 5 is not any faster on Pandora.

 

[comradekingu]

Is VP9 any easier on decoding?

 

[Askarus]

As I said there are some nice flash games I'd like to play.

That's why I'd like better flash support.

 

[WizardStan]

Flash is as good as it is going to get. The flash beta available from TI (which accidentally found its way into Firefox) is the best available, and is no longer being worked on.

 

[Binky]

At least they fixed fullscreen and the red bar

 

[Askarus]

But if Flash would be in a lighter browser it might improve those games which need more RAM.

 

[WizardStan]

No, there's enough RAM. The only way more RAM helps is to avoid going to swap space.

 

[lingenfr]

One of my favorite flash sites is USTVNOW. A search here doesn't bring up any references. If one of you folks outside the US is set up for flash, I would appreciate your trying it out http://www.ustvnow.com

It is free and you might find it handy if you don't already use it. It works on all my devices I've tried it on (including my Nexus 7 and my Roku) but they are all a bit beefier than the P. I imagine it would have some similarities to the requirements of games.

Well, now that I have my P, I tried this. No joy so far having tried FF under Angstrom and the default browser in Android.

 

[edgex004]

Can you try Puffin or Skyfire in Android?

There's also this.

 

[lingenfr]

Can you try Puffin or Skyfire in Android?

There's also this.

Great call! Puffin worked like a champ. It was faster and rendered the whole page rather than top and side sliders. USTVNow is looking good at low res. A little hesitation, but no buffering. It went a little wonky when I tried to go full screen, but it did work. A vast improvement over my other attempts. If I don't find anything better, I will get the pro version. Skyfire doesn't seem to be available for gingerbread or our device, not sure which. Will be a common problem until we get a newer version of Android.