Some of Apple’s promotional material about the iPad implies the device’s Safari browser can load Adobe Flash content. However, demonstration units of the tablet, including the one presented by Steve Jobs, could not, and a consumer has already filed a complaint to the Federal Trade Commission alleging false advertising. 9to5Mac’s Seth Weintraub noticed that a Flash-based […]

Some of Apple’s promotional material about the iPad implies the device’s Safari browser can load Adobe Flash content. However, demonstration units of the tablet, including the one presented by Steve Jobs, couldn’t, and a consumer has already filed a complaint to the Federal Trade Commission alleging false advertising.

9to5Mac’s Seth Weintraub noticed that a Flash-based section of the NYTimes.com front page appears to load properly in the video above. The “Video” section of NYTimes.com that loads around the 1:15 mark is normally a piece of Flash content. Weintraub points out that the rendering and the resolution independence makes it look like the iPad really is loading Flash.

But that’s unlikely to be the case. If the iPad really did support Flash, it would be quite odd. Steve Jobs made no mention of Flash during Wednesday’s tablet event, and you would think he would highlight that since the lack of Flash for the iPhone remains an incessant complaint among customers.

Also, when Jobs demonstrated the tablet and showed NYTimes.com in the browser, it clearly reveals a missing chunk for where the Flash content is supposed to be. (Check out the keynote video at Apple’s website at the 13:10 mark.)

First noted by AppleInsider, a second example where Flash appears to be working on the iPad is a press image (right). It depicts an NYTimes.com slideshow that would require Flash support.

Adobe has already reacted to the iPad’s lack of Flash support, and you would think the company would know if Apple was really going to put Flash in the tablet. So while consumers can wish for adequate Flash support on the iPhone and the iPad, in the near term this seems like a pipe dream.

Paul Threatt, a graphic designer at Jackson Walker design group, has filed a complaint to the FTC alleging false advertising. His statement reads:

On the Apple iPad, iPhone, and iPod Touch devices, Apple provides a proprietary web browser named Safari. On these electronic devices, Apple personal does not support the internet browser extension commonly referred to as “Flash”. The Adobe Flash extension is a popular browser plug-in that has gained wide popularity due to its capability to easily display video and image based slideshows on the internet.

In several advertisements and images representing the apple products in question, Apple has purposefully elected to show these devices correctly displaying content that necessitates the Adobe Flash plug-in. This isn’t possible on the actual devices, and Apple is very aware of that fact. Despite the controversial lack of support for Adobe Flash on these devices, Apple has elected to depict these correctly utilizing the Flash plug-in. This constitutes willful false advertising and Apple’s advertising practices for the iPhone, iPod Touch, and the new iPad should be forcibly changed.

“I’m a huge Apple loyalist, so it kind of annoys me that they’re going and doing stuff like this,” Threatt told Wired.com. “Unless they’ve got something up their sleeve to actually give us Flash, it seems like false advertising in a large way.”

Apple didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment regarding Flash support or Threatt’s complaint.

Flash has already gotten Apple in trouble in the past. In the U.K., two customers complained that Apple was falsely advertising the iPhone in a Television commercial by saying “all the parts of the web are on the iPhone” when the handset does not support Flash. The U.K.’s Advertising Standards Authority deemed the ad misleading and pulled the ad.

In November 2008, Wired.com explained why it’s unlikely Apple will support Flash on the iPhone. We pointed out Flash wasn’t allowed in the iPhone developers’ terms of service agreement, which stated, “An Application may not itself install or launch other executable code by any means, including without limitation through the use of a plug-in architecture, calling other frameworks, other APIs or otherwise…. No interpreted code might be downloaded and used in an Application except for code that’s interpreted and run by Apple’s Published APIs and built-in interpreter(s).” (I don’t have access to the latest iPhone developers’ TOS agreement because it’s under strict NDA, but I doubt that clause has changed.)

We also noted allowing Flash would open doors to content that competes with apps in the App Store, so it would probably be in Apple’s ideal interest to shy away from the platform. Lastly, Flash would potentially introduce a slew of performance problems as well. Flash has been known for sporadic crashing and quickly depleting battery life, as well as security risks, which amount to many potential headaches for Apple.

Updated 1/30/10, 11 a.m. PDT: Apple has removed the image of the iPad showing the NYTimes.com slideshow from its home page. Apple has also updated its promotional video to show a missing chunk on NYTimes.com to reveal the lack of Flash support.

Updated 1:45 p.m. PDT: Weintraub has posted more information: “We’ve just got word from our source at Chiat/Day Media Arts Lab that they make fake optimized web pages for all of Apple’s commercials — which load faster. In this case they made optimized images to take the place of Flash and are redoing them as we speak.”

Updated 11:30 a.m. with Paul Threatt’s complaint filed to the FTC.

See Also:

• Flash Lands on iPhone — One App at a Time
• JavaScript Hack Enables Flash on iPhone
• Why Apple Won’t Allow Adobe Flash on iPhone
• False Hopes: Adobe Desperate to Install Flash on the iPhone

Via [wired.com]

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Wi-Fi Detecting Bumper Sticker Helps Out the Wardriver Behind You [WiFi]

Here’s a neat Instructable for significantly increasing the geek factor in your car’s rear windshield, showing how to modify a Wi-Fi-detecting t-shirt into a Wi-Fi-detecting window decal. At some point in some traffic jam, you’ll make a fellow nerd’s day.

Starting with a novelty t-shirt that displays the strength of Wi-Fi signals in the area, an Instructable user lived up to his matching user name and license plate of “MacGeek” by hacking together this Wi-Fi detecting window decal.

While it might not be entirely useful for finding access points, except maybe to a laptop-wielding driver behind you in a serious bumper to bumper, it will definitely be useful for announcing your geek pride to your fellow drivers. [Instructables]

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Google’s slowly killing compatibility for IE6 with Google Apps—as of March 1, Docs and Sites aren’t supported with Internet Exploder 6 anymore. It’ll load, but most of the features won’t work.

Gmail and Gcal will be killing support for IE6 sometime this year TechCrunch hears, which should bring death even more swiftly to probably the most maligned web browser in history. [TechCrunch]

Via [gizmodo]

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iPhone OS 3.2 Supports Video Calls, File Downloads, and Pseudo-Multitasking? [Apple]

Based on an SDK which doesn’t differentiate between the iPhone and iPad, folks at Engadget say they’ve confirmed that the iPhone OS 3.2 has “rudimentary” support for video calling and file downloading. Too soon for any excitement at all?

File downloading and local storage in the browser could be great. Just envision finally being able to grab a song off the World wide web and actually save it on your iPhone. The daydreamer in me wants to believe that files downloaded in such a manner would be accessible by all applications. I’d download a cheesy tune from an artist’s website, attach it to an email to my lover, upload it for posting on Twitter, and force my musical preferences onto the whole world without ever needing to set down my iPhone.

The recommendation of multitasking comes from the fact that there appears to be a function to run video calls in “either full screen mode or in just a portion of the screen.” Engadget is interpreting this as meaning that you’ll be able to “chat and do other things at the same time.” We suspect that it’s more likely that this function is related to the manner in which a new call comes in. Just as a contact’s picture can pop up with a call, a video chat could begin in partial-screen mode. Debate about the actual potential features aside, what’s the point of video chat capabilities in devices without front-facing cameras anyway?

With all this way-too-early excitement, an important thing to keep in mind is that the SDK this information is being pulled from is the same for the iPhone as it is for the iPad. It’s tough to tell which features would apply to which device. That and the fact we’re speaking about an SDK and potential options. There’s no guarantee that we’ll see any of this in the iPhone OS 4.0. Or ever. [Engadget]

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Above you see two iPads, photos of which are grabbed direct from Apple’s own pages. Can you spot the difference? Of course you can. The one on the right is the Wi-Fi-only iPad. The one on the left has 3G, and a plastic strip to let the radio-waves in and out. It’s the very opposite […]

Above you see two iPads, pictures of which are grabbed direct from Apple’s own pages. Can you spot the difference? Of course you can. The one on the right is the Wi-Fi-only iPad. The one on the left has 3G, and a plastic strip to let the radio-waves in and out. It’s the very opposite of a tin-foil hat.

Owners of the iPhone 3G and newer may not be familiar with this escape hatch for radiation — the entire back of your cellphone is a spectrum-transparent plastic. The original iPhone, and all iPod Touches, sport this strip. What is a surprise is that the Wi-Fi-only iPad doesn’t have this plastic part. Presumably the Wi-Fi needs to get in somewhere.

Apart from its core functionality, this strip serves one other purpose: a badge. If you are nerdy trainspotters like us, you’ll enjoy identifying exact models of gadgets from afar. This plastic marker will only make that easier.

iPad Gallery [Apple]

Cosmetic Differences in iPad 3G vs iPad Wi-Fi [MacRumors]

Via [wired.com]

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Circular Monopoly Cuts Corners, Cash
Monopoly is about to get a makeover. The 75 year old game will be relaunched with a circular board, and no cash. Other than the lack of corners and currency, the game remains unchanged, which should mean that the inevitably marathon sessions will be just as boring as ever. Apparently, when the game was first designed […]

Monopoly is about to get a makeover. The 75 year old game will be relaunched with a circular board, and no cash. Other than the lack of corners and currency, the game remains unchanged, which should mean that the inevitably marathon sessions will be just as boring as ever.

Apparently, when the game was first designed by fun-haters all those years ago, one of the original concepts was circular. We like this new, more compact version, and the modern design is a lot cleaner.

But what about the money? Spoil-sports at Hasbro have taken the only bit of fun from the game: stealing money from the bank. Each player now has a credit-card, which is slotted into a computerized console in the center of the board. Or should that read “bored”? This stops you sneaking cash from your brother’s pile when he is distracted by your cunning dice-tossed-accidentally-under-the-sofa move.

New, circular Monopoly will be available as an insomnia cure later this year.

Monopoly goes circular for 75th Anniversary, does away with cash [Pocket Lint]

Photo: Pocket Lint

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IPad Books Are US-Only
If you’re a non-US resident, and are waiting on the iPad as a replacement for the internationally crippled Kindle, think again. The iBooks application, one of the standout parts of Steve Jobs’ presentation on Wednesday, is US-only. Take a look at the iPad “features” page and you’ll see, in little letters at the bottom […]

If you’re a non-US resident, and are waiting on the iPad as a replacement for the internationally crippled Kindle, think again. The iBooks application, one of the standout parts of Steve Jobs’ presentation on Wednesday, is US-only. Take a look at the iPad “features” page and you’ll see, in tiny letters at the bottom of the page, these words: “iBooks is available only in the U.S.”

This is a disappointment, but certainly no surprise. Here in Spain, for example, there are still no movies or Television shows in the iTunes Store. Nor is it likely to be Apple’s fault — the company would of course love to sell content to whoever wants it. Th holdup is licensing, and the quagmire of international publishing rights.

Still, this is good news for some. Amazon’s Kindle app will work just fine, and there’s a slew of e-reader software in the App Store, from our favorite Stanza, through the suspiciously iBook-like Classics, to the wonderful Instapaper (currently being reworked for the iPad). And if that wasn’t enough, there’s always this workaround, which should let us get our hands on the iBooks app anyway.

IPad features in the UK [Apple]

See Also:

• Stanza v2.0: The iPhone's Best E-Reader Just Got Better
• Apple's Tablet E-Book App Rips off Indie Dev's Creation
• Instapaper: A $5 App That Justifies Your iPhone Purchase
• New, Improved Instapaper for Kindle

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Toshiba TG02 Phone Could Solve All The TG01’s Problems…Or Maybe Not [Phones]

Toshiba’s TG01 could’ve been such a great phone. On paper, the specs were great—it was the first phone to use a Snapdragon 1GHz processor, and the 4.1-inch screen was perfect for media playback. Yet it disappointed.

So it’s with great trepidation that I write about an FCC document showing up, detailing a few rough ‘n ready specs for the TG02. As you’d anticipate from a phone, the quad-band GSM mode will have GPS, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, though there seems to be one small omission: no 3G for the US? Things could change, but with the year’s biggest phone scrum Mobile World Congress just ’round the corner, anticipate to see more leaks or even an actual product launch soon. [FCC via Engadget]

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Let’s pause for a moment and consider how many gadgets we insert into the couple USB ports on our personal each week. Around five? The mind boggles as to just what Thanko was thinking when they created the 80-port board.

The worst thing is, you can’t even transfer data through the 80 ports—they merely charge whatever you stick in. This could potentially work in an office, with everyone sticking their phones in, but if you’ve just pulled out a tape measure and are trying to see if there’s enough room in your lounge for one, don’t even bother. Let me spell it out for you: T-H-I-S I-S O-N-E G-A-D-G-E-T Y-O-U D-O-N’T N-E-E-D.

But you know, if I really can’t convince you to step away from the “add to cart” button, it’s $208.68 at Geek Stuff 4 U. [Thanko via Geek Stuff 4 U via CrunchGear]

Via [gizmodo]

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Apple’s new tablet doesn’t include a camera, but the screenshot above reveals a “Take Photo” button in the iPad’s Contacts app. Is it a hint that Apple is planning to release a camera-equipped iPad later? Or just a messy accidental result of sharing code between the iPhone Contacts app and the iPad’s? As much as we […]

Apple’s new tablet doesn’t include a camera, but the screenshot above reveals a “Take Photo” button in the iPad’s Contacts app.

Is it a hint that Apple is planning to release a camera-equipped iPad later? Or just a messy accidental result of sharing code between the iPhone Contacts app and the iPad’s? As much as we believe the former will happen eventually, the latter is more likely to be the case.

We can’t draw any conclusions from that since there are too many theories, but the screenshot is interesting nonetheless. The latest iPod Touch doesn’t include a camera, and Steve Jobs stated that was because the gadget’s focus is gaming. However, iFixit’s teardown of the new iPod Touch found a small compartment that would be perfect for a camera. A rumor report also recommended the iPod Touch was supposed to have a camera but left it out due to technical problems.

Kudos to CrunchGear for spotting this.

See Also:

• A Tale of Two iPods: Why the Touch Has No Camera
• A Closer Look at Apple’s New Tablet, the iPad
• Teardown Reveals iPhone Camera Could Fit the iPod Touch — Barely …
• iPod Touch Has Wireless ‘N’, FM Radio

Via [wired.com]

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