Getting Flash On The iPhone

Yesterday, Adobe chief executive Shantanu Narayen said Flash has been successfully run on an iPhone emulator. This news may raise the hopes that Flash will show itself on the iPhone at some point, maybe even this year. The full story can be read in this Apple Insider article.

My one complaint about working on a Mac has been its less than stellar Flash performance. This is a common complaint, and many of the working Flash guys I know run Windows XP. Apple has complained for some time about the poor OS X performance, and I don’t know if Adobe will change their position. Flash is not the only product that is inferior on the Mac. Acrobat has more functionality (LiveCycle Designer), and features (3D support) under Windows than on OS X. The recent release of Acrobat 9 only furthers this gap.

While the Intel Macs have helped boost Apple’s position in the computer market, I think the bottom line is that Adobe will focus on the platform that delivers more dollars through the door. Corporate customers are more likely to be on a Windows computer. That demographic is the one that relies on the feature set of Acrobat.

Flash leaves me puzzled. I’m seeing a lot more designer/programmer types on Macs, in fact whenever I attend an Adobe related event, the speakers are on Macs. Perhaps the low percentage of Macs in the 3D space has something to do with the lower numbers & Adobe interest. Will be throwing out that question and more while I visit with Adobe here in San Jose.

UPDATE – Found an excellent article regarding Flash & the iPhone via Chris Pirillo.

My First Father’s Day

BEST. DAY. EVER.

Nothing can prepare you for parenthood. Not great parents, or bad parents, a lifetime of experience or a generation of knowledge, every parent has to figure it out on their own. My daughter Sydney will be three months old next week. Sometimes I think if I blink her whole life will pass by me, and yet, there are responsibilities that keep me from the quality time we both deserve.

Today Pastor Hennigan challenged the men of the congregation to do more. To set an example as men. Women have had to battle for their voices to be heard; feminism born from a desire to be treated equally. Men have done little, but play defense, as global events have changed the world around them. They say nothing builds complacency like success, and perhaps men just took it for granted that the world would always be theirs. But as I have asked previously on this blog – where are the male role models these days?

Is it the professional athlete? How many pros dropped out their last year of college just for a shot at big league money? Maybe not all, but look at the ones who make the headlines? Kobe Bryant, Lebron James. Great athletes definitely. Can you blame them for using their talents to make a better life for themselves? Is the media to blame for weaving the tapestry of a rising athletes’ legend?

Are schools causing this male decline? In recent years, I have stumbled upon various articles that point out women’s increasing academic achievements and a decrease in men’s scholarly pursuits. An article on MSN discusses whether schools cater to the strengths of girls, while ignoring the needs of boys. In trying to break away from gender role assignments, are we forgetting that boys & girls are different?

Is feminism stomping out the idea of man? Male chauvinism aside, do women really want a metrosexual sap? Is it possible to look for gender equality, and still celebrate it’s diversity? I know that I love Michelle for all her fierce independence, but I also love the fact that she’s a woman who isn’t constantly trying to prove she’s better than a man. Let me clarify that statement; she can prove she’s worthwhile without a chip on her shoulder. While I’m keenly aware of the statistics that continue to point out women make less money than men, is capitalism really the point of feminism?

OK, I didn’t mean to stray off topic. I just hope that for Michelle & Sydney, I can be the husband & father, the man, that God knows I can be. The kind of man Holli described today in her dedication to Daddy’s Day.

Some related links I scouted while thinkin’ about this post. Consider them NSFW (Not Safe For Work)

Top 100 Fictional Male Role Models

Today’s male role models are pathetic.

Are Pickup Artists Bred Fatherless?

DFWAUG Meets June 21st

June 21st will be the last meeting of the DFWAUG (Dallas/Ft. Worth Adobe Users Group) before summer break! Gene McCullagh will demonstrate Portrait Retouching Techniques using Photoshop CS3. Everyone likes to look better in photos, right? Make your friends and family happier with a few simple pixel modifications!

WIN A COPY OF THE CS3 PREMIUM SUITE! You don’t want to miss this raffle which includes not just one Adobe product, but a complete CS3 suite (Web Premium or Design Premium). Tickets will be $5.00 each or 5 tickets for $20.00. This giveaway doesn’t happen all the time, and you must be present to win.

DFWAUG meets on the third Saturday of each month from 11:00 am to 1:00 pm at NerdBooks in Richardson.

NerdBooks is located at 1681 Firman Drive, Richardson, TX 75081. View a Google map of the location.

Movie Review – The Incredible Hulk

The Plot – After being exposed to gamma radiation, Dr. Bruce Banner is transformed into a green creature of incredible size and strength. Hunted by the government for a power he has no control over, Dr. Banner is on the run, looking for a cure. While he cannot control the transformation, Dr. Banner has learned his rage is the trigger. Will he find a cure before the government finds him?

The Review – I have to agree with John, this version of the film beats the Ang Lee version. Not only does the story arc follow the comic series more closely, there are some nods to previous renditions of the Hulk. Younger viewers main not recall the Hulk TV series, but Marvel Studios acknowledges the work of Bill Bixby (who played Bruce Banner) with a television snippet, and Lou Ferrigno (who played the Hulk) has a cameo in the movie, while also doing the voice of the green monster. (Side Note - Lou Ferrigno at over 50yrs old still looks HUGE… GINORMOUS even.) There were items that I caught, but a few I overlooked. John has more tidbits listed in his review.

Marvel Studios should pay attention to what is making certain films successful, e.g., Spiderman, Iron Man, The Hulk versus ones that are mediocre, e.g., Fantastic Four, Ghostrider. The story is a big part, but I think the casting has played a more important role. Toby Maguire, Robert Downey Jr., and Ed Norton have all done a fantastic job humanizing the heroes they portrayed. In my opinion, character development separates the Marvel films from their DC counterparts.

With the release of Iron Man & The Hulk, Marvel Studios has stirred up the buzz around future releases. There are references to Captain America, SHIELD and other phenomena of the Marvel universe, which can only build the hype for anticipated future releases

GRADE: A- (The only knock I have against the film is the CGI rendering of the Hulk)

UPDATE – Laura just saw the movie and she used “humanizing” in her review. Great minds think alike. LOL.

Dreamweaver, Fireworks, and Soundbooth Betas Available

If you want to stay on top of Adobe’s vision for new media, the best place to go is the Adobe Labs. There you’ll find the latest innovations, and next creations from the engineers that make creatives squeal like giddy school girls.

The Lightroom 2.0 beta was recently made available for download, and now bleeding edge creatives can checkout the next releases of Dreamweaver, Fireworks, and Soundbooth. These products, used for web development, web prototyping, and audio, allow you a sneak peek at the future of the Creative Suite, and a glimpse at the integration between products. Cross-media publishing should be on your brain, as new Adobe products continue to blur the lines between web & print products allowing a smoother exchange of files, and better workflow.

If the betas are any indication, the CS4 release looks to be the next stage in creative evolution.

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