Flash Assist: Flash to Go!

[Jason Dunn]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.antmobile.com/' target='_blank'>http://www.antmobile.com/</a><br /><br /></div>Flash Assist is a useful tool that allows you to view Flash files directly on your Pocket PC without needing any intermediary HTML files. One of the biggest irritations with the current Macromedia Flash player for the Pocket PC is that it was designed as an ActiveX control for the Pocket PC, which means it requires Pocket Internet Explorer to run. Unfortunately, unlike the desktop version of Internet Explorer, Flash files can't be opened directly in the browser (I'm not sure why not - JPEG files certainly can be).<br /><br />Flash Assist is a simple application that does exactly what it says - it allows you to open up Flash files directly, play them full screen, and exit from the player (something Pocket Internet Explorer can't do because of the accursed fake "X"). The basic interface of Flash Assist is a file picker:<br /><br /> <img src="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/web/2003/flashassist.jpg" /><br /><br />Once you've picked the Flash file you want to play, it opens up, and it plays. Yes, that's it. :lol: It's not terribly exciting - you can select from several display modes (not landscape though, sadly), and change the quality mode. On my iPAQ 1940, performance wasn't very good on High Quality mode, so most files were set to Medium Quality. I haven't tried it yet on a 400 Mhz PXA255 XScale Windows Mobile 2003 unit - I hope the performance will be better. Performance is based on a number of factors, the biggest of which are the ways in which the Flash file is prepared, so you'll see everything from great performance to dismal performance depending on what you're watching. And since Flash Assist is just a container of sorts for the ActiveX control, the performance is up to Macromedia, not Ant Mobile.<br /><br />Flash Assist isn't a flashy app (hah!), but if you're a Flash file junkie and the thought of having <a href="http://www.homestarrunner.com/sbemail58.html">Trogdor the Dragon</a> throws you into fits of laughter, then you want this application. :mrgreen:

[kagayaki1]

You didn't mention the pricing. $14.95 for regular version, $200 for a more enterprise deployment (way too many options version).

[peterawest]

Flash Assist is a useful tool... Once you've picked the Flash file you want to play, it opens up, and it plays.

It works well with the new Macromedia FlashPaper files too, since they are essentially just flash files anyway.

http://www.macromedia.com/software/contribute/productinfo/flashpaper/

[arebelspy]

I've been using this for awhile now to watch Strongbad emails on my PPC. :)

Oh and a hint for everyone, change the .html at the end of any homestarrunner flash movie to .swf to make it fullscreen (i.e. change the above link to be http://www.homestarrunner.com/sbemail58.swf )

:D

-arebelspy

[mike6024]

As soon as I read what this did, Strong Bad came to mind as the obvious use. It may even be worth the $15 just for that.

"We had that light switch installed for you so you can turn the lights on and off, not so you could throw light switch raves!"

[upplepop]

I would be interested in hearing about other uses for this software like Trogdor the Dragon and Strongbad emails, which others have already mentioned. Anyone else know other cool flash files that could be used with this software :?:

[droppedd]

i got the Trogdor game running (the one where you run around burninating villagers) on my 2210... but it ran sorta slow. Besides which I got up to level thirty-something playing it on PC, so i've lost interest :).

[rbrome]

The question is: does it support HTTP connections? ...or is that something you can only do with the "Pro" version?

...because I think one of the coolest and most under-used features of Flash is that it can be used to create surprisingly rich, Internet-enabled applications.

I know .NET CF is supposed to be the Holy Grail for easy web-services stuff, but Flash could also be a great alternative. It could seriously open up the Pocket PC platform to a whole army of web developers who know technologies like Flash and PHP, but have no desire to start learing C++ or Visual Basic.

IE is great on the desktop, and PIE is great for light browsing when mobile, but a serious *web applications* in PIE can be painful. Flash has the potential to make the interface much richer, easier to use, and more responsive, while keeping speed high and data charges low, because all the HTML overhead is eliminated.

Now if HTTP is possible with Flash Assist, I'm very excited, and if they can do that and port it to Smartphone, then I'd be REALLY excited!

[pt]

yep, it supports http and xml. it's amazing. also, the stand alone flash 6 player ($299) from macromedia is great as well.

cheers,
pt

The question is: does it support HTTP connections? ...or is that something you can only do with the "Pro" version?

...because I think one of the coolest and most under-used features of Flash is that it can be used to create surprisingly rich, Internet-enabled applications.

I know .NET CF is supposed to be the Holy Grail for easy web-services stuff, but Flash could also be a great alternative. It could seriously open up the Pocket PC platform to a whole army of web developers who know technologies like Flash and PHP, but have no desire to start learing C++ or Visual Basic.

IE is great on the desktop, and PIE is great for light browsing when mobile, but a serious *web applications* in PIE can be painful. Flash has the potential to make the interface much richer, easier to use, and more responsive, while keeping speed high and data charges low, because all the HTML overhead is eliminated.

Now if HTTP is possible with Flash Assist, I'm very excited, and if they can do that and port it to Smartphone, then I'd be REALLY excited!

[sub_tex]

Anyone else know other cool flash files that could be used with this software :?:

Well I have a blogger tool that wil most likely be out for beta testing this week that's all Flash and XML-RPC. I plan on testing it in this application to get a nicer look than the ugly PIE screen.

[Tari Akpodiete]

FlashAssist basically adds huge functionality to FlashPlayer that probably should be built into it. I've tried it out with pretty much all the flash programs available for the pocket pc as well as with a ton of repurposed flash files. it worked flawlessly each time. Anthony has done a bang up job of stepping up to the plate. Next up for testing, FlashAssist Pro.