Say what you want about Research in Motion, but, you have to give them credit when it comes to providing users with options. In an iPhone world, Apple provides you with features and you either learn to like them or buy another product. That being said, I hope that Flash in the upcoming BlackBerry 6 browser will allow users to enable or disable the loading of Flash content. When I think of RIM’s focus on security as they design devices it would lead you to believe Flash will not only be an optional feature but off by default. I am not sure if this is a good thing for Adobe or end user experience but I can already see the reports, BlackBerry 6 Browser Sluggish Due to Flash. Essentially replay every article being written about Flash and Android today.
Forgive me for being Captain Obvious, but can we all agree a browser that supports Flash will render a page slower than a browser that does not? Can we also agree a browser the runs java scripts will render a page slower than a browser that does not? Can we also agree a browser that renders images will render a page slower than a browser that does not? Let me be clear this is not a dig on RIM or Adobe rather level setting expectations. I am not a fan of Adobe Flash, in fact for the most part I hate Flash for privacy reasons, but considering its wide use on the web, a browser without Adobe Flash is like getting a grain of sand in your eyes. You can see but it annoys the crap out of you over time.
From the video’s we have seen I think we can all agree the BlackBerry OS 6 and web browser are a huge step in the right direction. I just hope that it will have the ability to load or not load flash content giving greater access to the entire web.
Is there anyone that would rather RIM not even provide support for Flash, assuming there is a setting to enable or disable loading flash content? My thought is Flash support is a great option short term and over time can be phased out as HTML 5 hits wider adoption. I really wonder how the new browser will render many of the great HTML 5 sites out there today.
- Google’s Pacman tribute
- ABC & CNET web video apps for the iPad
- Google Voice App for the iPhone
- Google Wave Rich editing environment
Personally, I am kind of looking forward to the new BlackBerry Browser. I think that Mobile Safari, less its support for Flash, is the standard when it comes to mobile browsing. It will be interesting to see how the BlackBerry 6 Browser stacks up.
I was watching clips of someone comparing the nexus 1 with android 2.2 (froyo) with other platforms such as the iphone. It appears the webpages load up slower because of the flash ad contents on the page. However, after turning off flash, the nexus 1 was much faster than the iphone loading up contents. I think that bb6 will probably give you the option of turning it off as well.
RIM would be FOOLISH to not give us the ability to disable Flash. We’ve ALWAYS been able to disable JS, and for years it was even defaulted to off.
I am tired with blackberry’s ! Not sure I want an iphone nor an android! What to get ?
The ability to disable flash SHOULD be included.
I look forward to seeing and playing with Blackberry 6. I am very interested to see the 9800 slider device.
I heard a rumor that the bold 9700 wouldn’t be able to to upgrade to Blackberry 6, because it didn’t have enough memory. If thats true, there will be a lot of upset 9700 owners.
Hopefully flash content would be selectable, like Flashblock plugins for other browsers. Having to pick between All or Nothing would be unbearable on mobile network bandwidth.
I always thought its a bad move. I’ll probably have mine disabled all the time. Flash has many issues including security. if people are having their Blackberry hacked into, then that will be the end of BlackBerry.
I hope this feature will be optionable. I don’t like having Flash on the whole time. So I hope it be wil better than they’re saying right now.