[Brian Levy]

My son is in a certification program that posts lectures online requiring flash. He last year decided to buy a totl iPad Mini after he decided it was time to retirement hosting Adroid 2.0 powered tablet. When he made the decision I suggested he takes my PB instead but, you know kids.

Well, over the weekend he trotted downstairs and quietly unplugged the PB and retreated upstairs. He later quietly told me a bit red faced that his $1,000 mini could not do what the old fashioned, obsolete, pass service life, lacking apps, PB can do what his mini can not and asked if he can use the PB for the next 6-months for his courses.

I said sure and just smiled. He looked at me as if thinking yeah dad, don't rub it in; I should have listened to you.

Admittedly, I can not figure out why Apple and Google refuse to allow flash on their systems and support security updates. Admittedly, the decisions does not seem to materially affect sales.

[jaydee5799]

HAHA! Great story and thanks for sharing! Just proves that everyone needs something different and lucky for him, you were there with the PB!

[Gooseberry Falls]

Well, Adobe quit making new versions of flash for mobile devices. I think it is stuck at 11. Desktop flash is now at 15. Everyone said flash was dead. PB flash still runs pretty well for being outdated, tho. Android supports flash ICS and early JB. Apple, well Job said it won't be allowed. You can get a flash browser for iOS and current android (Puffin) that runs flash off servers but it is a little klunky when the servers bog down.

[tovento]

Just wait until the course provider upgrades their servers hosting flash (if that happens). I've run into a few video sites which complain that I don't have a new enough version of flash to view the content. While not ideal, there are 3rd party browsers on the iOS platform which will allow for flash support. Again, they are more of a work-around, but he would likely still be able to view his flash videos on his $1000 tablet. Agreed, though that the PB does still do well in legacy applications.

[Cynycl]

Android and Apple will play flash. When will this misconception end?

[tovento]

Android and Apple will play flash. When will this misconception end?

Actually, Andriod CAN play flash if you manually install the older version of flash (so, it is true that a workaround exists). Apple will not play flash at all. Those 3rd party browsers are actually mirroring a computer out there on the internet somewhere. But, this discussion highlights the fact that the PB plays flash natively while other tablets do not. For those who are not tech savvy and don't know HOW to perform the workarounds, the other platforms still don't play flash.

[Cynycl]

Well if any device required workarounds it's the playbook. But it does natively play flash for what that's worth these days

[Brian Levy]

So far I have not done nor needed any workarounds for the PB. At one time I tried to get it to do as much as my desk computer and found out once I lowered my expectations, I found it did everything I actually wanted and needed. I actually now come close to doing everything I did with the desktop and even more as the video and audio is better with the PB. I do more with it than I did with my netbook.