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.

Stupid Person of the Week

This week’s award for stupid people goes to Lance Cpl. David Motari and Sgt. Crismarvin Banez Encarnacion of the Marine Corps. You may remember these two from their infamous YouTube video where they threw a puppy off a cliff. (The video was immediately removed from YouTube’s website) It’s unfortunate that such cruelty is considered humorous by many folks.

I had never really witnessed animal cruelty personally until I came to Texas. I was shocked the first time I drove I-35 through Austin and saw a billboard warning motorists about frat boys throwing kittens at cars on the highway. Criminally insane, just maddening I tell you. In 2003, I was in San Antonio and saw some teenagers torturing kittens.

There are few things that really upset me, but the behavior displayed by Lance Cpl. David Motari and Sgt. Crismarvin Banez Encarnacion is completely unacceptable. I don’t know if there’s a punishment fitting enough.

Christian Stereotypes

It’s hard not to stereotype isn’t it? Depending on your background, experiences, influences, etc., at some point in your life you’ll make a statement or do something that stereotypes another person or group. In the right context stereotypes can be funny. The best comedians make the audience see themselves in such stereotypes.

Today, I want to talk about the Christian stereotype. The one where Christians are seen as God-fearing, Holier-Than-Thou, self-righteous, preachy, pompous do-gooders, and most importantly hypocrites. I know the stereotype well–I used to think a lot like that myself. My experiences with “Christians” only enforced my perception of that stereotype. It’s one of the reasons I did not speak openly about my faith once I decided to embark on a spiritual quest. I didn’t want to be considered one of “those people.”

I believe this stereotype is reinforced by certain celebrities, evangelicals, and other folks who are in the public eye. This morning I was listening to the Jagger Mafia on Live 105.3FM, and they were discussing the recent interview Hulk Hogan had with Larry King. In that interview Hulk talked some about the accident involving his son Nick, in which the passenger of the vehicle John Graziano was critically injured. Jagger played some clips from the Larry King show, as well as taped conversations that were released by the jail facility where Nick Hogan is being held.

The disappointing thing about Hulk Hogan was how many times he invoked Jesus, spoke of being a good Christian, and yet took no responsibility for his lack of parenting skills or his son’s mistake. At one point Hulk even stated that being in a coma would make John Graziano a better person. Not only did Hulk come across as a hypocrite, but the negative Christian stereotype was in full swing. This type of behavior belittles true Christians who are perceived as using their beliefs for publicity stunts.

I will be the first to admit that I am far from perfect, and while I aspire to be a better Christian, I make mistakes (and sin) all the time. That’s right, I sin. I am a sinner. During this journey of faith, I have come to accept that fact. What I don’t do is hide behind my faith, or use it as an excuse for my behavior. I don’t make black & white decisions based on my faith, because honestly, I’m still learning, still wrestling with what I’ve learned, still trying not to sweat the small stuff.

Longtime readers know I don’t shy away from topics such as abortion, feminism, and homosexuality. Many would argue that my opinions contradict being a Christian, but I choose not to isolate myself from dissenting ideas. How can a person grow if they are only exposed to one experience? How can I become closer to God if I don’t learn as much about the world-both good & bad? How can I not love my sister Lesli just because she’s gay?

Yes, I have done stupid STUPID things. I think part of being a Christian is the drive to be better, not just in what we do or say, but in every aspect. Some days I do better than others. Today, I didn’t give the finger to any other drivers, not once. Oh, I screamed some profanities in my car, but no tailgating of other drivers for 10 miles. Guess that means I’m not excused yet from anger management classes. Heh.

I totally respect your right to choose your beliefs, and I don’t condemn people because they’re Jewish, Agnostic, Aetheist, Buddist, etc. I think such beliefs are very personal, and who am I to judge another person? Some of my closest friends are Jewish, one of my best friends thinks Jesus was an alien, and Lesli is more deserving of a decent afterlife than I ever could be.

This is one Christian who doesn’t have all the answers…

UPDATE - Ben has some insights into what makes a “Christian.”

MMA Review - What’s Next For Matt Hughes?

UFC (Ultimate Fighting Championship) 85: Bedlam - Thiago Alves TKOs Matt Hughes.

After another stunning loss, Matt Hughes may have just exposed himself as a fighter past his prime. Like the Mike Tyson of old, facing Hughes warranted courage just to step in the octagon, but the aura & mystique have long since passed. Matt Hughes has lost three of his last four fights, and none were even close contests. A 9-time welterweight champion, Matt’s contribution to the UFC, and mixed martial arts are unquestioned. His future in the sport is what many are pondering.

Steve Cofield makes some good points that perhaps it’s not so much Hughes being old (if 34 can be called old), as it is 2008 debuting a better breed of MMA (Mixed Martial Arts) fighters. I have watched Matt Hughes fight many times, and his powerful takedowns were absolutely impressive. In his last bouts, the other fighters have been faster, their takedown defense better, rendering Matt Hughes as a mere mortal.

In this new age of MMA, the best fighters are pushing the limits of the sport. It’s simply not striking vs grappling anymore. The longevity of a fighter and his (or her) success depends on a complete set of MMA skills not just a specialized mastery of techniques.

After the fight Matt Hughes called out Matt Serra giving way for perhaps his last MMA contest. It begs the question, with so many talented MMA fighters out there, what audience is going to pay to see these two fighters both coming off significant losses?

Personally, I think Matt Hughes is up to the challenge. Time will tell if he feels the same way.

Church - Should I Stay or Should I Go?

“BIG THANKS to every ALC Lifer that shows up every week. (I think I also mentioned today that people who showed up for church today “wanted to” and people who didn’t show up…”didn’t want to”! Your life has been changed by that comment, admit it.)”
Pastor Jeff Hennigan, Abundant Life Church, Plano TX.

I have never been much of a church goer. At least, I haven’t been since garnering some sense of independence from my parents. Growing up, I sampled a Smörgåsbord of religious denominations including Catholic, Episcopalian, Presbyterian, Lutheran (but we don’t talk about it), Baptist, and others simply defining themselves as Christian. As a child, I had little understanding or appreciation for the church. Entering into adulthood my church experiences while not negative, had little impact on my life experiences.

My church visits were limited to holiday sessions–annual meetings celebrating Christ’s birth, and His resurrection. I made an effort over the years to find a church, and while I never attended regularly, I continued on my journey of faith.

Last year I started attending Abundant Life Church after an invitation from Ben. While I don’t sit in the pews every Sunday (I am trying to be better), it doesn’t matter. Let me clarify that statement, while Pastor Hennigan certainly challenges me to attend, he along with the congregation, have welcomed me at every turn. Technology also plays a strong part at ALC Plano (as called by its members). Big God Radio makes it easy for me to stay connected on the road with the ability to listen to Sunday services live via the Internet. ALC Plano also creates podcasts of their worship services. Pastor Hennigan maintains a blog, and even Twitters with the best of them.

But it’s not the Pastor, the congregation or even the cool technology, that has me up before 8AM on a Sunday. It’s the feeling, the one I always heard about, and saw acted out on TV, that envelopes me when I participate in the morning’s worship. For the first time, in a long time, I can say that I feel better after attending Sunday service.

Time Warner Cable To Meter Internet Access

It appears Time Warner Cable has decided to test the waters for metered Internet access. Starting in Beaumont, Texas, customers will be charged additional fees if they go over their monthly allotted bandwidth. The proposed rate is $1 for every gigabyte of bandwidth exceeded.

Time Warner spokesman Alex Dudley has stated that the new price plan reflects the impact of 5% of customers consuming a heavy amount of bandwidth. Michael Arrington from TechCrunch shoots back that metered access will stifle innovation.

I agree with the opinions that Time Warner Cable, Comcast, and other cable companies are simply extorting customers in areas where they are the only option for Internet access. It doesn’t surprise me that cable would make this shift given the availability and increasing use of media downloads via iTunes, Amazon, etc. The telecommunications industry has a better network to handle the bandwidth usage of its customers, and is not directly impacted by the consumer choosing to download an episode of Grey’s Anatomy from iTunes or ABC.com versus watching it on cable.

I’m not sure how many customers will jump ship when hit with the new metered access plans. The unfortunate folks trapped with TWC or Comcast as their only option, will have to pay. For myself, I will quickly change providers.

I don’t see this proposal as a long term option in a competitive market. Hosting companies used to charge for the bandwidth usage on a metered basis, but many now have super-large plans or unlimited bandwidth. Same can be said for cell phones; competition recently spurred the new onslaught of unlimited plans.

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