Frash: A Viable Flash Alternative for Jailbroken Apple Devices?

Earlier this summer, the U.S. Copyright Office ruled that is was acceptable to "jailbreak" mobile phones without violating any federal copyright laws. It was said that bypassing a manufacturer's protection mechanisms to allow "handsets to execute software applications" is permissible. Of course this type of activity still voids a warranty and restricts a device from receiving legitimate updates (careful consideration should be practiced before attempting to such an activity). What the decision ultimately allows, however, is the freedom of user choice, specifically when it comes to the ability of using software applications.

If you have recently been following any Apple technology news, then it should come of no surprise that Apple has had a long standing objection of using Adobe Flash on its devices. In a nutshell, many stories, reasons, and opinions have been making headlines in regards to Apples decision. Now, enter Frash. This August, Frash, a third party application that provides Flash functionality has hit the web for jailbroken Apple devices, and at first glimpse, it appears to be a winner.

The Flash like add-on is coincidentally developed by software makers Comex. The same makers of the highly popular jailbreaking tool JailbreakMe.com. Although the software is currently in its early alpha stage, various web reports state the software has promise. Simple functions such as menus and banners are reported to work just fine, yet the main reason for Flash: video and games has yet to be seen.

The technology behind the new software is based on a port of Adobe's Flash that is currently available for Android based devices. On a jailbroken iPad, Frash works in Safari Mobile through a compatibility layer. Within the browser, users will no longer see a message stating that Flash is required. Instead, placeholder boxes labeled as "Flash" will be displayed. By selecting he box, Frash kicks in, and displays the content (that it is currently capable of displaying).

Please note that this article does not encourage or direct the jailbreaking of any device, it simply informs of the ability, and it should be noted that risks are involved. For those interested in trying Frash, the package is available at its distribution (downloads) page through the github social coding web site. The Frash wiki, also located at the software github site also has installation and configuration instructions.

Sources/Resources:

CNET: Frash, the iOS Flash work-around: Hits and misses

PC World: 'Frash' Brings Adobe Flash to Apple iPad

Frash at github