We live in exciting times. The Apple vs Adobe war is now being waged on a new front - iPad. With neither iPods, iPhones nor iPads supporting Flash, Apple is putting the squeeze on Adobe while betting its pile of chips on HTML5.

But the majority of web users browse with IE, which has not been a big supporter of HTML5. Will Apple cave and support Flash, or will Microsoft align itself with Apple and offer greater HTML 5 support? Or, none of the above?

How does this affect you? As a video producer, you need to show samples of your work to better win new customers. But as a growing number of web users utilize various iTools (iPods, iPhones & iPads), your Flash videos are reaching a smaller audience.

CS5 - Upgrade or not?

The immediate solution is QuickTime or HTML5 alternatives, but what about the long term? That's an important question with CS5 about to be released. Do you go all out for the suite (with Flash), or just upgrade Premiere Pro? Will Adobe allow an upgrade of just one or two apps in the CS4 production (or master) suite? (They won't allow you to upgrade production suite to master!)

How many PP users, frustrated with being unable to do a partial upgrade, will say, "To heck with it!" and switch to Vegas?

Both Adobe and Apple have shown they aren't afraid to alienate and lose customers if their actions will inflict more pain upon "the enemy".

3d Here and Now

Meanwhile, a new player is emerging - 3d video. Yes, the first production 3d video camera, set to be released by Panasonic this fall, is rather pricey - a rumored $21,000. But consumer tv sets are already available at near hd pricing. Samsung already has 55" sets ($3300) and 46" sets ($2300) on the shelves at stores like Best Buy and Ultimate Electronics.

Major television manufacturers are predicting 50% of sales will be 3d by 2012! That's right, they're saying that 3d will be a bigger hit with consumers than hi-def was.

Wedding and event videographers, reluctant to go through another major upgrade in such a short period of time, are shaking their heads and saying, "But who is going to want to watch a wedding video, while wearing those big glasses?". I'll tell you who - all the customers you'll lose to your 3d competitors, that's who.

Yes, it is a pain to have to put those glasses over my own, but in mere seconds, I forget about the glasses and am mesmerized by the 3d action.

3d is coming. Hold off on buying more hi-def gear. You heard it here first.

Just in..

After more investigation, I found that CS5 made a big deal about its cross-converter which would have allowed Flash developers to create apps for iPhone.

But in a stunning counter-punch, Apple has changed its Developer License Agreement to specifically ban all private API's, effectively neutering Adobe's Flash claims.

http://mashable.com/2010/04/08/apple-adobe-flash-compiler/

After more investigation, I found that CS5 made a big deal about its cross-converter which would have allowed Flash developers to create apps for iPhone.

But in a stunning counter-punch, Apple has changed its Developer License Agreement to specifically ban all private API's, effectively neutering Adobe's Flash claims.

Article at mashable.com