In January, Apple introduced the iPad tablet and to the surprise of some businesses – their flash sites did not show well. Adobe’s Flash is not recognized on Apple’s iPhone either, as well as some other smart phone platforms.

The Adobe video format is the most widely used player on the Web and installed on nearly 98% of computers connected to the Internet.

Google, Firefox and other browsers are leading the charge to steer the Web to work without Flash and other bulky coding and instead work with a more universal HTML5 format.

What does this mean for businesses
Grab an iPhone, and other smart phones and check out your site. Many designers rely on Flash to create menu bars or other crucial elements of a site. If your site doesn’t work – Don’t fret and scratch your site. Instead, make sure you add a text menu bar with links elsewhere on each page (often found at the bottom of a page). Begin to evaluate your website for performance, as mobile technology will continue to expand. Working with a Website designer, formulate a solution or long term plan for your site.

What is Flash
Adobe Flash is a multimedia platform used since 1996. Flash is used to create slide shows, animation, games, advertisements, menu bars and video. Flash is a free download for computer users. A Flash document often has the extension .swf.

What is HTML 5
HTML is the most common language used on the Web. HTML 5 is an upgrade expected to change the web and reduce the need for Flash, Silverlight, Apache Pivot and Sun Java FX. This version of HTML is still in its infant stage but is being adopted and implemented by many leading technology companies.

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