US technology titan Adobe said yesterday its Flash platform commonly used to view online video will be built into Internet-linked television sets, set-top boxes and Blu-ray players. The move adds momentum to a trend toward streaming video from YouTube, Hulu, Netflix and other websites directly to television sets instead of to home computers.
“Adobe Flash Platform for the Digital Home will dramatically change the way we view content on televisions,” said David Wadhwani, general manager and vice president of the Platform Business Unit at California-based Adobe. ”Consumers are looking to access their favorite Flash technology-based videos, applications, services and other rich Web content across screens.”
Adobe was joined by partners including leading chip-maker Intel and popular online movie rental service Netflix when it announced the Flash move at a National Association of Broadcasters conference in Las Vegas. ”Intel and Adobe have a long history of collaboration and have worked together to optimize Flash technology for the digital home,” said William Leszinske Jr, general manager of Intel’s Digital Home Group.
“We recognize the value of extending rich, Flash-based Internet content and applications to a broad range of devices in your pocket, on your lap, at the office and now in your living room,” he said.
Adobe Flash Platform for the Digital Home is available to electronics makers. Devices supporting the technology are expected to hit the market in the second half of this year.
(Source: AFP)
