Google announced that the Flash plug-in will now be part of the the regular install for Chrome. This is some big news, particularly when putting it up against Apple’s current policy towards Flash.  In addition to stirring up the battle between Google and Apple, Google is making statement, and it’s not just about “to Flash or not to Flash” either. By supporting the idea of making the world a positive place for a variety web technologies (plug-ins included),  Google is committed to empowering the potential of what can be done within the browser; and this is good. In the end, these are just tools; all that matters is the user’s experience and our ability, as creators to continue to innovate. It’s not about what technology happens to be used – or not used, and it’s certainly not about pointing fingers at why one technology might be less superior, simply because the person who is using it does not understand it or know how to use it correctly.

The current issue of WIRED has an interesting article about Tablets, focusing mostly on the iPad of course. It talks about the game-changing positives: revolutionizing the GUI and the impressive creative potential (advertising being one). It also points out some potential flaws in the dream: the learning of new standards, a new development environment and the closed world of Apple (contrasted with the open world of Google/Chrome).

When talking about some of these future ideas, and in viewing some the demos others have produced (2 are listed below), it’s amazing to see how these new executions are virtually identical to what we’re already doing on the web. Therefore the question becomes: is the move to a new “touchable”, more mobile GUI,  THAT much of a difference? Did we need a new device and a new way of interacting with the device in order to realize the potential of these interactive ideas? Don’t we already have magazines online? One of my personal favorites is.

How the Tablet will change the world  (WIRED Article).

The Future of Advertising on the iPad (thanks to Rick Mathieson for the link)

The future of Magazines. First, watch these ancient prophecies from 2007, 2008.

And now, on the iPad

VIV Mag Interactive Feature Spread – iPad Demo from Alexx Henry on Vimeo.

I meant to post this last week, but got distracted again. This BIG news from Google could be a good thing in the sense that it may put needed boundaries around what could quickly become a reckless (spam) use of a cool technology.

While time will tell how Google will wield its patent rights, the scope of the patent effectively gives the company a hold over most location-specific advertising efforts, meaning it could potentially stand in the way of rivals seeking to roll out their own geo-targeted efforts. Google has made no secret of its belief in the promise of location-based advertising: During the firm’s Q4 earnings call in late January, Google product SVP Jonathan Rosenberg called local services hugely important to the future of the mobile user experience, adding that Google anticipates location-based services more deeply integrating with mobile advertising and commerce services in the “not too distant future.”

Meanwhile, just 1 month ago, Apple issued warning to iPhone developers: Don’t use GPS for pushing ads.

Read more here.