View embedded Flash content on an iPod Touch or iPhone

January 15th, 2008 by iPhoneAtlas Tagged with: , , ,

Although the iPhone can playback H.264-encoded YouTube content through the YouTube application, the device's Safari browser cannot pick up and display embedded YouTube content.

youtube.pngWhen it encounters embedded YouTube media, MobileSafari simply displays a blue question mark, indicative of unrecognised media. Unlike Google Maps content, which is routed through to the Google Maps application, embedded YouTube content simply cannot be viewed in any fashion (by default) on the iPhone. This is one of the most frustrating aspects of browsing the Web on the iPhone.

A new bookmarklet from Joe Maller changes that. Here's how it works:


1. Drag this link: iTransmogrify! to your Safari bookmarks bar under Mac OS X or Windows.
2. Sync Safari's bookmarks to your iPhone through iTunes (under the 'Info' tab)
3. On your iPhone, navigate to a page that contains embedded YouTube content (such as Joe Maller's page). You'll see the typical blue question mark.
4. Now go to MobileSafari's bookmarks (on your iPhone) and access the -iTransmogry!" bookmark from step 1. Wait a few seconds, and the embedded YouTube content will show up on the page. Tapping it will launch the YouTube player and playback the content as long as it has been encoded with H.264 (try the panda bear clip on Joe's page)

This mechanism works thanks to the magic of bookmarklets. Essentially, bookmarklets entire sets of HTML and JavaScript in a bookmark by utilising the data: URL. All page content is thus stored in bookmark data, and can be accessed when no network connection exists — even if the iPhone is in Airplane mode. It can also, as in the case of iTransmogrify, be used to modify, on the fly, Web pages loaded in the MobileSafari browser.

Bookmarklets have also been used to implement a rudimentary Find function in the iPhone's Safari browser.

Share and Enjoy:

These icons link to social bookmarking sites where readers can share and discover new web pages.
  • del.icio.us
  • Digg
  • NewsVine
  • Reddit
  • Slashdot
  • StumbleUpon
  • Technorati

1 Response to “View embedded Flash content on an iPod Touch or iPhone”

iPhone wallpaper
July 17th, 2008 at 7:12pm

Having tried to watch videos on other sites, my previous excitement has now gone. I guess video only works with quicktime videos and YouTube videos. I'm sure I've read or heard somewhere that the iphone gives you access to the "full internet" but as all videos are not included in this, this statement is false. It seems to be daft and a bit of a rip off that internet access is not quite 100% and that if I want to watch a demo online i have to wait until I get home to watch it on my laptop!

Add your opinion

* indicates information we require to process your submission





Your e-mail will not be displayed
You must read and type the 6 chars within 0..9 and A..F
You must read and type the 6 chars within 0..9 and A..F