The only time I’ve ever written anything before about an experience with anything Apple, I got attacked by rabid fans and supporters of Apple so quickly that I was stunned, but perhaps this one won’t be as controversial.

Our family now owns three Ipod Touch handhelds, which are essentially Iphones without phone service and can surf a wireless internet connection.

At first I wondered why anyone would want one, then each of my kids chipped in for their own in 2008, and they’ve shown me some amazing, ingenious and hilarious stuff. I see the appeal, but I never really surfed the Internet on it for more than a minute or two, until last night.

The first website I went to was a friends who was over, and he wanted to see what his his site looked like on an Iphone. It barely displayed and had no navigation. Why? Because Flash isn’t supported. Why not? Apparently I’m the last to know, but this video made me understand

This has of course spawned hacks and workarounds, but really, I was pretty surprised and disappointed – and amazed that I’d been the last one to know.

I’m not sure I’ll go to the trouble, but if you want to see Flash videos (all i wanted was a navigation menu) there are ways…

In August of 2005, I put some money into the new Ask sponsored listings program, and after a couple of months of practically no activity, I completely forgot about it.

Today, over two years later, I received an email telling me that I may be entitled to a refund for failure to prevent fraudulent clicks, directing me to a website with a claim form to fill out.

Can this be for real? Did anyone really get enough clicks of any kind from an Ask sponsored listings campaign to pursue a lawsuit?

Here’s a copy of the letter -

Re: Legal Notice of Class Action Settlement Affecting Your Rights

Legal Notice:

If you purchased online advertising from IAC Search & Media, Inc. and/or Ask Jeeves, Inc. (collectively “Ask”) between August 1, 2005 and the present, you may be a class member in a class-action lawsuit, Lane’s Gifts and Collectibles et al. v. Ask Jeeves, Inc. et al., Case No. CV-2005-52-1, in the Circuit Court of Miller County, Arkansas. This notice advises you of your legal rights.

You should review the detailed Settlement Notice as soon as possible, as there are several important deadlines that you must meet to take certain actions in connection with a proposed settlement of the class action lawsuit. Your legal rights are affected whether you act or do not act. The deadline for filing an objection or excluding yourself from the proposed settlement is February 2, 2008, and the last day to file a claim under the proposed settlement is February 2, 2008. For further information, please refer to the Settlement Notice.

The Settlement Notice informs you of the Court’s certification of a class for settlement purposes; the nature of the claims alleged; your right to participate in, or exclude yourself from, the class; a proposed settlement; and how you can claim an award of advertising credits under the settlement or object to the settlement.

• • The proposed settlement will provide advertising credits to class members who certify that they were the victims of “click fraud” or other invalid or improper clicks on online advertisements purchased from IAC Search & Media, Inc. and/or Ask Jeeves, Inc. on or after August 1, 2005.
  • The proposed settlement will resolve claims that IAC Search & Media, Inc. and/or Ask Jeeves, Inc. breached its contracts with advertisers and violated other laws by failing to adequately detect and stop “click fraud” or other invalid or improper clicks on online advertisements.
  • If you are a member of the class, your legal rights are affected by whether you act or do not act.For a copy of the Settlement Notice, click on the link, or visit the case website at www.AskSettlement.com.

    To file a claim for your award of advertising credits under the settlement, click on the following link: AskSettlement.com/claim. Each advertiser will be allowed one claim per account.