in google reader is (nearly) the same player (podcasts):

http://stefan2904.googlepages.com/screen-483.jpg

http://www.google.com/reader/ui/2806928869-audio-player.swf?audioUrl=

I believe they used this for the voicemail feature for a short time. For some reason they pulled it.

They still use it for voicemail

Is this more a bug or a feature?

> I saved the flash file and I use it on my site

I don't think it is legal. You can't just grab content from other sites and use it. This flash application is property of Google. But there are couple of similar Open Source projects you can use, for example http://musicplayer.sourceforge.net/

That's odd. I get a Quicktime plugin icon with a question mark in the middle for your example. And I still get this even if I copy the URL and paste it into a new browser. However, if I remove the URL from the query string, it shows the Flash based player. Weird.

And it's legal to use Google's bandwidth in order to stream mp3 files? I doubt they planned that either.

> I don't think it is legal.
i also think so. but why is the player able to play every mp3 file. i think it will be much better to ban all not google domains.

> And it's legal to use Google's bandwidth in
> order to stream mp3 files? I doubt they planned that either.

It's the same problem like with graphics. Hotlinking is against netiquette, but downloading someones picture and using it on your site without person's permission is highly illegal. Use Open Source version and everything will be ok.

> i also think so. but why is the player able to play every mp3 file.
> i think it will be much better to ban all not google domains.

Google use this player to play not only voicemail, but also mp3 files from RSS feeds – from other servers, so they can't ban them. And this fact doesn't make using it on your site without their permissions legal.

> Google use this player to play not only voicemail, but also mp3 files from RSS feeds

yes, you are right. i forgot this feature.
but i think there are ways to block this for not authorised use.

PS: Philipp, thanks for the Icon. (-:

It has been there for a long time actually, at least since late July.
>>And it's legal to use Google's bandwidth in order to stream mp3 files?
Think about the Google Video Player(Flash) we embeded in our sites.

It's strange
someone mailed me this morning about that, but I thought it wasn't new. For example, a friend of mine sent me a MP3 about a week ago, and I was able to listen that directly, because it's the same system used by Google Talk "voicemail"...

i an pd talked about this a few days ago. so i don´t think its new. but new here.

I tried something like this when they did the MP3 player in their blog (it was "Lost and Found" promoting Maps for Mobile) Then the .swf file was removed and I couldn't use it any more.

offtopic.. How do you get an icon?

> offtopic.. How do you get an icon?
See Forum Rules – http://blogoscoped.com/forum/rules.php

Loading the page from a browser that does not have Flash (yes, it happens!) results in Firefox asking me to download a file (audio.swf).

This is getting quite annoying, albeit not as much as Flash/Shockwave.

Google could simply have the SWF check the referrer. If it's *.google.com, it must be their own app embedding it... if not, it could turn itself off. Then again, I don't think they mind this, really – it's apparently based on the same technology Google Video uses, and they offer people to embed Google Videos on their site. The only caveat is that they can add ads anytime (audio or video)! But of course, I'm not suggesting inclusion of the MP3 player, it's definitely nothing official...

we all have to go back to the source of the code..which we disccussed here.

http://blogoscoped.com/forum/47942.html#id59082

Amit , actually cut a hack for embedding .swf files..but if you review the code base .swf is for voicemail player correct ??

Philipp is right – voice mail funcationlity will need to check the referrrer.

http://mail.google.com/mail/html/audio.swf

pasting so i can right click save

mail.google.com is blocked by my proxy at work, so all I get is "Access Denied".

ig, mail.google.com is blocked at my work as well, give https://mail.google.com a try. I've been doing this for a year and it works great. (note the https)

i see, there are more parameters.

https://mail.google.com/mail/html/audio.swf
?backgroundColor=0xEEEEEE
&autoPlay=true
&audioUrl=

Any option to autostart ???