adobeflash
Latest
Adobe's Edge tool promises Flash-like animation through HTML5
Even as many onlookers declare HTML5 adoption the beginning of the end for Adobe's once-ubiquitous Flash platform, the company has embraced the web standard through properties like its Creative Suite and Wallaby. Adobe will be taking things a step further with Edge, an HTML5 design tool that promises to allow "web designers to bring animation, similar to that created in Flash Professional, to websites." The software is currently in public preview mode, available as a free download for web designers, in hopes of getting some feedback that will help shape its final release.
Fusion Garage's Grid 10 tablet clears the FCC, begs us not to call it the 'JooJoo 2'
If at first you don't succeed, discontinue your product, carry on a lawsuit, and then try again. That's the story thus far for Fusion Garage, the company behind the failed JooJoo tablet, an overpriced, hard-to-use slate that proudly omitted all the things people like about tablets -- you know, like apps. After the underwhelming sales figures started rolling in, Chandrashekar Rathakrishnan, the company's founder, admitted that perhaps some people might sometimes be interested in doing things other than surf the web. That was the end of JooJoo, though he promised, ominously, that we hadn't seen the last of Fusion Garage. Well, here we are: the troubled company just sent another tablet through the FCC, and no, it's not called the "JooJoo 2." Rather, this one's dubbed the "Grid 10" -- a likely attempt on Fusion Garage's part to distance itself as much as possible from its embarrassing (and messy) entrance into the tablet market. For now, though, that's near-impossible, especially given that this FCC report contains precious few details about what this thing will be capable of. No word either on when the JooJoo will rise from the grave as an Android-running zombie, but our guess is that apocalyptic day is nigh.
iSwifter will bring Flash-free browsing to the Mac
Apple hasn't shipped Adobe Flash Player on Macs since last October, and the current shipping version of Flash Player has some incompatibilities with Lion that have yet to be fixed. If developer iSwifter has its way, you won't need Flash Player on any of your Apple devices. iSwifter currently has a Flash-free browser app for the iPad that works in the same way as the Puffin and SkyFire browsers on that platform -- it runs all web content through a server that processes Flash content and then sends the "translated" animation, game, or movie to the device browser. Now iSwifter is planning on bringing its browser to the Mac App Store, although they're not saying exactly when the app will be available. The company wants to give users a common Flash-compatible browser that looks and acts the same on all Apple platforms. The existing iPad app is available as a free trial, and then charges $4.99 as an in-app purchase to use the browser without limits. iSwifter is planning on using the same process for the Mac app, although pricing may be different. So what would people use the iSwifter browser for? Mostly for playing Zynga games on Facebook. Over 40% of all gaming time logged on iSwifter's servers is for those games, which include Words With Friends, Farmville, Cityville, and Mafia Wars.
Adobe releases Flash 11 and AIR 3 betas
Adobe has released betas of both Flash 11 and Air 3 for Mac OS X, Windows, and Linux. The new features that caught my eye right away include full 64-bit support for Flash Player running in browsers (even in Linux!) and support for delivery of full HD video with 7.1 surround sound to AIR-powered TVs. I haven't tested these betas out; I use Click2Flash to block 99 percent of the Flash content I come across these days and force it to play in a more CPU- and battery-friendly format instead. For the curious among you, you can head to Adobe's site and download the new betas. Some of the key features for Flash Player 11 are printed below. Stage3D APIs -- Create highly interactive visuals to improve collaboration on 3-dimensional models. 64-bit support -- Support for 64-bit operating systems and browsers on Linux, Mac OS, and Windows. G.711 audio compression for telephony -- Integrate voice/telephony into business apps using G.711 codec. H.264/AVC SW Encoding -- Encode higher quality video locally using H.264 video. Socket Progress Events -- Build advanced file sharing apps like FTP clients that send large amounts of data. HD surround sound -- Deliver full HD videos with 7.1 channel surround sound directly to AIR powered TVs.
Adobe and Sony create contest to put Air apps on Android tablets
Normally, we don't cover contests, but this Air App Challenge from Sony and Adobe does deserve some special attention. Why? Well, for one, Air hasn't exactly taken off quite like the Flash makers had hoped -- especially in the mobile space. And two, that new S2 tablet is going to need some apps that are designed to take advantage of its dual screens. The $200,000 in cash prizes will be awarded to developers who whip up the best creations specifically for the forthcoming Sony Honeycomb devices, using Adobe's Flash-plus-browser environment. Challenges have proven successful in the past to spur interest in platforms from Android to New York City's vast databases of information. If the contest is successful it could turn that little folding Sony from a novel design into a unique and compelling product. If you really need to know more, full PR is after the break.
Pandora ditches Flash, opens up the HTML5 box for redesign
Looks like Adobe has lost yet another ally to the silky smooth allure of HTML5. Internet radio service Pandora has traded in the once ubiquitous Flash for the increasingly adopted web standard, citing, among other things, the ability to lop precious seconds off the site's load time. The upgrade is part of a major redesign for the service, said to have been inspired by the company's own iPad app. The old features are largely intact, but many, like Twitter and Facebook integration, have been revamped. The update will be rolled out to Pandora One subscribers soon, in something of a limited testing mode, with other users following later. Those with browsers that aren't fully HTML5-friendly will still be able to access Flash features as backup.
Xtreamer's Prodigy media streamer gets upgraded internals, shoots 3D video to your screen for €149
Last time we saw the Xtreamer Prodigy, it was shaping up to be quite the slick little media streamer with a Realtek 1185 chipset running at 500MHz, a plethora of supported codecs, and a fancy flash-based GUI with Android underpinnings. In the months since, the Prodigy hit the gym and now packs Realtek's 1186 silicon clocked at 750MHz and HDMI 1.4 for pumping out video in three dee. There's also Gigabit Ethernet, 802.11n WiFi, and support for up to a 3TB HDD in its 3.5-inch bay, so you can source your videos from home or abroad with the greatest of ease. Currently up for pre-order, this digital media distributing dandy will cost €149 (that's $213 here in the States), but won't ship until September.
Roadshow from Fetch Softworks downloads videos to iPad for offline viewing
Longtime Mac users are very familiar with Fetch Softworks. The company has been around since 1989, and is named after the classic Mac FTP client -- Fetch. Now Fetch Softworks has branched out with a new addition to the family named Roadshow. Roadshow (free download, $4.99 in-app purchase to remove ads and enable unlimited video) isn't a Mac app, and it's definitely not an FTP client. It is a fun iPad app that answers the question "How can I download online videos for viewing on my iPad at a later time when I'm offline?" How it works Roadshow has a built-in web browser that you can use to head out to your favorite sites. When you find a compatible video (more on that in a moment), you'll see it show up in a horizontal scrolling icon list above the browser. To download and save the video for offline viewing on your iPad, just tap on the video icon and a progress bar shows you how the download is coming along. The app worked well in limited cases. For example, when I browsed Vimeo I was able to tap on any video and have it appear in the scrolling list for download. I easily queued up a few videos for download in this manner. However, I didn't have a lot of success with many other sites. Anything that is stored on YouTube, for example, cannot be downloaded. That's not really the app's fault, but more a legal detail of the terms of use for YouTube. %Gallery-126910% Compatible videos My next idea was to see if I could download some of the tutorial videos from Apple's support page, hoping that if my Dad ever gets an iPad, I could preload a bunch of tutorials on the device. No such luck. Next, I headed out to PBS to see if I could grab some video. Nope, it's all Flash content, so there's no way to even watch the video on the iPad, nonetheless download it. I went out to four local TV channels to see if I could watch news stories, thinking that Roadshow would be a great way to capture the news for viewing later. Once again, I was stymied by the inability of the iPad to play Flash video. Fox Business News video was available, so I quickly grabbed copies of our very own Mike Rose in several of his frequent appearances as an Apple pundit. Fetch lists Vimeo, MSNBC, and TED Talks as sites that have compatible video. After this experience, I'm going to go out of my way to make sure that TUAW TV Live can be watched using Roadshow -- right now, we host the completed videos on YouTube and embed them into each week's show post. Other washouts included ABC.com (they want you to watch the video through their free app), NBC.com (Flash...), CBS.com (full episodes weren't available, although clips were), Fox.com (Flash, although they do have an iPad app), the Food Network, A&E TV, Xfinity.com, you name it. I didn't realize just how bad the situation is for video on the iPad until I wrote this review. C'mon, Apple and Adobe -- let's get this resolved! The collection When you do finally locate a video that is viewable on the iPad and you download it, Roadshow puts the captured video into a "collection," a virtual storage shelf onto which each of the video clips is placed. To watch a video, you tap on it and then tap the play button. The video goes full-screen, and you're able to enjoy it. To delete a video, there's a trash can icon. Sharing videos is made possible by a button that allows you to send a link to the original source web page. Conclusion Roadshow works as advertised. I only have one minor complaint about the app. For a company that has had such a beautiful icon for Fetch for many years, the Roadshow icon is disappointing. Perhaps you can change it to your Fetch dog carrying a video in his mouth... Unfortunately for Fetch Softworks, the inability of the iPad to view Flash video makes it difficult to get source material to watch! If you have a source of non-Flash video that you're used to watching through Safari on the iPad, then by all means download the ad-supported free version of Roadshow. You can try it out and watch up to 15 videos; after that point, there's a $4.99 in-app purchase that removes ads and lets you watch video until you drop -- or run out of non-Flash videos. Roadshow is fast, intuitive, easy-to-use, and a wonderful way to view video offline on an iPad. It's so nice to see Fetch Softworks branching out into the world of iOS apps, and if Roadshow is any indication, we're going to see some great things out of this venerable development house.
SlingPlayer for Boxee Box hands-on (video)
Sling Media teased its SlingPlayer for Connected Devices with a Google TV demo last month, but we had a chance to go hands-on with the TV streaming service on a Boxee Box at tonight's gdgt event in NYC. The player launched without issue on the demo system we saw, and the interface should feel familiar if you've used any of the SlingPlayer mobile apps. Sling says the application will appear in the list of Boxee apps and in the Spotlight on Google TV when it hits public beta within the next month, or you can sign up to be notified on Sling's website. Post-beta pricing and availability details haven't been released, but you can get your TV fix for free for the duration of the beta period. Jump past the break for a quick peek in our hands-on video.
BlackBerry Tablet OS v1.0.6 update brings Flash 10.3 and AIR 2.7 to PlayBook
Nah, it ain't the update that'll bring a standalone email client to your BlackBerry PlayBook, but at least it's some positive news in an otherwise gloomy arena surrounding RIM. Version 1.0.6 of the BlackBerry Tablet OS was just cut loose today, bringing support for Adobe's Flash 10.3 and AIR 2.7 software. In other words, users should see improved Flash performance, and they'll also be able to tap into a new array of apps crafted with AIR 2.7. Oh, and for the security mavens? There's a few built-in updates to safeguard you and yours. It's available over-the-air right now, and if you don't see an update just yet, be patient -- it's en route, we swear.
Sigma Design's 'ultra thin' TV box design promises HD in a tiny package
It's not much bigger than many of the wall warts currently filling outlets in your power strip, but this reference design from Sigma Designs could be your next cable box. With HomePlug networking, Z-Wave RF remote control technology and the ability to process multiple 1080p streams at once built in, it only needs to be plugged in to the wall (and connected to a TV via HDMI) to get to work. connect to the network and pull in video from the internet, feeds from an IPTV provider like U-Verse (or Comcast eventually), or multiroom streams from a connected DVR. At its heart is the SMP8670 chip unveiled at CES that's optimized for XBMC, Adobe AIR and Flash which could make it an ideal extender for someone like TiVo or Boxee, if Sigma can get them to bite on the concept. Until then, all we can show you are a few pics of the bare internals in the gallery and a press release after the break. %Gallery-126765%
Adobe CEO has no beef with Apple, no answer for poor Flash performance on Android (video)
The Adobe-Apple Flash war used to be one of the juiciest catfights around, but, much like two aging boxers, both sides now appear willing to act like adults put it all behind them. Speaking at yesterday's D9 conference in Palos Verdes, California, Adobe head Shantanu Narayen confirmed that he and Steve Jobs have reached an unofficial armistice, bringing an end to their prolonged war of words. According to the CEO, Apple's Flash issues stemmed from the company's "business model," rather than any legitimate concerns over quality. "It's control over the app store that's at issue here," Narayen said, implying that Flash's wide-ranging platform compatibility may not have jibed with the Cupertino ethos. He went on to remind moderator Walt Mossberg that developers can still use Adobe's AIR software to get their products to the App Store, adding that his company is looking forward to the rise of HTML5 and "actively contributing" to its development. Mossberg, meanwhile, seemed to blindside Narayen when he brought up Flash's poor performance on Android devices. "I have yet to test a single one where Flash tests really well," the columnist claimed. "I'm sorry, but it's true." Narayen sputtered a bit, before pointing to the BlackBerry PlayBook as an example of the progress that Flash has made. When Mossberg reminded him that the PlayBook doesn't run on Android, the CEO not-so-subtly sidestepped the question by emptily declaring that Adobe's mission is simply to provide people with the best tools to create content. Apparently satisfied with this non-answer, Mossberg changed the subject back to Apple, allowing Narayen to wax poetic about their new Pax Romana -- and, perhaps, to breathe a sigh of relief. See the full interview after the break.
SlingPlayer for Google TV teased on video, beta program opens up soon
We got a hint of Sling's desire to let users catch their video streams directly on TV without a box during CES 2010, and now there's video of the company showing off its SlingPlayer for Connected Devices app on Google TV. We caught a a preview at CES earlier this year, but interested Slingbox owners (SOLO and PRO-HD boxes only, just like the mobile apps) can sign up for the upcoming beta at the link below. We're wondering if this app could be based on Flash, which could allow for easy porting to other embedded TV platforms with Adobe Flash & Air support like Samsung's Smart Hub. Also not lost in the moment is the ability for the Google TV to show some potential, since it desperately needs for the list of things it actually can do well to garner more attention than the list of things it's blocked from doing.
Removing Flash from your Mac
Back in October, Apple shipped its first MacBook Air models without the Adobe Flash plug-in pre-installed. In the ensuing brouhaha, Ars Technica discovered Flash cut battery life by up to 33 percent on the MacBook Air and possibly other MacBook models. Personally, my MacBook often sounds like it's preparing for space flight when I visit pages that use Adobe's plug-in. Whether you wish to conserve electricity, silence overactive cooling fans, boost the security of your browsing experience or protest against the use of media plug-ins, you can easily remove Adobe Flash from your Mac. Most often, the Flash plug-in can be found in the "Internet Plug-Ins" folder on your system's hard drive. To get there, switch to the Finder and select "Go to Folder..." from the "Go" menu. When prompted, enter "/Library/Internet Plug-Ins/" and click "Go" to switch to the appropriate location on your system. Once you are in the "Internet Plug-Ins" directory, make a new folder called "Disabled Plug-Ins." Move the "Flash Player.plugin," "flashplayer.xpt" and "NP-PPC-Dir-Shockwave" files into your new "Disabled Plug-Ins" folder. Or if you really want to kill Flash, toss these files into the Trash. (Note: if you don't find these three files in "/Library/Internet Plug-Ins/" they may be hiding in "~/Library/Internet Plug-Ins/".) The next time you relaunch Safari or Firefox, Flash will no longer be enabled. If you need to view a Flash-enabled page in a pinch, you can install and launch Chrome. This Safari-alternative ships with a Flash plug-in embedded in the browser. You can also install OmniWeb or iCab and copy the Flash plug-in into the browser's plug-in folder. For OmniWeb, right-click on the OmniWeb application and choose "Show Package Contents" to reveal the PlugIns folder. Copy the Flash plug-in to the folder, and you should be good to go. iCab does not contain a PlugIns folder, but you can create one yourself and copy over the Flash plug-in manually.
Android 3.1 gets namechecked by Adobe Flash Player 10.2, will be required to enjoy accelerated 720p video
Remember how Adobe said Flash 10.2 wasn't living up to its full hardware-accelerated potential on Honeycomb thus far? Well, it seems the company's found a solution by the name of Android 3.1. We've been inundated with tips (and have confirmed with Adobe) that there's a sticky-sweet new build of Android on the way for the recent crop of slates that OEMs and carriers are rolling out, and that -- just like last time -- you'll need that software to take advantage of all the hardware rendering and compositing that your Tegra 2 silicon can afford. With any luck, 720p playback won't burn our eyeballs this time around. By the way, the Android Market item above was updated this morning to read "requires an upcoming release of Android 3" rather than "Android 3.1," but it's unclear whether the original number was inaccurate or whether Adobe got in trouble. [Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
Adobe finds another 'critical' flaw in Flash, Steve Jobs smiles smugly
Hey, guess what? Adobe has found yet another serious security flaw in Flash. We can already hear the iOS fanboys warming up their commenting fingers. The vulnerability affects all platforms, including Android, though only attacks on Windows have been seen in the wild so far. Just like last month's exploit, this one is spreading via malicious .swf files embedded in Office documents, only this time it's Word instead of Excel being targeted (a hacker's gotta keep it fresh, after all). Once again Reader and Acrobat are also vulnerable, but attacks can be thwarted using Reader's Protected Mode. When exactly Adobe plans on plugging this hole is anyone's guess, so when a deposed Nigerian prince tells you about the fabulous sum of money he'd like you to transfer, you'll have yet another reason not to open the Office attachments in his email.
Vudu starts streaming movies to the browser, but only in SD
Vudu's movie service is already available on 300-odd set top boxes and HDTVs including the PS3 and Boxee Box, but now it can add your personal computer to the list since it will start streaming its entire catalog right on the company's website. The Flash-based player will let customers watch movies they've rented or purchased like any other device, but due to licensing issues it's limited to a maximum 480p resolution with stereo sound for now. That's disappointing for a company that pioneered high quality 1080p streaming with its HDX format but it could help attract customers who find a rental packed in with one of their DVDs or Blu-ray discs from Walmart. There's no word yet on plans for mobile devices, but general manager Edward Lichty confirmed to us it plans to make content accessible in "as many places as possible" so we'd expect to hear something on that front soon (but probably after the launch of premium VOD.) Until then, there's a few more screens in the gallery and a press release after the break or you can just check out the 2.0 interface for yourself on Vudu.com once everything goes live. %Gallery-120901%
HSN details Nook Color update for 'mid-April': Android 2.2, Flash, apps and push email
Spent some quality time watching the Home Shopping Network this morning to hear just how the Nook Color will be improved? That's what we thought... but we bit the bullet and tuned in ourselves to get the details for you. Simply put, HSN says Barnes and Noble will start rolling out an over-the-air software package in "mid-April" that will update the Nook Color to Android 2.2, bringing Adobe Flash Player, Angry Birds, and push email of some sort. It'll also apparently include "lots of Nook apps," though the channel's pitchmen only had one to show on TV -- a kid-friendly sketchpad, with a variety of drawing utensils and colored paper. HSN hosts also claim that customers who purchase the Nook Color on the show are "guaranteed to be the very first people updated," though we're not sure we'll take them at their word, considering some of the other fabulous exaggerations we just heard on the air. %Gallery-119775%
Nook Color getting Flash and apps in April update, according to Home Shopping Network (update: official)
The little e-reader that could is about to do even more -- according to a listing on the Home Shopping Network, the Nook Color will get an update next month that brings Flash support and additional apps to the platform. That suggests that we'll finally be seeing Android 2.2 and perhaps an app store of some sort, though HSN isn't spilling the beans right now -- the cable station wants you to tune in at 12AM, 5AM or 9AM (or 12PM, 5PM or 9PM) ET this Saturday to get an exclusive sneak peek at the goods. Yours for just four easy payments of $74.97... which must seem like a tremendous deal compared to HSN's "retail value" of $504. Update: Barnes & Noble has now made this completely official itself, and confirmed that the update will include email support among other "exciting new applications." Press release is after the break.
Adobe's Flash Player, Reader and Acrobat updated to close critical security hole
Adobe has issued an update to its popular Flash Player plug-in as well as its Reader and Acrobat software for viewing and editing PDF (portable document format) files. According to Adobe's security bulletin and advisories webpage, a critical vulnerability has been identified in the above mentioned software that can "... cause a crash and potentially allow an attacker to take control of the affected system." Naturally, Adobe advises that users update their software to the latest version. The affected Flash Player versions are 10.2.152.33 and earlier (10.2.154.18 and earlier for Chrome users). The affected Acrobat and Reader versions are 10.0.1 and earlier 10.x and 9.x versions. To find out what version of Flash Player you're currently running, visit the About Flash Player Page from your browser or right-click on running Flash content and select About Adobe Flash Player from the menu. If you have multiple browsers installed on your Mac, Adobe recommends you perform the check on each browser. For the latest Adobe Reader update click here, and for the latest Adobe Acrobat update click here.
