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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.
TUAW TV Live at 5 PM EDT: The pre-Lion iPad app episode
We're all hanging around the TUAW newsroom waiting for Lion to drop. When that happens, there will be a flood of posts about Apple's newest Mac operating system, and I'll finally be able to devote a TUAW TV Live episode to OS X Lion. Until then, the NDA is still in place, I have my lips sealed, and the closest to a Lion you're going to get is that adorable lion cub photo. So what do I talk about until Apple's biggest cat hits the Mac App Store? iPad apps, of course! Today on TUAW TV Live I'll be demonstrating a pile of iPad apps that have been making their way into the coveted home screen on my 'pad. Whether it's Tapatalk for navigating your way around online forums, Readdle's nifty new PDF Converter, the surprisingly good Puffin browser, or a number of other iPad apps, I'll be showing off some of the best of new software coming out for the best tablet on the planet. You'll also see some new hardware that has made it to the TUAW labs for upcoming test and review. As usual, I'll be starting the show at 5 PM EDT (2 PM PDT / 10 PM BST) sharp, and we'll take a few minutes to chat before the demos start. To join in on the chat and watch the live streaming video, drop by TUAW about five minutes before the start time to get your instructions on how to participate. If you're unable to join us for the show, remember that you can always subscribe to the video podcast and watch the show at your leisure in iTunes or any other favorite podcatching app. The past shows are also available on the TUAW YouTube channel.
NASA's Puffin is the latest personal flying machine that will never be produced (video)
Yes, this is going to be another flying car post in which we lament our current, terrestrial ways and our predominantly Earth-bound means of getting places. NASA has what it thinks is the solution, a personal flying machine called Puffin that is just large enough for a person to wedge themselves into before lurching off vertically, powered by a pair of electric motors. These motors are said to make the machine almost silent so an initial application could be covert battlefield insertions, meaning yet again those military brats get to have all the fun -- in theory. However, we're going to be downers and say we don't think they'll ever get to use this thing either, as we're not seeing any room for battery packs in that man-sized fuselage. But hey, there's some rendered conceptualization after the break if you're a dreamer.
