Adobe Flash 10.1 leaves beta status, release candidate now available
For the last few months, Adobe has been hard at work on improving the performance of its ever-popular web media software, Flash. Love it or hate it, there's no escaping the fact that many of the top websites continue to use it for their streaming video needs, yet many of the underpowered UMPCs simply choke on them. With recent beta versions, those of us using anything based on the Poulsbo chipset with GMA500 graphics, such as the Fujitsu U & UH series, Sony P series, and even the Viliv tablets and UMID clamshells, have been able to take advantage of improved Flash performance.
With the release candidate now out, hopefully poor Flash performance and overworked CPU's will be nothing but a foul memory before long. Utilizing the native hardware acceleration capabilities of the GMA500, Flash 10.1 RC works in tandem with the latest Intel drivers to provide stutter-free Hulu and YouTube videos, not to mention keeping the CPU fan from shifting into overdrive.
Download Flash 10.1 RC here, and make sure you have the latest Windows 7 Intel driver found here, and hopefully Adobe can get this x86 version wrapped up so they can turn their attention to porting Flash onto these great new Android smartphones like the Nexus One and EVO 4G.
[Adobe Labs]
