flash

Hands-on: AirStash drive solves smartphone, tablet storage problems

Suppose you're taking a long trip and want to stock your smartphone or tablet with a bunch of movies.

Just one problem: there's no room at the inn. A Kindle Fire, for example, famously has only 8GB of storage, with no option for expansion. Same goes for any iDevice you own: once it's full, it's full.

Maxell's AirStash offers storage salvation. It's a USB flash drive that also happens to be wireless, meaning it can store files and stream media to a variety of mobile devices. It's an effective solution, though not an … Read more

Adobe patches critical security bugs in Flash, Reader, Acrobat

Those of you running Adobe Flash, Reader, and/or Acrobat are advised to download the latest updates. Adobe yesterday rolled out new and critical security fixes for all three products.

The update for Flash patches a vulnerability that could cause the software to crash and allow someone to remotely take control of an infected computer.

This hole has already been exploited through limited attacks, Adobe said. Deployed through a malicious Word document, this exploit attacks the ActiveX version of Flash Player installed as a plug-in on Internet Explorer for Windows.

Windows and Macintosh users can update Flash through the Adobe Flash Player Download Center. … Read more

Google offers bigger bucks in Chrome bug hunt

Google's program to pay outsiders who find Chrome security vulnerabilities is working well enough that the company has concluded it's time to add new financial rewards.

"Recently, we've seen a significant drop-off in externally reported Chromium security issues," Chrome programmer Chris Evans said in a blog post yesterday. "This signals to us that bugs are becoming harder to find, as the efforts of the wider community have made Chromium significantly stronger."

Thus, Google added a new $1,000 bonus on top of the regular incentive in three circumstances. The bonus applies if a … Read more

Converting vids for online posting is totally easy with Free Video to Flash Converter

DVDVideoSoft's Free Video to Flash Converter has one purpose, two file types, four quality levels, and many uses. Its single mission is to convert various video files into one of two file types for posting online. It converts most common video formats into Flash (FLV) and Shockwave Flash (SWF) files you can post on your Web site or blog. When it's done, it plays a preview of your converted video in your browser. For SWF files, Free Video to Flash Converter also generates all the HTML code and documents you need, too.

Free Video to Flash Converter has … Read more

Optimize and address Flash performance in OS X

Adobe's Flash player provides access to a great deal of online content, including that from popular sites like YouTube; however, there may be times when visiting sites that use the plug-in results in choppy performance or an inability to connect to the media being presented, which may happen on all installed and updated Web browsers. If this happens on your system, you have several options to optimize the plug-in's performance and get the sites working again.

Update Flash First if you are having troubles with Flash, then be sure to fully update to the latest version. This will … Read more

Chrome improves Flash sandboxing for Windows: 20 percent fewer crashes

Google has improved Flash sandboxing in the latest version of its Chrome browser for Windows, boosting its security and reducing crashes by as much as 20 percent.

The change also means Windows 8 users will be able to use all of a Web site's Flash features in the mode formerly known as Metro.

By sandboxing Flash, a plug-in can crash without taking down the rest of the browser. Sandboxing was introduced in early versions of Chrome to prevent rogue tabs from causing such total browser crashes, and as an anti-malware measure.

Google ported Flash off the aging NPAPI architecture … Read more

Paparazzo Light brings old-school flash to iPhone

Vintage footage of Hollywood stars shows photographers snapping photos with their big, old-school flashes mounted on large film cameras. Now you can outfit your iPhone with a bit of that retro glamour.

The Paparazzo Light looks like a mini version of those shiny flash attachments. The heart of it is a 300-lumen LED that can be dialed up or down from full brightness to zero. It has both photo and video modes to supply the right amount of light for the occasion.

The battery-powered add-on won't suck down your iPhone's juice. A Kickstarter pledge of $45 will get you either a black or white version. If you want to look more authentic, then spring for the $55 chrome version.… Read more

Get a 32GB flash drive for $14.99 shipped

Let's just cut to the chase, shall we? Today only, and while supplies last (and they will NOT last long), Newegg has the Team Group Color Turn 32GB USB flash drive for $14.99 shipped. That's after applying coupon code EMCNBNH224 at checkout. (You must be a Newegg newsletter subscriber to use the code.)

That's unreal. Insane. And a first. It was just a few months ago that finding a 32GB drive for less than $30 was a big deal. I've seen some under-$20 sales in recent weeks, but those usually involved rebates. This one: … Read more

AirParrot offers an AirPlay alternative for those with older Macs

AirParrot lets you mirror your desktop, specific apps, and even lets you extend your screen on to a big screen via Apple TV, but it isn't perfect.

Particularly compelling just after the release of Mountain Lion, AirParrot lets Mac users with machines running Mac OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard or later mirror their desktops (Mountain Lion's AirPlay Mirroring only works on Macs made after 2011). The app creates a Menubar item where you'll be able to mirror your desktop on a big screen via a second- or third-generation Apple TV. Once you're on the same … Read more

Reasons not to buy a Nexus 7

Subscribe: RSS (SD) RSS (HD) iTunes (SD) iTunes (HD) The Nexus 7 is my favorite tablet right now. Google nailed the price, the interface, and the features, and avoided the mistake of selling it exclusively through a mobile carrier. It's enough to make the Motorola Xoom feel like a distant memory.

But no gadget is perfect, and the Nexus 7 is no exception. If you honestly think a $200 tablet can be made without cutting any corners, let me know. I have a bridge I'd like to sell you.

Android fans, I recommend following this one up with … Read more