flash

iMac buyers can now opt for a solid-state drive

Apple buyers eyeing an iMac now have a choice between a conventional hard drive and a solid-state drive.

Speedier than their mechanical counterparts, solid-state drives are available as options on both the 21.5-inch and the 27-inch iMacs. The 21.5-inch iMac offers a 256GB SSD for an extra $300 and a 512GB SSD for an extra $600. The 27-inch model presents the same options and throws in a 768GB SSD for an additional $900.

If those figures seem too pricey, buyers can stick with a regular serial ATA hard drive. Apple includes a 1TB hard drive in the overall … Read more

Baby Brain Flash Cards Series 1 - Lite 1.0.0 Review

The selection of flash cards and other education tools for infants and toddlers on the App Store is extremely large. There are thousands of apps that promise finely-tuned learning experiences for very young children, and for good reason -- the iPad and iPhone are perfect for this age group. But not all apps follow through on their promises. Baby Brain Flash Cards Series 1 manages to fall somewhere between both extremes, offering a wealth of options but a poorly-crafted interface and lack of direction that makes it hard to manage as a parent.

When you open the app you are … Read more

Unity Technologies extinguishes Adobe Flash

Adobe Flash has received a kick in the pants from yet another company.

Unity Technologies, which makes 3D video tools that allow developers to create Web-based games, announced Wednesday that it will no longer support Flash.

"We will keep the current Flash deployment feature set functioning throughout the Unity 4.x cycle and will include bug fixes made in upcoming Unity 4.x iterations," Unity CEO David Helgason said in a blog post Wednesday. "We do not plan, however, to make further significant investments in deployment to the platform."

In his blog, Helgason cited Adobe's … Read more

It's about time: RuneScape dumps Java for HTML5

RuneScape, a popular massive online swords-and-sorcery game, is at last dumping Java and becoming a Web app.

Jagex Games Studio released the first RuneScape 3 beta yesterday, embracing HTML5 and related Web standards that offer programmers a more modern option for writing software that runs on a variety of operating systems.

About time, I say. Java had some potential years ago, and it still has its place elsewhere in the computing world. But as a way to extend a browser's abilities, it's history. If the plague of Java security vulnerabilities weren't enough to convince you otherwise, the … Read more

IBM to invest $1 billion in R&D for flash storage

NEW YORK -- IBM today outlined its flash storage plan, which includes a $1 billion investment in research and development and a series of systems that will use solid-state drives.

With the move, Big Blue is the latest on the bandwagon to push Flash into the data centers. Developments like big data are pushing flash storage mainstream in the enterprise because companies need to tap into so-called hot data---information that needs to be used real time. Fusion-io, EMC, NetApp and other storage players have also formulated flash storage strategies.

At an event here, IBM's Ambuj Goyal, general manager of … Read more

Auto Flasher ROM flash utility 0.9.3 Review

Flashing your BIOS on a computer is almost a rite of passage for super users. Now, you can do the same thing on your Android gadget with Auto Flasher ROM flash utility. It lets you update any part of your custom ROM if something goes wrong. It's also relatively easy for rookie rooters, but they should proceed with some caution.

Since Android doesn't let you flash stock builds, you need to root your phone to use this app. If you haven't rooted, the app will kick you out before you get a chance to explore anything. If … Read more

Transfer files wirelessly or via USB with USB & Wi-Fi Flash Drive Free

More likely than not, at some point in your ownership of an Apple device, you've wanted to load a file directly to it, either for storage or to access it in some capacity - a PDF, a video or a folder of tools. While you can load images through iPhoto, and music, videos and documents in iTunes, the interface is limited and you can't create folders or other storage tools to keep your files organized. USB & Wi-Fi Flash Drive Free solves that problem by turning your iOS device into an on-the-go flash drive alternative that you can … Read more

Test your Chess skills in ChessFlash KnightVision

Chess is one of the oldest games in the world. It's a classic, and it's revered by everyone from world class-thinkers to children just learning to play as a game that tests the limits of your thinking ability. So any game that takes all the elements that make chess so popular and finds a way to make them more engaging is bound to be successful. Such is the case with ChessFlash KnightVision. Looking beyond its simple green interface and somewhat maze-like menus, KnightVision is a fantastic game, sure to capture the imagination of anyone who has ever obsessed … Read more

Samsung touts Galaxy S4 with tap-dancing 'flash mob'

Samsung tried to conjure up a bit of Fred Astaire for its latest Galaxy S4 promotion.

As the new Galaxy phone gets ready for its big debut tomorrow, the smartphone maker took to Times Square to try to wow the crowds with a dance number.

Outfitted with bowler hats and black suits with the number 4 on the back, the dancers emerged from a paneled box entitled "Be Ready 4 The Next GALAXY." The troupe performed the old soft-shoe routine before dancing back into the box.

Samsung described the video as a "a cool flash mob for … Read more

Microsoft backs away from Flash ban in IE10

An about-face in Internet Explorer 10 shows Microsoft is not merely backing off from its hostility toward Flash Player, but actually warming up to the Adobe Systems browser plug-in for competitive reasons.

In September 2011, Microsoft declared that browser plug-ins are a relic from the Internet's early days, calling them bad for battery life, security, reliability, and privacy, and said that it would ban them when IE10 was running with Windows 8's Metro user interface, now called the "immersive UI."

But Microsoft gave Flash a reprieve in May 2012 by building a special version of Adobe'… Read more