One of the most used video software in the world just got a major update today. Adobe has released the new version of Flash; Flash 10.2 for Windows, Linux and Mac OS X.
Flash 10.2 has been in development for a while now and addresses several issues in the software. Flash has traditionally been one of the major reasons for browser crashes in Firefox and Google Chrome, and hopefully this new version should tackle many of the issues.
Flash 10.2 has also added support for full hardware acceleration through a new feature called Stage Video. Hardware acceleration will allow Flash to play high quality videos while using less processing power thus enhancing user experience providing users with longer battery life. According to Adobe, Flash 10.2 is 34 time more efficient than the previous versions.
Flash Player using Stage Video can effortlessly play beautiful 1080p HD video with just 1-15% CPU usage on a common Mac or Windows computer* working across platforms and browsers, it will enable the best video experience for the most people. Many millions of additional PCs, from netbooks to desktops, can now become slick HD home theaters on the web.
One of the biggest problems I have faced while using Flash on a dual-monitor setup is the inability to play full screen videos on one screen while you work on another screen. Flash 10.2 addresses this issue and allows users to play full-screen videos on one screen while you continue working on another.
For the entire list of new features in Flash 10.2 visit the official blog post. You can also download Flash 10.2 for Windows, Mac and Linux from here. Google Chrome already seems to be using some variant of Flash 10.2, the next update would include the newer version.
