It has finally arrived, Adobe has now released a hardware-accelerated version of its Flash player for Mac users. The new release will now allow relatively new Mac machines to have a less resource-intensive Flash experience with less battery drain.
Adobe had this to say:
‘We just pushed a few minutes ago a new version of the Flash Player 10.1.82.76 containing a nice feature that was in beta until now called “Gala.” Yes, H.264 GPU decoding in Mac OSX is now officially enabled in the Flash Player.
You should notice now a nice difference when playing H.264 content on your Mac in terms of CPU usage. We rarely enable new features in security releases but we really wanted to enable such a cool feature.’
Understanding H.264 GPU Decoding
The introduction of H.264 GPU decoding is a significant milestone for Mac users. H.264 is a video compression standard that allows for high-quality video playback at lower bit rates. By offloading the decoding process to the GPU (Graphics Processing Unit), the CPU (Central Processing Unit) is freed up to handle other tasks, resulting in smoother video playback and reduced system load. This is particularly beneficial for users who frequently watch high-definition videos or engage in multimedia activities.
To take advantage of the new H.264 hardware acceleration you will need one of the following Mac devices:
– Mac Minis shipped after March 3rd, 2009. (NVIDIA GeForce 9400M or higher GPU)
– MacBooks shipped after January 21st, 2009. (NVIDIA GeForce 9400M or higher GPU)
– MacBook Pros shipped after October 14th, 2008. (Any unibody models)
– iMacs shipped after the first quarter of 2009. (NVIDIA GeForce 9400M or higher GPU)
Benefits of Hardware Acceleration
The benefits of hardware acceleration extend beyond just improved video playback. For instance, users will experience less battery drain, which is crucial for those who rely on their MacBooks for extended periods without access to a power source. Additionally, the overall performance of the system is enhanced, making multitasking more efficient. This update is particularly timely as more content creators and streaming services are adopting H.264 for their video content, ensuring that Mac users can enjoy a seamless viewing experience.
Moreover, this update aligns with the growing trend of optimizing software to leverage hardware capabilities fully. By enabling GPU acceleration, Adobe is not only improving the user experience but also setting a precedent for other software developers to follow. This move is likely to encourage more applications to adopt similar optimizations, further enhancing the performance and efficiency of Mac systems.
If you own one of the above devices, you can update your Flash here.
Via Techno Buffalo
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