Tips, Tricks and Tutorial

Saturday

Adobe Flash Player

There should be no doubt that Apple's decision to block Flash from iOS in favor of HTML5 has spurred Adobe to make sure that its media-rich content-building tool and player Flash remains competitive. Flash Player 11 brings hardware-accelerated graphics support to the platform.

According to Adobe, the new Stage3D technology in the new Flash Player brings combined 2D and 3D acceleration that is up to 1,000 times faster than the previous Flash iterations. While currently Stage3D is supported only for personal computers, it should make its way to mobile devices in future Flash releases. The advancements offered by Stage3D should bring far more complex graphics development for the player, and allow some developers to use it as a viable alternative for their projects, especially for cross-platform efforts.

In addition to accelerated graphics, Flash 11 now is natively in 64-bit code on all supported platforms, which will allow it to better integrate with browsers and plug-ins that are coded in 64-bit. This along with a slew of new enhancements for developers in terms of security improvements, media handling, and better JavaScript integration will enhance the player's use for future development. Flash also comes baked into Google Chrome, and therefore the Chrome OS that powers Google's Chromebooks.

Mac users take note: Flash requires OS X 10.6 or later running on an Intel platform since Adobe removed support for PowerPC Macs in Flash 10.

Although it's possible that HTML5 will at some point unseat Flash as the dominant code for media on the Web, that won't happen for a while yet since HTML5 standards haven't even been finalized. The Flash Player is a must if you want to experience the Web at its fullest, so users at any level of expertise should have no qualms about installing or upgrading.

Download Adobe Flash Player

Internet Download Manager

Don't let the dull name fool you: Internet Download Manager is a full-featured package that handles downloading tasks with aplomb. It conveniently integrates into your browser, even if you use Mozilla or Opera.

It automatically sorts incoming files by file type and puts them in the appropriate folder. Most importantly, it supercharges download speeds (it doubled ours). Its windowed interface is clean and easy to understand. Power users can take advantage of the command line interface to resume file transfers, schedule downloads, connect through dial-up, or log on to password-protected sites. Experienced users also can limit the number of connections, the download speeds for specific sites, and even create an exception list to block specific, user-defined sites.

Other features include automatic virus checking and the ability to download all files linked to a page. The new version has a Web spider that can analyze a site and retrieve, for example, all the images on it.

Internet Download Manager strikes us as a natural choice for users in need of a trusty transfer tool. Version 5.11 build 5 added FLV grabber that can be used to download videos from YouTube, Google Video, MySpaceTV, and other popular sites.

Download Internet Download Manager

YouTube Downloader

YouTube Downloader is a popular, free program that enables you to download and convert online videos (legal content, to which you have the rights) for later viewing on your desktop or mobile device. It can convert files to MOV, MP4, 3GP, WMV, AVI, or MP3.

The name "YouTube Downloader" is terribly misleading because the program, in fact, downloads a whole lot more than just YouTube videos. On the developer's site, you can find an extensive list of additional supported sites including Facebook and Vimeo. This wide net of support easily pushes YouTube Downloader to the top of its category.

When you find a video you'd like to download, copy the URL of the video page and open YouTube Downloader. From there, you'll notice that the program automatically pastes the URL into the appropriate field. Choose your desired Download quality (Best Available is a nice option) and your destination folder, then hit Download. Once your download is finished, hit the Play tab to watch. The Convert tab lets you export to a different file format for playing elsewhere, and gives you a convenient mini editor for making minor alterations before your export. You can change video volume (or remove audio altogether) and splice footage by setting specific start and end times.

One thing that disappointed us was the absence of a one-step download-and-convert function in the free version. If you want the one-step convenience, you'll have to upgrade to Pro ($19.90), which also gives you the capability of downloading multiple videos at once. Also, it would've been nice to be able to name files before downloading them, but that's certainly not a deal-breaker.

For online video enthusiasts looking to download non-copyrighted or personally owned videos, YouTube Downloader appears to be a near-perfect tool. Sure it's missing a few minor conveniences, but its simplicity and the fact that it casts such a wide net of support for online video sites make it virtually unbeatable.

Download YouTube Downloader

Avast Free Antivirus

The bottom line: After the last version's radical new interface that brought this security stalwart into a visual comparison with its competitors, Avast looks to the future with version 6's edgy improvements.

Review:
Avast made great strides in its previous update. Version 5 set the stage for the modern, massively popular, and free security suite with a new interface that ditched a quirky, late-'90s jukebox style for a more polished look. Easier to navigate, it also became easier to add new features.

Make no mistake; Avast 6 adds features both big and small. Some that had previously only been available to paid upgrade users are now free for all versions, and newer features have been seamlessly added to the interface experience. If you're familiar with Avast 5, upgrading to Avast 6 won't be that big of a leap.

Interface
Avast 6's interface is virtually identical to the previous version's. Perhaps the most major change, aside from a slight lightening of the gray in the color scheme, is the removal of the Windows Explorer-style forward and backward buttons. We actually liked those, since they made it easy to return to a previous pane, no matter how deeply into the settings you had explored.

The only other change is the addition of the Additional Protection tab to the left nav area, which hosts the new AutoSandbox and WebRep feature controls.

For users new to Avast, the sleek user interface is a change that came at the end of 2009. The gray-and-orange color scheme stands out well on the screen, and the tab-based navigation on the left makes it easy to navigate between features. Highlighted with the familiar security colors of green for safe and red for dangerous, the Summary tab gives up-to-date info on shield status, auto-updates, virus definitions, the program version, and whether the silent/gaming mode is on. There's also an unobtrusive ad urging you to upgrade to Avast Internet Security 6.

The Summary tab contains a second submenu, Statistics. If you're curious to see how Avast's shields have been performing against threats, here's where you can get your math geek on. For each shield, it tells you how many files were scanned and when, and presents the data in a concise graph.

Download Avast Free Antivirus

AVG Anti-Virus Free Edition 2012

The bottom line: AVG Free 2012's renewed focus on performance keeps scans zippy, but struggles with slowing down your boot time and too many false positives.

Review:
The never-ending mantra chanted by security suite vendors sounds a lot like "faster scans, easier to use, better performance," and AVG has released a new version that it says accomplishes all three. Certainly, the scans are faster, it does install more quickly, and some tweaks to the interface have made it easier to view. Two new core security changes will make you safer, too.

Interface
The changes to AVG's interface in the 2011 version were minor but actually improved usability quite a bit. This year, the tweaks are even less pronounced. There's not much different besides redoing the icons in the main interface so they're easier on your eyes.

AVG Free's slightly tweaked interface for 2012.

(Credit: Screenshot by Seth Rosenblatt/CNET)

There's a one-click Fix button for automatically repairing security breaches that appears at the top along with a yellow X when your system safety has been compromised. It disappears when your system gets a clean bill of health.

Joining the one-click Update button on the side nav is a one-click Scan Now button. There's a clean look to the nav, as well, with bigger fonts and timestamps for the most recent scan and most recent update.

AVG has placed icons for its security components in a central pane. Double-click on one to access more information and basic configuration settings for each specific tool. Advanced settings are available under Tools on the menu bar at the top of the window.

The new interface changes are small, no doubt, but they do make AVG easier to use.

Download AVG Anti-Virus Free Edition 2012

Editor's review:

If you happen to be one of those die hard action/war game fanatics who like to engage in long hours of combat involving state of the art weapon systems in a virtual environment, Air Shark 2.1.0 is definitely one game that you would probably like to give a shot at. Coming straight from the house of FreeGamePick.com, this free game has indeed won the hearts of a huge chunk of the fanboys of the genre in a very brief duration of its existence. The game, as the name itself suggests, involve aerial warfare over enemy territory. So if you have a soft corner for such a game somewhere in your heart too, come aboard and let’s have a look at whether or not the game deserves all the attention it has been able to bag so far on a global scale.

Air Shark 2.1.0 is definitely one of those small scale game which is blessed with a surprisingly gorgeous graphics quality that very few other titles in its class can even manage to come closer to. And then, the game allows you to fly probably the most sophisticated combat helicopter you have ever imagined. The missions you need to participate in the game involve a variety of different challenges, as well as varying landscapes, both day and night combat etc. Underestimate your mighty enemies at your own peril! The game brings you a total of 18 huge levels wherein you will have to fight your way through 3 really powerful super villains. You will also have 5 different types of missiles and 10 unique state of the art weapons with 3-7 level of upgradations.

All in all, a pretty entertaining game that comes for absolutely free. Hence it gets a score of four and a half rating points on the scale of five for its simplicity and fun quotient.

Publisher's description:

The ultimate Helicopter game with great graphics and gorgeous effects awaits you! You got a chance to fly the most advanced helicopters on the planet. All its power is under your control. Bring the enemies to justice now! Varying landscapes, the darkness of night, and mighty enemies lie ahead. But, prove your worth and you'll be rewarded! CRUSH them!

* 18 large levels with 3 powerful deadly bosses
* Over 100!! different units with unique characteristics
* 10 unique weapons with 3-7 level upgrade
* 15 different bonuses and 5 missile types
* A leading-edge 3D graphics engine
Download Air Shark 2 1.0

ProxyMe Internet Proxy Software

The ProxyMe application was developed to be a small tool that will allow you to browse the internet securely. You can unblock popular sites. Feel free to browse 24/7. Free Proxy Software ProxyMe 2011 File Size 10 KB. Download free to try ProxyMe 2011 Internet Proxy Software. Free Proxy Software ProxyMe 2011 Website

ProxyMe Internet Proxy Software features:

· ProxyMe will hide your IP address from the web sites you visit
· ProxyMe can penetrate bans and blocks on forums, download sites (rapidshare etc.)
· Automatic proxy server switching for improved anonymous surfing
· ProxyMe is fully compatible with Internet Explorer, Firefox, Opera and others
· Advanced proxy list scanning and management