Software
GMA 500 acceleration support dropped in Flash Player 10.1 beta 2?
Dec 18th
Adobe Flash Player 10.1 will be a huge step forward when it’s finally released for general consumption. Its added hardware acceleration support has already made watching video and playing Flash games more enjoyable for netbook testers.
However, it looks as though the second beta version may have taken a step back in at least one way. Over at Netbooked it’s been reported that hardware acceleration is no longer working on Intel’s GMA 500. While never officially supported, it was possible for DIYers to make things happen using an older driver.
It could simply be a matter of finding the right driver again, but let’s hope this isn’t a sign of things to come. Intel’s integrated graphics are the most widely-used by a country mile when it comes to netbooks, so it would be a real kick to the groin of netbookers if hardware acceleration becomes an impossibility.
Netbooked has posted a video of the new beta – check it out on YouTube and share your thoughts!
via Netbooked
Jolicloud will kick Chrome OS’s ass when it comes to gaming
Dec 10th
There’s no point in candy-coating the lead on this one. Google Chrome OS will be hot when it debuts next year, but for anyone who enjoys gaming on their netbook it’s not going to be the right choice for a primary operating system.
Until web application (and game) designers really start working with all the artillery Google has stockpiled in the Chrome armory, native games will win the day. And you’ll need a netbook OS capable of playing those games – like Jolicloud.
I’ve only recently had time to fire up the pre-beta on my trusty Acer Aspire One, but here’s a little secret. Just like Chrome OS, Jolicloud is built on a Ubuntu base. However, it’s had a lot less of the core hacked away so you still get to utilize Linux awesomeness like apt-get and gdebi. Read the rest of this entry »