The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW)

It's no secret that Flash is a blight on the Internet and should be killed with fire. However, some sites insist on using it, and so you may be interested in having it around.

Towards that end you may have read about the pre-release of Flash player 10.1 and decided to install it for the possible improvements in performance.

If you then decide to uninstall it, ha ha! You can't! Sorry!

Update: there is a uninstaller available, it is not included in the installer package. Read on for manual un-installation instructions, but use of the uninstaller is recommended. My apologies for the confusion. I wrongly assumed that Adobe would package an uninstaller with the installer, as that is what most Mac developers do when they offer an uninstaller. I regret the error.

There is no uninstaller, and you can't re-install the older version over the pre-release version, because the installer sees it as a newer version and won't let you.

Fortunately it can be removed by what I like to call "brute force."

1. Quit all browsers
2. Go to /Library/Internet Plug-Ins in Finder and delete the "Flash Player.plugin" and "flashplayer.xpt"
3. Download the latest stable version of Flash player (which will download a file called "install_flash_player_osx_ub.dmg")
4. Double-click "install_flash_player_osx_ub.dmg" which should open "/Volumes/Install Flash Player 10 UB" where you will find a file called "Adobe Flash Player.pkg"
5. Control (right) click on "Adobe Flash Player.pkg" and choose "Show Package Contents".
6. Open the "Contents" folder
7. Drag the "Archive.pax.gz" file to your Desktop
8. Double click on the "Archive.pax.gz" file to unarchive it, which will create a folder called "Archive"
9. Open the "Archive" folder and locate the "Flash Player.plugin" and "flashplayer.xpt" files.
10. Copy the "Flash Player.plugin" and "flashplayer.xpt" files to /Library/Internet Plug-Ins (you can then throw away the Archive folder on your Desktop, as well as Archive.pax.gz if it is still there.)
11. Launch Safari and check your Flash version here. As of this writing, the current stable version is "10,0,32,18"
12. (Optional) Install ClickToFlash so that Flash will only load when you want it to.

It is utterly baffling to me that a company as large as Adobe would ship a pre-release version of their plugin without an uninstaller [that you don't have to download separately, see above]. Then again, given Adobe's reputation, perhaps it shouldn't surprise me.

Some of you may be wondering why I didn't just delete the files from /Library/Internet Plug-ins/ and then run the installer for the stable version. I tried that, but the installer still insisted that there was a newer version installed, even after a reboot.

My advice is to keep using the stable version (with ClickToFlash) for now.

1Password 3.0 is available today for Leopard and Snow Leopard users, with a bunch of new features. Top of the list is 1PasswordAnywhere, which allows you to view 1Password data from any other computer --Windows, Mac, Linux, whatever -- with a modern browser like Safari or Firefox. (It should also allow you to use 1Password passwords on Mac browsers where the tool is not fully supported, such as Opera or Google Chrome.)

I've been using the 3.0 betas since Snow Leopard was released, and they have been completely stable. It is also possible to sync your 1Password keychain data over Dropbox so that all of your password information is available on all of your Macs. (Dropbox users: you may want to read this article about slimming 1Password backups if you store your 1Password backups on Dropbox. It dropped my backups from 21MB to 1MB.)

For those who aren't familiar with 1Password, let me tell you, it does more than just store passwords. It will generate them for you so you don't end up using the same lame password on a whole bunch of sites because it is the only one you can remember. All you have to remember is the password for 1Password (hence the name!). It will also manage multiple logins on the same page. My favorite feature? It will store credit card information and autofill forms for you with your billing/shipping address. I use this all the time, and whenever a website asks me if I want it to save my credit card information, I can say "No" and not have to worry about their security being compromised and my credit card information being exposed.

Another new feature is the Vault for storing software licenses, as well as file attachments. iPhone sync has been redesigned, and 1Password items can now be edited in the browser. (See all new features here.) This is a very worthy "new version" release packed with a lot of bang for your buck.

Which brings us to the "How much does it cost?" information. Agile is having a sale on upgrade licenses as part of the release:

• If you purchased 1Password 2 on or after February 1, 2009 you get a free upgrade to 1Password 3. For bonus points: your current license should "just work" in the new version.
• If you bought a license for any previous version of 1Password before February 1 (even if you got it through a bundle deal like MacHeist) single user license upgrades are $19.95, and Family 5-Pack licenses are $29.95. Note that this price is only good through November 30, 2009.
• For new users can try a fully-functioning 1Password 3 demo for 30 days. New single licenses are $39.95, and Family 5-Packs are $69.95. A 30-day money back guarantee is offered.

1Password is an essential addition to my life on the web. I bought my upgrade as soon as it was available. 1PasswordAnywhere is going to solve the biggest hurdle to using secure passwords everywhere (since I sometimes have to use Windows). The folks at Agile are very responsive to support requests, both via email and on Twitter, so your money is going to support active Mac and iPhone developers.

If you haven't tried 1Password before, now is a good time to check it out.

There are two arrivals in the App Store of note. First, after a three month wait, the multiservice IM client Trillian is now available in the App Store [iTunes link] for iPhone and iPod touch.

We previously discussed the fact that Trillian was sitting in approval limbo with no word from Apple as to why the app was being delayed. As of today it is available for US$4.99. Cerulean Studios website has more information on features, and we will be reviewing the app soon, but we wanted to let you know that it was available (for iPhone/iPod touch devices running OS 3.0 or later).

Second, the 2.0 update to Google Earth for iPhone [iTunes link] is rolled out now. The major new feature in the app is the ability to overlay your own custom Google maps onto the geographic display in GE; the app also improves POI selection and adds a slew of new languages. Google Earth requires iPhone/iPod touch OS 2.0 or later, and it's free.

[Google Earth hat tip to Ars Technica]

Simply put: Star Wars: Trench Run [iTunes link] is awesome.

The idea is fairly simple: you are re-enacting the final battle scene from the first Star Wars movie, and if you think that refers to The Phantom Menace, may God have mercy on your soul. There's a dogfight, with you in your X-wing versus several TIE Fighters. That's followed by your descent into the trench on the Death Star where you face off against TIE Fighters, cannons, and obstacles that you have to fly over or under, all while avoiding being lined up Darth Vader's crosshairs.

When you get to the end of the trench, you have to try to hit the exhaust port and blow up the Death Star.

My method of evaluating games is simple:

1. Is it fun to play?

2. Is it something that I'll still want to play after I've played it for awhile?

Read more →

Fujitsu has finally updated the ScanSnap Manager app for Snow Leopard. "Version 2.2 L12" is available for download for the following models:

• ScanSnap S300M
• ScanSnap S510M
• ScanSnap S500M
• ScanSnap S1500M

Unfortunately, for some bizarre reason they require that the previous version be installed before installing this version, which means that if you did a clean installation of Snow Leopard (like I did), you will have to download and install the old, incompatible version first, and then run the new installer.

The installer also forces the ScanSnap manager into your Login Items which is only slightly less obnoxious than forcing itself into your dock.

Also, if you use FineReader for ScanSnap S1500M and S510M, the Snow Leopard update is still not available, but you can sign up to be notified when it is released.

Thanks to DEVONtechnologies for the heads-up!

A report by "stellarola" quoted in OSNews confirms what comments on our 10.6.2 post suggested: 10.6.2 removes support for Atom processors, most frequently found in "netbook" computers. This loss of Atom support was spotted in earlier builds, but nobody knew until now whether it'd be in or out in the final configuration.

Is this Apple clamping down on "hackintosh" computers, or just continuing to prune code that it doesn't need? The answer you prefer likely depends on your previous view of Apple.

If you think Apple is a company desperate to keep control over its operating system, you point to Psystar and the ongoing iTunes/Palm Pre compatibility battle, and this is just more wood for the fire. If you think that Psystar is nuts for thinking it has a case against Apple and think that Palm should hire its own programmers to sync its devices, then you're likely to say that Atom processors were never really supported in the first place, so it's all much ado about nothing.

Either way, I wouldn't expect the OSx86 community to pack up its bags and go home. I am sure that there are several folks already at work to find a workaround for this latest hurdle, and I won't be surprised when the announcement comes that they have a solution. The only real "blow" is to those folks who were previously able to install an unmodified version of OS X onto their netbooks. I was able to get 10.5.6 running on my Asus EEE 1000ha using my regular Leopard DVD and some additional drivers/kext files, but it broke again with 10.5.7 and I was never able to get it or 10.6 to work. I gave up and installed Windows 7 on it instead -- put down those pitchforks!

The removal of Atom support does not necessarily indicate anything about the fabled Mac "Tablet" since Apple could use the ARM processor instead. Or Apple could continue to say what they've said, which is (roughly speaking) that the iPhone/iPod touch is their netbook.

One thing is for sure; this move will do nothing to end any of these debates, but if you are using a netbook or other hackintosh, let me tell you what you've probably already learned: don't be too quick to install the latest operating system updates from Apple.

Update: As noted by our commenters and cross-confirmed with OS News, the 10.6.2 update appears to drop support for the hackintosh-centric Atom processor. This was spotted in earlier builds, but it was not clear whether the support for the netbook CPU would be in or out in the final configuration.

We've been expecting Mac OS X 10.6.2 for a while now, especially since Apple initially said that the new Magic Mouse would require it, but it has just arrived.

Alongside the OS update for Snow Leopard users, Security Update 2009-006 is out for users of Leopard. Use Software Update to make sure that you get the right update for your computer.

Bug fixes are reported for AFP Client, Adaptive Firewall, Apache (2), Apache Portable Runtime, ATS, Certificate Assistant, CoreGraphics, CoreMedia (2), CUPS, Dictionary, DirectoryService, Disk Images, Dovecot, Event Monitor, fetchmail, file, FTP Server, Help Viewer, ImageIO, International Components for Unicode, IOKit, IPSec, Kernel, Launch Services, libsecurity, libxml, Login Window, OpenLDAP (2), OpenSSH, PHP, QuickDraw Manager, QuickLook, QuickTime (4), FreeRADIUS, Screen Sharing, Spotlight, and Subversion.

No word on any new features or enhancements yet. Stay tuned.

Here's the update list from Apple via Software Update:

[Our regular Sunday night Talkcast is cancelled due to a sick host. Sorry, and we'll see you next week. –Ed.]

Let's face it: Flash on the Mac is a dog. Actually, that's an insult to dogs, which are known for running fast. Flash for Mac is such a an unoptimized beast that you can expect it will suck up as much CPU as possible, even for the simplest of videos.

My first line of defense is ClickToFlash (which I've mentioned before), but the folks over at NeoSmart have another solution, at least for YouTube: HTML5.

By using the newest version of HTML, they have devised a system to send YouTube videos directly to any MP4 decoder on your computer. Simply go to their custom web page and paste the YouTube URL into the field. In a moment you will be presented with a clean window showing you the video, as well as a download link for the MP4 version.

They also have a Greasemonkey/UserScript available which will add a link to all YouTube pages. That's nice, but what I was really looking for was a bookmarklet I could keep in my Bookmarks Bar and just click on when I was on a YouTube page. I didn't find one, so I made one. Drag (don't click!) this link to your Bookmarks Bar: FlashFree YouTube and you can easily access the NeoSmart/HTML5 version.

How does it work? Superbly well. I tested it using Safari, and watching a YouTube video through NeoSmart had no noticeable impact on my CPU at all.

I've nearly given up hope for a version of Flash for Mac that doesn't stink. Until then, ClickToFlash and NeoSmart's HTML5 YouTube are a great combination to make your web surfing more enjoyable.

(Update: NeoSmart is being blocked by Google/YouTube. It turns out that if you load YouTube videos on YouTube.com while having ClickToFlash installed, they play through QuckTime, not Flash. So download ClickToFlash.)

QuickTime was one of the few apps which changed significantly in Snow Leopard. We've heard from some readers who missed the initial reports about it, so we're repeating it here, with some additional QuickTime information.

Q: "What happened to QuickTime in Snow Leopard?"

QuickTime Player "X" has brought significant changes to the way the app looks and works. Most notably, there is no "chrome" to the player when a file is being played. This is intended to let you see as much of the picture as possible.

Q: "How do I get the old QuickTime back?"

You can install QuickTime Player 7 on Snow Leopard. Apple even posted instructions which boil down to this:

• Insert your Mac OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard Install DVD.
• Open the Optional Installs folder and double-click "Optional Installs.mpkg".
• Select the QuickTime 7 option and click Continue.
• QuickTime Player 7 will be installed in your Utilities folder.

It goes on to say "If you double-click any media that requires QuickTime Player 7 for playback and it is not already installed, you will be asked if you want to download it from Apple."

Q: "I had QuickTime Pro before I upgraded to Snow Leopard, I want to use its features!"

That's not really a question, but we understand that you're upset. QuickTime Pro had the ability to do more than QuickTime X. If you installed Snow Leopard over your Leopard installation, check /Applications/Utilities/ QuickTime 7 should already be there. If not, you can install it as above.

Q: "I have QuickTime 7.6.3, and I tried to install 7.6.4 but it wouldn't let me."

That isn't a question either. You're not very good at this Q&A thing, are you? Nevermind. This confused me as well. The webpage for QuickTime 7.6.4 says that it is for "... Mac OS X 10.5 or later" but the download page for QuickTime 7 says that it is for Leopard or Tiger only. The installer for QuickTime 7.6.4 refuses to install on Snow Leopard.

Q: "What's New in QuickTime 7.6.4?"

That's a good question. From Apple: "QuickTime 7.6.4 includes changes that increase reliability, improve compatibility and enhance security. This release is recommended for all QuickTime 7 users." It's unclear why this isn't available for Snow Leopard. Perhaps the security and compatibility aren't applicable. I hope.

Q: "How can I take a screenshot of a movie in QuickTime X?"

One gripe about the new QuickTime X is that when you pause a video, the on-screen controls stay visible, making it impossible to grab a clean screenshot. TUAW reader Gwion Daniel wrote in to tell us that you can make the controls fade by double-clicking the picture frame. I have had mixed results with this. I have had the most success double-clicking on the far right side of the window (where the scrollbar would be, if there was one). Sometimes it seems to work, sometimes it takes a few tries. If you can't get it to work, fire up VLC and use the menu item Video > Snapshot.

Q: "What happened to QuickTime X's preferences?"

Thery aren't any clearly visibe as there's no preference menu. However, if you install the Secrets preference panel which we mentioned earlier you'll find hidden preferences for:

• Autoplay movies on open
• Allow multiple simultaneous recordings
• Always hide title bar
• Autohide titlebar/controller
• Autoshow titlebar/controller
• Automatically show subtitles and closed captioning on open
• Exit fullscreen when switching apps
• Use square corners

I'm hoping that the new QuickTime player will eventually regain all of QuickTime 7 Pro's functionality and the user interface will become a little more user-friendly (hiding these basic preferences seems like an odd decision), but for now we are living in an in-between time in QuickTime's development. QuickTime turns 18 this year, and it's obviously going through some changes. 'Ol Quicktime is no longer who it was, nor is it yet what it will be when it grows up. At least you don't have to worry about it staying out all night with its friends.

From time to time we have shared hidden settings in applications which can be used to "tweak" an app's behavior, such as forcing Snow Leopard's dictionary to reuse the same window or make the print dialog expanded by default. These settings are normally changed using the Terminal.app which can be daunting to some.

Secrets is a (free!) preference panel which has collected a bunch of these settings and made changing them as simple as checking a box or choosing from a drop-down panel of possible choices. It includes settings for about 40 different applications, from Apple applications such as Mail, iCal, iChat, Finder, Front Row, Keynote, DVD Player (and more) to third-party applications including Adium, Audio Hijack Pro, BBedit, EyeTV, VMware Fusion, and TextMate (just to name a few). Some applications have a lot of hidden settings, and some have only one or two.

If you see a setting but don't know what it does, click it and Secrets will show a brief explanation (these are also available on the Secrets website, but they are easier to read in the preference panel). If you change a setting which requires you to restart the application, Secrets will tell you, and even give you a "Quit This" button. (It's usually best to make these changes when the app isn't running.)

Unfortunately at least one of the secret settings from 10.5 doesn't seem to work in 10.6. That is, the setting to turn HelpViewer into a regular (instead of floating) window. There may be others.

I'm off to explore and see what new goodies Alcor (the developer of Secrets, who you may also know as the creator of Quicksilver) has uncovered.

Thanks to the recently-revived Hawk Wings site for bringing this to my attention. If you use Apple's Mail.app, Hawk Wings is a great site for tips and information.

Update: We seem to have taken down the Secrets website (oops!) but you can download the preference panel from a mirror (zip) (166kb).