Just got a new MBA. A few noob questions.

[BruiserBear]

I'm using Safari and I'm wondering if I should bother "updating Flash" as the home screen of Youtube suggests?

I remember hearing people talk about older Airs running really hot with Flash and it draining the battery faster. Didn't previous MBA not even come with Flash installed? I'd rather not install if it I don't need it.

I decided to start fresh with this machine, so no data carrying over from my old iMac. I plan on living light going forward, as I just started using Rdio and love it, so no iTunes really needed. Also plan on using cloud options for photo storage, etc. Any tips would be appreciated.

Silly question, but how do I refresh a web page? F5 doesn't work, and I can't figure it out.

It's pretty amazing having my first modern laptop, and this feels like the most modern laptop on the planet today.

 

[boats4chris]

Try Chrome instead

I didn't want to pollute my new 2012 Air with Flash so I installed Chrome for the few sites I occasionally go to that require flash. Chrome has flash built in so you don't need to install it for videos to play etc.

 

[BruiserBear]

I didn't want to pollute my new 2012 Air with Flash so I installed Chrome for the few sites I occasionally go to that require flash. Chrome has flash built in so you don't need to install it for videos to play etc.

Well, the default Safari is still playing youtube videos, so I'm actually not sure if I already have Flash installed?

Edit: I just noticed some videos will not play, while some will. Strange. I'm thinking of just sticking with Safari only, so I guess I might just add Flash. Any reasons I shouldn't do this? Is any particular browser more efficient on the MBA, or is Safari really my best bet?

 

[kage207]

I just use Click2Flash for Safari.

 

[ok.Eric]

I just use Click2Flash for Safari.

Click2Flash is great, but it'd still be worth it to have flash installed for the sites that use custom flash video players or have weird background flash stuff happening to make the site function (I'm looking at you CBSSports.com/Fantasy).

Flash isn't as bad as it used to be in terms of performance, I wouldn't consider it to be polluting your computer if you installed the latest version of flash.

 

[kage207]

Click2Flash is great, but it'd still be worth it to have flash installed for the sites that use custom flash video players or have weird background flash stuff happening to make the site function (I'm looking at you CBSSports.com/Fantasy).

Flash isn't as bad as it used to be in terms of performance, I wouldn't consider it to be polluting your computer if you installed the latest version of flash.

For Click2Flash you still need Flash installed. It just blocks the unwanted Flash such as ads on sites unless you want to see them.

 

[SuperMatt]

To reload a webpage, press command-R.

As for flash, just install it - your computer won't be slowed down that much by it. If it becomes a drag, you can always install click2flash to limit its impact as has been suggested.

 

[BruiserBear]

Thanks for the advice folks. I just installed Flash. I do remember hearing they'd made it far more efficient in recent years. I can always remove it down the road.

Also, thanks for the tip on reloading a page SuperMatt!

 

[mrsir2009]

Well, the default Safari is still playing youtube videos, so I'm actually not sure if I already have Flash installed?

Edit: I just noticed some videos will not play, while some will. Strange. I'm thinking of just sticking with Safari only, so I guess I might just add Flash. Any reasons I shouldn't do this? Is any particular browser more efficient on the MBA, or is Safari really my best bet?

If some YouTube videos will play and some won't, perhaps they're playing in HTML5? Try control-clicking on the videos that are working to see if they're in fact playing in HTML5 or Flash

 

[BruiserBear]

I guess they were HTML 5. That explains why some of them played even without flash.

 

[MrGIS]

I'm using Safari and I'm wondering if I should bother "updating Flash" as the home screen of Youtube suggests?

I remember hearing people talk about older Airs running really hot with Flash and it draining the battery faster. Didn't previous MBA not even come with Flash installed? I'd rather not install if it I don't need it.

I decided to start fresh with this machine, so no data carrying over from my old iMac. I plan on living light going forward, as I just started using Rdio and love it, so no iTunes really needed. Also plan on using cloud options for photo storage, etc. Any tips would be appreciated.

Silly question, but how do I refresh a web page? F5 doesn't work, and I can't figure it out.

It's pretty amazing having my first modern laptop, and this feels like the most modern laptop on the planet today.

Yes, update flash

Refresh by clicking on the icon that looks like a reverse arrow.