Adobe's Creative Suite 4 isn't the only software to reap the benefits of GPU acceleration, as the newly released Adobe Flash 10 shares similar functions.

Following directly on the heels of the release of the latest version of its primary competition, Adobe Systems announced the availability of Flash Player 10.

Microsoft announced the impending release of Silverlight 2 on Oct. 13 and then made the technology available on Oct. 14. Then on Oct. 15, Adobe announced the availability of Flash Player 10, the company's software for creating RIAs (rich Internet applications), interactive content and high quality video to users across multiple browsers and major operating systems. Flash competes directly with Microsoft's Silverlight.

Tom Barclay, senior product marketing manager, Platform Business Unit, Adobe Systems, said Adobe Flash Player 10 delivers enhancements and new features such as new support for custom filters and effects, native 3-D transformation and animation, advanced audio processing, and GPU hardware acceleration. In addition, the new release builds on Adobe's expertise with text to deliver a new text engine that provides interactive designers and developers with more text layout options and better creative control.

Barclay said Flash Player 10 is being made available at the same time as Adobe Creative Suite 4 (CS4), which takes advantage of Flash Player 10 technology.

"We're providing unprecedented creative control for developers and designers," with Flash Player 10, Barclay said. In addition, he said the new release is available immediately on Windows, Mac and Linux, including new support for Ubuntu 7 and 8. "Linux is a first-class citizen for us," he said.