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Chrome to Begin Pausing Most Flash Ads Next Week

 & Angela Moscaritolo Managing Editor, Consumer Electronics

Our team tests, rates, and reviews more than 1,500 products each year to help you make better buying decisions and get more from technology.

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Google Chrome is about to get a major upgrade. Beginning Sept. 1, the browser will automatically pause many Flash ads by default to improve user performance, according to a Google+ post.

Google first announced the move in June, and rolled it out to the beta version of Chrome for the desktop. On Tuesday, it will start rolling out to the stable version of Chrome as well.

This means that when you visit a website that runs Flash, Chrome will automatically pause content that isn't central to the page. So, while you're watching a video without interruption, other Flash animations will be halted.

If Google accidentally pauses something you're actually interested in, just click to resume playback.

Google Software Engineer Tommy Li said this "significantly reduces power consumption, allowing you to surf the Web longer before having to hunt for a power outlet."

This could be an issue for advertisers, however, which may start to see their ads halted on Chrome. But Google said that most Flash ads uploaded to its AdWords platform are automatically converted to HTML5, so they will still play. Everyone else using Flash should consider switching to HTML5, Google advises.

Earlier this week, Google also announced that Chrome will now "defer playback of autoplay media" until you actually visit a particular tab. "This means no more 'Where's that sound coming from?' moments when an ad for instance decides to autoplay in a tab you've specifically opened in the background," Google's Francois Beaufort said. At this point, the feature is only available in the latest Chrome Dev build, but will likely make its ways to the Stable version soon.

About Our Expert

Angela Moscaritolo

Angela Moscaritolo

Managing Editor, Consumer Electronics

My Experience

I'm PCMag's managing editor for consumer electronics, overseeing an experienced team of analysts covering smart home, home entertainment, wearables, fitness and health tech, and various other product categories. I have been with PCMag for more than 10 years, and in that time have written more than 6,000 articles and reviews for the site. I previously served as an analyst focused on smart home and wearable devices, and before that I was a reporter covering consumer tech news. I'm also a yoga instructor, and have been actively teaching group and private classes for nearly a decade. 

Prior to joining PCMag, I was a reporter for SC Magazine, focusing on hackers and computer security. I earned a BS in journalism from West Virginia University, and started my career writing for newspapers in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia.

The Technology I Use

My little Florida beach bungalow is brimming with smart home tech. I have a smart speaker or display in every room, allowing me to control other connected devices by voice. The Nest Hub on my bedside table lets me set wake-up alarms, control my smart light bulbs, and set the temperature on my smart thermostat. I use the Amazon Echo Show 8 on my kitchen counter to browse recipes, reorder protein powder, check the weather, and watch the news while I do dishes. 

Because I suffer from allergies, air purifiers are essential. My favorite model is the Dyson Purifier Cool TP07, which doubles as a fan and continuously sends indoor pollution data to its companion mobile app. 

My pitbull Bradley sheds, so a good robot vacuum is a must. I currently use a premium Ecovacs Deebot that can both vacuum and mop, empty its own dustbin, and wash its own mop cloth. 

For fitness, I like to mix up my routine with cycling, indoor rowing, running, and strength training in addition to yoga. I take classes on the Tonal 2 smart strength training machine, I row indoors on an Aviron machine, and track my beach runs with an Apple Watch while listening to music on my Apple AirPods Pro. On the weekends, I love riding e-bikes like the rugged, beach-friendly Aventon Aventure for fun and fitness.

My job involves a lot of virtual meetings, so a quality webcam, microphone, and ring light are important. I use the Jabra PanaCast 20 webcam, the Elgato Wave: 3 microphone, and a Yesker tripod ring light. 

As for my preferred phone platform, I'm an iPhone person, but I've also extensively used Android for product testing.

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