Updates to plain HTML aren't as exciting as say, your scripting / server-side language of choice, but seeing as it's the backbone of the front-facing web, it's a good idea to check-up on old faithful every so often. If you've decided to choose today to pop in -- great timing! HTML 5.1 recently became World Wide Web Consortium's "gold standard".

The slow death of Adobe Flash marches on. Google has announced it will be blocking non-essential Flash content that runs in the background of webpages in September. Mozilla has already started doing this with its Firefox browser this month. Here's what you need to know.

HTML5 is a markup language that is now at the heart of the development process of most websites and web applications. Here's a HTML5 cheat sheet that will certainly come in handy for beginners as well as seasoned veterans.

There has been much hand-wringing about the merits of using HTML5 versus building native apps for mobile device. Whatever the technical arguments, it's important not to lose sight of one key fact: many end users can't tell the difference.

There's no doubt that building a functional mobile site avoids the pain of having to build specific apps for multiple phone platforms. The big problem? End users would still much rather have an app.

Want to develop for mobile? Conventional wisdom holds that you have two basic choices: a native app (works well but needs lots of resources) and web apps (work everywhere but can't use platform features). The reality is less elegant.

HTML5 is essential for developing modern web sites and frequently touted as a future path for mobile app development, but its reputation is often clouded by hype. Here are five myths about HTML5 you shouldn't believe.

Much of the news from the annual Mobile World Congress gathering in Barcelona concentrates on shiny new devices, but there's also plenty happening in the developer space. Intel used the event to launch its new Integrated Native Developer Experience (INDE), which aims to make it possible to build Android and Windows apps using the same broad code base.

Christmas is usually a busy time, but if you think you'll have a fair chunk of unproductive days to spare and think you're a gun at making games in HTML5, you could try to put something together for Mozilla's game dev competition. Don't worry, prizes are involved and some decent ones at that.

Hover was originally included as a bonus game on the CD-ROM version of Windows 95. Microsoft has recreated it as an updated online game to demonstrate the capabilities of Internet Explorer 11 -- but that game also includes a hidden Easter Egg that recreates the Windows 95 version.

Which mobile platforms do Aussie developers favour? A survey of 221 Australian developers by Embarcadero Technologies suggests iOS is retaining its edge despite the rapid growth of Android. Plus: one factor causing HTML5 development to stall.

HTML5 is often touted as the best alternative to developing platform-specific apps, but options for selling HTML5-based apps are somewhat thin on the ground. Amazon is looking to change that by adding the option for developers to sell HTML5 apps via its app store.

Dear Lifehacker, I'm now so reliant on my mobile devices that I only rarely use my laptop. It is far more convenient to use the phone or tablet to look up something. But one challenge I've encountered is viewing TV show episodes on an Android device. The problem is that they virtually all use Flash. Is there an elegant solution that would work for all channels without installing channel-specific applications? Thanks, Eager Viewer

Google's latest 'Chrome experiment' is Cube Slam, a two-player online game which incorporates video chat. As well as being a massive potential distraction, it's also a neat demonstration of the WebRTC standard being used for real-time communication in an HTML5 environment.

This version of London's iconic tube map looks just like the official PDF of the transport network. In fact, it is created entirely from HTML, CSS and JavaScript.

The web becomes more and more capable each day, finding ways to replace what you do on your desktop. In the very near future you'll talk to your web apps, enjoy complex animation without the drain of Flash, and maybe even plug in your guitar. These features and more already exist, and they're coming to the broad internet this year.

HTML5 lets code run in your browser. Code often wants to store data. A student developer has demonstrated how a poor implementation of one small part of the HTML5 standard means it is quite easy to build a site that fills your hard drive while displaying pictures of cats.

Internet Explorer remains a widely-used browser, but testing for compatibility can be a pain if you're on a non-Windows machine or prefer to stay inside another browser. The recently-launched modern.IE site helps test sites for IE compatibility, letting you enter any site address and receive suggestions on how to ensure it renders in IE.

Having already spoken at several locations around the country during his Australian tour, Sir Tim Berners-Lee gave the final keynote at Linux.conf.au this morning. What are his thoughts on open platforms, operating systems choice, HTML5 DRM and the <blink> tag?