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After Math: How we survived CES 2019
As cleanup crews descend on the Las Vegas Convention Center and the events attendees reluctantly make their ways home, it's hard to believe that the weeklong technology expo is already over. We saw autonomous bread machines, self-driving semis, and even self-heating razors amidst the gaggle of cutting edge gadgets. Here are some of the coolest tech toys that we got to play with at CES 2019.
Everywhere we found AirPlay 2 at CES 2019
As is tradition, Apple was once again infamously absent at the biggest technology show of the year, CES. The company hasn't actually stayed out of the headlines over the past week, however. Apple didn't do any announcing of its own, but it was name-checked in practically all press conferences held by the biggest consumer tech brands at CES. The reason? AirPlay 2.
VLC reaches three billion downloads, will soon add AirPlay
VLC, the video player that'll crunch every format you've heard of, plus all the ones you haven't, is about to hit a huge milestone. Variety spotted an installation at VideoLan's CES booth that's counting ever-closer to the three billion download mark. The VideoLan team expects the (really) Big Three-Oh to be hit at some point on Friday, with around 25 percent of all downloads going to mobile devices.
EU offers bounties to help find security flaws in open source tools
The European Union believes it has a simple way to bolster its digital security: offer lots of cold, hard cash. The European Commission is launching bug bounties in January that will offer prizes in return for spotting security flaws in 14 free, open source software tools EU institutions use. These include well-known tools like VLC Media Player, KeePass, 7-zip and Drupal as well as something as vital as the GNU C Library.
Facebook may have kept the videos you recorded but never published
Mark Zuckerberg's terrible, horrible, no-good, very bad 2018 keeps getting worse. As people have begun downloading their Facebook data, they've found something unsettling: videos they recorded, but never published on the site. Recently, a Select/All writer's sister was sifting through her data and found clips of her playing a scale on a flute, all without comments, and then one video with comments. The former were "takes" with mistakes that weren't published.
VLC update adds Chromecast and HDR support
If you're any kind of media nerd you know about VLC, the software video player that can handle just about any format or codec you throw at it. It's also on a ton of platforms, like macOS, Windows, Linux and even Xbox One. Now the ubiquitous app has a brand new version that supports hardware decoding for 4K and 8K playback, more 360-degree video and 3D audio, HDR and HDR tone-mapping, streaming to Chromecast and more.
Attackers can use video subtitles to hijack your devices
Be careful before you fire up media player software to play that foreign-language movie -- it might be a way for intruders to compromise your system. Check Point researchers have discovered an exploit that uses maliciously crafted subtitles to take control of your device, whether it's a PC, phone or smart TV. It's not picky about the program, either -- the researchers demonstrated the flaw in Kodi, PopcornTime, Stremio and VLC. The technique isn't particularly complicated, and relies on a tendency by developers to assume that subtitles are little more than innocuous text files.
VLC media player now supports 360-degree videos
VLC, the app that lets you play basically any video format on practically any platform, is about to add support for a whole new medium. The company just unveiled a technical preview that enables its desktop app to play 360-degree videos, so folks can watch their dizzying footage on their computers. The preview is now available for Windows and Mac machines, and the full version will arrive with VLC 3.0 , which is expected at the end of the month.
VLC media player hits Windows 10 today, Xbox One this summer
At last, VideoLAN's VLC media player has a universal Windows 10 app... and it definitely won't be confined to conventional Windows devices for long. The developer has released a Windows 10 beta that, on a base level, embraces Microsoft's modern OS on both PC and mobile. You'll get recent VLC staples like a media library, a network browser and a "full" player alongside Windows 10 perks like Cortana voice commands, live tiles and Continuum support when you dock your phone. However, the real fun might come later. VLC has teased the app's promised HoloLens and Xbox One support, and it's clear that it won't lose much (if anything) in translation -- the features and interface will be familiar whether you're watching on a console or an augmented reality headset.
VLC for Android now plays videos from your local network
VLC for Android just became much, much more useful if you like full control over how and where you play your videos. The newly released VLC 2.0 rolls in a few big features that you may well have missed, most notably network browsing. Yes, you can find that elusive movie on your home media server. The upgrade also brings a pop-up video window that's helpful for tablet owners eager to multitask.
VLC media player is coming to Xbox One
The promise of Windows apps on Xbox One has been hanging out there for quite a while, but now that it's really happening we're seeing some results. One of the big names that will arrive on the console this summer is VLC, a popular desktop media player that already has versions for other connected TV platforms. Maintainer Thomas Nigro says that making it a UWP app means a beta version will hit Windows 10 Mobile next week before its official debut in May and an official version for Windows 10 desktop is due in mid-May.
VLC for Apple TV plays virtually all of your media
The new Apple TV is a more capable media device than its predecessors, but let's face it: out of the box, it's not much use if your collection is in formats that Apple doesn't handle. That's where the newly released (and long promised) VLC for Apple TV might come to save the day. Much like on other platforms, the app lets you play audio and video files in all kinds of formats, whether they're sitting on your local network or streaming from the internet. There's even a web-based remote playback feature (to play media you haven't already shared), and you can tweak playback speed if you're determined to zip through boring segments.
VLC's media player app will launch on Apple TV
Plex isn't the only one bringing a fan-favorite media app to the new Apple TV. Jean-Baptiste Kempf has quietly revealed that VLC, VideoLAN's signature media player, will reach Apple's latest set-top box. It's still early, but this could open up your playback options for music and video -- you may have more choices for formats and sources than you get out of the box. While you aren't going to get total freedom (you certainly won't be playing DVDs on an Apple TV), this beats having to rely primarily on streaming services.
VLC's popular media player will soon support Chromecast
The next big release of VLC's do-it-all media player will soon support Chromecast, according to a recent changelog. The media player is widely used across platforms, and version 3.0 has fans drooling with promised features like improved support for YouTube's next-gen VP9 format. The Chromecast angle means users will be able to stream nearly any media type through the tiny dongle from Android (beta), Mac, Windows 8.1 and Linux devices. As for iOS, maker VideoLAN mysteriously pulled the app shortly after iOS 8 arrived, but insists it'll be back soon. The company hasn't said exactly when iOS support or the new version will arrive, but if everything goes to plan, playing FLAC, XVid and other offbeat formats will soon be easier.
VLC for iOS to return in 2015
Developer Felix Paul Kühne has confirmed that VLC for iOS will return in early 2015. You'll remember that it disappeared in January of 2014, and Kühne since promised that he has been "working with Apple" on a solution to get it back in the store. The issue that got it booted hasn't been made clear, so we're not sure about the delay. In the meantime, it seems that progress continues. Hopefully it'll return soon, as I know a lot of users are waiting to get it back.
VLC's Android media player is (mostly) finished
VideoLAN's multi-talented VLC media player has taken a while to reach Android in finished form -- long enough that the developers revived the iOS app in the meantime. At last, though, it appears to be ready for prime time. The team has updated VLC for Android (you may see the old version listed for a short while) to drop the beta tag, making it officially complete. That's not entirely true in practice, mind you. The version notes still talk about previous fixes for Android 5.0 Lollipop and devices using newer ARMv8 processors, and Chromecast streaming support (unveiled in June) still isn't here. This is more of a formality than a major update, then, but it's still an important milestone for one of the better-known audiovisual apps.
VLC media player welcomes a new, cleaner look on Windows 8.1
No doubt, people love utilizing VLC's applications to play their unconventional media files, but pairing nice looks with that great functionality can go a long way. Thankfully for Windows 8.1 users, VideoLAN, the maker of VLC, has just released a completely redesigned version of the app for Microsoft's OS. The application now features a much brighter, cleaner and polished look than on previous iterations, making it look flatter and more in line with Windows 8's Modern UI. As WinBeta points out, the revamped VLC player is designed only for the tile-based side of the platform, meaning it won't work with that traditional Windows desktop you love so much.
VLC's media player hits Windows 8 in beta form
Let's say you bought a new laptop and wanted to check out a few videos that you legally downloaded without leaving Windows 8's touch-focused UI -- until now, your options have been pretty limited. If you're feeling a little adventurous though, the beta version of VLC's media player that Microsoft News spotted on Redmond's app store should do the trick. It's an experimental port of the Windows RT app, however, and as such the application has a few hurdles to clear before it's ready for prime time. General sluggishness compared to the desktop version and some audio bugs, for instance, are a few issues that may crop up. Developer VideoLAN says that this version isn't nearly as stable as it should be (it is a beta, after all), but that hasn't stopped you from downloading its apps before, has it?
Beats unveils 'Beats Music' streaming service for iOS, and more news for January 21
Beats has unveiled its long-awaited music streaming service, Beats Music. The service enters the crowded field of music streaming, dominated by heavyweights including Apple's iTunes Radio, Spotify and Pandora. For US$9.99 a month, Beats Music listeners will be able to stream an unlimited amount of albums and songs and also download them for ad-free offline listening. The service also relies heavily on music curation, with curated stations and playlists chosen by professionals at music industry publications and by some of the most popular DJs in the country. From the Beats Music press release: We wanted to build a music service that combined the freedom of an on-demand subscription service -- unlimited, uninterrupted streaming and downloads of tens of millions of songs -- but layer on top features that would give you that feeling only music that moves you can give. The right song at the right time will give you a chill. Make you pull someone close. Nod your head. Sing in the mirror. Roll down the car window and crank the volume to the right. Beats Music is a free download. In other news this morning: Apple investors will be happy to hear the iPad 2 dropped to only 5 percent of iPad holiday sales -- down from 27 percent, according to Consumer Intelligence Research Partners. The drop means that of iPads purchased this holiday quarter, consumers chose to go for the more expensive and higher-margin iPad Air, iPad mini and iPad with Retina display. The popular VLC video client for iOS has received a major update. Version 2.2 now allows users to stream videos right from their Dropbox account. The update also adds support for Google Drive downloads, and several other features, including new multitouch gestures. VLC is a free download. Apple has received a patent for a new force trackpad with tactile feedback. Currently trackpads in the MacBook line work via a clickable switch interface, however the new patent shows Apple could do away with current trackpads and replace them with advanced ones that sense presses through force and can also provide tactile feedback through vibrations signaling to a user that an action has been completed. Apple has expanded the reach of educational content. The company has announced that iBooks textbooks and iTunes U Course Manager are now available in more than 50 countries.
VLC gets one-touch playback controls and a fresh new interface on iOS 7
VLC for iOS just got a much-needed coat of fresh paint. The media player's version 2.2 update has introduced an iOS 7-native interface with its own set of multi-touch playback gestures: you can tap with two fingers to pause a video, and swipes control the brightness, playback position and volume. This is more than just a skin-deep upgrade, though. VLC is now more cloud-savvy with support for Dropbox streaming, HTTP Live Streaming and downloads from Google Drive. The new app handles both lock screen privacy and TV show organization more elegantly than its predecessor, and it plays clips encoded in the more advanced HEVC (H.265) and VP9 formats. All told, there are plenty of reasons for video lovers to swing by the App Store for the upgrade.