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Flip4Mac WMV tool launches public beta of v3
Mac owners who work in a Windows environment know how difficult it can be to play a Windows Media file on their laptop. One popular solution that lets customers play and edit a WMV/WMA file is Flip4Mac, a QuickTime component that is developed by Telestream and supported and hosted by Microsoft. The latest release is Version 3, which customers can now download as a public beta. This newest version includes support for 64-bit Core Audio in OS X 10.8 Mountain Lion. The package is now signed with a digital certificate that meets Gatekeeper's security requirements. Besides some changes for Mountain Lion, this release also includes a new Flip Player application. Flip player is a free, standalone media player that complements Flip4Mac's system-wide QuickTime integration. Customers who want more than a player can purchase an upgrade to a Pro (US$29), Studio ($49) or Studio Pro HD ($179) version. In addition to playback, these paid versions can edit and transcode WMV and WMA files.
Samsung's Galaxy S WiFi 4.0 and 5.0 now rolling out to countries far away from you
While Samsung has yet to announce an actual date for its new Galaxy Players in the US, their international counterparts are already heading towards other parts of the world for a head start. The Galaxy S WiFi 4.0 is said to be debuting in Russia followed by other countries, whereas its 5.0 sibling will be launched in Switzerland. In terms of specs, not much has changed since we last saw these 1GHz, DivX-friendly Android PMPs, and yes, they'll still be shipped with Froyo "with a possibility to upgrade to 2.3 Gingerbread." As always, we'll let you folks know when we eventually find out about the US launch (if ever), though to be frank, we'd rather just go for the beefier Galaxy S II instead.
Samsung MP3 player goes 60 hours on a charge
Once upon a time, it meant something to have a digital audio player that went upwards of two full days without needing a charge. Since then, we've seen many, many examples, and it's just not that exciting anymore. But you know what? It's still not that often we see a DAP with 60 hours of battery life and a 3-inch, QVGA TFT LCD that plays ten hours of DivX, Xvid, WMV and H.264 video to boot, so we think Samsung's YP-RB might deserve an honorable mention. The player was recently spotted in a Korean distributor catalog in 4, 8 and 16GB varieties, and we hope (but doubt, given tricky patent licensing issues) that we'll see one stateside sometime soon.
iMovie, other non-Apple QuickTime components updated
Hot on the heels of yesterday's Aperture 3.0.2 update, Apple has released iMovie 8.0.6. The update improves reliability when working with videos from Aperture and requires Mac OS X 10.5.6 or later and iLife '09. The update weighs in at 35.84 MB and is available via the download link above or Software Update. In other movie software update news, Flip4Mac WMV has updated its free player to version 2.3.2. Flip4Mac is a QuickTime plugin that lets you watch WMV files in QuickTime Player. The new update fixes problems playing back files and streams with MP3 content and corrects problems launching QuickTime Player under Snow Leopard. Finally, Perian has been updated to 1.2.1. Perian is a QuickTime plugin that allows you to play virtually any kind of media through QuickTime Player. This update adds Indeo 5 decoding and fixes several bugs. Both Perian and Flip4Mac require 10.4 or higher.
Sony mylo 2 firmware version 1.100 adds WMV and SHOUTcast support
Sony's do-everything-except-for-make-calls mylo has been updated to firmware version 1.100, and is now available at Sony's support site as a 61MB download. Because you ran out of things to do with your mylo about, say, ten minutes after unboxing it, rejoice -- the update adds WMV file support, SHOUTcast widget support (the widget is a separate download), a "Game" item on the HOME menu for easier access to all those games you downloaded to the COM-2 unit, and, of course, improved "system stability".[Via Pocketables]
MusicGiants launches VideoGiants, with HD movies from Paramount
The HD digital distribution club just got a little bigger, as lossless audio distributor MusicGiants is launching its VideoGiants service with 250 movies from Paramount, and additional content from HDNet. Available in 1080p or 1080i WMV format, users can purchase the movies in 10-packs for $159 delivered via Seagate hard drives or, in a few months, one at a time via direct download to a home media server. After that, it can be viewed via the media PC or Media Extender (including Xbox 360). MusicGiants has been selling HD audio tracks to high end home theater owners via its network of dealers and installers for about two years, with plans to make this type of service available to the mass market soon. Still think the future of HD content is on shiny discs?
PS3 firmware 2.10 coming tomorrow, features DivX support
Still no in-game XMB news now, with the UK's PlayStation website spilling the bytes on a new PlayStation 3 firmware update. Scheduled for release on December 18th (we're confirming the date with SCEA), Firmware 2.10 joins the Xbox 360's Fall dashboard update in offering support for the pervasive DivX video codec. There are some caveats, however, as files that are copyright-protected, encoded with DivX 3.11 or larger than 2GB in size are not supported.Also added by the update is support for VC-1 (WMV) playback, Type 3 music bitmapping, Blu-ray Profile 1.1 and a "Voice Changer." You know, in case you thought your normal voice wasn't obnoxious enough in the hushed library that is the PS3's online scene. [Via PS3 Fanboy]
Flip4Mac 2.1.1.70 adds Windows Media 9 Advanced playback
The essential QuickTime plugin for playing Windows Media files, Flip4Mac, has been updated. In addition to bug fixes, etc., the new beta version 2.1.1.70 adds the significant improvement of support for Windows Media 9 Advanced playback. If you've been running into incompatibilities with a favorite site that uses that codec check out this latest version.[Via MacVolPlace]
Get 35% off Flip4Mac
Ok, so for whatever reason you just need to have the ability to encode darling little WMVs on your Mac, Flip4Mac is probably the way you'll want to go, and macZOT! makes the encoding software more appealing with a nice 35% off discount. The full-fledged Flip4Mac WMV Studio package typically runs $49, but with this offer (good for today only) the price gets knocked down to just under $32. As a side note, you don't need to spend any money to play Windows Media files: simply grab the free plugin. The software requires OS X 10.3.9, and QuickTime 6.5 or later. (Don't shoot the messenger!)
TiVo Desktop 2.4 public beta loosed, enables PC-to-TiVO transcoding
It's that time again folks, when you gleefully head on over to TiVo's website and download a new release of its desktop software to add more of those PC / TiVo integration features you love so dearly. While we've watched the software mature from 2.1 to 2.2, right on up to the much-anticipated 2.3, it's now time for 2.4 to shine, albeit in beta fashion for the time being. While the now-prior rendition allowed users to convert TiVo recordings into mobile-friendly versions for a $25 fee, 2.4 seeks to offer up the process a bit in reverse by allowing non-DRM-laced video files on your PC to be transcoded for playback on your TiVo box. Unfortunately, the $25 fee for the required TiVo Desktop Plus upgrade key is still again in place, and while this process can be done manually for those looking to save a few bills, at least the company is offering up a simplified alternative for those with more money than time. Additionally, users can look forward to broadcasting "HD resolution" (read: up to 1,280 x 720) photos from their PC to a Series3 unit, but beta software wouldn't be complete without a stash of digs built in. Aside from the list of known issues that will hopefully be ironed out by the final release, Mac users won't be enjoying any of these niceties right away, and of course, the $25 fee is a debatable downside as well. Still, for those looking to get their transcoding on with non-protected WMV and MP4 / H.264 files, and don't mind the expected hiccups associated with a "preview release," be sure to hit the read link for your downloading satisfaction, and tap the Via for a few snapshots while you're at it.[Via ZatzNotFunny]
Tomato unveils U20 PMP for South Korea
Although South Korea is home to more than a few oddities, the oddly-named Tomato is looking to ship its latest portable media player, the U20, to Seoul and the surrounding areas. Housed in a brushed aluminum / chrome enclosure, this simple looking device boasts a two-inch LCD screen, 15 hours of battery life, USB 2.0 connectivity, and comes in at 2.99- x 1.89- x 0.47-inches in size. Additionally, you'll find a built-in microphone, a miniSD slot for extra media storage, and an ability to play nice with AVI, MP4, WMV, ASF, and MP3 files. Tomato apparently feels that these guys are ready for pickin', as you can snag the 2GB version for 89,900KRW ($96) next week, while the 1GB / 4GB variety will be landing shortly thereafter.[Via AVing]
ZVUE 260 mimics iPod, sports built-in speaker
HandHeld Entertainment is keeping the streak alive, as its latest PMP features about as little innovation as possible, yet still manages to seem mildly attractive if you're interested in just the basics. Making a ripple a CES, the ZVUE 260 sports an unmistakably iPod-esque appearance, rechargeable Li-ion cell, built-in speaker, a pocket-friendly 4.16- X 2.4- X 0.5-inch enclosure, and a 2.5-inch backlit LCD screen. This device plays nice with WMA, WMV, and WMA-DRM, and can reportedly play back 320 x 240 video at 30fps without a hitch; moreover, the ZVUE isn't much of a burden, as the SD-based unit doesn't house any sort of internal hard drive to weigh it down. Possibly the best thing about the otherwise ho hum ZVUE 260 is the price, as it should fit in nearly anyone's budget when it lands in mid-2007 for just $99.[Via MobileWhack]
Xbox Live Marketplace vs HD DVD comparison
Jake Ludington has written up a comparison between the Xbox Life Marketplace and HD DVD. Because of the limited titles available at the Marketplace, the only title available for both is V for Vendetta. He wasn't able to see the difference between the two so he captured both to his PC at 720p and compared them. Although this is less than ideal, the results are still interesting. The only real difference he noticed was in the blacks, while HD DVD was able to display true blacks, the Marketplace version was not. There is no doubt that the Marketplace videos look great, but we are most disappointed that he didn't mention the difference in the sound. HD DVD obviously excels in this area since it isn't limited to Dolby Digital. A three way comparison between the Marketplace the HD DVD add-on and the stand alone HD DVD player would be even more interesting.
3Soft's Maxtombow GPS conglomerate headed for America
It seemed to start with all-in-one PMP / gaming handhelds, and now the conglomerate craze is apparently bleeding over to the GPS realm. While we've already seen the Guide Dog, which claims to handle more multitasking that we can even fathom in a portable GPS unit, 3Soft's Maxtombow isn't too far behind. Packing a bit more credibility that the aforementioned PDC gizmo, this 7-inch in-car / handheld device reportedly packs a 720 x 480 resolution LCD, built-in TV tuner, SD expansion slot, AV outputs, an FM tuner, and of course, the obligatory turn-by-turn tour guide to keep you on track. It also claims to function as an MP3 / WMA player, JPEG viewer, and even handles XviD, AVI, WMV, and MPEG1/4 on the video front. Purportedly coming in 1GB or 2GB flavors, this bad boy comes pre-packaged with a car-mounting kit to please your passengers. Recently released FCC approval documents all but confirm the prospect of an American Maxtombow, but we've heard nothing on the subject of how quickly this thing will make the trip from Korea to America, nor how much coinage it'll demand when it lands.
Connect360 adds video streaming support for Macs
Nullriver quietly snuck WMV streaming support into its Mac-compatible Connect360 software a few weeks back. Until this recent development, Mac users had been locked out of the streaming party, which has been raging on PCs since Xbox 360's Fall Dashboard Update (just last week, on-the-fly transcoding was made possible).While Connect360 may lack on-the-fly transcoding, streaming support restores some of the balance lost between PC and Mac users after the initial release of the Fall Update. And we like balance.[Thanks Corey]
Finally, on the fly WMV transcoding for the Xbox 360
We realize the fall update's only been out a few weeks, but it seems like an eternity for those of us that have been waiting since last November to stream media to our Xbox 360s without the need for a Media Center PC. A new TVersity patch allows users to transcode video to WMV -- now in real time -- for immediate distribution to their 360 over Windows Media Connect without the pain of duped files and finding a good WMV encoder. A little fuss, a little muss, and a few minor niggles to keep this from being a prime time solution, but still, there isn't exactly a plethora of ways to get your DivX onto your Xbox, so be grateful you've got at least something for now as the hardworking hacker front actually gives the people what the people want, whether or not it fits into Microsoft's digital media business plan.[Via Joystiq]
On-the-fly video transcoding for Xbox 360
TVersity has released a patch enabling on-the-fly WMV transcoding for efficient-minded users seeking to stream video content from their PCs to Xbox 360. While incomplete, the patch previews the sort of functionality the final version will offer, including the ability to upscale videos to higher resolutions.Our recent how-to guide highlighted the tediousness of the current transcoding method. We look to TVersity to render this old process obsolete. Try it out (extract to TVersity's Media Server folder) and lend your feedback.
Thomson's mysterious Black Diamond PMP goes public
Think your black iPod nano attracted fingerprints and got scratched too easily? Keeping the same sleek black / blue glow motif showcased on Thomson's PMP2008, the mysterious new Black Diamond PMP (a.k.a. the EH308) should truly wear your touch on its enclosure. While the flashy homepage doesn't give us a completely satisfactory look at the unit itself, we do know that it'll pack 8GB of internal capacity, rock a 1.8-inch OLED screen, and feature "tactile controls." Furthermore, it'll come with a rechargeable Li-ion cell rated for 15 hours, USB 2.0 connectivity, a 3.5-millimeter headphone jack, and the ability to display photos as well as play back audio (formats unspecified) and video (WMV / MPEG4). Curiously, Thomson also boasts about its ability to "manage podcast and web audio formats," as well as confirming its compatibility with "secure downloadable music formats" such as WMA-DRM. Expect this dark device to hit store shelves any day now, and at around $300, it's just a tad cheaper than that other Black Diamond floating around out there.
How-To: Transcode & stream videos on Xbox 360
Last week's Xbox 360 Fall Dashboard update added support for the Windows Media Video (WMV) video codec. The feature was a welcomed gain for non-Media Center users who have been limited to photo and music sharing between their Windows PCs and Xbox 360s -- and to anyone who's longed to watch video files on 360 via a thumb drive or CD/DVD.Unfortunately, licensing fees and digital rights concerns have limited the patch to WMV-support only. Being Microsoft's proprietary format, WMV is neither popular or oft-used, taking a backseat to preferred codecs like DivX and XviD. And so, we're still left scrambling for a solution to getting our video content onto Xbox 360.
The Clicker: Dear Microsoft, "help me help you."
Stephen Speicher contributes The Clicker, an opinion column on entertainment and technology:Whenever the subject of Microsoft's WMV codec comes up, I can't help but break out into my best Jerry McGuire impersonation. "Help me help you," I beg. "Help me help you." Yet, despite my ability to do a spot-on Tom Cruise impression, Microsoft just refuses to answer my pleas.Perhaps I should back up.Earlier this week Microsoft rolled out their highly-anticipated Xbox 360 update. The update was chock full of bug fixes and new features. However, to me, one of the most exciting new features was their long-overdue update to the 360's UPnP client. That's right; they finally added the ability to stream video from your computer to the 360. While it's technically always been possible to stream (using the 360's Media Center Extender technology), the new update gives the masses who aren't yet using a Media Center box a quick and easy way to stream video to the television. Or does it?
