Software & Apps - Page 105

It was only a few weeks ago that a 'hack' was made available for VLC that allowed the program to have Blu-ray compatibility, where it could playback encrypted Blu-ray images. Now we have the first release candidate (RC) of VLC 2.0.

VLC 2.0 has some big changes, the biggest of which is the OS X version that sports a new user interface that does look quite swish indeed, as well as Blu-ray playback support. Windows doesn't get missed out, which now features a 64-bit version, as well as support for multiple video files found inside RAR archives.

Apple doesn't officially support Blu-ray, as they have no Blu-ray hardware in any form, and the software support is not that great, if applicable at all. Blu-ray discs are encrypted, so you can't just download a program and away you go. Because Apple don't support Blu-ray, Blu-ray on OS X has been barely existant, but there have still been work arounds. MKV files, as well as the ability to rip and encode video with the OS X version of MakeMKV.

Google have just updated YouTube for Google TV, where they say it is "making it faster and easier to find great content". By doing so, they've added YouTube channel pages, which gives you more control of your experience.

The update is available on the Android Market, and after its updated, you should see some pretty big improvements. First up, the app works faster with smoother navigation, which goes toward that 'better experience' they want you to have. Secondly, Google have added a new feature called "Discover". Discover lets you browse YouTube channels by categories.

This means you could be looking for a comedy, cooking content, or the latest news, making it easier to search through categories versus running a search and hoping for the best. Google have also updated the YouTube app with new channel pages. Now you can navigate through playlists and videos in your favorite channels, as well as having the ability to subscribe to channels directly from the YouTube app with just a simple click.

Google have been hard at work, where they've released Google Chrome for Android Beta for Android 4.0-based devices, as well as a few other cool announcements, today brings the latest stable build of Chrome, Chrome 17.

Chrome 17 includes a serious speed bump, if it wasn't already fast enough. Google reckons you'll be surfing quicker than ever before with a new feature that lets pages start loading in the background before you've even finished typing a URL into the Omnibox. If the URL auto-completes to an address you'll most likely visit, Chrome will begin prerendering the page. Nifty, huh?

Security-wise, Chrome 17 includes a new security feature. Chrome 17 now runs executables through additional reputation checks that ensures that you're safe. This means that if you attempt to download a Windows installation file (EXE or MSI) that isn't on a whitelist, Google analyzes the file to determine its reputation and trustworthiness based on files previously seen from the same publisher, and site.

Google have released Chrome for Android Beta, exclusive (for now) for Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich devices. Exactly like the desktop-based Chrome, Chrome for Android Beta is focused on speed and simplicity, but also sports seamless sign-in and sync, so you can take your personalized web browsing experience anywhere you go.

Chrome for Android Beta is built for speed, so when searching, your top search results are loaded in the background as you type so that pages appear to load instantaneously. Chrome for Android is built from the ground up for mobile devices, where Google have reimagined tabs so they fit just as naturally on a small-screen smartphone, as they do on the larger-screen tablet.

Privacy is a big deal for Chrome, and Chrome with Android Beta is no different. Chrome for Android Beta includes the famous incognito mode for private browsing as well as fine-grained privacy options.

Microsoft launched one of the most recognisable components of computing, the Start button. It was launched 17 years ago, with a huge advertising campaign, where its hard for people to not know the Start button now.

When it comes to Windows 8, Microsoft are changing it up, not just a bit, but considerably. The removal of the Start button marks a serious change, where the Start button is replaced by the "hot corner." Instead of clicking the Start button to show the full-screen Metro-style Start Screen, you just flick your mouse to the bottom left corner of the screen, or touch it with your finger, and voila - Metro-style Start Screen.

Why would Microsoft do such a thing? Well, they save some on-screen pixels by removing it. That's it. Imagine long-time Windows users, booting up for the first time, not aware of this news and virtually unprepared for there to not be a Start button. They would think the OS is faulty, or a non-legit version. New users, would be OK, but how would they know to push to the bottom left of the screen to display the Metro interface?

Mozilla have just pushed out Firefox 10 to the masses, with some new features, HTML5-based features, as well as some nifty Developer tools and the usual fixes and improvements. First up, the forward button is gone, well, kinda, it does not show up until you've clicked back - then the forward navigation button will show itself.

Mozilla have said that most add-ons are now compatible with new versions of Firefox by default, anti-aliasing for WebGL has been implemented into Firefox 10.0 as well as CSS3 3D-Transforms now being supported. HTML5-wise, we have the new element for bi-directional text isolation as well as supporting CSS properties. Not only that, but Full Screen APIs now allow you to build a web application that runs in full screen.

Developers get some lovin', with Mozilla adding IndexedDB APIs that more closely match the specification, as well as an "Inspect tool" with content highlighting, and also a new CSS Style Inspector. Some of the problems fixed include a Mac OS X-only problem, where after installing the latest Java release from Apple, Firefox used to crash when closing a tab with a Java applet installed, this is now fixed. Also another problem where some users experienced a crash when moving bookmarks, has been fixed.

Microsoft reached a development milestone this morning, the beginning of the "Office 15" Technical Preview Program. Office 15 is the codename for the upcoming next-generation version of the Microsoft Office products and services, and the Technical Preview is the first time that Microsoft share their work with a select group of customers under non-disclosure agreements (NDAs).

Because Microsoft are only at the early stages of Office 15, they can't share too much about what's included, or being worked on in the new Office suite of software. Of course, there is a tease. CVP of Development, Microsoft Office Division, PJ Hough, said in the Office Blogs:

VLC was one of the first open source media players to be capable of playing back encrypted DVD's, and it has now become the first to bring Blu-ray playback capability, too.

But wait, playback of unencrypted Blu-ray ISOs and folder structures has been possible without menus since the version 1.2 release of VLC. The biggest change are the AACS keys database, and how to get it integrated with the VLC installation.

The AACS keys will never be an official releases of VLC, as it enables copy protection circumvention. But, this is definitely a great move for not just VLC, but Blu-ray.

Windows 8 is set to make it easier than ever for users to manage their Wi-Fi and mobile connections, with group program manager on Microsoft's devices and networking team, Billy Anders, publishing a post on Microsoft's Building Windows 8 blog, that outlines steps taken to improve the wireless connectivity experience.

Mobile broadband is being integrated alongside standard Wi-Fi in Windows 8. In Windows 7, it was included, but there were several steps required to be taken before the mobile device could connect, such as installing third-party drivers and software. Microsoft are removing that annoying step, by working with mobile broadband hardware partners to develop a universal driver that will work with all mobile devices and eliminate the need for additional drivers or software.

Windows 8 will include a new networks settings menu that allows you to turn off individual radios (Bluetooth, mobile broadband, Wi-Fi) or disable them all at once with the new airplane mode. This native radio management is said to eliminate conflicts and confusion that is often introduced when third-party manufacturers add their own connection software.

Originally, this was going to be my "Download of the Day", but I figure that this would only be applicable to a small percentage of users compared to what has now become Download of the Day. Think of this as "Download of the Day 1.5". TRIM Enabler 2.0 for OS X Lion is now available.

What makes this release special? Well, usually TRIM is reserved on Lion for Apple SSDs. Non-Apple SSDs don't get the TRIM goodness within OS X Lion. Older TRIM enablers required Terminal usage, and knowledge on how to use it. Oskar "Cindori" Groth developed an app called TRIM Enabler. The app has hit version 2.0 and is now compatible with OS X Lion. Version 1.x worked in Lion, but included an old kext from Snow Leopard that caused worse performance for some users.

TRIM Enabler 2.0 patches said kext file for you and repairs permissions, something that would normally require the user to do manually through a Terminal-based method. TRIM Enabler also supports S.M.A.R.T. monitoring on some SSDs, allowing the user to see lifetime reads, and the amount of retired blocks, for example.

In 2011, Google shut down their Google Labs' doors, leaving many, disappointed. Popular app "Android App Inventor" was handed over to MIT, as well as a decently sized donation to help fund a new mobile learning initiative.

What has happened between now and then? Well, behind closed doors, a lot it seems. Google and MIT have just announced the Android App Inventor source code, with both Google and MIT both pleased to announce the initial free and open-source release of App Inventor.

In a blog post on the new MIT website, with app designer Hal Abelson writing:

Windows 8 requirements are quite interesting, more interesting are the details inside for "device requirements". If you want to check them out, here's the link. Better get a coffee, energy drink or similar because it's nearly 1000 pages long. Onto the good stuff!

Within Windows have covered the interesting requirements, where Microsoft have stated that there must be five hardware buttons on Windows 8 tablet/convertible PCs, as well as a minimum component set for tablets and convertible PCs.

Microsoft requires '5-point digitizers', which is a minimum. This means it supports at least a hand of fingers on the screen at once. NFC "touch marks" are featured in Windows 8, where any tablet or slate must have a sticker of similar signage telling the user its NFC-capable. Microsoft also require that Windows 8 has the aforementioned 5 button minimum, with those buttons being Power, Rotation lock, Windows Key, Volume up, and Volume down.

Vodafone have started 2012 off with an app release of "My Vodafone" for iOS and Android-based devices. The app lets you monitor your monthly data usage, so you don't go over your data cap and get hit with excess usage charges.

Post-paid (12-, 24-month, or month-to-month) Vodafone customers with a My Vodafone username and password get access to the full suite of functionality in the application. Pre-paid customers can download the app, but to access your account services on pre-paid, the app will link you directly to the mobile version of My Vodafone, where you can log-in.

The app features are:

CES 2012: Research in Motion (RIM) unveiled at CES a software update for its slate, BlackBerry PlayBook, PlayBook OS 2.0. PlayBook OS 2.0 includes native e-mail, contacts and calendar applications. The former two serve as hubs for not just PlayBook messages and contacts, but those in your social networking accounts like Twitter, LinkedIn and more.

The e-mail app offers a bunch of text formatting options to do, well, normal things like bold, italicize, create bullet points, change font type, color or size. The calendar app is reportedly standard, but has been said to include good things with the cross-app integration. BGR reports that the contacts are tied to meeting entries in the calendar for quick and easy access. The calendar also syncs with popular services from Google, AOL, Yahoo, Hotmail and Microsoft Exchange.

PlayBook OS 2.0 also revamps the homescreen, now allowing users to group applications into folders and place your most used applications on a dock. A "reading view" mode is included in the browser, which is similar to Apple's desktop and mobile Safari browsers, as well as an improved version of BlackBerry Bridge, which sports a remote control function that allows you to type, navigate and perform gestures on a PlayBook using a BlackBerry smartphone.

CES 2012: Google have plans to update their television service software by year-end, where they'll also be adding content and making it easier than ever for users to find shows. According to director of product management, Rishi Chandra, Google TV will undergo annual software updates.

Chandra went onto say:

CES 2012: Microsoft announced during their final CES keynote that the Windows 8 beta will be released to their darling public late next month. On top of the release of the public beta of Windows 8, Microsoft will also launch the Windows Store.

Microsoft's Windows Store is their central repository for Metro applications. Windows Store will be available globally, and will support every language that Windows supports, which is great. At this point in time, there was no talk of the release candidate, but if we're seeing a public beta next month, we should expect a single release candidate of Windows 8, just like Windows 7 had.

It is worth pointing out that when compared to Windows 7, Windows 8's development is slightly lagging when on a calendar basis. The Windows 7 beta was released to the public on January 10th, while the Windows 8 beta arrives 6 weeks later. There was a 9.5 month gap between the Windows 7 public beta and retail availability, so we should expect Windows 8 toward the end of the 2012. Maybe on December 21, 2012 and that's what the Mayan's meant by the end of the world? Gasp.

Microsoft have released a rare out-of-band update to fix a vulnerability in the .NET Framework. The update comes weeks before the next regularly scheduled "Patch Tuesday" in mid-January, and addresses a flaw that could allow attackers to exploit hash tables to perform a denial-of-service (DoS) attack against a website built with Microsoft's ASP.NET application framework.

DoS attacks usually require thousands of malware-controlled systems in a botnet to overwhelm a site with requests. This opening would allow an attacker to cripple a vulnerable site by sending a certain type of HTTP request. Each of these requests would consume 100-percent of one CPU core. As you can imagine, the more of these requests, the more CPU power that is zapped away.

Microsoft says "Attacks targeting this type of vulnerability are generically known as hash collision attacks." They also added that the problem is not specific to Microsoft's Web services as it affects PHP 5, Java, .NET, v8 and even PHP 4, Ruby and Python. The people behind these platforms will release updates soon, but the holidays will dampen these efforts.

Bad Robot, the company behind Lost, Alias, Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol, and Super 8, have just released a free iOS app called Action Movie FX. Action Movie FX lets you shoot a small video, and then layer in some special effects such as a Missile Attack or Car Smash.

The app comes with two free effects, the above mentioned Missile Attack and Car Smash, but for $0.99 you can download extra effects such as Chopper Down, Tornado, Air Strike and Fire Fight.

Some of the effects look crappy, but there are a couple there that wouldn't look too bad if you shot the video well. There will be more effects added in the future, and the app works on the following devices: iPhone 3GS, 4, 4S, iPad 2 and fourth-generation iPod Touches.

Microsoft is preparing a new way to log into tablet PCs with Windows 8, by allowing a user to perform gestures on a screen instead of typing in letters or numbers. For example, you can use a photo with some personal meaning to you, create a sequence of taps, lines, and circles that must be performed in the right order, in order to unlock the computer.

It is a new form of an unlock procedure, and will have three paths chosen for it: people will love it, people will hate it, or Apple will sue Microsoft for some form of patent rip-off. Microsoft does acknowledge that the new gesture unlock puts smudges on the screen, and recording devices could theoretically allow the gesture password to be compromised, but says the risks are very low.

Not everyone agrees with Microsoft, though. Kenneth Weiss, inventor of RSA's SecurID token who now runs a three-factor authentication business called Universal Secure Registry, told Network World that it's not "serious security," that the gestures someone makes upon a screen can easily be recorded from a distance.

In what could look like a pre-alpha video for Battlefield 4 (face it, COD:whatever comes next will feature the same engine as previous games), the U.S. Army has been financing a "game" called Dismounted Soldier Training System, commissioned by the government in May of this year for $57 million.

The contact was awarded to RealTime Immersive Inc. The simulator is said to be cutting edge, with the director of strategic programs at Intelligent Decisions, Floyd West, stating: