player

GetFLV from SuperLogix is a shareware Flash video application that's free to try for 14 days. It's a full-featured tool that can create, convert, and download Flash videos, but unlike freeware tools that only work with a few sites or file types (or just with YouTube) GetFLV can download pretty much any video that can be downloaded, and from any video hosting site, too. It also quickly and easily converts videos to play on your iPhone or other device, and it packs some extras like an Audio Ripper and an FLV Fixer than can repair damaged or corrupted … Read more

Media players have reached the point where free ones all offer pretty much the same performance and features, and, in many cases, the same source code and codecs. To stand out from the crowd, you've got to break out of the box, and in video that means 3D. Ramka's 3D Video Player is a shareware video player than not only plays regular and 3D videos but also converts videos to 3D anaglyph stereoscopic playback. You'll need your 3D glasses to view video in 3D, of course. The trial version of 3D Video Player is free, but the … Read more

An update to the BBC's iPlayer app will allow paying subscribers to download programs for viewing offline at no additional cost.

The update is due to be released tomorrow for iPhone and iPad, is expected to available on Android devices "in the near future," according to a report in The Guardian.

The update represents a significant shift for the app, which had previously allowed only streaming to mobile devices and downloading onto desktop computers.

The British network touted the upgrade's ability to let users watch programs while on the go, liberated from the constraints and costs … Read more

Before the iPod and iTunes supposedly changed everything, we listened to records, CDs, tapes, and radio in our cars, on the street and in mass transit. Music was nearly as portable as it is now, but iPods and other MP3 players radically increased the quantity of music you could take with you. Looking back to the dawn of the iPod/MP3 era, sound-quality improvements weren't part of the agenda, just the quantity of music that was transportable. Apple's early ads touted the advantages of having "1,000 songs in your pocket," which struck me as an … Read more

Blu-ray players are notoriously unreliable. Check the user reviews for just about any model and you'll see any number of "died after a week!" and "died after two months!" comments. It's the unfortunate nature of the beast, I guess.

So call me maybe crazy, but why not keep a spare on hand just in case your primary player croaks -- which will invariably happen just as you and the kids are sitting down to watch "The Avengers." That way, boom, you just swap in the backup and dry everyone's tears.

And … Read more

What's the top media player? Opinions differ, but if you mean one that's open-source freeware, plays more files than the others, can be totally customized and configured to suit, and is not only updated frequently but also regularly offers new features and options created by a huge community of programmers and users, the answer is VLC Media Player.

Our default media player for years, VLC has managed to stay ahead of the competition in features and performance, if not always looks, though that's easy enough to fix if you want to. VLC and its source code are … Read more

GOM Player is a free video and media player that offers high-quality playback, easy optimization, and a sleek interface. It's easier to use than some of the popular open-source players but nearly as flexible and less confusing (better-looking, too). With extras like screen capture, GOM Player offers quality playback without the fiddly settings of the better-known alternatives. Naturally it has all the essentials, such as full-screen view, playlists, and hot keys.

GOM Player's look is quite attractive, with orange highlights on active buttons and a control panel resembling an audio component's aluminum faceplate; you can reskin the … Read more

LG Electronics is set to show off a slew of new products aimed at the home theater market.

Running the gamut from 3D sound systems to entertainment hubs, the new devices will be on display at the IFA trade show in Berlin. The show runs from August 31 to September 5.

First on the list is a 3D home theater system with the product name BH9520TW. The gear includes four 3D speakers delivering a sound that LG compares with that of an IMAX theatre. A 3D sound zooming technology synchronizes the audio with the action on a 3D TV. Viewers … Read more

Google's program to pay outsiders who find Chrome security vulnerabilities is working well enough that the company has concluded it's time to add new financial rewards.

"Recently, we've seen a significant drop-off in externally reported Chromium security issues," Chrome programmer Chris Evans said in a blog post yesterday. "This signals to us that bugs are becoming harder to find, as the efforts of the wider community have made Chromium significantly stronger."

Thus, Google added a new $1,000 bonus on top of the regular incentive in three circumstances. The bonus applies if a … Read more