VLC 2.1.2 is out with experimental decoding of HEVC and WebM/VP9

Christian Zibreg ∙ December 10, 2013

VLC, the free cross-platform desktop media player, has been through some turmoil as VideoLan, which manages the project, has undergone reorganization as the multinational development team now spans twenty nations.

The open source media player made its App Store debut back in October 2010 as one of the first iPhone apps that could render media file formats unsupported by iTunes and iOS. Unfortunately, the app got pulled in January 2011 over licensing issues.

The problems came down to the GNU General Public License (GLP) requirements as developer Rémi Denis-Courmont, lead contributor to the VLC project, filed a licensing claim based on the code he had contributed to the project.

Following a two-year hiatus, VLC made its way back into the App Store earlier this summer (you can download it for free). And today, VideoLan has pushed an update to VLC for Mac and Windows desktops, bringing a lot of fixes and a cool experimental decoding of media files in HEVC and WebM/VP9 file formats...

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Verizon says it’s nearly fixed LTE issues in New York

Christian Zibreg ∙ December 10, 2013

The nation's top wireless carrier, Verizon Wireless, last month admitted its strained network in major cities such as New York, San Francisco and Chicago was underperforming, with many users experiencing their 4G data throughput dropping to slower 3G speeds.

Verizon yesterday blamed the sub-par network quality on “capacity constraints” and argued these data throughput hiccups are now a thing of the past as the carrier has successfully fixed its network in New York City...

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Darklings review: possess your enemies by drawing symbols

Lory Gil ∙ December 10, 2013

If you find yourself attracted to visually stunning games, you are in luck. More and more unusual, atmospheric games are being added to the App Store on a regular basis.

Darklings is an atmospheric game that puts you in the world of Lum as he tries to save the light. Travel through forests and caves, battling Darklings and trying to bring light back to the world…

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Starborn Anarkist proves that recycling really pays off

Lory Gil ∙ December 10, 2013

This article isn’t about how important I think it is that consumers reduce their excessive use of plastic, paper, and glass. I’m not going to get on my soapbox and tell you that you should be composting your leftovers. I am talking about recycling, but not in the way you may think.

Starborn Anarkist is a dual stick shooter that features an intergalactic garbage collector who has finally flipped his lid. Players go on a laser-guided rampage, destroying every ship in sight. Then, use the debris from your destruction to upgrade your ship and show those waste-makers how to take out the trash (these puns are just getting out of hand)...

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Viber announces new ‘Viber Out’ feature for making low-cost outgoing calls

Cody Lee ∙ Updated April 14, 2018

Popular VoIP and messaging service Viber announced today the release of version 4.1 of its mobile app for Android and iPhone. The update includes the full global launch of Viber Out, a new feature that allows users to make low-cost calls to any mobile or landline phone number.

The service uses credit that can be purchased through in-app purchases, or via credit card, and the minutes can be used on Android, iOS or your desktop. It's actually a lot like how Skype works, except it looks like Viber's rates are much lower and it won't charge connection fees...

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Apple expands iTunes Match to Finland, Norway and other countries

Cody Lee ∙ December 10, 2013

Apple has expanded its iTunes Match service to several new European countries this week. Users in Finland, Denmark, Sweden and other areas are reporting that they have been granted access to the music-mirroring service.

First introduced in late 2011, iTunes Match allows users to match songs from their iTunes libraries to tracks in Apple's cloud. This way they can access their music from any device, without having to spend hours uploading it...

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Apple updates ’12 Days of Gifts’ app for 2013 holiday season, opens it to US users

Cody Lee ∙ Updated March 16, 2018

You know it's getting close to Christmas time when outlets start publishing gift guides, and Apple updates its '12 Days of Gifts' application. The 2013 version of Apple's free-download-a-day app went live this evening, ahead of its December 26 kickoff.

Folks in European countries have become accustom to this yearly ritual, but it's never been available to those of us here in the US. I'm happy to announce, though, that this year, Apple has finally opened up the program to iOS users in the United States...

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iDB holiday gift guide 2013: Cody’s picks

Cody Lee ∙ Updated October 12, 2018

Still having trouble picking out a special gift for that special someone? Don't worry, iDB is here to help with our second annual holiday gift guide. Just like last year, we've each compiled a list of our top picks for holiday gift ideas, and I've elected to go first.

Below you'll find a list of products that I'm either giving as a gift, hoping to receive as a gift, or are just known for being awesome. The items range from tablets to sunglasses, and everything in between, and come in at various price points. So let's get started...

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Post-Apple, Scott Forstall said to be traveling abroad, advising startups

Cody Lee ∙ December 9, 2013

Ex-Wall Street Journal tech reporter Jessica Lessin recently launched a new technology news site called The Information. The site promises to provide the inside scoop on technology news and trends, and thus far it's made good on that.

Today the site is out with a report that helps answer the frequently-asked question: "what has Scott Forstall been up to since he was ousted from Apple last fall?" The former iOS Chief has been extremely quiet since he left the company...

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Square introduces new card reader developed by Apple’s Lightning plug designer

Cody Lee ∙ December 9, 2013

Square unveiled a new version of its Square Reader accessory today, which is used to input credit and debit cards into the Square app. It says the new Reader is roughly 45% thinner than its predecessor, and is more accurate at reading cards thanks to its new design.

But what makes the new device really interesting is who designed it. According to a report from Wired, Square's new ultra-thin card reader was developed by a team led by Jesse Dorogusker—a former Director of Engineering at Apple and developer of the Lightning plug...

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Audiofly AF45 earbuds review and giveaway: stunningly crisp sound meets affordable price

Jim Gresham ∙ Updated April 14, 2018

Some would say I have a terrible collection of music in my iTunes library. Ask any of my friends, or wife, and I probably rank last in choice of great music. Assuming, for now, I agree with them, that does not mean I cannot appreciate quality sound. Thus, my quest for the best pair of headphones began about a year ago. Keeping my eyes, and ears, open for anything that could quench my audio thirst.

As an average consumer, sound quality and price are both considered. Sure, if we wanted the best money could buy, we would all just buy in-ear monitors like the pros. But, not all of us make millions of dollars. Thankfully, I ran into Audiofly's booth at CES in January this year. Their full line of products dazzled my ears. This summer, I reviewed the AF78's, which were astounding. Today, I take a closer look at the AF45's, a more financially modest pair, as we head into the holiday gifting season. You could even win a pair for yourself! I'm giving away two pair of AF33's and two more pair of AF45's...

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