ADLINK Technology Inc., a global leader in edge computing, has introduced the all-new Mini PC EMP-100. The smallest of its kind of the series (just 13 x 10.7 x 2.8 cm), this fanless PC and Dual 4K Media Player is robust and extremely versatile. It includes an Intel Celeron N6210/J6412 processor; IoT connectivity (Single GbE LAN and Optional Wi-Fi 6/BT 5.2 module); an M.2 2280 Key M for optional storage and Key E for optional Wi-Fi/BT modules; and two HDMI output ports. This combination plus adaptable function expansion makes it truly multipurpose.

Exceptional Media player
The EMP-100 Series was developed to support sophisticated digital signage with Dual 4K UHD display for clear and vibrant content; interactive kiosks; and the development of IoT and AI applications in the smart retail sector - enhancing the customer experience and boosting commercial engagement. The fanless design can be operated continuously in a broad range of temperatures and significantly reduces maintenance.

VLC Media Player, or VideoLAN Client, the popular open-source video/audio playback and streaming application, is receiving support for NVIDIA RTX Video Super Resolution, the company announced today. This would allow VLC to take advantage of the feature to vastly improve upscaled video quality. Many of the same techniques used in DLSS, are used for video upscaling, and attempted-reconstruction of detail. Some of these techniques have been around in the MadVR community as AI DNN-accelerated upscaler algorithms. The new feature should come as a boon for those with vast locally stored libraries of 1080p videos and a larger 4K Ultra HD display to view them on. VideoLAN is expected to release an update to VLC later today (April 12) with RTX Video Super Resolution support.

I myself never used Winamp - I was a Windows Media Player kind of guy back then, yeah - but I'm well aware of its cult status among users of that times' PC's. The app's latest official version was released back in 2013, but a new version (release 5.8) will hit the scene soon - at first, with bug fixes and removal of Pro features for a more cohesive package.

Radionomy, the company that purchased Winamp back in 2014, has announced via its CEO, Alexandre Saboundjian, that "There will be a completely new version next year, with the legacy of Winamp but a more complete listening experience." This means eventual added support for modern features that have become quintessential to our consumption of audio media, such as playlists, podcasts, streaming radio stations, and others. The new release is pegged for a 2019 launch, though details are scarce in the fields for now.

Following launches of its GeForce GTX 660 and GTX 650 graphics processors earlier this day, NVIDIA released the latest stable version of its GeForce driver suite. GeForce 306.23 WHQL was released for Windows 7/Vista and Windows XP. This is NVIDIA's first WHQL-signed driver launch after GeForce GTX 660 Ti was launched last month. Hence, it includes official support for GeForce GTX 660 Ti, GeForce GTX 660, and GeForce GTX 650. The company also notified that the next WHQL-signed drivers will remove support for legacy GeForce GPUs such as 6-series and 7-series.

GeForce 306.23 WHQL also adds GPU and game-specific performance improvements. Along with the latest patch by its developer, Total War: Shogun 2 will see up to 60% performance improvement with GeForce GTX 680. Performance is also significantly improved for games such as Batman: Arkham City, Dragon Age II, STALKER: Call of Pripyat, and Battlefield 3 (in SLI). SLI profiles were added or improved for a large number of games. The drivers provide early support for applications built with CUDA 5 Preview.

DOWNLOAD: NVIDIA GeForce 306.23 WHQL for Windows 7/Vista 64-bit, Windows 7/Vista 32-bit, Windows XP 32-bit, Windows XP 64-bit

A list of changes follows.

Earlier this morning, Mannheim Regional Court in Germany granted Motorola a sales injunction against Microsoft's Xbox 360, Windows 7, Internet Explorer, and Windows Media Player. It's no more a question of "if", but "when" the judgement will be enforced. When that happens, Motorola can insist on pulling those products off the German market. Motorola holds two technology patents this case is built around: EP0538667 and EP0615384, which are key to getting the H.264 video compression format to work. Motorola is obliged to license these patents to other under "fair, reasonable and non-discriminatory" (FRAND) terms, however, it demanded royalties from Microsoft that would amount to an excess of US $4 billion annually. Microsoft did not accept Motorola's terms, and knocked the doors of regulators claiming Motorola was being unfair and unreasonable with its patents. A case of patent infringement by Motorola is pending against Microsoft, but it is held up as authorities in the US are yet to ascertain Microsoft's allegations (of Motorola being anti-competitive).

The VideoLAN team has this weekend released the 2.0.0 version (codename Twoflower) of their VLC open source media player. This build includes a heap of updates including reworked Mac and Web interfaces, a new rendering pipeline for video, multi-threaded decoding for H.264, MPEG-4/Xvid and WebM, new filters, support for 10 bits codecs and two new languages (Telugu and Kurmanji), subtitles improvements, (experimental) support for Blu-ray discs, and hundreds of bug fixes.

VLC 2.0.0 is available here for Windows and Mac OS X (or just OS X).

Patriot Memory, a global pioneer in high-performance memory, NAND flash, storage, and enthusiast computer products, today expanded its media player ecosystem with the introduction of its new PBO Alpine media player. Offering the flexibility and functionality of the Android platform, the PBO Alpine will make the leap into the next generation of home media players.

The PBO Alpine is powered by an ARM926 Processor which will support HD video output in full 1080p resolution at 30 frames per second. Providing entertainment right out of the box, the PBO Alpine will come preloaded with iRadio, iTV, YouTube, Picasa, and a fully functional web browser. For enthusiast buyers, the PBO Alpine will offer support for user developed Apps that can be side-loaded for custom functionality.

Guru3D reports on a post from NVIDIA tech support on NVIDIA's forums regarding TDR issues (Timeout Detection & Recovery problem (display stopped responding but has successfully recovered)). These problems centre around Battlefield 3 and Windows Media Centre, which NVIDIA can't reproduce, so it looks like the problems may be with specific card models. NVIDIA rep ManuelG posted:

Western Digital, the world's leader in external storage solutions and maker of the popular WD TV media player family, today introduced the next generation of its WD TV Live streaming media player, an easy to use Wi-Fi enabled media player that is the first in its category to deliver the Spotify music service.

WD TV Live features WD's newest intuitive user interface that delivers the latest hit movies, TV shows, music and online services from companies like Netflix, Hulu Plus and Blockbuster directly to your TV. The new streaming media player connects to the Internet wirelessly or through an Ethernet connection, with the high performance 802.11n wireless connectivity supporting Full-HD 1080p video resolution.

AMD today released this month's major update to its Catalyst software suite, Catalyst 11.7 WHQL. The new driver introduces a few major bug fixes, and provides WHQL-signed support for the recently released AMD A-Series APUs, apart from Radeon GPUs and AMD 8-series and 7-series chipset-integrated graphics. AMD claims to have fixed all outstanding issues related to cursor-lag; a variety of system hangs noted when using HDMI or DisplayPort outputs have been fixed; a number of video playback issues, some generic and some application-specific, were resolved; the "checkerboard" pattern display corruption issue related to Eyefinity on CrossFire setups in DirectX 10 games was fixed; and flickering issues related to Portal 2 were fixed. The driver doesn't introduce any new features or performance improvements, but with greater stability, improved performance should naturally follow.

DOWNLOAD: AMD Catalyst 11.7 WHQL for Windows 7/Vista 64-bit | Windows 7/Vista 32-bit | Windows XP 32-bit | Windows XP 64-bit

A list of changes follows.

QNAP Systems, Inc., a leading manufacturer of world class NAS servers, NVR Video Surveillance Systems, and Network-based Media Players today announced expansion of their Turbo NAS lineup with the addition of the TS-419U+ rack-mounted NAS server targeted specifically at the fast-growing SMB and workgroup market segments. The TS-419U+ features 4 hot-swappable SATA hard drives with up to 8TB of total capacity (using 2TB drives) packaged in a compact 1U rack-mounted chassis. The TS-419U+ supports 2.5-inch or 3.5-inch hard drives in hot-swappable drive carriers, giving users more flexibility on selecting hard drives for installation. The TS-419U+ features a Marvell 1.6GHz CPU and 512MB of DDRIII memory, providing sustained high performance with low power consumption.

QNAP Systems, Inc., a leading manufacturer of world class NAS servers, NVR Video Surveillance Systems, and Network-based Media Players today announced the TS-x19P+ lineup of affordable Turbo NAS servers targeted primarily for home and SOHO users. The new models utilize Marvell's new 1.6GHz embedded processor and include 512MB of DDRIII memory and Gigabit LAN ports, mustering up transfer rates exceeding 100MB/sec and offering a unique blend of performance and features at very affordable price points. The new models include the 1-drive TS-119P+, 2-drive TS-219P+ and 4-drive TS-419P+. With up to 8TB of networked storage, the TS-x19P+ series NAS servers combine an attractive industrial design, outstanding performance, consumer-friendly features, and above all, legendary QNAP quality and reliability.

NAS servers are becoming a popular addition to home and SOHO networks as they solve the problem of how to share digital pictures, music, and videos among computers in the home without resorting to a USB keychain drive. QNAP's new TS-x19P+ models are easy to attach to an existing home network and provide easy file sharing between PCs, Macs, Linux, and UNIX-based computers. QNAP's TS-x19P+ NAS servers can also provide automatic backup of all computers on the network, host websites, record home security surveillance video from IP cameras on the network, be a UPnP-compliant media server, and act as a stand-alone file server for BT/FTP/HTTP and eMule downloads.

Patriot Memory, a global pioneer in high-performance memory, NAND flash, storage and enthusiast computer products, today announced a refresh of their High-Definition media player product line. The Patriot Box Office has undergone a series of changes adding improved functionality, an enhanced user interface, new product packaging and a new product name. Box Office is now named PBO Core: a name inspired by the legions of devoted fans and active forum participants who often discuss the product under the name "PBO", short for Patriot Box Office.

PBO Core has an enhanced User Interface which is more visually pleasing, while also proving to be easier to use and navigate. Functionality has been enhanced with the addition of Internet Media Services (IMS), greater compatibility with HDTV's, ability to play data from external optical USB devices and album artwork during audio playback. The addition of IMS provides a variety of streaming and internet enabled services such as video RSS feeds, streaming podcasts, online photo albums, live stock info, weather, news and more! The latest firmware which provides these features and improved user interface is available now and is backwards compatible with all Patriot Box Office media players on the market.

QNAP Systems, Inc., a leading manufacturer of world class NAS servers, NVR Video Surveillance Systems, and Network-based Media Players today announced the NMP-1000P Network Multimedia Player, a unique new product for audiophiles and AV enthusiasts. NMP-1000P features the latest Sigma Designs video/audio decoder that is capable of displaying ultra realistic full HD movies with advanced menu navigation, crystal clear next-generation Dolby and DTS multi-channel surround sound, high-quality lossless music, digital pictures with background music, and other multimedia content. NMP-1000P is also powered by a high performance Wolfson stereo digital to analog converter for truly outstanding audio experience.

What's more, the intuitive user interface of NMP-1000P makes it a snap to download movie covers and related information, and to discover and catalog content from any connected storage device or network drives. NMP-1000P retains Turbo NAS functionality for backup of all networked computers, convenient cross-platform file sharing among Windows, Mac, and Linux/UNIX, multiple user accounts and access right management, and remotely access to media files with the built-in Web File Manager and FTP. NMP-1000P even streams thousands of TV shows, news, podcasts, music, photos, and other content from Mediafly, Apple Movie Trailers, CNN, SHOUTcast, Internet radio service, Flickr, Picasa, and more.

AMD released the latest version of the ATI Catalyst software suite. Version 10.9 WHQL comes rather early for this time of the month, when normally it's out towards the end or last week. ATI Catalyst installs drivers and system software for ATI Radeon graphics processors (HD 2000 series and above), AMD chipset integrated graphics, and other ATI multimedia products. Although Catalyst 10.9 does not mention any notable feature changes, it does offer some game-specific performance improvements across the board, as well as CrossFireX profiles that make the graphics driver take advantage of CrossFireX specific to games. Notable improvements include up to 20% in STALKER: Call of Pripyat Benchmark on Radeon HD 5800 series, and up to 6% on The Chronicles of Riddick: Assault on Dark Athena, when running Radeon HD 5970 single or CrossFireX. A usual load of bug fixes goes with this version.

DOWNLOAD: ATI Catalyst 10.9 WHQL for Windows 7/Vista 64-bit, Windows 7/Vista 32-bit, Windows XP 32-bit, Windows XP 64-bit

A complete list of changes follows.

WD, the world's leader in external storage solutions, today introduced its new My Passport AV portable media drives. Designed specifically for video storage and playback, the new My Passport AV portable media drives deliver a plug-and-play experience for digital media enthusiasts. Available now at select retailers and WD's online store, the My Passport AV portable media drive is offered with 320 GB of capacity.

A large and increasing number of game consoles, camcorders, TVs, DVRs, Blu-ray players and media players, including the WD TV Media Player family, allow consumers to connect a USB drive and play the multimedia content from the drive on an HD TV. The My Passport AV portable media drive is designed to meet the requirements of this demanding video streaming environment. It delivers the formatting and low-power consumption that assures out-of-the-box compatibility with many leading CE (consumer electronics) devices.

Verbatim Americas LLC, the information storage pioneer and computer peripherals leader, introduces MyMedia Server, a home network storage solution designed to efficiently help consumers consolidate, preserve and share all their content on one dependable, high-performance device. Whether seamlessly transferring documents directly onto the server or uploading vacation photos from a remote location, Verbatim's MyMedia Server brings file storage and media sharing to the next level. MyMedia Server will be on display during CES at Booth #36523 in South Hall 4 of the Las Vegas Convention Center, January 7-10, 2010.

"Many homes today have more than one computer, creating the need for consumers to share or access their digital content from either the comfort of a living room or sitting in café or classroom." said Ron Hanafin, Verbatim Product Manager. "With a user interface and design that creates a more enjoyable experience, MyMedia Server is straightforward for anyone to set up and start saving their important data quickly and easily. From here it only takes a couple of clicks to easily access files, listen to music, or share photos with friends and family."

LaCie today introduced the most complete HD multimedia hard drive player, combining Full HD 1080p playback, unsurpassed format compatibility and DLNA media server functionality - LaCinema Classic HD, design by Neil Poulton. Users can browse, play and share HD media collections from anywhere in the home, directly on HDTV.

The LaCinema Classic HD offers a timeless and sleek design making it a great addition to any TV setup. Providing the widest media format compatibility, LaCinema Classic HD will play all your files without concern - from the most popular DivX format to high-quality MKV H.264 video format via its HDMI 1.3 connection. Uncompromising support for Dolby Digital audio quality enhances the LaCinema Classic HD, as well as your entertainment viewing experience.

Dell today introduced the mini-sized Inspiron Zino HD, which is versatile enough to handle tasks from basic computing chores to driving a big-screen, High-Definition TV media center. With a choice of colors, the Inspiron Zino HD can be easily personalized to add flare to any room in the home.

Starting at $229, the Inspiron Zino HD includes standard HD-capable integrated graphics, HDMI output and built-in networking that make it smart for typical home and student computing activities such as word processing, e-mail, organizing photos and music, and surfing the Internet.

Software giant Microsoft has had disturbed relations with the EU markets following series of lawsuits to penalise the company's alleged anti-competitive market practices. Abiding by the courts' judgments, Microsoft will release two special types of its upcoming Windows 7 operating system to sell in Euro-zone countries. The OS will be devoid of Microsoft's Internet Explorer 8 (MSIE 8) web-browser, and Windows Media Player (WMP) 12 multimedia software. The first type is Windows 7 E, which lacks MSIE 8 alone. The second is Windows 7 N, which lacks MSIE 8 and WMP 12. The standard type which includes both, will not be available in Euro-zone countries. These types maintain their variant hierarchy (with the lineup starting from Home Basic to Ultimate).

Furthermore, the copies of Windows 7 (E, N) will require a clean installation. Users will not be able to upgrade their existing Windows Vista installations with such types of Windows 7. This however, won't affect the standard version. The move puts users in a bit of inconvenience, since the OS will not remain web-capable as soon as it's installed. In an effort to make things as easy as possible for users, Microsoft is recommending OEM vendors to pre-install MSIE 8, or any web-browser they choose. MSIE 8 will be available as CD-ROM installation media at stores. It will also be available for users to download using FTP, so a web-browser could be downloaded and installed without the presence of another one. "We're committed to making Windows 7 available in Europe at the same time that it launches in the rest of the world, but we also must comply with European competition law as we launch the product," said Microsoft deputy general counsel Dave Heiner said in a written release. "Given the pending legal proceeding, we've decided that instead of including Internet Explorer in Windows 7 in Europe, we will offer it separately and on an easy-to-install basis to both computer manufacturers and users. We're committed to launching Windows 7 on time in Europe, so we need to address the legal realities in Europe, including the risk of large fines. We believe that this new approach, while not our first choice, is the best path forward given the ongoing legal case in Europe," he added.

LaCie announced an economic way to add media player functionality to existing storage devices. LaCinema Classic Bridge enables users to leverage the investments already made on internal and external storage solutions, and turn them into dynamic multimedia devices. Simply connect the Classic Bridge to a desired TV, add a storage device, and play libraries of movies, music, and photos in flawless 1080p HD resolution.

The attractive and compact LaCinema Classic Bridge fits seamlessly into entertainment centers, and enables two options for adding storage. Option one allows users to connect an external USB drive to the front of the device for easy access to their multimedia content. Option two allows users to easily insert an internal hard disk directly into the device for a clean, fully integrated set-up, just like the LaCinema Classic. Users may also choose to implement both options for expanded capacity.

ASUS, the leading provider of integrated Home Entertainment PC solutions, today unveiled an innovative suite of entertainment solutions for home users. Slim, stunningly beautiful, and incorporating the latest standards in dynamic home entertainment, the solutions include the ultra-slim ASUS LS and MS Series monitors, the versatile ASUS 24T1E TV Monitor that receives both analog and digital TV signals, the convenient ASUS O!Play HDP-R1 HD Media Player that supports a wide array of media formats, the aurally superior ASUS Xonar Essence ST audio card which minimizes jitters for clearer and crisper audio output, and the highly portable ASUS External Slim Blu-ray Optical Disk Drives for high quality, high definition entertainment on the go.

Seagate, the world's leading provider of storage solutions, today unveiled the new Seagate FreeAgent Theater HD media player, a complete home theater solution designed to enhance the experience of enjoying digital media by providing an easy way to play your favorite videos, movies and photos on your TV. The Seagate FreeAgent Theater media player is a new accessory designed to work with the company's award-winning FreeAgent Go portable hard drive, enabling people to easily enjoy stored digital media on their TV screens rather than their computer monitors. Just tuck the media player next to your TV, pop in your FreeAgent Go hard drive, point, click, and enjoy as your personal memories and favorite movies come to life before your eyes in HD quality video with surround sound. The announcement was made at the 2009 International Consumer Electronics Show, taking place in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Available in March, the Seagate FreeAgent Theater HD media player can be purchased as a stand-alone unit for use with any USB storage device, or a complete solution with a FreeAgent Go portable drive included, starting at just $129.99.

Without any official release from Western Digital, a new product of theirs has emerged on Best Buy called the WD TV HD Media Player. It is a very small device not much bigger than the remote it comes with, but what is unique about this gadget is that it allows you to plug in a USB flash drive or USB hard disk drive (HDD), and play full 1080p high definition videos, pictures and music, on to your TV. It supports two USB2.0 devices simultaneously, measuring only 1.6x4.9x3.9 inches and weighing a mere 10.7 oz, it could be the answer for many people instead of having HTPC's or trailing cables from their main PC's. The RRP of the device appears to be $129.99, however it is currently on sale at Best Buy for $99.99.

Movea, Inc., the leader in motion-sensing technology for digital media, today announced the retail availability of its new Gyration Air Music Remote with MotionSense technology. The Air Music Remote offers digital media convergence enthusiasts complete control of their home theater systems, bridging the PC-to-TV gap by combining a universal remote control with the functions of a PC mouse. The new remote features a backlit LCD panel that displays music selections from Windows Media Player (including Media Center) and iTunes, and allows one-click play and volume control from up to 100 feet away.

The Air Music Remote controls all digital home entertainment with the ability to replace existing TV, cable, A/V and Media Center remotes, and eliminates the need for a mouse. With Movea's industry leading MotionSense technology, the Air Music Remote allows the use of natural hand movements to control the on-screen cursor and all aspects of Windows Media Center software with pinpoint precision. It includes standard menu navigation, an alphanumeric keypad and shortcut buttons.