VLC update available with H.265 decoding and VP9

VLC media player is available now with the update version 2.1.1. After the major publication in late September, VideoLAN now has a minor update of VLC for Windows, OS X and Linux.

It is stamped 2.1.1 and still announced with hundreds of corrections including regressions introduced with VLC 2.1.0 (a bug fixed) . The main corrections are detailed in the release notes itself elaborately. VideoLAN highlights significant changes to decode Speex, WMV3, Alac and AVI, the end of worries for OS X crashes and hardware decoding (via GPU) on Windows.

Besides improvements to the Windows installer, enter into experimental support are also reported. This is of HEVC or H.265 codec and free VP9 to play videos in WebM format.

New Android Handheld Mobile Game Console From Archos

Archos new version of its Android mobile game console is now available in Europe for only 190 Euros and the buyer gets this latest handheld gamepad 2, which eliminates major criticisms of its predecessor. The Archos gamepad 2 is the second gaming device that comes with an Android operating system and physical controls. So that users can play games from the Play Store as with a console controller.


With the preinstalled mapping tool which physical control buttons can be linked using drag -and-drop with the virtual control elements on the display. Archos tries the new gamepad 2, rectified some weaknesses of the previous model. Thus, the screen viewing angle is not stable, relatively dark and low contrast in the first version. The Archos gamepad 2 is now building up a 7 -inch IPS display, the viewing angle is stable.

The resolution has been increased from 1,024 to 1,280 x 600 pixels x 800 pixels. This gives a pixel density of 215 ppi, the previous one had only 170 ppi. The processor also been improved: Inside the gamepad 2 now works with an unspecified quad-core processor with Cortex-A9 cores and a clock speed of 1.6 GHz.

In the first game pad is a dual-core processor with the same clock speed. The memory size has increased from 1 to 2 GB. Of this gamepad 2, battery with a rated load of 5,000 mAh will last longer than the predecessor. The gamepad 2 comes with Android in version 4.2. The user has full access to Google's Play Store and other Google apps.

A separate Archos AppStore in the game zone filters out compatible games from the entire range directly with the control elements of the tablet. The purchase itself is still done with Google Play. With the mapping tool, the user can theoretically link each game using the control buttons. This has worked well in the first gamepad; according to Archos function has been improved.

Official Facebook app for Windows 8 and Windows Phone now available

Microsoft has announced it will now be possible for Windows application developers to integrate a Facebook authentication module with a positive sign given to the developers, It does not look like much, yet the news is a huge opening on the part of Microsoft, which has announced that in the future sign, developers can make the choice to integrate a module to Facebook iD in their applications to Windows 8 and Windows Phone 8 .

A partnership has been reached with the social network to enable users of Microsoft solutions more easily identify with various applications in order to better share their actions on the network, but also to avoid multiple registration process . A facility that can attract users, but also allows developers to avoid having to manage accounts and personal data with the utmost care and security that entails.

On the other hand, Microsoft could lose as it has been several years that the company seeks to bring its users under the control of a “Microsoft " has become possible for all of its services, but also to access software and brand partners sites. Implemented from today, the module will fit in the days that come in a variety of applications including Foursquare, Photoshop Express, iHeartRadio and many others.

 Requested for several years by developers, Microsoft would have eventually folded. The side of the publishers, the benefits should be felt quickly, users are more clapboard to use their applications if they are able to interact with their Facebook account.

Eventually, Microsoft could also win out because the door open could allow it to retrieve new publishers and new applications so far refused to settle on its various platforms.

4 Apps That save you money with your car

Drivers should swear off texting and thumb-twiddling games behind the wheel,  but the smart phone, when safely clipped to the dashboard and out of your hands, can be much more than a dangerous distraction in the car. Mobile apps can give drivers the tools they need to drive more safely and smartly, whether helping then maximise fuel mileage or locate a misplaced vehicle in a sprawling car park. We run down the best mobile apps on the market for the wired, wallet-conscious UK motorist.
My Cars (Android, free)
Feel like your driving costs are spiraling out of control, driven upwards by hefty fuel bills, steep insurance premiums, and endless repairs and maintenance costs? Track everything and learn how to boast efficiency and minimise outputs with this handy app. Can't remember when you last had your oil changed? My Cars knows. Always forget to have your car served after so many miles? My Cars can remind you. Regular servicing keeps your car humming, resolving minor issues before they require pricey repairs (or cause accidents) and maintaining the salability of the vehicle. My Cars also allows you to track fuel efficiency and determine the best--and worst--conditions for your petrol consumption. And unlike similar apps, My Cars allows users to log data from multiple cars at once, making it useful for multi-vehicle households.
Road Trip Lite (iPhone, free)
If you're not a obsessive number cruncher (or an Android user) but still want to maximise your cars performance and minimise costs with some simple math, look into Road Trip Lite. A quicker and more accessible app for logging mileage, fuel economy, and maintenance costs, Road Trip Lite produces streamlined graphs to help you understand how your car eats up petrol and how to improve your stats. The full version of Road Trip (£2.99) comes with a full caboodle of features, including trip expense and tyre installation logs and support for multiple vehicles, but laymen can probably save their pennies and cope well with the leaner version.
Intelligent Marmalade (iPhone and Android, free)
Young drivers face steep insurance costs but a telematics scheme can help them par down costs with safe driving. Intelligent Marmalade replicates the tracking of the insurer's 'black box,' monitoring all the variables (except speed) that the actual box does, and then delivering a score. It's specifically targeted at young drivers but others can benefit from finding out how safely they drive--and if a telematics box could whittle down their insurance costs. Great way to try out telematics even if you don't plan to insure with Marmalade.
AA Parking (iPhone and Android, £1.99)
Sick of creeping through a crowded city looking for a parking spot and finally being forced to shill out nearly a month's rent to shoehorn your car in between four others? This app, boasting data on all paid and free car parks in the UK and Ireland, can help you locate the nearest and cheapest parking spot for you vehicle. In some areas you can even tap into real-time data about parking space availability, with information about opening hours and up-to-date price listings.
Rebecca Jaten has been a freelance journalist for 12 years. With an extra appetite for app and technology related articles and how they can save you money.

YotaPhone with LCD and E-ink screen

The Russian Yota Devices came over a year ago with an novel idea, a Smartphone with not only an LCD screen on the front , but also an E -ink screen on the back . Since then we have heard little about Yota, but the company has certainly not been idle all this time. The YotaPhone is a best addition for this Christmas Eve.

 The YotaPhone is having a 4.3 inch LCD screen with HD resolution (720p) in the front. At the rear is an E -ink screen with a resolution of 640 x 360 pixels. That second screen is always on and giving you all the notifications such as, missed calls, the weather forecast, reminders and messages.

One advantage is that you do not have to look, so the battery life will be more. Even though your battery is completely dried; the last viewed information still remains visible on the screen. In addition, one more advantage is with the E-ink screens that is visible even in bright sunlight and is perfectly readable in the broad day light. A bit of a shame is that the E-ink screen is not touch screen.

 There is only a capacitive touch- zone below the screen for navigation. The Android 4.2.2 running on YotaPhone and is equipped with a 1.7 GHz dual - core processor, 2GB RAM, a 13 megapixel camera with LED flash, a 1 -megapixel front camera and a battery with a capacity of 1.800mAh. The price offered is not known and the pre order is on the way at their Yota site.