Hasta La Gadget!

When Microsoft announced that they would be getting rid of Windows Media Center and all of its codecs for DVD playback and broadcast television in Windows 8, many home theater PC fanatics were effectively disappointed and probably really aggravated. However, it looks like the company is offering anyone who has Windows 8 Pro a free upgrade to Media Center until the end of January.

Microsoft said that they essentially got rid of Windows Media Center because there weren’t a lot of users who were taking advantage of it, but the home theater PC crowd is large enough that Microsoft received enough flack for it that they’re bringing it back for free to some users. From now until January 31, 2013, Windows 8 Pro users can sign up to receive a free upgrade to Windows 8 Media Center.

Of course, Windows Media Center is still widely available for Windows 8 users, but it doesn’t come with the OS itself. Users must purchase it as an add-on in the Windows Store for $10. Granted, that’s not a lot of money at all, especially for all the features that you get, but considering that it was once a free feature that came with Windows, we can see how HTPC enthusiasts would be upset.

To get your free Media Center upgrade, all you have to do is head to Microsoft’s website and enter in your email address, your Windows 8 Pro product key, and the captcha code. Once that’s done, all you have to do is wait patiently for your Windows 8 Media Center license code to appear in your inbox.

[via Engadget]

Microsoft offering Windows 8 Pro users free upgrade to Media Center is written by Craig Lloyd & originally posted on SlashGear.
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Flipboard on iOS has had audio for some time, giving users the chance to go all high-brow as they listen to NPR while browsing the news on their iPad. It’s Android’s turn to adopt that cultured stance: an update to Flipboard on its newer platform includes the full, listen-in-the-background Audio category channel selection, whether it’s thoughtful public radio snippets or spotlights on podcasts and artists. SoundCloud mavens get the biggest fill, both through a direct link to their account as well as a list of specialized channels. Anyone who can already use Flipboard for Android just needs to hit Google Play to add the new audio dimension; Kindle Fire and Nook owners should see a fully tailored experience in a matter of days.

Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile

Flipboard for Android gains audio, lets us tune into SoundCloud from our Samsung originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 25 Oct 2012 11:46:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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There’s a good reason Foursquare has an Overshare badge. Still, that hasn’t stopped the location service from rolling out an update to Android users that simplifies broadcasting your position to the world. The Android check-in screen now matches that of the iOS app with a more streamlined appearance that more quickly shares updates with Facebook and Twitter; mentioning friends is easier as well. As long as your social circle doesn’t mind knowing that you checked into three different dance clubs in one night, Foursquare’s update awaits at the source.

Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile

Foursquare for Android updated for more social check-ins, shares club-hopping with the world originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 24 Oct 2012 18:21:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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As much of a boon as Dropbox has been for iOS users, it’s been held back for shutterbugs wanting a one-for-one translation of their images. Any cloud photos saved for posterity were shrunk to iPhone 4S size and largely negated the point of a local copy. No more: an update to the app removes the resolution ceiling and shows whatever the iPad, iPhone or iPod can handle. While it still compresses the final image, all the basic nuances should remain intact. There’s a treat in store for those who want to see more of their files inside of the Dropbox app, too, with iPhone 5 support putting to work those 112,640 pixels of extra screen real estate. Just don’t expect to use Dropbox as a mobile viewer for your Hasselblad photos and you’ll likely be happy.

Filed under: Cellphones, Tablets, Storage

Dropbox for iOS removes the photo resolution cap, stretches out to iPhone 5 size originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 23 Oct 2012 10:19:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Your smartphone and / or tablet is just begging for an update. From time to time, these mobile devices are blessed with maintenance refreshes, bug fixes, custom ROMs and anything in between, and so many of them are floating around that it’s easy for a sizable chunk to get lost in the mix. To make sure they don’t escape without notice, we’ve gathered every possible update, hack, and other miscellaneous tomfoolery we could find during the last week and crammed them into one convenient roundup. If you find something available for your device, please give us a shout at tips at engadget dawt com and let us know. Enjoy!

Continue reading Refresh Roundup: week of October 15th, 2012

Filed under: Cellphones, Tablets, Software, Mobile

Refresh Roundup: week of October 15th, 2012 originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 21 Oct 2012 20:48:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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