firmware

Garmin software update fixes borked nuvis

This one almost slipped under our radar, but a recent firmware update to Garmin nuvi 7x5 series, nuvi 800 series, nuvi 8x5 series, zumo 660, GPSMAP 620 and GPSMAP 640 GPS devices caused the units to shutdown, lose satellite reception, or become locked in a firmware update loop.

Garmin has released a free firmware update for the affected devices that should fix these issues. For more info on how to update your unit, check the Garmin Blog.

Sigma's high-end compact gets an update

Sigma on Tuesday released another firmware update to its high-end compact camera, the 14MP DP2, which became available in February.

Version 1.02 adds several updates to the camera. For one, improvements have been made to auto focus. When using the manual focus, the magnification display function can be selected by just pressing the OK button. Sigma has issued a Notice of Function Change amending the information in the user's guide based on the functionality the new firmware allows.

We generally recommend installing the latest firmware updates for your camera so you can get the most out of your … Read more

iPhone 3G S Gold Master firmware goes live

Apple is working hard this week as it prepares for the general release of iPhone OS 3.0 on June 17 and the iPhone 3G S on June 19. The Gold Master iPhone OS 3.0 software release for the iPhone 3G S has gone live on Apple's Web site and can be downloaded now (caution: clicking this link will initiate download).

Editors' note: This firmware is not recommended for iPhone 3G users.

Based the availability of the firmware, there's a good chance that iPhone 3G S users should expect a firmware update for their new iPhones after connecting it to iTunes for its initial sync. If you are not automatically asked to check for or install an update, press the Check Update button in iTunes on the device summary screen just in case. If an update is available, iTunes will tell you.

Last time Apple released such a massive software and hardware package, its servers were overwhelmed, so it might be wise to predownload the firmware linked above if you have ordered an iPhone 3G S. Before using the firmware, launch Settings on your iPhone 3G S, select General, and then About. Look for version with a value of 3.0 (7A341) and if it is present, you don't need to use the firmware linked above.… Read more

Canon 5D Mark II's manual video controls arrive

Half a year after the camera's debut, Canon released promised firmware that updates its vaunted EOS 5D Mark II SLR with the ability to manually control camera settings while shooting video.

The much-desired feature lets users set aperture, ISO sensitivity, and shutter speed manually. It was the first Canon SLR to support video, and the only one so far that can shoot 1080p video at 30 frames per second, but previously it only could shoot video in a fully automatic mode.

The firmware 1.1.0 update is available from Canon's Web site, as are update instructions (PDF). … Read more

iTunes 8.2 preps for new iPhone firmware

Earlier today, Apple updated iTunes to get it ready for the anticipated iPhone firmware upgrade to version 3.0. The company also updated its QuickTime video player.

iTunes 8.2, for Windows and Mac, makes the program ready for the iPhone and iPod Touch operating system upgrade by pushing out changes made to recent prerelease versions of iTunes that had been available to only iPhone developers. It also includes one security fix.

Quicktime 7.6.2, for Windows and Mac, contains several security fixes, including patches for holes that could have been exploited to run arbitrary code by maliciously created … Read more

Trendnet updates TV-M7 wireless camera monitor

Trendnet's cool IP camera monitor and photo frame, the TV-M7, which debuted at CES 2009, just got a little cooler. The company announced Tuesday a firmware update for the 7-inch, wireless unit that adds two new major features to make it even more IP camera-centric.

The first new feature is extended customization for the device's log-in screen. For example, you can now set the monitor to go straight to the IP camera selection page when turned on. Previously, you needed to go through a few menu items to get there.

The second feature is more significant. The TV-M7 … Read more

Western Digital's WD TV gets a firmware update

If you are an owner of a WD TV (and I really believe you should be one if you already have an LCD or plasma TV), I have some good news.

Western Digital just released Friday an update for the device's firmware, to version 1.02.07. The main improvement is the addition of built-in codecs and better audio support for the MKV file. This is the file format that's popularly used to store compressed high-def content such as that of Blu-ray movies, much similar to the DivX format that's used to store compressed DVD movies.

The … Read more

Nikon mystery firmware unmasked

With the debut of theNikon D90, a third and mysterious L firmware module appeared below the A and B readouts on the camera. Until now, no one has really known what it was for.

Estimable former CNET freelancer and prolific book author David Busch took the time to solve the mystery and share the results in his blog: it's for the updateable lens database. Not the most thrilling news in and of itself, but interesting when you consider that it can also hold lens-specific distance information, which can theoretically improve performance of many of the subsystems, such as … Read more

Moxi DVR adds network media streaming, Rhapsody

Digeo is adding several networking features to its Moxi DVR via a free firmware upgrade. Available to Moxi owners by the end of the week, the new functions are as follows:

Media Link: Stream digital media (videos, photos, and music) from DLNA-certified devices on your home network.

PlayOn: Watch Internet-based videos from a variety of online providers, including Hulu, YouTube, Netflix, and ESPN. This requires a PC running PlayOn's software. (It's normally $40, but Digeo is offering a free license key to current and new Moxi owners for a limited time.)

Rhapsody: Onscreen access to the Rhapsody subscription … Read more