mkv

Handling many popular file formats, DivX Plus for Mac is the latest DivX player for the Mac platform. With its editing and conversion options as well, we found it to be a great potential addition to any user's Mac toolbox.

As you would expect, DivX Plus for Mac handles DivX format video files, as well as MKV and AVI files. This latest version of the player also allows for conversion from MP4 format, so you can format existing video files for use on the iPhone and iPad. You can also use DivX Plus for Mac as a streaming platform … Read more

Following the success of the WD TV Live Hub, Western Digital has now introduced the diskless version in the new WD TV Live (2011).

The new Live adds a couple more killer features, namely built-in Wi-Fi and support for the Spotify music-streaming service, to the already long list of services and file formats handled by its predecessors. And all for only $99, but there is a lot of competition at this price level. There were still some bugs left to iron out and the Spotify service is a little daunting in comparison to its desktop counterpart, but in all this … Read more

"Stoopid Andy"--not as stupid as his name implies (TM)--joins us on the show today along with MTI, otherwise known as Mark Licea, to fill in for Justin, who again is enamored by a printer.

You may not realize this, but Stoopid Andy is a bit of a computer genius. We spend a good portion of the first half of the show talking about how he transcodes Blu-ray movies that he owns over to an MKV file in H.264 using a variety of pieces of hardware and software. He does this just so that he can watch his movies in HD and Dolby Digital surround sound anywhere in his house. Kind of cool. But I think most consumers would rather just watch it on Netflix or rent it from iTunes.

Speaking of iTunes, Apple has changed the home page of its Web site with a mysterious message that reads: "Tomorrow is just another day. That you'll never forget. Check back here tomorrow for an exciting announcement from iTunes." As much of a fanboy as Wilson is, he's got nothing when it comes to speculation other than the rumors that have already been floating around the Web. We're hoping for iTunes music subscriptions or more streaming-media services from the cloud. We're going to be really disappointed if it is just the already announced iOS 4.2 download or the iTunes 10.1 download.

Facebook's new messaging service press conference started just right after the show was over today, so we don't have much feedback on that, except that tweens will certainly embrace it. We also mention that Wal-Mart will be offering free shipping to all its orders between now and December 22, but it's a little odd for everyone in the studio because there isn't a Wal-Mart within New York City!

Finally, we don't have time to get to the voice mails, but Wilson does point out that Jeff is dearly missed, and will hopefully be making his return tomorrow! *fingers crossed* He may have just decided to stay in sunny Hawaii and finish playing Call of Duty: Black Ops. You can leave him a message by calling 1-866-404-CNET (2638) or e-mail us at the usual address. Oh! And tell your friends about the show!

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

Lockheed Martin said this week it has reached an important milestone in the development of one piece of the U.S. Ballistic Missile Defense System (PDF) puzzle: an interceptor missile capable of taking out multiple enemy ICBM warheads.

The U.S. Missile Defense Agency's Multiple Kill Vehicle-L would be launched as a single interceptor equipped with a multiple-kill payload that doesn't bother with the single warhead--it goes after an entire "threat cluster" instead.

It's designed to destroy not only the enemy's re-entry vehicle (intercontinental ballistic missile) but also all the warheads it may contain, … Read more