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September 2013
Media Player Classic Home Cinema 1.7.0
30 September 2013
A new Version 1.7.0 of the free Media Player Classic Home Cinema player has been released. This major update replaces the internal filters with LAV filters, adds Windows 8.1 support, as well as a range of other improvements and bug fixes.
Game Patches
29 September 2013
Game Patches
28 September 2013
Game Patches
27 September 2013
VLC Media Player 2.1.0
26 September 2013
The free VLC Media Player has been updated to Version 2.1.0. This is a major update which provides a new audio core, hardware decoding and encoding, preparation for Ultra-HD video and support for more formats.
CCleaner 4.06
25 September 2013
A new Version 4.06.4324 of the free CCleaner system cleaning utility has been released. Changes include improved IE and Firefox cleaning, improved Startup tool browser detection, along with a range of minor improvements and bug fixes.
Opera 16.0
25 September 2013
The Opera browser has been updated to Version 16.0.1196.80.
Flash Player 11.8
24 September 2013
Adobe has released Version 11.8.800.175 of the Flash Player plugin for browsers. This update is only for Internet Explorer.
Game Patches
24 September 2013
Game Patches
22 September 2013
Game Patches
20 September 2013
Nvidia GeForce 327.23 WHQL
20 September 2013
Nvidia has released the 327.23 WHQL certified graphics driver. This driver is for GeForce 8 and higher graphics cards under Windows XP, Vista, 7 and 8. It is the recommended driver for Windows 8.1, provides a performance boost in several games, adds new SLI profiles and improves support for 4K displays. The driver package also contains the 9.13.0725 PhysX drivers.
AMD Catalyst 13.9
19 September 2013
AMD has released the official Catalyst 13.9 graphics driver for the HD 5000 series and above under Windows Vista, 7 and 8. This is the first WHQL certified Catalyst driver for Windows 8.1, providing WDDM 1.3 support. It also adds OpenGL support for profiles, AMD Enduro enhancements, and contains bug fixes.
Internet Explorer 11 for Windows 7
19 September 2013
Microsoft has provided a Release Preview version of Internet Explorer 11 for Windows 7. Details of the improvements in IE11 are provided Here.
iTunes 11.1
19 September 2013
Apple has released a new Version 11.1 of the iTunes software. This major update provides sync compatibility with the newly released iOS 7, adds iTunes Radio, Genius Shuffle, and Podcast Stations, as well as security and bug fixes.
Chrome 29.0
19 September 2013
Google has released Version 29.0.1547.76 of the Chrome browser. This version provides several bug fixes.
Game Patches
19 September 2013
Firefox 24.0
18 September 2013
Mozilla has released Version 24.0 of the Firefox browser. The most significant changes are a new 'Close tabs to the Right' option that quickly closes all newer tabs open to the right of the current tab, and the ability to tear off chat windows and view them separately. Details are on page 3 of the updated Firefox Tweak Guide.
Internet Explorer Security Patch
18 September 2013
Microsoft has released a temporary Fix It Patch to address a potential security exploit in all versions of Internet Explorer. A full security update will be released shortly.
Game Patches
18 September 2013
Game Patches
17 September 2013
Microsoft Updates Re-released
16 September 2013
Microsoft has re-released several updates that were first released last Tuesday, but have been causing problems on some systems. In some cases certain updates had been repeatedly offered by Windows Update even after being installed. Checking for updates in Windows Update again should clear this issue now.
Game Patches
13 September 2013
GPU-Z 0.7.3
13 September 2013
GPU-Z, a free graphics card information utility, has reached Version 0.7.3. Changes include support for new chipsets as well as bug fixes.
Game Patches
12 September 2013
Java Runtime Environment 7.40
11 September 2013
Oracle has released an Update 40 to the Java Runtime Environment 7.
Microsoft Security Updates
11 September 2013
Microsoft has released its monthly set of Windows security updates which you can download individually from here or get through Windows Update.
Adobe Reader 11.0.04
11 September 2013
Adobe has released Version 11.0.04 of the Adobe Reader software for viewing PDF documents, now known as Adobe Reader XI. This update contains compatibility, security, stability and bug fixes.
Flash Player 11.8
11 September 2013
Adobe has released Version 11.8.800.168 of the Flash Player plugin for browsers.
Shockwave 12.0
11 September 2013
Adobe has released a new Version 12.0.4.144 of the Shockwave player plugin for browsers.
Windows 8.1
10 September 2013
Microsoft has announced that it has reversed its decision not to provide an early release of Windows 8.1 RTM to MSDN and Technet subscribers, and thus it is now available for users of those services. The general public release of Windows 8.1 is still October 18.
Game Patches
10 September 2013
Site Update
9 September 2013
Quite a few people have written to me about my rather blunt outburst against Windows 8.1, posted earlier in the week. It wasn't just an off-the-cuff rant; I've spent quite a bit of time thinking about what Windows 8/8.1 means to PC users over the past year. However, rather than cluttering up the front page with my lengthy opinion on the subject, I've written an article entitled Windows 8.1: My Opinion Elaborated. It does exactly as the title states, expanding on my thoughts, and providing some tangible examples of why I think Windows 8.1 points to a rather poor future for PC users.
Game Patches
7 September 2013
AMD Catalyst 13.10 Beta
6 September 2013
AMD has released the Catalyst 13.10 Beta graphics driver for the HD 5000 series and above on Windows 7 and 8. This beta allows the PCI-E speed to exceed x1 on the second GPU in CrossFire configurations, adds updated CrossFire profiles for Rome Total War 2, Saints Row 4 and Metro Last Light, and has frame pacing improvements in several games.
Game Patches
6 September 2013
Opera 16.0
6 September 2013
The Opera browser has been updated to Version 16.0.1196.73.
Game Patches
5 September 2013
Chrome 29.0
4 September 2013
Google has released Version 29.0.1547.66 of the Chrome browser. This version has a Flash update as well as fixing an issue with Sync.
Game Patches
4 September 2013
WinRAR 5.00
3 September 2013
The archival utility WinRAR has been updated to Version 5.00. Changes include a new RAR 5.0 archiving format, removal of authenticity verification, added support for the XZ format, and an increase in the maximum path length for files in RAR and ZIP archives.
Site Update
3 September 2013
Over the last few days I've been quite busy installing and exploring the Windows 8.1 RTM ISO that was recently leaked. I don't normally condone the use of leaked software, but in this case, given it's ultimately a free upgrade, and the fact that I need to get across the changes as soon as possible so I can update the TweakGuides Tweaking Companion for Windows 8, I thought it justified.
My impression of Windows 8.1 can be summed up in two words: extremely disappointing. The march towards tabletizing a Desktop OS continues, as Windows 8.1 hides or completely removes several potentially useful Desktop features, while gussying up the Metro interface. If you're also not vigilant during installation, you will automatically be opted into using Bing ad-driven searches, SkyDrive integration and a Microsoft Account. The only unambiguously positive changes are the addition of options to boot straight to Desktop, and disable the hot corners, neatly hidden away under the Taskbar Properties>Navigation tab I might add. Fortunately, workarounds exist for some of the changes, and of course Start Menu replacement utilities, along with other Windows 8 customization tools, will provide further options.
I don't normally like to post opinions, especially negative ones, on the front page. In this case, I can't resist, as this bastardization of Windows makes me quite angry. Having used every version of Microsoft's operating systems since 1988 (MS-DOS 5.0), this is the first time I truly believe that Microsoft has lost its way. To put it bluntly, Windows 8.1 is a mish-mash of interfaces, and in some cases borderline deceptive options, mainly to serve Microsoft's dubious ambitions in the mobile device arena, rather than consumers and businesses. It will only serve to further confuse and alienate the average PC user, and hasten the PC's demise. I've used Windows 8 as my daily OS since the Preview back in June 2012, and I can honestly say it seems like one step forward, four steps back when compared to Windows 7.
In any case, I am currently detailing all of the changes and attempting to provide revised best practice usage recommendations in an update to the TweakGuides Tweaking Companion for Windows 8. I will release the updated version shortly after the official release of Windows 8.1.
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