media playback Archives

AppWizard

August 3, 2025

Google Home App Gains Material 3 Media Controller Redesign on Android

Google has rolled out a redesigned media controller in the Google Home app for Android, featuring a Material 3 aesthetic with rounded edges and dynamic color theming. The new interface replaces the previous card-style layout with a streamlined floating panel that activates during media playback on connected devices. Users now see a pill-shaped controller at the bottom of the screen, displaying album artwork, playback controls, and a progress bar, which can be expanded for additional features. The redesign enhances accessibility with larger touch targets and improved contrast ratios. This update is part of a broader initiative to create smarter home experiences, including potential voice-activated media adjustments with upcoming Gemini AI enhancements. The redesign aims to improve user interaction and simplify multi-room audio management, while also positioning Google competitively against Amazon's Alexa and Apple’s HomeKit.

Winsage

July 22, 2025

Saying no to Windows 11 just got easier – Operese automatically transfers your Windows 10 files and settings to Linux

Microsoft will end support for Windows 10 on October 14, 2025, affecting over 200 million devices. A student developer, TechnoPorg, has created a free migration tool called Operese to facilitate the transition from Windows 10 to Linux. Operese translates a Windows 10 installation into a Linux setup, preserving data, settings, and applications as much as possible. It uses a customized version of Kubuntu to provide a user-friendly experience. While the tool is still in development and may not support all applications, it aims to offer a smooth migration process. Linux distributions, such as Kubuntu, are compatible with older hardware and provide enhanced privacy and security compared to Windows. TechnoPorg plans to open-source Operese once it is more stable and documented.

Winsage

July 1, 2025

Fix Error 0xc00d36c4 in Windows 10/11: 5 Working Methods

Error code 0xc00d36c4 is a common media playback issue in Windows 10 and 11, occurring when the operating system cannot open certain video or audio files. This error can appear in applications like Windows Media Player, Groove Music, and the Movies & TV app, and is often associated with file corruption, unsupported formats, external storage issues, DRM restrictions, or outdated software. Five solutions to fix the error include using 4DDiG Video Repair for corrupted files, converting files to supported formats with a converter, trying a different media player like VLC, updating media components, and checking external storage devices. 4DDiG Video Repair supports various formats such as MP4, MOV, AVI, MKV, M4V, FLV, 3GP, and MP3 and WAV.

Winsage

June 9, 2025

5 Windows XP features I miss dearly on Windows 11

Microsoft's Windows operating system has evolved significantly, with Windows 11 featuring enhanced multitasking and modern functionalities. However, nostalgic elements from older versions, particularly Windows XP, are missed. 1. The Disk Defragmenter in Windows XP had a visually appealing interface that represented data on the disk, which has been replaced by a text-based interface in later versions. 2. Built-in games like Solitaire, Hearts, and 3D Pinball in Windows XP provided straightforward enjoyment, while their modern counterparts have become cluttered and commercialized. 3. Windows Media Player in XP allowed users to customize with quirky skins, which added personality, a feature that is lacking in today's streamlined media players. 4. Windows Movie Maker was a user-friendly video editing tool that has been replaced by Clipchamp, which many find less intuitive and more patronizing. 5. Windows Messenger and Windows Live Messenger offered a personalized messaging experience with group organization and unique emoticons, which is not matched by current platforms like Skype and Microsoft Teams.

AppWizard

June 7, 2025

June 2025: The Best Android Apps Right Now

1. Multi-Device Battery Monitor synchronizes battery statistics for smartphones, tablets, and smartwatches, optimizing energy consumption and sending alerts for low battery levels. 2. Camera Remote Shutter allows users to capture photos remotely via Bluetooth, featuring timer settings, burst mode, and repeat captures. 3. Luminar provides advanced photo editing tools, including skin retouching and RAW file adjustments, with intuitive gesture controls. 4. Volume Styles enables users to customize their volume slider with themes and layouts and create shortcuts for brightness and media playback. 5. Noid automatically categorizes documents, photos, and videos, offering advanced search tools and secure backup options for efficient file management. 6. By Air offers real-time flight tracking, updates on flight statuses, gate changes, and delays, along with airport guides and online check-in options. 7. Widget Share allows users to share widgets like photos, notes, or reminders with friends and family for collaboration and personalization. 8. Evapail generates temporary email addresses to protect users' inboxes from spam and unwanted emails, maintaining privacy and reducing digital clutter. 9. Pixelshot organizes screenshots using AI, automatically categorizing and tagging them for easy retrieval while ensuring sensitive information is secure. 10. Crossplatform Disc Test measures the speed and health of internal and external storage devices to monitor storage performance effectively.

Winsage

June 7, 2025

‘Screenbox’ Is a Sleek and Capable VLC-Based Video Player for Windows

Screenbox is a free and open-source video player designed for Windows 11, offering a user-friendly interface and extensive media format support. It is built on the LibVLCSharp framework, ensuring compatibility with all media formats supported by VLC. The application features a visually appealing interface with essential buttons, support for YouTube's keyboard shortcuts, picture-in-picture functionality, and a media library that includes default video and music folders with options to add more directories. Screenbox is suitable for both casual file playback and organization of media libraries.

AppWizard

May 27, 2025

Android Auto’s media apps may soon offer an upgraded UI

Google announced updates at the Google I/O 2025 event to enhance media app layouts on Android Auto, introducing two new templates: SectionedItemTemplate and MediaPlaybackTemplate. The SectionedItemTemplate allows for a more organized browsing experience with multiple sections, while the MediaPlaybackTemplate offers greater control over the Now Playing screen layout. These changes enable developers to create more personalized and innovative app experiences. Additionally, Google is working on expanding Android Auto's capabilities to support browser and video applications, as well as a new light theme for the platform.

AppWizard

May 21, 2025

Android Auto to get video, browsing, and more weather apps support soon

Google is set to introduce video and browser applications to Android Auto, announced during Google I/O 2025. Video apps will only be operational when the vehicle is parked, and the connected smartphone must run Android 16. Additionally, there will be an increase in weather applications available on Android Auto, as developers can now publish these apps without beta restrictions, provided they meet Google's quality guidelines. Weather apps have been limited since early 2023, but the easing of developer requirements since December 2024 has led to a broader range of offerings. Over 250 million vehicles support Android Auto, with more than 50 car models featuring integrated Google software.

AppWizard

April 10, 2025

One UI 7 brings Live Notifications for your favorite media apps, including YouTube and Spotify

Samsung's One UI version 7 has begun rolling out, introducing features that enhance media playback, including Live Notifications for real-time control over media applications from the notification shade. Users can receive ongoing media playback notifications from apps like Spotify, YouTube, and YouTube Music, although Netflix does not show notifications during local playback but does support live notifications when casting. To access these features, users must have the latest builds of One UI 7, particularly those with the April 2025 security patch. The update also hints at cross-device synchronization for media playback control without needing to be on the same Wi-Fi network. Currently, YouTube allows playback controls for connected smart devices but typically requires the same Wi-Fi network.

AppWizard

April 4, 2025

Google wants to make Android 16 even better at streaming music and video

Android devices have historically relied on complex processes for secure media playback due to vulnerabilities like the Stagefright exploit. Android 16 introduces support for in-process software audio codecs, allowing codecs to operate within an app's process, reducing CPU usage and power consumption. The MediaCodecInfo class in Android 16 includes a new getSecurityModel() method to indicate whether a codec uses the standard sandboxed model or the new memory-safe model, which requires codecs to be developed in a memory-safe language like Rust. Google has been developing this feature for several years, aiming to improve the performance of the AAC codec, which is crucial for streaming applications. Current tests show that media codecs still depend on the traditional sandboxed approach, and the implementation of in-process codecs requires codec vendors to rewrite their software in Rust.