Video Lan Client, the nigh-indispensable open source media player for multiple audio and video formats (MPEG, MPEG-2, MPEG-4, Divx, ogg, etc.), was updated to version 2.0.6. The new version, a 41.9 megabyte download, adds the following fixes and changes:
- Support for Matroska v4 files.

- Fix WMV, Ogg, AVI, MP4 and subtitles crashes and issues.

- Numerous translations updates and new Welsh translation.

- Small fixes and improvements on the Mac OS X interface.

- Fix some HTTPS certificate rejection.

- Fix ALAC decoding.

- Fix FLAC 6.1 and 7.1 channel order.

- Fix the vimeo parser.

- Numerous D-Bus and MPRIS2 improvements.

VLC 2.0.6 requires an Intel-based Mac running Mac OS X 10.6 or later to install and run.

If you’ve tried the new version and have any feedback to offer, let us know in the comments.

A hefty update is never unappreciated.

On Wednesday, Adobe released Flash Player 11.7.700.169 for Mac OS X, a 16.9 megabyte download via MacUpdate. The new version adds the following fixes and changes:

Fixed Issues:
- On Retina-enabled OS X devices, Flash applications are scaled incorrectly upon opening (3496539).

-In AIR on iOS, loading a SWF with and embedded video can cause a crash in some circumstances (3514499).

- In AIR on iOS, loading an image from a remote server can cause a crash (3476445).

- On OS X, setting stage.fullScreenSourceRect when renderMode is set to “GPU”, leads to inaccurate mouse position reporting (3512232).

- In the Chrome browser, the copy shortcut (Ctrl/Cmd+C) fails (3496300).

- Attempting to embed a Flash project into Microsoft word can result in a crash (3498002).

- In AIR for iOS, some apps get rejected for missing push notification entitlement (3501744).

- In AIR for iOS, Flex applications running on iPad2 over 3G connections can experience a crash (3435401).

- In AIR for iOS, reloading of pure asset SWFs isn’t allowed (3516971).

- On OS X, some fonts do not rending properly when viewing Flash content in the Google Chrome browser (3506958).

New Features:
- Sandboxing enhancements.

- Prevent Cloud backup for Shared Objects (iOS).

- Use CPU render mode for selected devices (iOS).

- Externally host secondary SWF files (iOS).

Adobe Flash Player 11.7.700.169 requires an Intel-based Mac running Mac OS X 10.6 or later to install and run.

If you’ve tried the new Flash Player and have any feedback to offer, please let us know in the comments.

An update’s an update.

On Wednesday, Google released version 26.0.1410.63 of its Chrome web browser. The update, a 49.8 megabyte download, adds the following fixes and changes:
- Stability improvements.

- A new version of Adobe Flash.

Google Chrome 26.0.1410.63 requires an Intel-based Mac with Mac OS X 10.6 or later to install and run. If you’ve tried the new version and have any feedback to offer, please let us know in the comments.

Never doubt a nifty firmware update.

Per TmoNews, a software update released this past Friday will give iPhone 5 users on T-Mobile access to the carrier’s LTE network, in addition to adding a number of other features like Visual Voicemail

T-Mobile on Friday updated its support forums to detail the new features the carrier update will bring. All eligible iPhones using a T-Mobile SIM card will now have access to Visual Voicemail, the Commercial Mobile Alert System, and LTE connectivity on T-Mobile’s AWS spectrum for iPhone 5 users.

The update also brings HD Voice to T-Mobile iPhone 5 users, and it contains device/network optimizations that will improve battery life.

The update is restricted to iPhones running iOS 6.1.x or higher. Rumors of the update leaked earlier this month, and it has rolled out as predicted.

T-Mobile’s network currently hosts roughly two million iPhone customers using unlocked devices, adding about 100,000 more per month. The carrier will begin officially carrying Apple’s smartphone on April 12, with a 16GB iPhone 5 available for US$99. Pre-orders for the device began on Friday.

Stay tuned for additional details as they become available.

Late Friday, software developer Quark released version 9.5.1.1 of its QuarkXPress design application. The 9.4 megabyte update, which can be downloaded here, adds the following changes:
- Free update for QuarkXPress 9.

- Adds the ability to create page stacks in HTML5 based apps created with the new App Studio.

- Fixes a bug regarding Japanese font rendering.

QuarkXPress 9.5.1.1 requires an Intel-based Mac running Mac OS X 10.5.8 later to install and retails for US$799.00 for the full version.

If you’ve tried the new version and have any feedback to offer, please let us know in the comments.

It’s hard to knock a useful web browser update.

On Thursday, Opera Software released version 12.15.1748 of its web browser. The new version, a 20.3 megabyte download via MacUpdate, boasts the following fixes and changes:
- Fixed a moderately severe issue, as reported by Attila Suszter; details will be disclosed at a later date.

- Added safeguards against attacks on the RC4 encryption protocol.

- Fixed an issue where cookies could be set for a top-level domain.

Opera 12.15.1748 is available for free and requires an Intel-based Mac running Mac OS X 10.5.8 or later to install and run.

Late Thursday, Parallels released version 8.0.18483 of its Parallels Desktop virtualization software. The new update, a 320 megabyte download, adds the following fixes and changes:
- Better compatibility with new iMacs.

- Create Boot Camp virtual machines on new iMacs with 3 TB hard drives.

- Create virtual machines from the Boot Camp partition with Windows 8 installed.

- Support for Fedora 18.

- Fixed visual artifacts when changing screen resolution in a Windows 8 Pro virtual machine with more than 256 MB of video memory and nested virtualization enabled.

- Resolves an issue with the Command + click combination not opening links in new tabs in Windows browsers (Internet Explorer, Mozilla Firefox, Google Chrome, etc.).

Parallels Desktop 8 retails for US$79.99 and requires a 64-bit Intel-based processor, Mac OS X 10.6.8 or later, 2GB of RAM (4GB recommended to run Windows 7), at least 700 MB of space available on the boot volume for Parallels Desktop installation and 15 GB of available disk space for Windows.

If you’ve tried the new version and have any feedback to offer, let us know in the comments.

You can’t knock a helpful update.

OnyX, Titanium Software’s popular freeware multifunction utility for Mac OS X, has been updated to version 2.6.8. The new version, a 16.9 megabyte download via MacUpdate, adds the following fixes and changes:
- Deleting the Internet Cache improved.

- Deleting the Fonts Cache improved.

- Deleting the Recent Items improved.

- Bug corrected in the authenticate pane.

- Bug corrected when restoring the logo of Login window.

- Maintenance > Scripts pane improved.

- Help improved, corrected, and reindexed.

- New option: Show the Displays Extras menu with resolutions.

- New option: Show/hide shadow in window captures.

- New option: Show/hide the Reminders Debug menu.

- New option: Show/hide the Photo Booth Debug menu.

- New option: Lock/unlock the screen of automatically logged in user.

- New option: Show the dark menu bar in fullscreen mode.

- New version of sqlite3.

- Network Link Condition prefs pane updated to version 2.0.

- Misc. minor corrections.

OnyX 2.6.8 requires an Intel-based processor and OS X 10.8 or later to install and run.

If you’ve tried the new version and have any feedback, please let us know in the comments.

It’s hard to turn down a useful update.

On Wednesday, Adobe released 4.4 of its Lightroom image editing program. The new version, a 448.1 megabyte download, offers the following fixes and changes:
- This update includes bug fixes, new lens profiles, and support for 25 new cameras including the Canon EOS 1D C, Nikon D7100 and Samsung NX300.

- This release also includes improved support for the X-Trans image sensor in FujiFilm cameras, such as the X-Pro1.

Adobe Lightroom 4.4 retails for US$149.00 and requires an Intel-based Mac running Mac OS X 10.6.8 or later to install and run.

If you’ve tried the new version and have any feedback to offer, please let us know in the comments.

Bring your iPhone over to the right carrier and nifty things can happen.

Per TmoNews, T-Mobile customers that brought their iPhones over to the carrier will see feature enhancements and perhaps even a data speed boost when the carrier rolls out an update on Friday.

The web site carried an image of a leaked screenshot showing a carrier update set for April 5. The update will bring features like Visual Voicemail, and MMS Settings, as well as “Network/Device optimizations that customers do not have access to today.”

While unconfirmed, it is possible that these “optimizations” will give current iPhone owners on T-Mobile access to the network’s LTE network. Currently, data speeds for iPhones on T-Mobile’s network top out at 2G EDGE levels. The iPhone 5, when it reaches T-Mobile, will be able to take advantage of the carrier’s new high-speed network.

Apple’s iPhone 5 will make its official debut on T-Mobile on April 12, for US$99 on the carrier’s new UNCarrier payment plans. The OTA update for current T-Mobile iPhone users will go out to devices running iOS 6.1.x or higher beginning April 5.

Stay tuned for additional details as they become available.