.::REALITYRECALL::.

We’re not exactly huge Microsoft boosters around here. Most of us in the Switched offices are devoted Mac users, and there’s at least one professed Linux nerd in house. We regularly joke that it takes just as long in 2009 to open Microsoft Word as it did back in 1992. Operating system preferences aside, we can’t help but feel as though Microsoft is getting a raw deal. The Redmond-based company is regularly painted as the enemy of… well, just about everything. Yet, while the European Union is forcing Microsoft to unbundle Internet Explorer from Windows, no one seems to be keeping an eye on 1 Infinite Loop, Cupertino, CA. Here are a few ways we think Apple is evil, and getting away with it.

Continue reading Is Apple More Evil Than Microsoft?

Filed under: Columns, Google, iPhone

Is Apple More Evil Than Microsoft? originally appeared on Switched on Mon, 03 Aug 2009 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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A Google engineer recently posted a message on the Chromium development board stating that his team would be implementing a synchronization service into Chrome’s open-source progenitor as early as this week. What’s different about Chrome’s sync service? It uses a “push” service, through Google Talk protocols, to instantly move bookmarks, settings, and other user data into a Google account base, where it could be accessed on the web from any browser. A developer channel build of Chrome with some of the first features implemented can be expected as early as the end of this week, according to the posting. Does a push-synchronized Chrome change your view of each web browser’s strengths and weaknesses? [via Ars Technica]

Apple attempted to silence a father and daughter with a gagging order after the child’s iPod music player exploded and the family sought a refund from the company.

According to a report in Barron’s, a phantom “veteran analyst” has actually handled Apple’s heavily rumored tablet-device-thing. If you believe what the report is laying down (and honestly, that’s a big if — analysts have a funny habit of making things up) the tablet is still on for a September unveiling, with a shelf life beginning somewhere in November. What’s also interesting about the report is that the analyst claims the device will be marketed somewhere in the $699-$799 range — as was previously rumored — and will be aimed at uses as a media player (with some kind of potential Apple TV tie-in) and gaming device. The analyst, who obviously declined to be named, said that the tablet is simply awaiting Steve Jobs’ final blessing, and claimed that other ODMs have paused new products until they see the finished version of what Apple has in store. That last bit is potentially the most interesting of all, as we’ve recently heard reports of device-makers freezing new production until 2010, which definitely raises the possibility that the industry is holding its breath to see what kind of new trick Apple has up its sleeve. Yeah — things are about to get fun. [Warning: read link requires subscription]

[Via 9to5mac]

Filed under: Handhelds

Barron’s: Analyst handled Apple tablet, says competitors have paused production lines until launch originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 02 Aug 2009 17:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Normally, I’d say that TechCrunch’s Michael Arrington’s public quitting of the iPhone was a shrill, disingenuous ploy for attention and pageviews. But you know what? It’s totally legit, and Apple should pay attention.

The reason he's quitting isn't because of AT&Ts horrible network, which everyone with an iPhone has been begrudgingly putting up with for two years now. No, it's the Google Voice debacle.

He really wants to use Google Voice, but in order to do so, he needs the app for it to really work. It’s not just an inconvenience; it’s seriously detracting from how he can use his cellphone. And with legit GV apps available for both BlackBerry and Android, he doesn’t have to. So he’s terminating his iPhone contract.

And really, power to him. If GV was important to me, I’d do the same. And I’m sure Arrington isn’t the only person furious enough to cancel their iPhone service over this, he’s just one of the most visible. So Apple, pay attention. Because lately your App Store nonsense has crossed from irritating to inexcusable, and that’s just not going to work in the long term. [TechCrunch]

Twentieth Century Fox is resuscitating its Alien franchise. The studio has hired Jon Spaihts to write a prequel that has Ridley Scott attached to return as director.

From its earliest incarnation as a pared-down Netscape rewrite to its current browser share of nearly 30 percent, Firefox has come a long way. Today, it crossed another milestone: more than 1 billion downloads of the free, open source browser.

The recent release of Firefox 3.5 surely boosted the numbers, as more than 5 million downloaded the browser within the first week it was available, but 1 billion downloads is more an indication of a long-term movement than a sudden surge. Peering at StatCounter’s numbers, Firefox 2, 3, and 3.5 are carrying somewhere above 27.5 percent of net traffic through their windows, which says a lot for a browser that started out in November 2004 at, effectively, zero.

For a quick bit of nostalgia, here’s Lifehacker’s first Firefox-centered post (not that we aren’t still discovering neat little keyboard shortcuts). We’d also recommend running through Wikipedia’s History of Mozilla Firefox page, which shows off some smirk-inducing early designs and toolbar buttons.

Mozilla will soon launch an official page to commemorate 1 billion downloads, and has a place-holder at Spread Firefox. In the meantime, let’s hear your own early experiences with the browser in the comments.

John Carmack has revealed that the Xbox 360 version of Rage, which uses id’s new Tech 5 engine, matches the 60fps framerate of the PC version, while PS3 runs at just…

Here’s something I wish I had found before half our staff flew off on a surfing trip: a water soluble bikini.

Sure, it would have only made sense as water soluble bathing trunks for everyone but Jesus, who is European and therefore wears a bikini, but still, the idea holds up. You give them to your unsuspecting friends who then go in the water. Within three minutes, they disintegrate, leaving your friend humiliated and terrified. Heeee-larious! [RevengeShop]

A few months back we got word that Gmail had fixed the annoying “On behalf of” nonsense that showed in your email headers when you sent email from your consolidated email addresses via Gmail—an annoyance that steered many away from using Gmail to send from alternate addresses. It turned out to be a bug that time around, but Gmail has now officially offered the option to remove the "On behalf of" indicator, meaning you can now send emails from several different addresses via one central hub in Gmail without tipping your hat to the recipient.

To switch to this new method, go to the Accounts page under Settings, and click “edit info” from the “Send mail as” section. Then choose the option to “Use your other email provider’s SMTP servers.”

Huzzah! [Official Gmail Blog via Smarterware]

Last we heard, TechCrunch’s Michael Arrington wasn’t ready to talk about a timeframe for the release of his self-proclaimed “science project,” the CrunchPad tablet. That’s not the case for The Straits Times, however, who’ve published an article claiming that developer Fusion Garage is aiming to get the device out to the masses by November of this year, just in time for Christmas shopping. The Singapore newspaper got a sneak preview of the device, as well as some new specs. The tablet reportedly about 2.64 pounds, has a 1.6GH Intel Atom and 1GB RAM (which we knew), a USB port for keyboard and / or mouse, built-in WiFi and 3G connectivity, and a port for mobile broadband. Price is estimated around $400, a little bit more than the $300 he pegged in April, but it’s still being filed in the “unconfirmed” category for now — hopefully it comes out a little leaner when this thing goes official.

[Thanks, David]

Filed under: Handhelds

CrunchPad coming in November with built-in 3G connectivity, says Straits Times originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 30 Jul 2009 23:22:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Fortune’s Bridget Brennan has a bold statement: “Why doesn’t Apple make remote controls? You ask: Why Apple? Because if any company could improve one of the world’s most user-unfriendly electronic devices, it would be Apple. And then there’s this: Apple just may be the world’s most discreetly feminine brand.”

Good news for all the online shoppers out there, Amazon.com now ships a large selection of their Apparel, Automotive, Computers, Electronics, Home, Personal Care, Kitchen, Outdoor Living, Tools, Video Games and a few other categories to Canada through Amazon Global! Books, Music, and DVDs have always been deliverable to Canada, but the new product categories opens up a huge product selection. A quick look inside the electronics category indicated that over 10,000 items are shippable to Canada, while inside of the Watches category, there are over 19,000 products.

Shipping charges range between $4.99 US and $7.99 US per shipment, plus an additional $1.99 US to $3.99 US per item. An import fees or duties that may apply will be visible during the checkout. The full Canadian shipping details can be found here. Amazon.com’s prices are quite competitive to begin with, so even with the shipping and import costs, deals are bound to turn up for Canadians. The strong Canadian certainly helps, too.

You can see the entire Canada-shippable product selection from the first link, but you can also identify whether or not a given item ships internationally by looking in the “Product details” section. Under shipping it will say “This item is also available for shipping to select countries outside the U.S” or “Currently, item can be shipped only within the U.S“.

A big thanks goes to Al Kaseltzer for spotting and sharing this!

This deal Amazon.com Now Ships Computers, Electronics, Tools, Kitchen Items and More to Canada! was originally posted on RedFlagDeals.com – Your source for Canadian Deals, Free Coupons and Freebies.

Compare Prices on Computers and Electronics at PriceCanada.com

If you prefer Nero for your simple CD/DVD burning tasks but the price throws you for a loop, Nero has introduced a stripped-down, freeware version of the popular DVD burning software.

Since it's a stripped down version, you will only get the most basic CD and DVD burning features—for anything else you'll have to upgrade, or you can use a free replacement instead, like the popular ImgBurn application that just upgraded with loads of new features and bug fixes. Still, if you are used to Nero and want a free version, it might be worth a look.

Nero 9 is a free download for Windows. Readers should note that the freeware version will try and reset your default browser search page and install the Ask toolbar—make sure to look at that screen carefully or you'll have crapware on your system.

Windows expert Ed Bott finds a useful feature in Windows 7: you can play an external audio device through your computer’s speakers without any extra software using a simple configuration setting.

To activate the setting, you’ll need to plug the device into the Line In or microphone jacks, head to the Sounds panel, and then find the new Listen tab under the input jack. You’ll be able to direct the input from your iPod or other device to play directly from your speakers, an extremely useful feature if you’ve got a nice set of speakers connected to your PC.

Readers will note that you can always play your iPod's music using iTunes, but this method works even if you connect a friend's iPod or any other sound input you would like to use—and this method doesn't require using any software.

OS X continues to fall short of its security reputation