UPDATE: It’s here. Plug your iPhone into your computer and fire up the iTunes. As even those who live in remote fishing villages probably know, today Apple is set to drop iOS4 on the streets. It’s the operating system that the iPhone4 ships with, but owners of previous generation phones will be able to upgrade to it and enjoy some of the same benefits. A friend of mine who tried it out by installing iOS 4.0 developer’s beta said, [More]
software
Microsoft Won't Offer Upgrade Discount On Office 2010
By 5.12.10
The bad news: Confirming rumors that circulated earlier this year, Microsoft won’t offer existing Office owners a discount if they want to upgrade to the latest version, Office 2010. The even worse news: The new version hasn’t done away with the Ribbon. The good news: According to PC Magazine, There really isn’t any reason to upgrade if you’re happy with your current version of Office (or OpenOffice or Google Docs). [More]
VIDEO: MS Office Rigged With Alarm (Candid Camera Prank)
By 5.6.10
In this video, a copy of Microsoft Office is rigged with a touch-sensitive alarm and a secret camera that tapes what happens when people around town try to pick it up. Usually they become extremely shocked and lose control of their muscles, dropping the box, shuddering, and even losing their balance. I can’t blame them, that Clippy scares the crap out of me too. Whether it’s just a straight up prank or some kind of anti-software piracy viral video, one thing is for sure: I am amused. [More]
Being Locked Out Of Quickbooks Leads To An Endless Series Of Upsells
By 3.31.10
Quickbooks from Intuit is a very popular piece of accounting software used by accountants and non-accountants alike. One of its more annoying features is that customers must call to register their software after purchase, or it won’t work. Brian writes that his problem with Quickbooks came when the registration code for his new copy of QuickBooks wouldn’t work, and Intuit wanted him to pay $40 for technical support in order to get help registering the software he had already paid for. [More]
Michaelsoft Binbows Is Japanese For "Get A Cheap PC Here"
By 3.3.10
We have no idea who first posted this picture, but
just to set the record straight, the sign is using a bilingual pun
on the Japanese word è²§ä¹ (binbo) which can be translated as
“poor.” It’s apparently promoting a store that sells cheap PCs and
computer parts, though we do kind of like the sound of “binbows,”
and may just start using that around the office when we want to
refer to Michaelsoft’s flagship product. Or other products that are
deemed worthy of such an appellation.
Microsoft Must Change Word Or Stop Selling It
By 12.22.09
A federal appeals court has ordered Microsoft to remove custom XML functionality from any copies of Word 2007 that go on sale after January 11th. The ruling struck down Microsoft’s appeal of an earlier verdict that technology used in Office 2007 originated with the Canadian company i4i Software. [More]
Block Spam Callers From Your Blackberry With Call Control
By 11.11.09
You can always just not answer your phone, but if a telemarketer calling you on your Blackberry sends you into a rage, you might want to look at Call Control. The app relies on the telemarketer database at everycall.us to screen out known spammers. The free version screens out the top 100 telemarketers; an $8 version uses the entire database and includes updates.
Microsoft Stores To Sell Bloatware-Free PCs
By 10.30.09
If you hate buying a new PC that’s riddled with bloatware, you may want to pay a Microsoft Store a visit on your next computer shopping trip. They plan on selling PCs free of any third-party trial applications, reports OhGizmo.
By 10.23.09
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Kindle coming to a PC near you next month. Amazon’s Kindle software will be available as a free download for PC users starting next month. Versions for Macs and BlackBerrys will be available next year. All will have DRM, though users will be spared the pain of having to download their locked-down lit via AT&T’s 3G network, which has replaced Sprint’s more reliable data network in recent hardware Kindles.
Digital River: Easy To Download From, Impossible To Reach
By 10.23.09
Digital software downloads! Fast. Convenient. But sometimes, it can’t compare with having a physical disc and a printed product key sitting in front of you. That’s what Daniel’s roommate learned when he tried to download Windows 7 from Digital River.
Parental Control Software Co. Sells What Kids Say On The Internet
By 10.3.09
If you’re a company like Echometrix that sells parental control software, you’re sitting on a whole bunch of data about what teens and children say and do on the Internet. What to do with that information? Use it to make your software better? Well, of course. But why not sell aggregate data to marketers, too?
Microsoft Wants You To Host Your Own Windows 7 Launch Party, Really
By 9.29.09
Everyone likes hosting launch parties, right?! What? No one likes them? They’re not real parties—just promotional events dreamed up to move units? But Microsoft told me that it’s okay to host my own launch party! It’ll be cool! Just look at these two married couples hanging out and gabbing like a box of birds about how much they love Windows 7.
By 8.28.09
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Chipotle’s so-popular-they-had-to-discontinue-it iPhone app has been redesigned and is available for free at the iTunes store. What does this miracle software do? Well, it locates the nearest Chipotle, then lets you build your burrito, taco, whatever, add special instructions, and pay for your order. You can also save your favorites so you don’t have to build the burrito each time. Fatness, here we come. [Gizmodo]
Quilt Design Software Runs Out Of Thread Too Soon
By 8.16.09
Let’s be honest here. There is not very much overlap between the groups of “people who are quite tech-savvy” and “quilters.” (I can say that because I’m a quilter! Put down the rotary cutters!) That’s why reader T. is annoyed that the makers of popular quilt design software Electric Quilt only offer their users four “activations,” or installations on a particular operating system, and has their users scared to upgrade their Windows version or purchase a new computer.
Judge Tells Microsoft It Can't Sell Word In U.S.
By 8.12.09
Thanks to a Texas judge’s ruling earlier this week, Microsoft has been prohibited from selling or supporting any more copies of Word that can edit XML-based documents. A Toronto-based company, i4i, sued Microsoft in 2007 over its XML editing patent, and the judge ruled in i4i’s favor. The ruling kicks in 60 days from now, unless Microsoft decides to appeal. We have a feeling it will.
Adobe Takes Four Months And Counting To Process Refund
By 8.9.09
Jeff bought a copy of Adobe Creative Suite 4 back in May during a sale promising a $200 discount. The final checkout price didn’t reflect the discount, but he double-checked the terms and conditions and confirmed that he was eligible. Adobe agreed, and has repeatedly promised to issue a refund. Jeff has been waiting for the check for almost four months, and he’s not alone. Another customer has been waiting on a similar refund for almost a year!
Vlog It! Might Be Good Software If Users Could Install It
By 7.23.09
Vlog It! looks like a nice piece of software if you’re interested in video blogging. Now sold by Adobe, it makes putting video blog entries together about as easy as, well, iMovie.
Kaplan GRE Test Prep Software Fails Windows Vista Exam
By 7.21.09
If I were still preparing to take the GRE, I would start by purchasing study guides from a company that seems to have a grasp of basic logic. That company would not be Kaplan. See, Kaplan assumes that none of their customers are using Windows Vista. You know, the latest commercial release of the world’s dominant home computer operating system. At least, that would explain why their practice test software doesn’t work on computers running Vista, and their tech support staff don’t seem terribly concerned.
