Hasta La Gadget!

Microsoft got in hot water with the European Commission back in 2009 for failing to offer users of the Windows operating system of choice when it came to the web browser used. The solution by Microsoft was to offer European users the browser ballot screen. The screen serves to both inform Windows users that other browsers were available and to allow them to easily install those browsers. Update: Microsoft statement after the cut.

The European Commission agreed that the browser ballot screen would remedy complaints and made the screen legally binding in 2009. The European Commission has sent Microsoft a statement of objections noting non-compliance with its browser choice commitments. Specifically, Microsoft failed to offer the browser choice screen with the Windows 7 Service Pack 1 released in February 2011.

The EC states that from February of 2011 until July of 2012, millions of Windows users in the European Union may not have seen the browser choice screen. Microsoft has acknowledged that as many as 28 million computers were offered the browser choice screen during that period. Microsoft has blamed an engineering error rather than malice.

Issuing the statement of objections is a formal step in the Commission investigation. The statement of objections allows Microsoft to reply in writing and request an oral hearing to present comments. The commission will make a final decision after Microsoft has exercised its right of defense. Microsoft faces a gigantic fine for failing to provide the browser choice screen and could be fined up to 10% of its total annual turnover amounting to as much as $7.4 billion.

Update: Microsoft has issued the following statement:

“We take this matter very seriously and moved quickly to address this problem as soon as we became aware of it. Although this was the result of a technical error, we take responsibility for what happened, and we are strengthening our internal procedures to help ensure something like this cannot happen again. We sincerely apologize for this mistake and will continue to cooperate fully with the Commission”

Microsoft officially informed by EC of failure to comply with browser commitment is written by Shane McGlaun & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

European regulators have charged Microsoft for not giving Windows 7 users a choice of internet browsers when they install the OS. Although this is only an initial step towards a fine for the software maker, Microsoft agreed with the European Commission to offer browser choices to its Windows users over three years ago, avoiding a heavy antitrust penalty. Unfortunately, while Microsoft acknowledged the “technical error”, this wasn’t before the European Commission picked up the issue — the EU’s antitrust watchdog said in July that Microsoft had not complied with the order from February 2011. According to a Reuters report earlier this year, and echoed in the EU’s statement below, the fine could amount to as much as 10 percent of the Redmond company’s global turnover.

Update: Microsoft has issued a statement on the EU charge, received by The Verge.

“We take this matter very seriously and moved quickly to address this problem as soon as we became aware of it. Although this was the result of a technical error, we take responsibility for what happened, and we are strengthening our internal procedures to help ensure something like this cannot happen again. We sincerely apologize for this mistake and will continue to cooperate fully with the Commission.”

Continue reading EU antitrust commission charges Microsoft over browser selection ‘breach’

Filed under: Desktops, Laptops, Internet, Software, Microsoft

EU antitrust commission charges Microsoft over browser selection ‘breach’ originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 24 Oct 2012 06:27:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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T-Mobile has announced that it will be offering the Samsung Galaxy Note II on its network. You can order up the device today if you’re willing to pay nearly $70 more than you can get the same exact phone for on the AT&T network. T-Mobile will offer the device in gray or white colors for $369.99.

By comparison, AT&T is offering the Galaxy Note II for $299.99 with the same two-year agreement. Another bit of bad news about the $369.99 price tag for the device at T-Mobile is that it includes a $50 mail-in rebate. That means when you’re rolling in the T-Mobile store to buy one of these, you’re actually going to pay $419.99 and then wait for 6 to 8 weeks for your $50 to come back in the mail.

If you’re a big enough fan of the T-Mobile network that paying more doesn’t bother you, you can order the device up today, and it offers the same features that the Note II has on the other networks. Those features include Android 4.1 for the operating system, a quad-core 1.6 GHz processor, and the 5.5-inch HD Super AMOLED display.

The phone/tablet has a full HD resolution camcorder, 16 GB of integrated memory along with a microSD slot for expansion, and a 3100 mAh battery. The dimensions of the device are 5.94 x 3.16 x 0.37-inches and weighs 6.3 ounces. The tablet also features the S Pen allowing users to write directly on the screen.

T-Mobile Galaxy Note II on sale (for $70 more than AT&T wants) is written by Shane McGlaun & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

Deciding on whether to take out cell phone insurance is a tricky issue: it costs a heap, but it could save a stack of cash when you drop your smartphone onto bare concrete. Chances are, though, if you do ever make a claim, it will never be as ridiculous as any of these. More »

Gamers if you’re playing World of Warcraft and you’re finding it hard to enter your chosen servers, possibly due to overcrowding which leads to queuing, Blizzard has announced free character transfers once again. As expected these free character transfers are targeted at the more popular servers, such as Frostmourne (Oceanic), Illidan (Central), Kil’jaeden (Pacific) and Stormrage (Eastern). Players who belong in those servers have the option of transferring to Gundrak, Mug’thol, Frostwolf or Trollbane respectively. This free transfer will only be valid until 11:59pm on the 31^st of October, so you best make your move quickly! The good news is that if you’re in a guild and your GM completes a Guild Master Realm Transfer, guild membership and guild reputation will be kept. Granted less populated servers could mean less comprehensive auction houses and people to interact with, but we guess some players would rather that than have to wait in queue. More information can be found on the World of Warcraft blog in the source link below.

By Ubergizmo. Related articles: Future World of Warcraft updates to be more frequent, but smaller, World of Warcraft hack suspected in turning cities into deathtraps,