Hasta La Gadget!

Now that Microsoft’s browser selection story is all but settled, it looks like the European Union is gearing up for a new antitrust probe, with its crosshairs aimed generally in Google’s direction. According to the search giant’s Senior Competition Counsel Julia Holtz (via its European Public Policy Blog), complaints from three European internet companies — legal search group EJustice.fr, price comparison site Foundem.co.uk, and German-based Microsoft subsidiary Ciao.de — have prompted the European Commission to launch a preliminary, fact-finding probe. The charges? Anticompetitive practices stemming from unfair downranking of its competitors in search results. Google denies any wrongdoing, while adding ,”we are also the first to admit that our search is not perfect, but it’s a very hard computer science problem to crack.” The Microsoft connection seems particularly notable to Google; Holtz reiterates that the company had a good relationship with Ciao until the Redmond company picked it up in 2008 — “we started receiving complaints about our standard terms and conditions.” Like we said, at this point it’s just a fact-finding probe that could end up going nowhere, but seriously, Google’s lawyers cannot seem to get a break these days.

EU launches preliminary antitrust probe against Google originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 23 Feb 2010 21:47:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Microsoft is putting the finishing touches to the famed “browser choice screen” that the European Commission forced it to include as part of its antitrust investigation settlement, and today we get to see it for the first time. Users who have Internet Explorer as their default browser (meaning none of the savvy Engadget readers) will be alerted that there is “an important choice to make” and directed to the above decision making assistant. We actually think the randomized order of the top five browsers makes a ton of sense, and would express some cautious optimism that the ballot screen could really do its job of informing people of the alternatives out there. Users in the UK, Belgium and France will get to try it out next week, and a phased rollout will begin across Europe on March 1.

Windows 7’s European browser ballot screen revealed, rolling out next week originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 19 Feb 2010 08:12:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Looks like the rumors we heard were true: august cordwainer Puma has teamed up with Sagem to make a phone — and it’s quite a looker, too. The Puma Phone (as it’s called) is a lightweight little guy that boasts an integrated solar cell for charging and charge indicator to let you know how you’re doing on juice, a QVGA TFT 2.8-inch capacitive touchscreen, plus a 3.2 megapixel cam with LED flash and 6x zoom. It also packs in GPS, a compass and geotagging, plus it’s got a host of ‘sporty’ features (pedometer, stopwatch and GPS tracker)… if you’re into an active lifestyle. This bad boy can be strapped to your arm when you’re on the go, but don’t blame us if it doesn’t score you any points with the passersby. The Puma Phone will be available throughout Europe in April of this year — no word on pricing or availability elsewhere yet. The full press release is after the break.

Continue reading Puma joins forces with Sagem to birth the Puma Phone

Puma joins forces with Sagem to birth the Puma Phone originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 16 Feb 2010 11:43:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Autsch! In light of the recent attacks on Google China and Microsoft’s revelation that an Internet Explorer security flaw served as an impetus in the assault, Germany’s Federal Office for Information Security has released a warning to its population: avoid IE. Specifically, the report calls out the latest three versions — 6, 7, and 8 — but let’s face it, those older versions should be avoided on grounds of usability alone. Boy, bet the Bonn-based agency is happy about that Windows 7 web browser ballot screen, eh?

Germany advises its citizens to say ‘nein’ to Internet Explorer originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 16 Jan 2010 17:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Remember Galileo, Europe’s proposed GPS-like satellite navigation system? It’s back in the headlines, and according to the Telegraph, UK-based Surrey Satellite Technology and Germany’s OHB System have jointly secured €566 million (that’s $815 million in US currency) to build 14 more satellites. The funding continues until 2013, whereby 22 satellites will be order. Full satellite navigation requires 27, and ultimately the European Union wants 32 technological waypointers. Launch date? Apparently 2014 — we’re hopeful, but this road has been wrought with delays before.

Galileo sat-nav system back on the map, said to be ‘up and running’ by 2014 originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 10 Jan 2010 11:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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