Apple offers Snow Leopard for free to MobileMe subscribers

According to an email from Apple sent to MobileMe subscribers, the company has begun giving away free copies of Snow Leopard (Mac OS X 10.6). Although a seemingly charitable move on the surface, this may actually be a necessary action to keep customers happy. The giveaway appears to be an attempt to convert MobileMe users over to iCloud before the service is laid to rest on June 30, after which time the deal expires.

Currently, only Lion (OS X 10.7) provides official support for iCloud. With the imminent death of MobileMe closing in and Apple's reluctance to integrate iCloud into older versions of Mac OS X, the company has decided upon this convoluted fix -- issue free Snow

Gmail Meter analyzes your e-mail account for patterns, generates stats

A person's e-mail account can offer insight to that particular person. For example, do you promptly reply to other e-mails or do let them stew for a while? Are your replies paragons of brevity or do your replies blossom into complexly flowing, compartmentalized works of artisanally crafted, nuanced literature? Gmail Meter promises to give you greater insight into your Gmail habits and by extension, greater insight into yourself.

Developed by Romain Vialard, Gmail Meter is a Google Apps script which analyzes the contents of your Gmail account and

Sony launching PlayMemories Online next week with 5GB of free storage

Sony has announced that their media-sharing service will go live next week in six countries. Users in Canada, France, Germany, Japan, the UK and the US will have access to 5GB worth of free media storage starting May 25.

Dubbed PlayMemories Online, the content-sharing service will allow users to upload images and videos from their Sony camera using PlayMemories Home software on either a Windows PC or Mac.

Adobe announces Creative Suite 6, moves to subscription pricing

Adobe today announced the latest version of its Creative Suite software package for designers, web developers and other creative professionals. The latest release, CS6, includes updated versions of Photoshop with new content-aware tools and hardware acceleration support, Premier Pro with a much simplified UI and new image stabilizing features, as well as Dreamweaver and Flash with the latest web technologies.

Dropbox improves sharing capabilities with public link feature

Dropbox already offers arguably the simplest solution to synchronize and access your own files across PCs, tablets, and smartphones. Now, the company is taking a step further by making it much easier to share files with others, even those that do not have a Dropbox account. All you need to do is share a public link.

Microsoft SkyDrive takes on Dropbox with app for Windows and OS X

Google is expected launch its cloud storage service any time now and Microsoft's competing service SkyDrive received a major overhaul to prepare for battle. Similar to Dropbox, Skydrive now has dedicated apps for Windows and OS X, which integrate right into the OS by creating a folder where users can drag-and-drop files and have them automatically uploaded to their online lockers and synchronized accross devices.

Microsoft to showcase cross-platform Spotify competitor at E3 2012

Microsoft is expected to preview their new music service during E3 2012. Sources familiar with the company’s plans say the Zune replacement will be a cross-platform service that works on browsers in Android, iOS, Windows 8 and on the Xbox 360.

Codename Woodstock, the service will allow users to share tracks and create group playlists alongside heavy integration with Facebook. There could also be a “scan and match” function similar to iTunes Match that would let users scan their existing music library and match it with higher quality offerings.

Valve confirms Steam and Source engine for Linux

It's been a long wait but it looks like Linux users will finally get some native gaming action on Steam soon, according to Michael Larabel of Phoronix. Despite denying the existence of a port last year, the revelation comes straight from Valve's headquarters in Bellevue, Washington, where Larabel met with Gabe Newell to discuss their plans for the open source operating system.

Firefox 12 released with long-awaited automatic updates

Mozilla has released the latest version of Firefox which, among other changes, introduces automatic updates on Windows. After updating Firefox 12, the browser should download and install future builds entirely on its own. This offers at least two immediate benefits: you'll have one less application nagging you about updates, and it should put Mozilla on track to having a less fragmented installed base.

Those points are especially relevant since the developer initiated its rapid-fire six-week release cycle in early 2011. Of course, if you'd rather not receive updates automatically, you can quickly the

Microsoft Security Essentials 4.0 released, free anti-virus without the nag

Microsoft has just released version 4.0 of its free anti-virus utility, Microsoft Security Essentials. Since MSSE's release in 2009, its effectiveness, speed and features have been well-received. As a result, the anti-virus program enjoys a great deal of popularityin the U.S. and remains a TechSpot Editor's Pick along with two other solid, free AV offerings: Avast!and Avira.

A Microsoft spokesperson had this to say about the new release:

Catalyst 12.4 brings anti-aliasing improvements, XP support for HD 7000

Like clockwork, AMD has unleashed its monthly driver update for Radeon owners, bringing new features and the obligatory list of bug fixes. Among the more notable additions is support for the Radeon HD 7000 series on Windows XP -- something missing in previous versions. AMD also promises various image quality enhancements when using super sampling anti-aliasing, morphological anti-aliasing and texture filtering in certain situations:

Google Translate used by 200 million people each month

Google has announced via blog post that their Google Translate service is used by more than 200 million people each month. Broken down further, in any given day, Google translates the equivalent to as much text as you’d find in 1 million books.

Spotify launches long-awaited iPad app

Spotify users are finally getting the native iPad application they've been clamoring for some time. The app is available for free on the App Store, but like the company's existing mobile apps, it requires a $9.99 per month Premium subscription to use. That said, those without a Premium subscription can still try it free for 48 hours and also sign up for a further 30-day trial if they haven't done so in the past.

Apple rejects Dropbox apps, companies working to resolve differences

First identified as a series of support requests, Dropbox confirmed that Apple has begun rejecting any apps which depend on the Dropbox SDK. The problem purportedly stems from both recent changes in the Dropbox SDK and Apple's exhaustive developer agreement terms.

At the heart of the matter is Apple's prohibition on in-app purchases; moreover, purchases which attempt to bypass the App Store.

Hoping to receive a healthy 30 percent cut of in-app revenue, Apple requires developers to delegate micro-transactions and other in-app purchases to the App Store. If developers break the regulation or try

Amazon Cloud Drive gets desktop app for Mac and Windows

Amazon's Cloud Drive has been around for a while, but yesterday the company made it much easier to upload files from its servers by releasing dedicated apps fow Windows and OS X. The move comes hot on the heels of Google Drive's launch last week and Microsoft revamping its SkyDrive cloud storage solution.

Windows 8 won't support DVD, Blu-ray playback by default

Microsoft has pounded another nail in the coffin for optical media with the revelation that it won't be including DVD playback support by default in Windows 8. With a post on the Building Windows 8 blogyesterday, the company explained that DVD and Blu-ray playback as well as watching broadcast TV on PCs is in decline, and thus it no longer feels that the cost of licensing specialized decoders across all copies of Windows is justified.

HTC One X for AT&T now available, sans unlocked bootloader

AT&T has released the HTC One X for purchase on their network but astute buyers have already noticed a glaring issue with the smartphone. It seems that HTC has locked the bootloader on their new flagship phone through AT&T, reneging on a promise that the company made to customers last year.

Samsung hands out prototype Tizen handsets to developers

Those in attendance at the Tizen developer’s conference in San Francisco are being given Samsung prototype devices loaded with version 1.0 of the budding operating system. The crew from The Handheld Blog was in attendance and has plenty to share on the subject.

Adobe now shipping Creative Suite 6, Creative Cloud launching May 11

Adobe is now shipping the final release of Creative Suite 6 (CS6) which includes a multitude of software suites available individually or as one big bundle. Design and creative professionals can now get their hands on full versions of Dreamweaver, Fireworks, InDesign and Photoshop (just to name a few) although users will need to have the necessary hard drive space and plenty of spare cash since the subscription-based model won’t be available until May 11.

AT&T CEO knocks Google for slow Android smartphone updates

Who do you blame for not updating your Android smartphone in a timely manner? Well if you are AT&T CEO Randall Stephenson and someone asks you that question, you point the finger directly at Google.

Stephenson was at a panel discussion recently held by the Milken Institute when an audience member asked why it took so long to get updates for Android through some manufacturer’s hardware and if there was anything that could be done to speed up the process. The CEO replied by saying that there was indeed an issue and that Google determines what platform gets the newest releases and when.

Microsoft limits third-party browsers in Windows on ARM, Mozilla cries foul

Mozilla and Google’s plans to develop a Metro-style version of their browsers for Windows 8 were dealt a major blow this week after it was revealed that Microsoft will restrict third-party browsers like Firefox and Chrome from accessing certain APIs on its ARM devices.

Asa Dotzler, community coordinator for several Mozilla projects and product director for the Firefox desktop browser, explained the situation on his blog: On x86 Windows 8 PCs, there are three kinds of software programs - Classic programs that access the

Download of the Day: Thunderbird 13 Beta 1

Our Download of the Day is Thunderbird 13 Beta 1.

Changes in Thunderbird 13 Beta 1:

* NEW

- Filelink: Send links rather than attachments and prevent bounce back due to large attachments.

* CHANGED

- The minimum system requirements for Windows are now Windows XP Service Pack 2 or later.

What can Thunderbird do for you?

Latest Steam beta offers remote library management

Valve have released a Steam beta client which has a new feature tucked into it called Remote Downloads. Remote Downloads is a feature that lets users manage their game libraries remotely. This means that users can login to the official Steam site and have access to their game list.

Download of the Day: GPU-Z 0.6.1

The latest version of GPU-Z is here, version 0.6.1. With it, brings plentiful NVIDIA Kepler support, mobile 7000 Series Radeon support, and more. On top of this, there's a PowerColor giveaway which shouldn't be missed!

Microsoft to drop the "Windows Live" brand when Windows 8 arrives

Microsoft's next-generation operating system, Windows 8 is nearly here and with it will bring changes to Microsoft's "Windows Live" platform. The Redmond-based company has decided to retire the "Windows Live" brand once Windows 8 arrives.

Download of the Day: ICQ 7.8.6800

  ICQ has been updated to version 7.8.6800, and with it, brings a few changes:

• # New
• 
  
• * File Transfer

Download of the Day: Xfire 1.149 Build 45547

Our Download of the Day is Xfire 1.149 Build 45547.

Changelog:

* Fixed an issue where video uploads would fail with the "413 Request Entity Too Large" error.

Software News

Advanced Easy Editor Goes Bare Bones, Then Breaks Out the Sandpaper April 25, 2012 Sometimes too much of a good thing in free software can create bad impressions. For instance, some of the free stuff so easily available in Linux distro package managers is so archaic that newcomers to the OS might understandably shriek in horror. Don't get me wrong. I absolutely am a big fan of FOSS applications.

Schlepping Files Got You Down? Enter the DragonDrop April 23, 2012 I'm a highly visual guy, and while there are all sorts of ways to work with files on my Mac, I still love cluttering up my desktop with folders, links, documents and photos. I treat my desktop like a table surface, and I have elaborate stacks and sections of folders and files.

Linus, Linux and the Millennium Technology Prize April 23, 2012 It doesn't happen often here in the Linux blogosphere that FOSS fans agree unanimously on -- well, on pretty much anything. Truth be told, there's generally good reason for the dissension. Take Microsoft's latest maneuvers, for example -- are they good news? Bad news? It's not always easy to tell. Last week, however, one of those rare announcements was made that brought universal joy to Linux aficionados around the globe.

Larry vs. Larry April 21, 2012 A San Francisco courtroom is presently the center ring in the worldwide tech IP litigation circus. While other legal battles over mobile device patents and copyrights are as down and dirty as ever in places like Germany, Australia, and elsewhere in the U.S., the fight between Oracle and Google over the alleged theft of Java technologies stands out due to its cast of characters.

Windows Puts Microsoft 2 Steps Ahead, Xbox 1 Step Behind April 20, 2012 Microsoft reported higher than expected earnings Thursday, with Windows 7 license sales up despite the company's plan to release a new version of its desktop operating system later this year. The company's PC division gained 4 percent from a year ago, earning $4.6 billion in revenue. The gain was in part thanks to an uptick in businesses buying Windows 7 licenses, Microsoft said.

Microsoft Open Technologies: Same Old, Same Old? April 19, 2012 Well the shock had barely worn off from the recent news that Microsoft is among the Linux kernel's biggest contributors when another mind-bending announcement was made on a closely related theme. The development this time? None other than Microsoft's declaration last week that it was creating a wholly owned subsidiary devoted to forging closer ties with the open source community. Is it a dream? A nightmare?

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Windows Phone Growing Pains Cause Update Headache April 18, 2012 Will Microsoft let owners of smartphones running Windows Phone 7.5, nicknamed "Mango," upgrade to WinPho 8, also known as "Apollo?" At this point, the answer appears very unclear. Controversy erupted when Nuno Silva, described as a Microsoft evangelist, said that all current smartphones running Windows Phone 7 will get the upgrade to WinPho 8.

Xournal Makes Short Work Out of Longhand April 18, 2012 Regardless of how good they are, some Linux applications have very little appeal to all but users with specialized needs. That is not the case with Xournal. Even if you do not use a tablet for inputing notes, this app still lets you create with style. If you are looking for a very handy note-taking application, check out Xournal.

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Oracle, Google Fisticuffs Begin in Earnest April 16, 2012 While it won't likely go down as the "trial of the century," the legal showdown between Oracle and Google that began in San Francisco federal court on Monday could still be quite significant. The case has already been characterized as "the World Series of IP cases" by U.S. District Judge William Alsup, who is presiding over the trial.

Burning Rubber on the Road to Virtualization April 16, 2012 High-performance motorcycle designer and manufacturer Ducati Motor Holding has greatly expanded its use of virtualization and is speeding toward increased private cloud architectures. With a server virtualization rate approaching 100 percent, Ducati has embraced virtualization rapidly in just the past few years, with resulting benefits of application flexibility and reduced capital costs.

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Cars and FOSS: Sweet Ride, or Crash in the Making? April 16, 2012 With the frequent focus on mobile machinations and desktop deliberations here in the Linux blogosphere, it would be easy to assume that all else in the FOSS fiefdom is relatively conflict-free. Easy, perhaps -- but dead wrong, nonetheless. Case in point: cars. There's a growing movement to apply the open source model to the design and manufacturing of electric cars.

Who Cares About Software Freedom? April 12, 2012 Well it's been a disconcerting kind of week here in the Linux blogosphere, not least because of all the darn construction going on down at the Google+ Grill. First it was the hammering giving Linux Girl a headache. Then, on Wednesday, she walked in after lunch and could barely recognize the place. What is this interface sorcery, she wants to know?

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Tweaks to Chrome OS Stir Up Existential Questions April 11, 2012 A new version of Google's personal computer operating system, Chrome OS, was released for developers Tuesday. It adds design elements of more conventional offerings like Windows and OS X. The new Aura interface includes a home screen with a task bar, or shelf, from which you can launch applications.

qOrganizer Squares Away Everything but Its Own Interface April 11, 2012 One of my biggest problems in managing appointments, to-do tasks, notes and reminders is that I work on a variety of desktop and laptop computers in multiple locations. To bridge the access gaps, I rely on a tablet computer and a smartphone tapped into cloud storage.

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Thin Clients Alive and Kicking April 10, 2012 In the years since thin client computing arrived on the IT scene, it has been pronounced dead, only to arise again more often than Jason in the "Friday the 13th" film franchise. That's not due to any quality of its underlying architecture. In fact, thin client engineering is often elegant in the extreme and makes clever use of au courant mainstream technologies. What does this have to do with Dell's recently proposed acquisition of Wyse?

Canonical's Quest for Greatness April 10, 2012 Canonical, the commercial developer of the Ubuntu Linux operating system, seems at times to be stuck between a rock and a hard place. Some testers and industry watchers alike have praised the company's innovative Unity desktop shell and the Heads Up Display (HUD) bolted on top of it in this month's release of Ubuntu 12.04, the Precise Pangolin. But that praise is not universal.

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Microsoft's Linux Labors: A Signal of Defeat? April 09, 2012 Such has been the joy in the Linux blogosphere over Red Hat's ascendance to the billion-dollar sphere that it's been difficult to imagine anything that could possibly top that excitement. But guess what? A new report from the Linux Foundation recently offered news that many consider equally momentous -- and potentially just as encouraging for FOSS.

Red Hat's Billion-Dollar Coup April 05, 2012 We've all known for some time now that Red Hat would soon be FOSS's first arrival to the billion-dollar club, but somehow that advance knowledge didn't make the official news any less exciting. No indeed! So when the word broke late last week that that much-anticipated milestone had finally been achieved, cheers and fanfare could be heard throughout the land.

Download of the Day: The Gimp 2.8.0

Our Download of the Day is The Gimp 2.8.0.

The latest version of The Gimp is out, if you haven't heard of it before, here's what it can do:

The GIMP is a multiplatform photo manipulation tool. GIMP is an acronym for GNU Image Manipulation Program. The GIMP is suitable for a variety of image manipulation tasks, including photo retouching, image composition, and image construction.

It has many capabilities. It can be used as a simple paint program, an expert quality photo retouching program, an online batch processing system, a mass production image renderer, an image format converter, etc.

Download of the Day: Skype 5.9.0.115

Our Download of the Day is Skype 5.9.0.115.

Skype is available for Windows, Mac OS X, Linus and PDAs. As well as mobile devices. The changelog for this version is below:

# Fixed issues:

* Sign-In

- Issues with login window for some users

You can download Skype 5.9.0.115 here.

Download of the Day: Ad-Aware Free Antivirus+ 10.1.211.3382

Our Download of the Day is Ad-Aware Free Antivirus+ 10.1.211.3382.

The latest version of Ad-Aware Free Antivirus+ is available, hitting version 10.1.211.3382. With it, brings a bunch of changes, with the full changelog below:

# ENGINE

• Cached Scanning for faster scheduled scans.
• Cached schedule scans complete sooner.
• Performance improvements have been made to the engine
• Reliability improvements have been made to the file system drivers

Download of the Day: OpenOffice 3.4.0

If you didn't already know what OpenOffice was, here's what it's capable of:

OpenOffice.org is the leading open-source office software suite for word processing, spreadsheets, presentations, graphics, databases and more. It is available in many languages and works on all common computers.

Great software

OpenOffice.org is the result of over twenty years' software engineering. Designed from the