Can Microsoft really build a better browser?

Can Microsoft really build a better browser?
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Internet Explorer 9 is looking promising. But it's up against stiff competition, and that competition isn't standing still. Can Microsoft actually move fast enough to keep its browser relevant, or does its corporate culture of stable, solid, immutable platforms stand in the way of regaining the success the company once had?

Apple a force to be reckoned with in portable gaming

Analysis of portable gaming revenues over the last couple of years shows iPhone games taking a large piece of the pie.

Firefox becomes WinPhone 7's first big native code casualty

The lack of native code development on Windows Phone 7 Series was always likely to discourage developers with large, pre-existing codebases. Mozilla has confirmed that it is suspending development of its version of Firefox for Windows Mobile due to the inability to migrate to Windows Phone.

Google tells Australia its 'Net filters go way too far

Google tells Australia its 'Net filters go way too far

A day after Google stopped censoring search results in China, it warned the Australian government that its own filtering project might "confer legitimacy upon filtering by other Governments."

EU court: Google not liable for AdWord counterfeits

EU court: Google not liable for AdWord counterfeits

When you search for a Louis Vuitton bag, you're usually searching for the real deal, not a counterfeit. Still, Google can't be held responsible if some shady resellers are hawking fake products, according to a ruling from the European Court of Justice.

EA's mouthpiece foiled by Command and Conquer DRM

DRM that requires an Internet connection at all times is a pain in the butt, as EA's Jeff Green found out when he tried to play Command and Conquer 4. A company man's frustration with his company's products.

Hands-on: Ubuntu One music store will rock in Lucid Lynx

Hands-on: Ubuntu One music store will rock in Lucid Lynx

Canonical has beta launched the new Ubuntu One music store. Ars takes a hands-on look to see if it will crank music purchasing up to 11 in Ubuntu 10.04.

Nintendo's newest portable announced: the 3DS

Nintendo is launching a new version of the Nintendo DS this weekend, but the company has already given some details about its successor: the 3DS. Details are scarce, but here is what we know so far.

Not at all safe: the Nerf Marauder Longsword

Nerf has released an update line of swords called the Marauder. Longer, heavier, and harder... these things can put a hurt on any backyard warriors.

Fun when you can play it: Ars reviews Command & Conquer 4

Fun when you can play it: Ars reviews <em>Command & Conquer 4</em>

As the final entry in the Tiberian saga, Command & Conquer 4: Tiberian Twilight serves as a curious, and frustrating, anomaly in the long-running series. A combination of tedious level progression, simplified gameplay, and frustrating DRM make this one for hardcore C&C; fans only.

Browser ballot already hurting Internet Explorer market share

The introduction of the browser ballot is already yielding dividends for Firefox and Opera in Europe. There's no such good news for the seven smaller browsers, though, justifying their complaint to the EU about the ballot's design.

Cheap shots: How to shoot pro-quality video on a budget

Cheap shots: How to shoot pro-quality video on a budget
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Whether you're an aspiring filmmaker or you just want to shoot better home movies, there are a number of relatively inexpensive ways to drastically elevate the quality of your video. Here's how to do what the pros do, but on a budget.

How we'll get a gigabit to US hospitals, libraries, colleges

How we'll get a gigabit to US hospitals, libraries, colleges

The government has endorsed a bold plan to bring 1Gbps to more than 200,000 schools, hospitals, and libraries across the US—and once it's there, to encourage cities and private ISPs to extend it out into the community. But first we have to pay for it.

Panasonic is winning the first round of the 3DTV wars

Panasonic's 3D plasma TVs have proven a hit with consumers, and they're now on backorder at Best Buy.

Multicore requires OS rewrites? Well, maybe

Multicore requires OS rewrites? Well, maybe

A Microsoft engineer last week said that to properly handle multicore processors, future operating systems should discard the multitasking systems of today, in favor of dedicating cores to specific tasks. This seems more than a little surprising.

BitDefender update breaks 64-bit Windows PCs

A definition update for the BitDefender anti-virus software has left 64-bit Windows machines crippled.

Amazon, Barnes & Noble plan to ride the iPad e-book train

Amazon, Barnes & Noble plan to ride the iPad e-book train

Both Amazon and Barnes & Noble will have iPad apps to read books from their respective e-book stores, even while Apple's iBookstore picks up steam.

Apple (finally) lets you give iPhone apps as gifts

Users have long been able to gift movies and music from iTunes to other people, and now we can finally add selections from the App Store to that list.

Google sends China users to Hong Kong for uncensored results

Google sends China users to Hong Kong for uncensored results

Google has officially opened the floodgates to taboo topics in China via its operations in Hong Kong. The company is currently planning to keep some other, non-search operations in China, though it really depends on whether the government will continue to allow access the Hong Kong site.

Adobe to unify ColdFusion, Flex, Flash with Flash Builder 4

Adobe continues to integrate (or muddy the waters, depending on your point of view) its rich Internet application development tools around Flash with the announcement of Flash Builder 4.

It's the return of Bizarro Lounge! (Help us stress test)

The Bizarro Lounge has returned. Details inside.

Small scale, energy-efficient desalination demoed

Small scale, energy-efficient desalination demoed

Combining a voltage difference with a selectively permeable membrane can create a force that repels charged particles in a solution, providing an energy efficient route to small-scale desalinization.

Doing science: Jonathan Coulton to create music for Portal 2

Jonathan Coulton's "Still Alive" made waves as the ending theme of Portal, so we're happy to report that Coulton has confirmed that he's creating music for Portal 2.

60% of Americans engaging in couch potato multitasking

60% of Americans engaging in couch potato multitasking

As if our attention spans aren't already torn to pieces, nearly 60 percent of Americans are now surfing the Internet while watching TV. Time spent doing both is up year-over-year, with online and mobile video growing too.

Get an iPad for your old CDs thanks to iPodMeister

Here's a thought: if you hadn't wasted so much money on CDs in the 90s, you could buy an iPad today. Luckily, you still have a chance at making that trade.